Volunteering opportunities for students to be showcased at fair

The University is hosting its annual Volunteering and Social Justice Fair on Tuesday the 17th of October in Academy one.

Open from 11AM to 3PM, the fair is an opportunity for students to talk to a diverse range of charities and not-for-profit organisations and find volunteering opportunities to get involved with during your time at university.

One of the charities at the event will be Barnabus who work to improve the lives of people with experience of rough sleeping and homelessness. The charity have a drop-in centre, shop, allotment and furniture up-cycling project.

Given the visibility of homelessness in and around Manchester, Barnabus volunteering opportunities are likely to be of interest to many students passionate about social justice, however up to 100 different volunteering organisations will be at the fair from a wide range of sectors including health, environment, sport, culture and social inclusion.

In relation to the event, Tammy Goldfeld, Head of the Careers Service, said: “We strongly encourage all our students to attend this important event. It may not strictly be a careers fair, but by taking part, our students will boost their career prospects.

“Employers value student volunteering because they look for rounded graduates who have developed a range of skills outside of their degrees. Also, many companies place high importance on social responsibility and seek graduates who are socially and community-minded.”

The fair will also present the new Social Justice Challenge, the second strand of the University’s Ethical Grand Challenges programme.

Second year undergraduates can take part in the Social Justice Challenge which launches on the 17th of October and will be delivered via Blackboard.

This online Challenge explores four themes from a social justice perspective; Higher Education, Mental Health, Trade and Energy, and is the second step towards achieving the Manchester Leadership Award.