Student volunteering week aims to celebrate the positive impact of student volunteers and engage with the students who do not currently volunteer, to actively encourage them to give volunteering a try.

Student volunteering in the UK has come from a long history line. Previously, there was a lack of formal citizenship education in colleges and universities. This led to students forming a range of voluntary groups to serve the local communities and help the students learn about social issues.

Today the contributions that student volunteers give to local communities is greater than it ever has been before.

A popular part in student culture, particularly in England and Scotland, was to raise money for local hospitals through what they used to call Rag Collections. University Rag societies were student-run charitable fundraising organisations. Early Rag Collectors were said to have ragged passers-by until they made a charitable donation; we advise you don’t do this now… While in the Victorian era students would take time out of there studies to clothe those in need. 

The 1930s 

Students tackled the problems of high unemployment head-on, by setting up camps for men and women who were unemployed. These camps were aimed towards getting people back in employment. Assuring that those who were unemployed were fit and had the correct mindset for a working environment. 

The 1940s 

At the very height of the Blitz, students volunteered in the air raid and rest centres. Students believed it was crucial to play a part in their societies and provide help by all means possible. 

The 1950s 

Students began campaigning and fundraising for nuclear disarmament, Oxfam and the anti-apartheid movement. With a real sense of pride and direction to make a difference to the world, they were living in! 

The 1960s 

Students and graduates seized the opportunity to serve in developing countries. A few years later volunteering groups began to drift from traditional fundraising to more effective involvement with community issues, by getting more hands-on in communities and political issues affecting communities. 

One other very important development of post-war was the formation of student social service groups and associations in many universities. Including London, Manchester and Birmingham to name a few. These social groups involved a small number of volunteers which would undergo activities such as. Gardening, decorating, hospital visiting, working with older people and children, the mentally ill. As well as, supporting charities like Shelter and Amnesty International. 

The 1970s-1990s 

By the 1970s there was a gradual shift from service to community action groups, which swept across many universities and colleges across the UK. Many student action groups transformed into registered charities with employed workers. What these groups did ranged from volunteering to service orientated work, like decorating, teaching immigrants and mental health projects. 

In Short 

The history of student volunteering is very much relevant to the student volunteers of today. Campaigning and fundraising have been essential to the student experience over the last century. And still, thousands of peoples lives have been and are being transformed by the campaigning and fundraising conducted by student volunteers.

Only students of today can decide how the movement will continue to grow over the next century.

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