Case study AV7 (2005) University of Leeds Accredited Volunteering

Context

The University of Leeds, through the Access Academy, offers accredited volunteering for students who take up placements in local schools. Six departments at the University of Leeds offer a 10 credit module in subject-specific volunteering. The modules are developed by the departments and placements are co-ordinated centrally by the University's Access Academy. Approximately 140 students participate through sports science (50), mathematics (25), physics and chemistry (20), earth sciences (5), modern languages (15) and geography (25).

Programme detail

Accredited volunteering was piloted in 2002-03 with 11 third-year Geography students. The success of the scheme led to a doubling of the numbers in 2003-04, now placing over 140 students through the six departments.

Students who chose to take the module receive training delivered jointly by the academic department and the skilled volunteering staff in the Access Academy. Training prepares the students for their placements, providing advice and guidance in tutoring in their chosen subjects, lesson planning and development of teaching materials, together with the legal issues surrounding child protection. The training also involves the roles and responsibilities of both the volunteers and the schools in ensuring a successful experience for both parties.

Students are expected either to act as classroom assistants or to develop and assist out-of- school activities in their chosen subject. In collaboration with the teachers, students are expected to produce teaching materials that can continue to be used by the school.

Volunteers are expected to complete 100 hours, (consistent with a standard academic module), 20 to 30 of which must be classroom based. The remainder of the time is dedicated to preparing teaching materials and maintaining and completing a log book detailing and analysing their experience. Evaluations are assessed by presentation to the academic staff of the participating department.

Accredited volunteering offers an alternative to the established university volunteering programme. It encourages a more diverse cross section of the student population, many of whom would not have considered volunteering as an option. This is evidenced by the fact that recruitment for non-accredited volunteering has remained consistent during the growth of the accredited programmes.

The structure and output requirement of the accredited volunteering ensures a higher retention rate than the non-accredited volunteering programme. Accredited volunteering also utilises the particular subject expertise of the students. Sports students, for example, are all trained as coaches in their chosen sport rather than the more generic support offered through standard tutoring and mentoring schemes.

The benefits of the scheme are multifarious. Primarily the students that take the accredited modules become active citizens in the local community. This helps broader integration and indirectly supports graduate retention, with students having a broader interest in and understanding of their host city. Due to the large number of subject-specific volunteers the University is able to broaden the scope and number of schools it supports.

The accredited volunteering programme is only made possible as a result of the dedicated volunteering resource and staff in the Access Academy. Existing relationships with schools and the experience and ongoing support of students during their placements ensures that the programme runs effectively and efficiently and removes the burden from the academic departments. It also ensures that the schools receive all relevant information from one central unit rather than fragmented and unco-ordinated interactions with different academic departments.

The scheme therefore benefits the students, the University, the schools and the local community.
In the longer term it provides students with an insight into the teaching profession, encouraging motivated high-achieving graduates to enter the profession.

Hints and tips

  • In developing the module it is imperative that the programme has academic merit for the students.
  • There is a resource and cost implication in the development of the module, so ensure there is sufficient demand in the department to make the module viable.
  • Planning is essential and the module must be passed through academic committees, so expect the process to last up to a year.
  • Co-ordinate all the modules centrally for an effective and organised relationship with participating schools.
  • Ensure that training for all students is compulsory.
  • Ensure that there is a clear communication and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all partners