Video transcript: Welcome to Volunteering
Transcript for the Welcome to Volunteering video embedded on the Alumni volunteering page.
(The title ‘University of Leeds Alumni and Supporter Volunteering’ is shown and then fades. Three animated volunteers are shown standing in front of iconic Leeds buildings, including the Parkinson Building, the Town Hall and skyscrapers.)
Narrator: At the University of Leeds, alumni and supporters help shape futures through volunteering.
(Animated ripples spread out from the volunteers. The scene gradually focuses on one of the volunteers.)
Narrator: More often, it starts with a single moment.
(Three illustrations appear around the volunteer, each depicting a different instance of volunteering. Two bubbles depict a conversation between a student and a volunteer, and one shows an outstretched hand.)
Narrator: A conversation, a shared insight, a hand extended at just the right time. These small acts create something bigger.
(Imagery of blue, white, pink and green ripples is shown. The title ‘Ripple effect’ appears.)
Narrator: They create a ripple effect. Every year, alumni and supporters around the world volunteer their time, experience, and generosity of spirit to help Leeds students thrive.
(Ripples continue to move across the screen. A spinning globe appears, with volunteer portraits appearing on countries such as the UK, Spain, Nigeria, India and China.)
(Image of the world changes to a map of the UK. Volunteers and students appear on this map, standing on Inverness, Leeds and London, as ripples from under their feet spread across the country.)
Narrator: And with every story shared, every question answered, every opportunity offered, those ripples reach further, shaping futures, strengthening communities, and reminding our students that they belong to something far greater than themselves.
(A volunteer and a student appear on screen, high-fiving, with ripple motifs circling them.)
(The title: ‘Heart of our Global Mission’ appears on screen. A heart is surrounded by lightbulb, book, student, and globe icons.)
Narrator: This spirit sits at the heart of our global mission: to advance knowledge, transform lives, and contribute to a better future for the world we share.
(The title ‘on people’ appears. Three different acts of volunteering gradually appear on screen: two people sharing ideas, a group of people talking around a laptop and workbench, and two people helping each other climb up a hill.)
Narrator: But this mission depends on people, people who believe in collaboration, who pass on what they've learned, and who lift others as they climb.
(A globe appears on screen, with the ripple effect motif circling it. Along the lines of the ripple effect are volunteer faces, with the text ‘350,000 graduates'.)
Narrator: Our alumni network of more than 350,000 graduates is one of the strongest expressions of that commitment. A global community whose individual ripples are powering that impact.
(The screen focuses on a volunteer who is shown talking to a student. The text ‘Reassurance and clarity’ circles the student.)
Narrator: You might mentor a student, offering reassurance and clarity as they step towards their next chapter.
(The screen changes to a student walking through a city scene, with ripples appearing beneath their feet. Illustrations around them show volunteering through industry insights, employability talks, answering questions, and providing placements or internships.)
Narrator: As students start out in the world of work, you might share insights into your industry, deliver a talk on skills and employability, answer those questions you once asked yourself - or even provide a life-changing placement or internship.
(An image of a volunteer in a bubble appears on screen, with the ripple effect motif expanding from the bubble. Volunteer portraits from China, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, the USA and Saudi Arabia connect to a central volunteer in Leeds, United Kingdom, standing in front of the Parkinson Building.)
Narrator: If you live overseas, perhaps you'll inspire potential students to make Leeds their destination of choice, by volunteering at an international fair, attending an event in your region, or simply sharing your words of wisdom. You could spark confidence in someone just beginning their journey.
(A volunteer appears, with the ripple effect motif behind them. They are smiling and waving. Three students then appear, with lightbulbs and love hearts appearing above their heads. The title ‘What you give doesn’t end there’ appears on screen, with a volunteer giving a thumbs up.)
Narrator: And what you give doesn't end there.
(Ripple effect imagery appears from behind the volunteer. Within the rings of the ripples, text appears: ‘Leadership skills, networks and community’.)
Narrator: Volunteering also creates ripples within you, strengthening leadership skills, broadening networks, and deepening your connection to a community that spans continents.
(Three volunteers appear on screen, smiling and standing next to each other. They are standing in front of iconic Leeds buildings, such as the Town Hall and the Black Prince statue.)
Narrator: Because when one Leeds graduate supports another, the effect doesn't stop with them.
(Ripples are shown coming out from under the volunteers’ feet.)
Narrator: It moves outward, touching lives, shaping opportunities, and helping build a future defined not by barriers, but by possibility. If you're ready to begin your volunteering journey, we're here to help.
(The text ‘We’re here to help’ appears on screen, followed by a link to the University of Leeds alumni and supporter volunteering webpage: www.leeds.ac.uk/alummni-volunteering.)
Narrator: Visit our website to explore the opportunities waiting for you.