Student volunteering

Whether you want to learn first aid, make new friends or gain some hands-on experience, there’s an opportunity for every student.

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The back of two volunteers looking at a large concert stage outdoors. There are other first aid volunteers standing around and the audience also looking at the stage behind a barrier.

We have over 20 student-led First Aid Societies at universities across the country. They are home to hundreds of amazing students doing their part to learn and share life-saving skills while having fun and making new friends along the way.

If you want to get involved, first check if your university has a First Aid Society. As a society member you’ll get to learn first aid, meet new people, and take part in some great socials. Many of our First Aid Societies also have a Student Volunteering Group – a really rewarding way to put your first aid skills into practice. You could be keeping the crowd safe at football matches, supporting your local hospital’s Emergency Department, taking care of logistics or supporting young people to become the next generation of lifesavers, and more.

If you’re not sure about volunteering at events, then that’s no problem. There are lots of other ways to get involved with your society whether it’s learning first aid, helping out with fundraising, or just having fun with new people.

Want to get started? Check out our full list of First Aid Societies.

Find your First Aid Society

For universities based in Wales, visit St John Ambulance Cymru.

Reasons to get involved

Looks great on your CV – there are lots of opportunities to improve your teamwork, communication, and leadership skills while gaining new experiences. For example, you could volunteer with St John Ambulance, get stuck in with fundraising, or become a committee member.
Meet new people and have fun – take a break from your studies and come along to some fantastic socials and activities.
Learn life-saving skills - you’ll have the chance to learn valuable first aid skills such as how to perform CPR, how to treat a burn, and how to help someone who is choking. Our First Aid Societies often host external speakers or partner with other societies on topics such as mental health and sign language.
Gain hands-on experience as a volunteer – as a Student Volunteer you can put your first aid skills into practice by volunteering at St John Ambulance events and activities. It’s a great way to gain experience of working in different environments especially if you’re studying a healthcare degree such as medicine, nursing, or paramedic science.

A First Aider kneeling on the ground looking at something on the floor. They are putting on blue medical gloves. There are two other First Aiders kneeling in front of them. In the background, there is an ambulance and another person standing wearing a high-vis vest.

My time with St John Ambulance has changed my university experience more than any other society could.
Tom, Biomedical Science student at QMUL

Start a First Aid Society

Can’t find a First Aid Society for your university? Why not run your own with the support of our friendly Student Volunteering team. Here are our top tips on how to get started.

1. Contact your Students’ Union or Guild

Your Students’ Union or Guild will advise on how to set up a new society. You normally need a minimum number of interested members and a minimum number of people to run the society.

2. Let us know about your First Aid Society

You should then let us know about your First Aid Society by emailing student-volunteering@sja.org.uk. Our Student Volunteering Officers are based all around the country and can give you support in running your society.

You’ll also need to create a constitution for your society. This is a document that outlines the aim and objectives of the society. We can provide you with guidelines on how to write this.

3. Things to think about once your society is set up:

Advertise your society - find out when your Freshers Fair is and get a stall. We can provide you with recruitment materials. Social media, such as Facebook groups and X accounts, can be great for attracting new members as well as staying in touch with existing ones.
Make a schedule of weekly meetings - this will mainly consist of first aid training. We can provide materials and resources to support you with this.
Book a meeting room - find out how to book a meeting room or suitable space for your meetings.
Funding - speak to your university about any available funding to buy resources for your society. For example, a CPR manikin to use when learning first aid.
Putting on events - figure out what events you would like to put on, such as first aid demos, fundraising events, and social events.
Fundraising – First Aid Societies play a vital role in raising money to support St John Ambulance’s life-saving work. Most societies will have a Fundraising Lead whose role is to organise fundraising events throughout the year. There are lots of fun ways to raise money such as taking part in your Students’ Union’s RAG scheme, CPR marathons, karaoke nights, bake sales, or even running a marathon!

4. Set up a Student Volunteering Group

Once your First Aid Society has been running for a while and is well established with lots of active members, you can then speak to us about setting up a Student Volunteering Group. As a group you’ll be able to go out and volunteer at events and activities supported by St John Ambulance and benefit from the same opportunities available to our other volunteers.