From the 24th February to the 2nd March it's Student Volunteering Week (SVW) in the UK. The week is in its 13th year and aims to bring together organisations from all sectors to promote and celebrate the volunteering efforts of students. The week is a fantastic initiative to raise the profile of volunteering and recognise the great work being done by students, but why stop there? Monday 24th February is their Good Deed Day and we want to get as many people involved as possible!
Come Monday 24th February there will be over a hundred volunteers around the world taking part in Frontier's dedicated conservation and community projects, and that's on top of committed staff who all make the projects possible! Whether you'd like to teach children in Cambodia, or dream of trekking the jungle in Costa Rica looking for primates, why not start by making Good Deed Day a taster for your long term involvement in volunteering at home or overseas?
There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer both at home and abroad, and becoming a volunteer is often easier than you might first think. A small act of volunteering or good deed at home could lead to an venture into international volunteering, whilst the experience of helping in another country could give you the confidence to bring what you've learned from volunteering and put it into action back home.
Not only do numerous studies show that volunteering is good for your health, but altruism and giving back, no matter how you choose to do so, is recognised as one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences. With a focus on giving back to your community and themes such as kindness and happiness the day lends itself to random acts of kindness.
Good Deed Day - what you can do!
If you're a student why not have a look at any events your Students Union might be putting on during SWV to take part in. Activities might include anything from on giving out warming refreshments to residents and advice on how to stay warm over winter, or taking part in a 'Spring Clean' event.
If you're not a student but love the ethos of Good Deed Day and still want to get involved then the possibilities are endless! Maybe approach Monday with a charitable mind - offer your seat to a stranger on the bus, sign a petition about a cause you care about online or look into volunteering opportunities in your local area to take part in. From volunteering on a Saturday at your local farm to mentoring a child struggling at school, there are plenty of ways you can make a small contribution with a big difference to your local community.
Student or not if you're thinking about volunteering overseas you can start researching into opportunities and discovering more about what a volunteer project abroad might entail. SWV organisers Student Hubs have a huge range of resources online to help you via their UK-wide run programme Impact International, which aims to inspire sustainable, responsible and critically engaged international volunteering.
Frontier runs over 300 dedicated conservation, sustainable development and adventure projects worldwide that you can join from 2 weeks to 1 year. Visit the Frontier website to find out more about volunteering opportunities abroad. To find see more from projects please visit Frontier's Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest, or see photos shared by volunteers in the field by searching #frontiervolunteer on Instagram.