Volunteer Hub
Access All Areas - TraveLab Project Leader (AAA 24-25)
Organisation Details
University of Manchester Students' Union Volunteering Team
Activity type: Children, Education, Science and Technology, Youth Work and Young People
Stellify Award: This opportunity is part of 'Step Up and Lead'
Description of role: Project Description:
TraveLab is a STEM-focused initiative to spark interest in science among children in Manchester. It operates through a series of fun and interactive science experiments conducted at Manchester's community libraries, as well as online videos. The primary goal is to inspire a passion for STEM, break down barriers to university education for young students and encourage children to pursue careers in STEM industries. This project is part of Access All Areas, a program of the University of Manchester's Students' Union, aimed at reducing educational barriers and broadening university participation.
TravelLab has been dormant for a little while so we are keen to find enthusiastic students, who would like to relaunch the initiative. Were looking for people with great communication skills who are passionate about dismantling barriers to education and getting children excited about STEM. As a leader, you will have real scope to influence and shape the direction of this project, creating a volunteering initiative that’s both effective in introducing children to the idea of university education, and fulfilling for the student volunteers who participate.
If you think this could be you, please apply to this advert and provide a little bit of information about why you are interested and what role you would like to have in the project!
Project Activities:
TraveLab sessions are organized biweekly in libraries. Led by university student volunteers who engage with children and their families. The project leaders maintain relationships with the libraries and create a comprehensive plan of activities. Activities usually run offline, but during COVID-19 they prerecorded videos for children to learn. The activities conducted by TraveLab are both educational and engaging. Children can perform their own experiments, such as creating a balloon pump from plastic bottles, making lemon volcano, and creating lava lamp. Volunteers use household items to simplify science and make it accessible to all ages. The sessions are designed to capture the imagination of pupils aged 5-15 through experiments in each of the STEM subjects, linking the activities to future studies.
Impact and Recognition:
TraveLab has had a significant impact on the children and their families who have participated. The project has worked with over 90 children face-to-face and delivered online content to hundreds more. Feedback from the libraries has been incredibly positive, praising TraveLab's ability to adapt to the current situation and release high-standard videos. The project has also been recognized for its outstanding contribution to widening participation in higher education. TraveLab has been able to reach children from various schools across Greater Manchester, breaking down barriers to university for young students.
Committee Structure
Chair:
Responsible for leading the committee and ensuring that objectives and goals are met.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events such as Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair.
Managing volunteers: connect with the Access All Areas coordinator/assistance and other project leaders to ensure that projects are running smoothly and effectively for volunteers and beneficiaries.
Chair monthly meetings with committee/other project leaders.
Submitting volunteering hours.
Attend meetings with external partners (University, schools, charities etc) on behalf of TraveLab when required.
Finish and submit monthly report to the Access All Areas coordinator/assistance.
Vice-Chair:
Assists the Chairperson, taking over duties in their absence, and supporting the committee's activities.
Promotes the TraveLab within the community, attracts new volunteers and students, and maintains a positive public image.
Manage the TraveLab’s social media platforms.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Treasurer:
Manages the financial aspects of the TraveLab, including tracking income, expenses, and ensuring financial transparency.
Make budget request forms, ask for reimbursement from SU, collect reimbursement related information like purchased items and receipts.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Secretary:
Attend TraveLab’s meetings, records meeting minutes, summarize and inform all project volunteers.
Distributes agendas and keeps track of the committee's progress and decisions.
Make a timeline of semester’s planned events and send to SU.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Program Coordinator:
Oversees the planning and execution of the TraveLab's activities, including scheduling sessions.
Managing volunteer mentors, and ensuring that students have access to necessary resources, ensure student safety.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Evaluation Officer:
Leads the evaluation of the traveLab's impact, collecting data from students through polls and interactive quizzes, analyzing results, and making recommendations for improvements.
Help other project leaders develop and implement evaluation processes, in order to support Senior Volunteer Coordinators with data collection.
Collect and track HEAT data.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Skills gained through participation:
- Stakeholder management (external partners, children, volunteers, academic staff, Students’ Union staff, etc.)
- Volunteer management (leading a team, providing pastoral support, and organising shifts)
- Training coordination (+ the training you’ll receive yourself, e.g. child safeguarding)
- Effective communication with diverse audiences
- Effective budget and resource management
- Volunteer recruitment
- Project planning and risk assessment
- Evaluating a project and making/implementing recommendations following evaluation
- Presentation and workshop facilitation skills
- Experience of engaging with children and young people in an education setting
- Knowledge of GDPR compliance
- Knowledge of safeguarding and child protection
To apply:
Apply for this opportunity online through the Volunteer Hub by clicking ‘Apply’ below and submitting an application form. This will be reviewed by a member of the Students’ Union’s Volunteering & Fundraising Team, who will invite you for an informal chat about your application and the next steps in becoming a project leader.
If you have any questions about this role, please contact volunteering.su@manchester.ac.uk.
PLEASE NOTE: The Students’ Union welcomes and encourages all students to get involved in volunteering. As a Union we do not discriminate based on background and we welcome students from all ethnicities, genders, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, ages, socio-economic backgrounds and disabilities.
We aim to support all students in their application process and during volunteering. Should you need any help, and/or adjustments with the application or wider volunteering process please contact the Students’ Union Volunteering and Fundraising team at: volunteering.su@manchester.ac.uk.
TraveLab is a STEM-focused initiative to spark interest in science among children in Manchester. It operates through a series of fun and interactive science experiments conducted at Manchester's community libraries, as well as online videos. The primary goal is to inspire a passion for STEM, break down barriers to university education for young students and encourage children to pursue careers in STEM industries. This project is part of Access All Areas, a program of the University of Manchester's Students' Union, aimed at reducing educational barriers and broadening university participation.
TravelLab has been dormant for a little while so we are keen to find enthusiastic students, who would like to relaunch the initiative. Were looking for people with great communication skills who are passionate about dismantling barriers to education and getting children excited about STEM. As a leader, you will have real scope to influence and shape the direction of this project, creating a volunteering initiative that’s both effective in introducing children to the idea of university education, and fulfilling for the student volunteers who participate.
If you think this could be you, please apply to this advert and provide a little bit of information about why you are interested and what role you would like to have in the project!
Project Activities:
TraveLab sessions are organized biweekly in libraries. Led by university student volunteers who engage with children and their families. The project leaders maintain relationships with the libraries and create a comprehensive plan of activities. Activities usually run offline, but during COVID-19 they prerecorded videos for children to learn. The activities conducted by TraveLab are both educational and engaging. Children can perform their own experiments, such as creating a balloon pump from plastic bottles, making lemon volcano, and creating lava lamp. Volunteers use household items to simplify science and make it accessible to all ages. The sessions are designed to capture the imagination of pupils aged 5-15 through experiments in each of the STEM subjects, linking the activities to future studies.
Impact and Recognition:
TraveLab has had a significant impact on the children and their families who have participated. The project has worked with over 90 children face-to-face and delivered online content to hundreds more. Feedback from the libraries has been incredibly positive, praising TraveLab's ability to adapt to the current situation and release high-standard videos. The project has also been recognized for its outstanding contribution to widening participation in higher education. TraveLab has been able to reach children from various schools across Greater Manchester, breaking down barriers to university for young students.
Committee Structure
Chair:
Responsible for leading the committee and ensuring that objectives and goals are met.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events such as Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair.
Managing volunteers: connect with the Access All Areas coordinator/assistance and other project leaders to ensure that projects are running smoothly and effectively for volunteers and beneficiaries.
Chair monthly meetings with committee/other project leaders.
Submitting volunteering hours.
Attend meetings with external partners (University, schools, charities etc) on behalf of TraveLab when required.
Finish and submit monthly report to the Access All Areas coordinator/assistance.
Vice-Chair:
Assists the Chairperson, taking over duties in their absence, and supporting the committee's activities.
Promotes the TraveLab within the community, attracts new volunteers and students, and maintains a positive public image.
Manage the TraveLab’s social media platforms.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Treasurer:
Manages the financial aspects of the TraveLab, including tracking income, expenses, and ensuring financial transparency.
Make budget request forms, ask for reimbursement from SU, collect reimbursement related information like purchased items and receipts.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Secretary:
Attend TraveLab’s meetings, records meeting minutes, summarize and inform all project volunteers.
Distributes agendas and keeps track of the committee's progress and decisions.
Make a timeline of semester’s planned events and send to SU.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Program Coordinator:
Oversees the planning and execution of the TraveLab's activities, including scheduling sessions.
Managing volunteer mentors, and ensuring that students have access to necessary resources, ensure student safety.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Evaluation Officer:
Leads the evaluation of the traveLab's impact, collecting data from students through polls and interactive quizzes, analyzing results, and making recommendations for improvements.
Help other project leaders develop and implement evaluation processes, in order to support Senior Volunteer Coordinators with data collection.
Collect and track HEAT data.
Represent TraveLab at promotional events (e.g. Welcome Fair, Volunteering Fair)
Skills gained through participation:
- Stakeholder management (external partners, children, volunteers, academic staff, Students’ Union staff, etc.)
- Volunteer management (leading a team, providing pastoral support, and organising shifts)
- Training coordination (+ the training you’ll receive yourself, e.g. child safeguarding)
- Effective communication with diverse audiences
- Effective budget and resource management
- Volunteer recruitment
- Project planning and risk assessment
- Evaluating a project and making/implementing recommendations following evaluation
- Presentation and workshop facilitation skills
- Experience of engaging with children and young people in an education setting
- Knowledge of GDPR compliance
- Knowledge of safeguarding and child protection
To apply:
Apply for this opportunity online through the Volunteer Hub by clicking ‘Apply’ below and submitting an application form. This will be reviewed by a member of the Students’ Union’s Volunteering & Fundraising Team, who will invite you for an informal chat about your application and the next steps in becoming a project leader.
If you have any questions about this role, please contact volunteering.su@manchester.ac.uk.
PLEASE NOTE: The Students’ Union welcomes and encourages all students to get involved in volunteering. As a Union we do not discriminate based on background and we welcome students from all ethnicities, genders, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, ages, socio-economic backgrounds and disabilities.
We aim to support all students in their application process and during volunteering. Should you need any help, and/or adjustments with the application or wider volunteering process please contact the Students’ Union Volunteering and Fundraising team at: volunteering.su@manchester.ac.uk.
Skills / qualities associated with the role: Creative Skills, Event Planning, Leadership, Oral Communication Skills, Practical Skills, Project Management, Team Working
Are volunteer expenses available?: Yes
Duration of role: Ongoing / Long term
Start date:
End date:
Opportunity times: Monday PM, Tuesday PM, Wednesday PM, Thursday PM, Friday PM, Saturday PM, Sunday PM
DBS required: Off
Can reasonable adjustments be made regarding additional needs?: Yes
Minimum hours commitment: 2-4 hours per week
Location: