Volunteers’ Week 2022: A massive thank you to our University volunteer community!
This week (Wednesday 1 June to Tuesday 7 June) is Volunteers’ Week and we would like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank the volunteers in our University community.
Volunteers' Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. We would like to take the opportunity to say our own, very big thank you to all our volunteers, who were offered a thank you gift – a University branded hoodie – in recognition of their contribution.
Volunteers are the backbone of the University of Salford – from our newly appointed Chancellor, Lucy Meacock, an honorary position that works to shape the future of our University, to our graduates who give their time to offer their expertise and wealth of experience to our student community – and their generosity changes lives.
We are immensely proud of our volunteer community. Our alumni volunteers of over 350 graduates, located not only in the UK but also across the globe, help us to add value to the lives and education of our students and support them in realising their potential.
With volunteering opportunities ranging from providing a testimonial for use by our marketing team to sitting on one of our school advisory boards, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in a way that suits graduates and the time they have available, wherever they are in the world.
Our exclusive alumni mentoring and networking platform From Salford offers our alumni an opportunity to network with each other, offer informal mentoring, keep up to date on university news and events, promote their business and access online journals. They can also register their interest in volunteering through the platform.
What is the importance of volunteering?
To celebrate Volunteers' Week 2022, we've spoken to members of our University community to find out why they think volunteering is so important.
Alan Price, Chief Operating Officer of HR consultancy Peninsula
Alan Price, Chief Operating Officer of HR consultancy Peninsula, is a Salford graduate and partner of Salford Business School.
Alan said having volunteering on a CV can really help people stand out when applying for job: “Not enough candidates talk about volunteering at the recruitment stage. Charity work, unpaid work, and work experience can provide some amazing life skills.
“The skills you get from volunteering can make you a great communicator, teach you how to work at pace, give you emotional resilience and great customer service skills. All of these are in high demand in our business as we look to grow and expand."
Find out more about why Alan thinks volunteering is so important.
Dr Daiga Kamerāde, Reader in Work and Wellbeing at the University
Dr Daiga Kamerāde, Reader in Work and Well-being at the University, commented on a new report that was funded by Spirit of 2012, the London 2012 legacy funder, as part of its incubation fund to support inclusive volunteering and understand more about volunteering for disabled people.
She said: "It is clear from our research that volunteering contributes to better health and wellbeing and builds social capital. Policy makers should consider our recommendations to make volunteering more accessible and inclusive for all.
“It is also important that the contribution of disabled volunteers is celebrated, and the stories of disabled volunteers told. There needs to be greater recognition of the value of their involvement and more awareness of their lived experiences.”
Read more about the new research that has provided recommendations on how organisations can support more inclusive volunteering opportunities for disabled adults.
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