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Volunteering at Manchester

Channelling our collective power through volunteering

Alumni, staff, students and our community are coming together to tackle urgent challenges globally and locally. If you’ve got the time, skills and passion to give, you can join us to help shape the future.

Ways to volunteer

We’re delivering real-world change through volunteering. In Manchester and across the globe alumni, staff, students and friends are taking action and saying – challenge accepted.

Alumni volunteering

Alumni volunteering at Manchester is about turning your experience into impact. Offer advice or take on a larger role to inspire the next generation and strengthen your community.

Whether you’re mentoring future leaders, hosting Global Graduates in your city or joining Manchester Day of Action, every hour you give helps build a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world.

By joining our community of alumni volunteers, you’ll grow your own skills, expand your network and see the difference your time can make. Ready to give back? Challenge accepted.

Discover engagement opportunities

Staff volunteering

Our new Employee Volunteering Policy gives every colleague up to three paid days a year to support a cause that matters to them.

It's part of our wider commitment to social responsibility and recognises the time and effort that staff already give to their communities.

You can use this time to volunteer with a University project, a local charity or a community organisation. Whether that’s helping out at a local school, supporting a community group or taking part in a University initiative, every hour helps Manchester build a healthier, fairer and more sustainable future.

Find out more on StaffNet

Student volunteering

Your Manchester journey is about more than academic success – it’s about being part of a community. By volunteering, you don’t just make a difference to others’ lives, you change your own.

Our student volunteering programmes help you meet new people, feel connected to the local community and build skills that will stay with you long after you graduate.

There are plenty of ways to get involved – from helping out with local schools and charities, to joining environmental projects or student-led volunteering groups. Whatever time you can give, you’ll make an impact and be part of something bigger.

Sign up to volunteer

Community volunteering

Volunteers are at the heart of our cultural spaces. Across the Whitworth, Manchester Museum and Jodrell Bank, you can share your knowledge and enthusiasm with visitors and help create extraordinary guest experiences.

You can contribute across a variety of roles – from textile care, conservation and art gardening to digitising collections, cataloguing the library, assisting with workshops, exhibitions and events, and talking to visitors.

As a volunteer, you’ll help care for collections, connect to diverse audiences and be part of a collaborative and inclusive community committed to inspiring change.

Alumni volunteer

"I feel like I have a duty to come back to the University and encourage students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to realise the potential that they have."

Ella Podmore MBE

Materials Engineering Manager, McLaren Automotive

Museum volunteer

"I thought I could volunteer, encourage people to come into the Museum, and do something different. The surprise on people’s faces when they’re allowed to hold a 3.2 billion-year-old object is astonishing."

Jane Topping

Visitor Team Assistant, Manchester Museum

Student volunteer

"Volunteering is a rewarding experience because you are making a positive change in someone's life. It gives meaning to your life. You'll learn skills like empathy and communication – all transferable to your career or education."

Rachel Yamin Thet

Start Smart founder

Alumni volunteer

"When I graduated, I joined the Alumni Association of Singapore. Having the day of action once a year captures people's attention and reminds them there’s always a chance to give back, one way or another."

Jess Kerh

Alumni Association of Singapore

Make a financial gift

Not able to give your time at the moment? A financial gift, no matter the size, will fuel discoveries, real-world impact and student success. Donate now to join our global community of changemakers tackling the world’s most pressing challenges.

Donate online
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