Students & young adults volunteering

We need the help of student volunteers

Calling all students! Your local area needs your help, why not make a positive difference to your community and volunteer today?

Volunteering is a wonderful thing to do, not just for others, but for yourself as well. Not only does it help the NHS and your community, it’s also good for you in many ways. Volunteering has a proven benefit to your physical and mental wellbeing, with great social opportunities offered through the roles you can choose from. It can also help you gain valuable experience, which can be handy when updating your CV or applying for jobs.

Find a student volunteering opportunity near you

If you like the sound of any of the volunteer roles available with Royal Voluntary Service, sign up to begin your volunteering journey by Playing Your Part.

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Volunteering opportunities we offer young adults and students

At Royal Voluntary Service we offer a range of different volunteer roles suitable for students and young adults. We have roles available within the local community where you can meet people from your local area and support individuals with tasks in their day-to-day lives. We also have volunteer roles based in hospitals and health centres, where you help keep services available to both staff and the public.

As we head into winter, more volunteers are needed to provide life changing support for vulnerable and isolated people. Why not make a difference for the NHS and your community, and volunteer for a better you?

Hospital volunteering roles

Hospitals can be difficult places to be in, which is why our student volunteers are so important! You guys help create a pleasant experience for patients and visitors alike, offering a friendly smile and a little chat to anyone feeling lonely. Hospital volunteers also provide much needed support to NHS workers, which we know from them is appreciated.

Here are some hospital volunteer roles students can apply for:

Café volunteer

Retail Café volunteers prepare and sell both food and drinks to patients, visitors, and staff. Being in hospital or visiting friends and family can be a difficult time, so as a volunteer you will also be a friendly and compassionate point of contact for customers.

A Royal Voluntary Service hospital volunteer working at a hospital cafe serving customers

Trolley Service volunteer

Retail Trolley volunteers are needed to support our trolley service. In this role you’ll take a trolley of selected items to patients, visitors, and staff around the hospital site. This is a great role for volunteers looking to meet new people. Being in hospital or visiting friends and family can be a difficult time, especially if you cannot leave the ward, so volunteers will also be a valuable point of contact for customers.

Two young hospital trolley volunteers pushing a Royal Voluntary Service trolley in a hospital ward

Shop volunteer

Retail Shop volunteers work in our shops, selling items such as food, drinks and hygiene products to patients, visitors, and staff members. This is a role perfect for younger adults that want to meet new people. Being in hospital or visiting friends and family can be a difficult time, as a volunteer you'll be providing a much-needed friendly face to your customers.

Community volunteering roles

Our community volunteer roles are great for younger volunteers that want to give back and get involved in their local community. Whether you want to support communities around your studies by becoming an Emergency Response Volunteer or supporting the coronavirus vaccination programme as a Steward Volunteer, we have a great range of roles for students and young adults to consider.

Here are some of the community volunteer roles students can apply for:

Emergency Response volunteer

As an Emergency Response volunteer, you will be someone we can call upon to help if there is an urgent need to support people in and around your local community or to lend a hand to your local NHS in a hospital environment. The role can be quite spontaneous, so will be best suited to students with flexible schedules. It’s a role we only have open to students aged 18 or above.

Steward volunteer

Steward volunteers are part of the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders, set up to support communities during the pandemic. You will be supporting NHS vaccination rollouts at local vaccination sites in chemists or community centres by managing patient flow, freeing up clinicians to carry out more vaccinations.

Steward Volunteers are vital to support the smooth delivery of the vaccinations. This is a flexible volunteering role that you can fit in around your studies as shifts are available at the weekend as well as during the week.

See all our NHS and Care Volunteer Responder roles

Community Companions volunteer

Community Companion volunteers transform the lives of people by supporting and empowering them to live the life they want. In this role you’ll help people stay connected to their communities. Tasks people require support with can vary, from a trip to the shops, to bringing friends together for lunch or changing a light bulb. This role will involve elements of lone working and building a relationship with those you visit, which is hugely rewarding for both you and the person you visit.

a student volunteers as a community companion, helping an older man across the road

Why volunteer with Royal Voluntary Service?

We know university, college, or even just work can be hectic and unpredictable at times. Flexibility is at the heart of volunteering with Royal Voluntary Service - you give the time that suits you. It could be anything from a couple of hours each month or just 15 minutes once a week. We can fit around your busy life.

Because we’re a national charity, there are, more than likely, multiple volunteer opportunities close to you. Any time you can give for a volunteering role will make all the difference and you’ll be part of a great team.

Benefits of volunteering as a student or young adult

Volunteering is a great way to use your skills to help others, but it can benefit you in plenty of ways as well. Some of the benefits that come with volunteering are:

Learn new skills that will help you in both your professional and personal life.
Meet new people and expand your social horizons. Volunteering is a great way to meet people outside of your usual social circle. Our volunteers are all ages and come from all walks of life.
Improve your mental health and wellbeing. Volunteering can reduce stress and build confidence. The physical activity different roles require can also contribute to improved physical wellbeing.
Become involved in your local area and give something back.
Add strength to your university application with your volunteering experience. Volunteering can highlight your ability to dedicate yourself to a task outside of schoolwork, which admissions can look for in applications.
Improve job prospects and add volunteer experience to your CV to stand out from the crowd while you're still studying or on a gap year or no longer in education.
Develop new interests. Volunteering can be a great introduction to new topics and hobbies that you find you enjoy. You might set up a new activity as a volunteer coordinator and then find that activity enjoyable.

There are plenty of other benefits to volunteering. Find out more about what’s you can gain when you volunteer at Royal Voluntary Service.