On this page you will find answers to our most common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at Warwick Volunteers. If you don't find what you're looking for, or you've got any remaining queries, email us at volunteers@warwick.ac.uk or pop into the office in SUHQ.
You can join our volunteering community by logging into our website here. Select the areas of volunteering you’re interested in, you will then receive email notifications when new opportunities are registered. When you find something that interests you click on 'Register Interest' and you'll be contacted by the project or organisation with more information about how to get involved.
No! Warwick Volunteers is free to join, and we want to make sure that you are never out of pocket as a result of volunteering. All reasonable expenses will be reimbursed provided it is approved in advance by a member of staff. Full details of our expenses policy can be found here.
No, it's never too late to join Warwick Volunteers and there are volunteering opportunities on offer throughout the year.
Please note, that some projects only run during terms 1 and 2 and so places may only be available towards the beginning of the academic year. If you are unsure or need any help choosing a project, e-mail volunteers@warwick.ac.uk or contact our office to speak with a member of staff.
The Warwick Volunteers office is based in SUHQ, next to The Green Room (formerly Canopy restaurant). Staff divide their time between working from home and the office so please contact us via email before visiting to ensure the office is open and a member of the team will be available to speak to.
Accessibility
We encourage you to get in touch if you have any specific access requirements, or need more information about the content and delivery method of a specific volunteering opportunity. If you have any requests related to a disability, please email volunteers@warwick.ac.uk giving at least two working days’ notice if possible.
Volunteering
If you have registered on our website to receive email alerts you will be emailed when a new opportunity is added that matches your interests. You will also receive a weekly newsletter which is sent to members every Thursday (You can unsubscribe at any time). You can also follow us on and Instagram,Facebook and LinkedIn.
If you need any help choosing a project, e-mail volunteers@warwick.ac.uk or visit our office to speak with a member of staff.
For a full list of your rights and responsibilities as a volunteer, have a look at our volunteer policy
Warwick Volunteers offers an extensive selection of projects ranging from weekly activities to one-off events, which means the time commitment varies between projects. You can commit as much or as little time as you want. Even if you're short of time, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved! The opportunities listing on the website should explain any specific project requirement or just contact us to speak with a member of staff.
Of course you can, as long as you feel you have the time (and energy!) to commit to the projects. Have a look at our browse opportunities page to see the range of opportunities on offer.
If you've got an idea for a project, Warwick Volunteers can provide advice and guidance to help turn your idea into a reality. Each year, members of Warwick Volunteers develop new projects that will make a difference to the community and many of our opportunities are led by student volunteers. If you are interested in setting up a new project, contact the WV office to discuss your idea or drop us an email.
Although Warwick Volunteers primarily works with local community organisations, we do have opportunities to volunteer in Africa through Warwick in Africa.
Warwick Volunteers primarily offers volunteering during term time but we have volunteering opportunities available throughout the year! If you're staying in the area during the holidays and would like to know which projects are available, contact us by e-mail volunteers@warwick.ac.uk
Warwick Volunteers offers the opportunity for members of societies and sports clubs to volunteer together and share their skills and experiences through both regular and one-off volunteering events. If your society or sports club is interested in volunteering, or has an idea for a project, please e-mail volunteers@warwick.ac.uk or arrange to come and see us in the office for a chat.
Warwick Volunteers is funded by and is part of Student Opportunity. Our volunteering activities are therefore focussed on student activities and the volunteering opportunities we offer are chosen for their suitability for student volunteers.
Unfortunately you won't be able to volunteer with Warwick Volunteers, but you can contact your local volunteer centre who will be able to provide you with lots of volunteering opportunities. If you live in Coventry, you need to contact Voluntary Action Coventry and for Warwickshire, Warwickshire Community And Voluntary Action.
DBS Checks
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) carry out police and identity checks for all volunteers working in any capacity with children or vulnerable adults. We have a full and comprehensive guide to DBS checks here.
There are many different types of identification that you can use to support your DBS application.
We have a full and comprehensive guide to DBS checks here.
No, DBS checks are not required for all of our projects. However, they are essential for projects working with children or vulnerable adults, including all schools projects. You can filter projects that require a DBS in our browse opportunities page.
If you're still unsure whether you need to complete a DBS check, e-mail volunteers@warwick.ac.uk stating your name, university number and the project(s) you are interested in. We have a full and comprehensive guide to DBS checks here.
Certificate of Good Conduct
A ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ (CoGC) is a general term given to the check of police records in a volunteer’s home country, or the country in which they have resided. Each country has a different process for checking police records, and different countries will often refer to the checking process with a different name. For example, in some countries, this is referred to as a 'Certificate of No Criminal Conviction'.
Volunteers who have not been permanently resident in the UK for the last 5 years must supply a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ issued by the country or countries in which they have lived during that time. Although a Certificate of Good Conduct is compulsory for education projects, not all volunteering projects require you to have one.
The process varies depending on the country in question. If you are not sure about how to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct from a specific country, the best place to start is to phone the appropriate embassy and they can advise you regarding the correct procedure. Sometimes a relative is able to request this for you and can then scan and email it to you although where this is not possible, the easiest method may be to apply during the holiday periods in person.
This depends on the project you are wishing to volunteer for as not all projects require a Certificate of Good Conduct. However, where a Certificate of Good Conduct is required, a DBS check alone is insufficient. Whilst a DBS is a check of any criminal records within the UK, a Certificate of Good Conduct is a check of your criminal records within the country or countries you have previously resided in.
Training, Accreditation & References
Warwick Volunteers is committed to providing training to all volunteers relevant to the project that you join. We hold many different training sessions throughout the year to ensure that you are fully prepared for your volunteering experience. Many projects, including Education opportunities, have specific workshops which are compulsory for all volunteers. For specific information on training sessions, talk to a Project Leader or member of staff.
The training sessions for education projects are compulsory, so if you've missed a session unfortunately you won't be able to join the project this academic year. Many training sessions are held more than once so check our training timetable for full details (available in Term 1). If you have missed the training, browse through our other opportunities or come along to the WV office and we can help you choose another project!
If you would like formal accreditation for your volunteering, there are a number of options including logging your hours with us and certificates.
Lots of our projects are student-run and need Project Leaders to help manage them. If you'd like to play a bigger part in a particular project, why not apply for a position in our annual Project Leader recruitment in term 2.
Some projects also have Session Leaders. Session Leaders work closely with Project Leaders to ensure the smooth running of project sessions and activities. We recruit Session Leaders in term1 and 2.
For more information on the responsibilities of Project Leaders and Session Leaders visit:
The Warwick Volunteers Student Executive Committee is central to the day-to-day running of Warwick Volunteers and is a great way of getting more involved. Recruitment is held each year early in term 2.
We recommend that you contact the Student Opportunity careers team who can provide you with a lot of information on working in the charity and voluntary sector and direct you to the appropriate resources.
Expenses
We want to make sure you're never out of pocket as a result of your volunteering so all reasonable expenses will be reimbursed provided it is approved in advance by a member of staff. Full details of our expenses policy and details of how to claim back expenses can be found here.
