Apply to be part of the SVN National Committee 2021-2022
We are officially opening applications for the 2021-22 SVN Committee!
Why would you want to do join the committee?
- It is good for your personal and professional development
- It looks great on your CV
- It allows you to network with volunteering managers from around the country
- You will have an opportunity to help lead on and shape debate on all the hot topics around student volunteering on a national level
- The roles on the committee are deliberately open-ended to give you the opportunity to bring your own skills, expertise and interests to the role
You can have a better idea of what each team primarily focuses on but remember, you have the opportunity to shape this during your time in the role!
You can apply using this link and this will be open until 25th August.
Link to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SDDS41mrys-F19QecFPyoNB_UjB7xQUC3NtdyhkSKjI/edit?usp=sharing
Student Volunteering Network Committee Roles
Chair - To ensure the smooth running of the Student Volunteering Network National Committee and to act as the main spokesperson for the organisation and its members. Responsibility for setting the overall strategic direction of the networking and ensuring objectives are met. The Chair is also responsible for any governance and policy.
Vice-Chair (Finance) - To lead on safeguarding the finances of the network. Also, to support the other aims of the network and the Chair.
Vice-Chair (Secretary) - To lead on the organisation and record keeping of SVN national committee meetings, and to maintain the internal policies of the network.
Committee Teams
Each of the following teams will have a leader who will coordinate the members and maintain communication between groups. The team leader should ideally be a committee member who has served on the committee for a year or more.
Communications Team - Responsibilities include maintaining the SVN website, as well as the network’s social media presence. The Comms team will also produce a newsletter for SVN members at set times throughout the year.
Projects and Events Team - Oversight of national events throughout the year, including Student Volunteering Week and the SVN annual conference.
Impact and research Team - To set up and support working groups on international volunteering, impact measurement, and personal and professional development. These will act as platforms for sharing good practice and innovation, bringing in members from across the network. To set up and run any training or webinars from other SVN members or external experts. Responsibilities also include curating the resource hub on the SVN website as well as measuring the impact of the network and its members.
Engagement team - Responsible for network development; overseeing different regional networks, engaging current members, recruiting new ones, inviting feedback, ensuring effective communication between the national committee and the regional networks, keeping membership lists up to date.
Note:
- It is understood that all national committee members will work together to deliver SVN’s flagship events: Student Volunteering Week and the Annual Conference
- The details of what each team will deliver should be discussed and agreed on at the beginning of each academic year. They will be informed by the strategic objectives of SVN for the year as well as the expertise and interests of the different committee members
- The national committee enjoys healthy and productive working relationships with NUS and with Student Hubs and regularly includes an honorary member from each of these organisations
Fiona Walsh - Partnerships and Development Director Student Hubs
"I have really enjoyed being a part of the SVN committee this year! Our virtual approach to team meetings has made us even stronger and closer as a committee, and the Engagement Team that I have been a part of have made lots of progress on the goals we set out to achieve at the start of the year. It's also great to have a peer network to touch base with every month, providing development opportunities and general support which (especially in the past year) has been highly valuable."
Paul Barlow - Warwick Volunteers Manager
"Being part of the Engagement Team has given me the opportunity and the impetus to network with colleagues across the sector; this has been invaluable for me in discovering alternative practice and in developing my personal support network. Being on the committee as a whole has given me the chance to play some part in the discussions around the purpose and role of SVN as well as participating in other national events around student activities in general”
Amy Goodwin - Cydlynydd Academaidd a Gwirfoddoli | Academic and Volunteering Coordinator
“Thanks to the engagement team and the rest of the committee for an enjoyable and productive year! Our regular meetings online have been really helpful to ger to know each other and move things forward, I hope these continue! Being on the committee has been a great way to get to know more individuals across the sector and I enjoy being able to talk to others about challenges and ideas.”
Frances Adam - Volunteering Coordinator (University of the West of England (UWE Bristol))
"One of my objectives for personal and professional development this year has been to develop my confidence in my expertise. SVN committee membership has been a really important part of that. The committee is a welcoming group of people who care deeply about student volunteering and also about personal and professional development, so membership has allowed me to regularly take part in discussions about our shared challenges, solutions and achievements.
In turn, I have felt more confident to share this widely and regularly have interesting and important information or questions to bring back to my team, and the wider university. As an example, a senior member of staff has commented on how my expertise and knowledge about the sector has had a major influence on the design and development of a curricular volunteering module this year."
