Volunteering within sport? sportsvolunteering@rhul.ac.uk is here to help support you!
Has your student group been getting involved, or would like to get involved in sports volunteering off campus? Maybe you're running an afterschool club or leading community sports sessions? That’s amazing! This guide is here to help you make sure everything’s in place so your volunteering is safe, supported, and recognised by the university.
Quick summary:
If you are volunteering as a group off campus in an activity that hasn’t been organised by the university, you will need to complete an event proposal via the student group admin form, and upload a completed Information Document, before you begin volunteering.
What is External Sports Volunteering?
External Sports Volunteering is any volunteering within the sports industry your student group does off campus, as a student group activity that has not been organised by the university. This includes things like:
- Lunchtime or afterschool sports clubs
- Community sports sessions
- Volunteering at one off sporting events- like London Marathon, Tough Mudder
Some activities don’t need to follow this process, such as:
- University-led Social Action projects (like Love in a Box)
- Volunteering abroad
- Volunteering at events run by the university.
Not sure if your activity counts? Just drop us a message at sportsvolunteering@rhul.ac.uk
and we’ll help you figure it out.
Where to start?
Already got an opportunity lined up with an external organisation? Amazing work! Keep reading to make sure you’ve got all the right documents in place so your volunteering is safe, supported, and recognised by the university.
Thinking about getting started but not sure where to begin? We’ve got you covered!
We have a list of local community groups who are keen to work with student groups. Just drop us a message at sportsvolunteering@rhul.ac.uk and let us know what kind of opportunity you’re looking for, we’ll try to match you with an opportunity that fits your groups interest!
What Documents Do You Need?
To keep everything safe and official, you’ll need to complete an event proposal via the student group admin form. This will include:
- Information Document
- Risk Assessment
When Should You Complete These?
Before you start volunteering:
Complete the student group admin form, and upload a completed Information Document.
If these aren’t done beforehand, your volunteering won’t be covered by insurance and won’t count towards SU and University awards (like Colours Ball, & Volunteering Awards).
End of each month:
Log all of your student groups volunteering hours and email them to sportsvolunteering@rhul.ac.uk . Don’t worry, we’ll send your club a reminder!
Why Are These Documents Important?
These forms help you:
- Think through your sessions and plan for safety
- Track who’s volunteering and how often
- Make sure your amazing work gets recognised!
We use this info to celebrate student volunteers and nominate clubs for awards—so it’s totally worth it!
DBS Checks
If your volunteering involves working with children under 18, most (if not all) volunteers will need an up-to-date DBS check. This is a standard safeguarding step to keep everyone safe.
DBS checks are free through the university! More information on this process can be found here.
Think you might need one? Email us at mailto:sportsvolunteering@rhul.ac.uk