Volunteer with ASPIRENorth
Do I need previous experience of working with schoolchildren?
None required. Whilst previous experience is appreciated, we are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about our who can engage positively with our pupils. We give you all the training and support you require.
What would an example volunteer day be like?
Example Workshop – S5 Employers Den, St Machar Academy, Periods 1 and 2 (8.45-10.35am)
A few days prior to the workshop. ASPIRENorth staff member will send you a workshop plan detailing your role for the day for you to look over. Feel free to email the staff member any questions before hand!
8:30am – Arrive 15 minutes or so beforehand at the school reception where you will be met by the ASPIRENorth team and other volunteers. Sign in and the team will lead you to the classroom we will be working in.
8.30-8:45 – Support the team in setting up the room e.g. moving chairs, laying out materials on tables. Team leader to answer any questions anyone has about the activity.
8.45-8.50 – The bell rings, the pupils arrive! The ASPIRENorth staff take a register of attendance. In the meantime feel free to sit at a table and introduce yourself!
8.50-9.10 – The ASPIRENorth team leader welcomes the class, introduces the volunteers and the intended learning outcomes for the day. They will lead the class in understanding some key concepts about the employability and university before introducing the main task.
9.10-10.35 – The real fun begins! The ASPIRENorth leader will introduce the main activity which a volunteer will then lead on their table. Usually it is an exciting activity designed to bring out the students creativity and develop their understanding. This will be your time to shine by leading your group and sharing your university experiences.
10.35-10.45-The workshop ends, you support the team in packing away and the lead ASPIRENorth staff member will have a quick debrief with the whole group to see how things went.
What skills will I develop?
Volunteering for ASPIRENorth will give you a range of transferable skills. Including:
Leadership- From leading groups on the residential
Organisation- From planning workshops, planning your volunteering time around studies
Public Speaking- From delivering talks and workshops
Teamwork- From working both as part of the volunteer team and as part of teams with the pupils
Creativity- From having to design workshops and activities and also for having to come up with creative solutions to encourage participation from reluctant pupils
Positive Attitude- You quickly learn that it's extremely important to have a positive attitude as a volunteer otherwise there's no way the pupils will have a positive attitude
Confidence- More confident working with young people
Some of our more confident and ambitious volunteers are keen to develop (with our support) and deliver workshops of their own which will give you fantastic experience.
How often would I be expected to volunteer?
One of the strengths of our volunteer programme is the flexibility in hours required to volunteer. Beyond some mandatory training sessions and group meetings at the beginning of the academic year – the amount of time you are able to put into volunteering with us is entirely up to your schedule. We recognise that our volunteers often have to balance coursework & exams, part-time jobs and other commitments and we aim to keep things flexible. You’ll receive an email from us detailing the activity, the time and date and it will be up to you if you are able to make that activity or not. No pressure!
Will I be able to regularly volunteer?
Some of our volunteers are able to build up dozens, sometimes hundreds of hours a year volunteering with us. Whilst we run a full year programme, not all of it requires volunteers and so you may find there are periods when we do not email regularly to ask for support.
I don’t have a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Certificate – is that a problem?
Not at all! Whilst it is required we will sponsor one for you at the beginning of your training process, free of charge.
None required. Whilst previous experience is appreciated, we are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about our who can engage positively with our pupils. We give you all the training and support you require.
What would an example volunteer day be like?
Example Workshop – S5 Employers Den, St Machar Academy, Periods 1 and 2 (8.45-10.35am)
A few days prior to the workshop. ASPIRENorth staff member will send you a workshop plan detailing your role for the day for you to look over. Feel free to email the staff member any questions before hand!
8:30am – Arrive 15 minutes or so beforehand at the school reception where you will be met by the ASPIRENorth team and other volunteers. Sign in and the team will lead you to the classroom we will be working in.
8.30-8:45 – Support the team in setting up the room e.g. moving chairs, laying out materials on tables. Team leader to answer any questions anyone has about the activity.
8.45-8.50 – The bell rings, the pupils arrive! The ASPIRENorth staff take a register of attendance. In the meantime feel free to sit at a table and introduce yourself!
8.50-9.10 – The ASPIRENorth team leader welcomes the class, introduces the volunteers and the intended learning outcomes for the day. They will lead the class in understanding some key concepts about the employability and university before introducing the main task.
9.10-10.35 – The real fun begins! The ASPIRENorth leader will introduce the main activity which a volunteer will then lead on their table. Usually it is an exciting activity designed to bring out the students creativity and develop their understanding. This will be your time to shine by leading your group and sharing your university experiences.
10.35-10.45-The workshop ends, you support the team in packing away and the lead ASPIRENorth staff member will have a quick debrief with the whole group to see how things went.
What skills will I develop?
Volunteering for ASPIRENorth will give you a range of transferable skills. Including:
Leadership- From leading groups on the residential
Organisation- From planning workshops, planning your volunteering time around studies
Public Speaking- From delivering talks and workshops
Teamwork- From working both as part of the volunteer team and as part of teams with the pupils
Creativity- From having to design workshops and activities and also for having to come up with creative solutions to encourage participation from reluctant pupils
Positive Attitude- You quickly learn that it's extremely important to have a positive attitude as a volunteer otherwise there's no way the pupils will have a positive attitude
Confidence- More confident working with young people
Some of our more confident and ambitious volunteers are keen to develop (with our support) and deliver workshops of their own which will give you fantastic experience.
How often would I be expected to volunteer?
One of the strengths of our volunteer programme is the flexibility in hours required to volunteer. Beyond some mandatory training sessions and group meetings at the beginning of the academic year – the amount of time you are able to put into volunteering with us is entirely up to your schedule. We recognise that our volunteers often have to balance coursework & exams, part-time jobs and other commitments and we aim to keep things flexible. You’ll receive an email from us detailing the activity, the time and date and it will be up to you if you are able to make that activity or not. No pressure!
Will I be able to regularly volunteer?
Some of our volunteers are able to build up dozens, sometimes hundreds of hours a year volunteering with us. Whilst we run a full year programme, not all of it requires volunteers and so you may find there are periods when we do not email regularly to ask for support.
I don’t have a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Certificate – is that a problem?
Not at all! Whilst it is required we will sponsor one for you at the beginning of your training process, free of charge.
