What is Volunteering?

Volunteering is the giving of time and energy through a third party which can bring measurable benefits to the volunteer, individual beneficiaries, groups and organisations, communities, environment and society at large. It is a choice undertaken of one's own free will, and is not motivated primarily for financial gain or for a wage or salary (Scottish Government)

Volunteering in the Edinburgh Napier University context

This can be defined as activity which is either additional or complementary to formal study (informal volunteering), or can be part of accredited leaning in a module (formal volunteering). In either case students are given the opportunity to utilise existing skills and to develop new skills and attributes.

Informal volunteering at Edinburgh Napier

Opportunities within Edinburgh Napier University are available in several areas, including:
Napier Student Association engages 350 student volunteers each year to represent students in a variety of roles. e.g Freshers Fairs; class representatives; academic student liaison groups.
More details of the student volunteering experience are contained in the NSA Case Study

Wider Access and Retention Services run a yearly Student Mentoring scheme to match student mentors with early years' student mentees.
See the case studies for examples of informal student volunteering in Edinburgh Napier University.

 
Formal volunteering at Edinburgh Napier

Formal volunteering opportunities are currently limited at Edinburgh Napier; one example is in HS 08100 Volunteering and Employability a level 8 Co-curricular module.

External volunteering opportunities

Volunteering exists in many arenas, for example in social care, environmental enhancement and youth work, Examples of  routes into volunteering that could help in discussions with  students  who might be seeking out formal or informal volunteering to enhance their learning, can be found here.