Record year of student volunteering delivers boost to York community
Posted on Friday 8 May 2026
More than 2,000 students volunteered for community projects during the 2024/2025 academic year, from tutoring children facing disadvantage to supporting refugees.
Their contribution to the local economy is valued at over £1.1 million based on the national living wage.
The impact of this work was celebrated at the Student Community and Volunteering Awards, held at The Merchant Taylors’ Hall on Thursday 7 May. The event highlighted how student-led initiatives are tackling loneliness, homelessness and regional inequalities in health, education and social cohesion.
Passion and purpose
Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise, Partnerships and Engagement at the University of York, said: "At York, promoting the public good isn't just an aspiration -- it's who we are. Tonight reminded us why. Hearing our students speak with such passion, purpose and conviction about the difference they're making in the wider community was inspiring and humbling. The extraordinary hours they give, and the lives they touch in return, are a testament to a generation that doesn't just imagine a better world, they go out and build it."
The awards were hosted by Professor Matt Matravers, Chair of the University’s Community Volunteering Committee, alongside BBC Radio York’s Elly Fiorentini. Guests included the Deputy Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Margaret Wells, who joined University leaders to thank the students for their commitment to the City.
Top honours
Students were nominated by 18 different host organisations, reflecting a wide range of partnerships across the City of York. One of the top honours went to a student team supporting the Patchwork Kitchen Project, an initiative run by York City of Sanctuary.
The project assists refugee and migrant women from Ukraine and Hong Kong through English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) support. Rather than traditional classroom learning, the students facilitated cooking sessions where women shared recipes and stories from their home countries. The project culminated in the creation of a community cookbook, documenting the cultural heritage and resilience of the participants.
A spokesperson for York City of Sanctuary said: "The students offered invaluable assistance to the ESOL teacher. Their input in developing the cookbook was essential: this project simply would not have got off the ground without their help."
Sustainability
Amy, a third-year Archaeology student, was nominated by the River Foss Society for her work as part of the Sustainability Clinic at York, where Amy and the team carried out a plant biodiversity study on the banks of the River Foss. The River Foss Society noted “The project output has given us a great idea as to how we could develop in a more in-depth way in the future to study the plant biodiversity on the banks of the River Foss”.
All Should Eat, a student-led volunteering project, were nominated for the huge impact they have made. Through collecting 900 non-perishable food donations in semester one, they helped sustain the breakfast club over the winter at a local community centre, provided donations to The Hygiene Bank York and held a fundraising gig in support of the charity Safe and Sound Homes (SASH), which raised nearly £700.
The Councillor Margaret Wells thanked students for their commitment on behalf of the City and the Community Partners for providing these opportunities.
Longstanding tradition
An increasing number of York students are also making an impact in the community through opportunities in the University’s curriculum. Community Engaged Learning opportunities are now in 12 taught modules across three academic faculties, engaging over 700 students this year and working with 65 charitable organisations in York and the wider region.
Chair of the University’s Community Volunteering Committee, Professor Matt Matravers, said: “University of York students have an impressive and longstanding tradition of volunteering and participating in community engaged activities and we are delighted by the numbers of students that continue to give their time to support the wider community.
“The University is, as always, immensely proud of the contribution our students make to the City of York and beyond”.
