✨ What is Volunteering?
Ever thought about giving back to your community while also picking up some cool new skills? That’s where volunteering comes in. It’s all about doing unpaid work because you want to help out — not because you’re getting paid.
Volunteering is super rewarding! You’ll make a difference in other people’s lives while also building your own skills, making new friends, boosting your CV, and exploring new career paths. Plus, it helps you grow as a person.
💡 Tip: Looking for a way to give back, meet new people, and learn? Volunteering is the way to go!
🏆 What are the benefits of volunteering as a student?
At Heriot-Watt University, your volunteer efforts won’t go unnoticed! Meet the minimum requirements and your hard work will be officially recognized with awards:
- 🥉 50 – 99 Hours: Student Council Bronze Award
- 🥈 100 – 199 Hours: Student Council Silver Award
- 🥇 200 – 499 Hours: Student Council Gold Award
- 🏅 500+ Hours: Student Council Platinum Award
🎓 Your award will also appear on your official University Transcript when you graduate. And if you log the highest hours in the university, you could even win a special award at the Student Award Ceremony!
🌍 What opportunities are available?
There are two main types of volunteering opportunities:
- Internal: Created by the University or Student Council (e.g., events, initiatives).
- External: Created by outside organizations (e.g., clean-up drives, charity events).
⚠️ Note: If you volunteer externally, you’ll need to provide a certificate or letter as proof so your hours can be recorded.
🕒 How do I record my hours?
Hours are logged on the website Hours Log . First, select the type of volunteering:
- Internal: University and Student Council activities.
- External: Opportunities with external organisations not directly related to HWU.