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Funding boost for York students to undertake community projects

Posted on 22 April 2020

The University has been awarded £260,000 to help students share their knowledge and skills with the local community.

The money, awarded by the Office for Students (OfS) and Research England, will allow 700 students to work on projects with businesses, communities and third sector organisations to bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the city of York.

Over 1,200 students already volunteer through Careers and Placements. The funding will help build on this, allowing students to learn from their experience while using more of the University’s excellent teaching and research to address practical issues in the community.

A number of organisations are partners in the initiative including York Cares, The York Centre for Voluntary Service, City of York Council and the Railway Museum. Anticipated projects include:

  • exploring social isolation and health inequalities in York;
  • supporting the £55m redevelopment of the National Railway Museum.

The funding supports the University’s civic mission to be a leading contributor to the public good in the city of York.

Civic engagement was one of this institution's founding principles and our students have gone on to establish a culture of volunteering across issues that play to the University's research strengths in education, the environment, social cohesion and heritage, among many others.

- Andrew Ferguson, Strategic Project Manager in Careers

With the two year initiative scheduled to begin in September, it is anticipated that a new range of community needs may be encountered - particularly as community-based organisations have to adapt to a post lockdown world.

Find out more about the funding boost for students to work with business and communities (OfS).

Get involved - contact volunteering@york.ac.uk