► Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that the answers to the following questions are helpful but if you have any further questions please just get in touch.
We've divided our frequently asked questions into sections for students and community organisations.
How long will it take to get started?
Do I need previous experience or skills to take part?
I'm an international student. Do I need a particular visa in order to be able to volunteer?
Where is the Project V office?
When do the volunteering opportunities take place?
Can I volunteer for a short period of time only?
I didn't sign up in the Autumn Term. Can I still volunteer?
Where are the volunteering opportunities based?
How will I get to my placement?
What if I don't like my volunteering placement?
Can I take a break from volunteering during university vacations?
I’m looking for part time paid work - can I eventually get paid by volunteering?
I want to volunteer in the Students’ Union but I can’t find any roles I like. What can I do?
When are students able to volunteer?
Is there a 'best time' to recruit new student volunteers?
Our organisation is not based in Brighton & Hove. Can we still register?
We are a profit making organisation. Can we still recruit volunteers?
We would like to advertise an internship. Can we do that through Project V?
Our organisation has more than one volunteering opportunity. Should I send in more than one form?
We sometimes have 'one off' opportunities coming up. How do I register these?
I have looked through the 'placement visit paperwork' but we don't have all the paperwork in place. Should I still register with Project V?
How will our volunteering opportunities be promoted?
We would like to come onto campus to recruit volunteers directly. Is this possible?
We need particular skills from our volunteers. How can I make sure that we recruit students who have those particular skills?
How long will it take for students to get started?
First check out the opportunities available, this will give you a good idea of the sorts of placements that are available. Then make an appointment to come and see us when you'll be able to browse through further information and chat to a member of the Project V team.
How long will it take to get started?
Once you have chosen an opportunity that you are interested in, we will contact that organisation to let them know that you are interested in volunteering. You will then follow the recruitment procedure of the placement organisation which often involves an application form and a meeting / informal interview. The length of time that this takes varies between placements and can typically take from between one to six weeks.
Do I need previous experience or skills to take part?
A lot of volunteering placements simply ask for enthusiasm and commitment to take part. However, there are some placements that ask for previous experience or skills. For example some organisations that work with vulnerable people will ask for fluency in English. We will let you know of any such requirements so that you can choose a volunteering placement that suits your experience and skills.
Do I need to be a current University of Sussex or Brighton & Sussex Medical School student to take part?
Yes, the service is only available to current students. However, do not despair as there is a fantastic Volunteer Centre in Brighton that is open to everyone.
I'm an international student. Do I need a particular visa in order to be able to volunteer?
Yes, you need to have a 'Tier 4 Student Visa' in order to volunteer. Unfortunately, if you are visiting Britain on a 'Student Visitor Visa' only, you will not be able to undertake any volunteering activity. If you are not sure which visa you have, please contact the University of Sussex International and Study Abroad Office for advice: Tel.01273 678422
Where is the Project V office?
We are located on the first floor of Falmer House in the Activities Centre. The centre is open 10am- 1 PM and 1.30pm-4.30pm Monday to Fridays.
When do the volunteering opportunities take place?
Volunteering opportunities take place throughout the week and occasionally weekends as well. We can help you find a volunteering placement that suits your time-table.
Can I volunteer for a short period of time only?
We have a wide variety of local community projects with a range of different time commitments. There are several projects that you can get involved in for short periods of time - for example conservation projects. We, Project V, also organise regular one-off volunteering opportunities for those of you with limited time.
I didn't sign up in the Autumn Term. Can I still volunteer?
Yes! We have volunteering opportunities that operate all year round. Please contact us to arrange an appointment.
Where are the volunteering opportunities based?
Our opportunities are based in Brighton & Hove and Lewes.
How will I get to my placement?
All of our volunteering opportunities are local and can be reached by public transport from the University. Please let us know if you are not sure how to get to your placement as we will be able to show you where it is on a map and give you details of how to get there by train/bus.
What training/support will I get
We make sure that all our placement organisations are able to provide safe and supportive volunteering opportunities for students. You should receive a full induction when you begin to volunteer, plus on-going support and relevant training in order to carry out your role. If you don't feel that you are receiving the right level of support please let us know and we will be able to help.
What if I don't like my volunteering placement?
If you start your volunteering placement but are not happy - please let us know. We can support you to sort out any problems or, if more appopriate, help you to choose another placement.
Can I take a break from volunteering during university vacations?
Community organisatins understand that students are often not in Brighton for the whole year and will need to take breaks for vacation and during exam periods. The majority of organisations are flexible and will understand when you need to take a break from your volunteering. A minority of organisations require a year round commitment - this information will be provided when you meet with us.
No! Volunteering is free. We will ensure that you get your travel expenses paid.
I’m looking for part time paid work - can I eventually get paid by volunteering?
No. Volunteering is different from paid work in a number of ways, the most obvious being that volunteers don’t give their time for financial gain. Students normally volunteer to exchange their time for skills, experience, the chance to meet other people and/or socialise with other students (if volunteering within the Students' Union) and to make a contribution to the local community. The skills you develop and experience you gain can be used as part of your applications for paid work as they provide useful examples of your expertise.
I don’t know what my course schedule will be like, can I still apply for a volunteer position within the local community and/or the Students' Union?
Yes. Whether volunteering within the local community or within the Students’ Union, we try to be as flexible as possible to fit around your schedule. However, this can vary from role to role. To make sure, speak to the contact person for the volunteer role.
I want to volunteer in the Students’ Union but I can’t find any roles I like. What can I do?
If you can’t find a role you are interested in, you can contact us and tell us what your interests are. We could try and match you to a department and we may be able to create a role for you. We also welcome ideas you may have for new roles. There are also lots of volunteering opportunities in the local community that you can access via Project V.
When are students able to volunteer?
Students do not always spend the whole year in Brighton. A lot of students go home for vacation and so may only be available for 30-35 weeks per year. It is important to bear this in mind when recruiting students as volunteers. It is therefore helpful to make your volunteering opportunities as flexible as possible, and if there is a rigid time commitment to be clear about this from the start. The University lists term dates on their website.
Is there a 'best time' to recruit new student volunteers?
Autumn Term (October to December) can be a very good time to recruit students as volunteers. This is the time when alot of students sign up for activities outside of their degree programme, and decide how they would like to spend their spare time. If your organisation run specific recruitment drives and deadlines it would be a good idea to consider October-December in order to make the most of this busy period.
However, Project V recruit new student volunteers throughout the year - so please don't hesitate to get in touch at any point.
Our organisation is not based in Brighton & Hove. Can we still register?
Project V can register organisations outside Brighton, Hove and Lewes as long as the volunteering activities take place IN Brighton, Hove and Lewes. All organisations will need to be placement visited and we would expect an organisation based outside Brighton, Hove and Lewes to come to Project V for the placement visit.
Project V does not have the funds to cover travel expenses and is not the main beneficiary of the volunteer's service. The Volunteering England's good practice guide to volunteer management states that ' volunteers are making a gift of their time and that has substantial monetary value. Therefore, they should not be expected to give up money as well.' Accordingly, we expect community organisations to pay for the volunteer travel expenses.
We are a profit making organisation. Can we still recruit volunteers?
No. We only recruit volunteers for Not For Profit, community and voluntary organisations, community interest companies and statutory organisations.
We would like to advertise an internship. Can we do that through Project V?
No, Project V only recruits volunteering opportunities not exceeding the time commitment of 1 day per week. However, please get in touch with the Career and Employability Centre who may be able to help you.
Our organisation has more than one volunteering opportunity. Should I send in more than one form?
Please feel free to use more than one volunteering opportunity form if your volunteering opportunities are very different and have separate induction/training/support details.
We sometimes have 'one off' opportunities coming up. How do I register these?
If you are already registered with Project V you can send us an email with details of your one-off opportunity. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible concerning the volunteer role, training and date(s). To successfully promote one off volunteering opportunities and recruit students, we will need to know about one off volunteering opportunities at least 3 weeks before the event is happening. If you have not yet registered, please complete a volunteering opportunity form.
The Placement Visit takes place once we have a student who is interested in volunteering with your organisation. We will visit your organisation - it's a great way for us to learn more about your organisation and for you to get to know how we work and for us to discuss all the great ways we can collaborate and work together.
Can I register with Project V simply by completing the Volunteering Opportunity form?
In order to register with us, you do need to complete 3 forms: Volunteering Opportunity Form, Placement Checklist and Service Level Agreement. If you wish to discuss anything to do with the forms, please do give us a call.
How will our volunteering opportunities be promoted?
The main ways in which promote volunteering opportunities is via our website online database; through our matching and advice service with students and through V-Bite, our termtime weekly e-mail bulletin that goes out to a large student mailing list. We also carry out targeted recruitment to relevant university departments and, resources and time permitting, can invite you onto campus to talk directly to students about your organisation and your volunteering opportunities.
We would like to come onto campus to recruit volunteers directly. Is this possible?
Yes, resources and time permitting, this can be organised on an 'ad hoc' basis, just so just get in touch.
No - we have found that fairs don't work very well on campus. However, if you have any novel / fun ideas for promoting your volunteering opportunities please do let us know!
We have got promotional material and further info on our volunteering opportunities. Should we send you copies?
Yes please! We are always happy to receive publicy material. Posters are difficult to display due to lack of space but send in leaflets, flyers, induction packs - anything that potential volunteers could find interesting.
We need particular skills from our volunteers. How can I make sure that we recruit students who have those particular skills?
There is space on the volunteering opportunity form for you to tell us of any skills or experience that volunteers need in order to volunteer with your organisation. We will make students aware of these requirements at their initial appointment with us. As far as possible, we will refer students to your organisation who meet the requirements outlined. However, the final decision regarding suitability of volunteers rests with yourselves, as the placement organisation.
How long will it take for students to get started?
Once we have a student who is interested in volunteering for your organisation we will arrange the placement visit. We will then be able to pass on the contact details of the interested student in order for you to arrange an initial meeting. It is a good idea to get new volunteering opportunities registered with us as soon as possible - particularly if you have a particular recruitment deadline, or the opportunity is for a 'one off' event.
What should we do if there is a problem with a volunteer, or we find that they are not suitable at application stage?
We try to match student volunteers to appropriate volunteering opportunities. However, problems can and do occur. Please do let us know if you are experiencing a problem with a student volunteer we have placed with you. You may also find this guidance document (Word document) helpful.
Frequently asked questions - students
Frequently asked questions - community organisations
Frequently asked questions - students
Frequently asked questions - community organisations
CONTACT US
e: reception@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
t: 01273 678152
Falmer House
University of Sussex
Falmer
East Sussex
BN1 9QF
Feedback
e: reception@ussu.sussex.ac.uk
t: 01273 678152
Falmer House
University of Sussex
Falmer
East Sussex
BN1 9QF
Feedback
University of Sussex Students' Union - company number 07695765
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University of Sussex Students' Union Trading Ltd - company number 02146582
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