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Community projects

Community projects are voluntary, team based and open to all University of York students. Build experience and gain new skills while giving back to the community.

Community projects offer a great opportunity to work in multi-disciplinary teams to tackle real-world challenges for local organisations, with a wide range of themes and topics. Each project will support a community partner such as a school, museum or charity on a specific brief they have set to tackle a local challenge. Teams might conduct research, deliver an event or create a resource to make a positive impact in the community.

Projects are open to students from any academic discipline. No previous experience or specific knowledge is needed - just enthusiasm!

Benefits

  • Develop your skills and build on your strengths
  • Gain experience and build your CV
  • Make a positive social impact in the local community

What's involved?

  • You will liaise with the project partners, learn about key issues in the community and how you can use your knowledge and skills to make a positive difference. 
  • You will receive training in project management, project planning, and reflection skills, and work with experts to develop the specific skills needed to tackle your project. 
  • You will work on your project with a small team of four to six students. There may be multiple teams per project.
  • For more information on training and support throughout your project, take a look at what to expect from a Community Project. 
  • The commitment is approximately 30-40 hours in total over the project period, but this is flexible.
  • If you have a disability or long-term health condition that makes it difficult for you to access volunteering opportunities, please contact us to discuss any reasonable adjustments that would help you. Just send us an email at volunteering@york.ac.uk.
  • Would you like to create value for the community as part of your course? Have a look at the York Interdisciplinary Modules, such as the Sustainability Clinic.

See our current community project opportunities

Student experiences

"It's been really rewarding to connect with the real world outside of the University sphere, whilst feeling like I have something to both offer to the community partner and gain from the experience." Bonnie, Psychology student

"This was a fantastic opportunity for me as a physically disabled student. The project gave me the change to engage with History outside of my degree on my own schedule, working when my health permitted, in an area that really piqued my interest. Watching a big project with significant importance for local history come together through the work of my group was a really rewarding experience, and one that I'm really glad I had a chance to be part of. This opportunity has also allowed me to demonstrate my interest in and dedication to history on my CV, as well as my experience with research and teamwork in a less traditional way, which I hope will help me find jobs in the area of history and archives in the future." Charles, History student

"The highlight of working on this project was collaborating with a passionate team to propose creative and realistic fundraising ideas that could genuinely support the charity's mission. [...] Being part of a project with such meaningful social value made the experience both professionally enriching and personally fulfilling." Adeena, Community project volunteer

Find out about our other volunteering programmes