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Volunteering
Community Action
Sustainability
We work with a range of registered UK local and national charities to help find students the right kind of volunteering opportunities. From one off volunteering days to weekly commitments - there is something for everyone, no matter how busy you are!
The charities on our hub know that you are a busy student therefore most roles require between 2 to 4 hours of volunteering per week. The charities are all lovely and friendly and understand that flexibility is required to fit around your academic time-table - so don't be afraid to ask the charity and agree times that suit you.
Take a look at our current opportunities below and if you see something you like – click the ‘Apply’ button!
If you can’t find an opportunity that suits your interests, book an appointment with the Volunteering team for support: Book a Meeting
Did you know, participating in Volunteering activity with SUBU earns you an Award? By logging your hours and the skills you have gained through your personal volunteering profile you are eligible to earn certificates and download a full breakdown of your volunteering history for your CV!
If you are participating in the BU Graduate Skills Programme, your volunteering will count towards this award too!!!
Filter Volunteering Opportunities
St Mungo's
17 Oct 2025 16:00 - 30 Jul 2027 16:00
Are you looking for your first role in the homelessness sector? As a First Response Volunteer, you will help find those rough sleeping in Bournemouth quicker, and enable Outreach workers to spend more time supporting those found to move away from the streets and get connected to other local services. First Responders play a crucial role to ensure people sleeping rough receive vital support.
As a First Response Volunteer you will be helping to find those who are sleeping rough as quickly as possible. By checking referrals, you are helping the Outreach team to spend more time supporting those found to move away from the streets and connect with other local services. This is not a clientfacing role and therefore is well suited to somebody looking for their first role in the homelessness sector. However, we do also offer development opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge about rough sleeping for those interested.
In this role, you will be supporting us with the following tasks:
• Responding to StreetLink referrals including those from members of the public and self-referrals.
• Working with a partner volunteer to locate referrals and identify those who are rough sleeping.
• Passing information about referrals to the Outreach team to follow up on – they will help the person find accommodation and link them into non-accommodation-based support for example around physical or mental health.
• At this stage you will not be directly interacting with those rough sleeping, although the role does offer development pathways.
Closing date for applications is 31 Jan.
Dorset Police
Ongoing
Experience in a variety of scenarios is an essential part of training for police and role-playing is part of the learning process. Volunteer Role Players add an authenticity to these scenarios and so allow trainee Police Officers an experience of the ‘real-life’ situations that they may be confronted with when on patrol, whilst in a safe environment.MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:Ability to role-play in training courses around the force e.g. acting as a suspect, being interviewed as a detainee, acting as a victim etc.To provide feedback after attending training events hosted around the Force.
SKILLS REQUIRED:
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Full UK driving licence.
10th Bournemouth Scouts
An Assistant Scout Leader supports the Scout Leader in delivering a safe, exciting, and engaging program for children aged 10.5 -14 . This role involves assisting with planning and delivering activities, encouraging participation, and fostering a positive atmosphere. Key responsibilities include supporting the "Balanced Programme," ensuring participation in residential experiences, and promoting the transition to the next scouting section.
This may look scary, but when you share the load with your team it becomes easier. You don't need commit every week, you can do as little or as much as you like. any help is grateful.
Our beavers meet from 7.30pm till 9pm on Tuesday evening.
We are looking for the below:
Qualities of a Good Assistant Scout Leader:
As you will be with young people A DBS check will need to be done.
We do also have space in our older section if this is something you would like to consider.
SUBU Student Opportunities
Are you ready to look at beautiful flowers, help pollinators, and lower your blood pressure? You are in luck: Science for Bumble Bees has just launched on Zooniverse!Disciplines: Nature, BiologyTask: 1-step. Identify bees and other insects in colourful high-resolution images Science for Bumble Bees uses time lapse photography to record the diversity of pollinators visiting plants in bloom, with a special focus on bumble bees. The first set of photos were collected in the Smithsonian’s Pollinator Garden at the Natural History Museum in downtown Washington DC. In the future the researchers intend to extend the photographs across years and expand to other gardens.
What is the task? Look at pictures of flowers and identify the insects visiting them and rank plant species according to the relative number of interactions with bumble bees. The ranked list of plants will be used to inform garden managers on which plants are the best food resources for bumble bees and other day-time pollinators, and which fail the pollinators’ sniff tests. Your participation will help ensure pollinator gardens are providing a nutritious supply of food for pollinators from spring through fall. Try this project today at https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/kearins/science-for-bumble-bees
Dorset Mind
08 Jan 2026 - 08 Jan 2027
To keep Dorset Mind’s website accurate, accessible, and engaging in support of fundraising and awareness activity.
Key Responsibilities
To support Dorset Mind’s campaigns and fundraising by editing engaging video content for digital platforms and events.
To support fundraising and advocacy campaigns through research, insight, and planning support.
The Digital & Communications Volunteer will support Dorset Mind’s digital and communications activities, helping to raise awareness, engage communities, and support fundraising efforts. The role focuses on social media management, content creation, and digital storytelling, ensuring Dorset Mind’s messaging is creative, consistent, and inclusive. You will work closely with the Income Generation team, Marketing Volunteers, and staff to maximise the impact of campaigns, events, and fundraising activity across digital channels.
Digital & Content Creation
Marketing & Communications
Collaboration & Support
We are seeking individuals who:• Are confident engaging with the public• Can work independently to promote Dorset Mind events and fundraising campaigns• Are friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic• Are reliable and flexible, able to attend local events or outreach activities• Support Dorset Mind’s values of inclusivity, wellbeing, and community impact
GamCare
Do you have experience of gambling related harms, either directly or through someone else’s gambling? Could you use your experiences to support others? Why not join GamCare as one of our invaluable Online Peer Supporters!Make a difference by using your own experiencesWe are recruiting Volunteer Online Peer Supporters, to provide support to both individuals who gamble and those affected by someone else’s gambling. As one of our volunteers you will use your own experiences of gambling-related harms, to support others through one or more of our peer support spaces (email, Chatroom and Forum). Experience can also include crypto currency and trading.You do not need to be an expert! Full training and ongoing support will be provided for this role, to enable you to use your lived experience to provide support to those affected by gambling related harms.
As an Online Peer Supporter, you’ll have the opportunity to: