Volunteers
Inspiring the next generation is hugely rewarding for students, yourself and the organisation you represent.
Find out more about how you can help.
We know that volunteers sharing your experience can challenge student perceptions and inspire them in their future choices. Your input could be life-changing!
Volunteering for SATRO
Why Volunteer with SATRO?
SATRO gave a Lightning Talk at the Surrey University Showcase 2022 - click on the image to find out why volunteering matters in Education today and for our future:
The Value of Volunteering, Education & Employers, Report Jan 2021
Skills & Competencies: 80% of volunteers reported benefits for communication, influencing and relationship skills with over half reporting benefits for leadership and decision-making.
Motivation & Mission: 79% reported improvements to their sense of mission at work as a result of volunteering in education and 68% reported greater motivation at work.
Productivity & Career Gains: 26% report greater productivity at work, with 44% of them reporting manager recognition for the impact of their volunteering. More than a third even said volunteering helps them apply for different or more senior roles.
Making a Difference: over 99% describe impacts for young people and 94% felt they gained a better understanding of society and social issues.
At SATRO our challenge is to:
- Widen access to inspiring STEM learning;
- Develop better citizens with good understanding of STEM for the future;
- Teach vocational construction skills lacking in the curriculum but needed in the workforce;
- Support life skills development for disadvantaged and special needs students;
- Challenge perceptions of employability and career pathways;
- Support young people to gain confidence in their aspirations.
Our volunteers are vital partners in achieving this by:
- Sharing skills and expertise with the next generation;
- Engaging with and giving back to their local community;
- Delivering employer engagement in schools;
- Supporting the development of the workforce in the region;
- Engaging in outreach as part of their own professional membership;
- Supporting their organisation's Corporate Social Responsibility/Environmental Social Governance/Social Value goals.
We welcome all our volunteers to be part of our wider SATRO community, to have fun together inspiring young people and gain pride in representing their organisation and profession.
"SATRO does what it says on the tin "inspiring young people" so this sits nicely with my beliefs. SATRO is well organised and has a team, associates and volunteers that hold a common goal. Every event is enjoyable and I have made many friends. I must add that my employer, Willmott Dixon, supports social engagement and allows me to volunteer without any questions."
Gordon Bell, Willmott Dixon
How can you help?
We have a full range of volunteering opportunities which you can join as an individual or as a team of colleagues.
Individual Support:
As an individual, from our local community or an organisation, you can join a group to support a half or full day commitment. You do not require specific knowledge and we will provide any necessary training on the day:
- A workshop in school supporting a specific topic or skill;
- A careers event improving skills and knowledge of the work of work;
- An event bringing multiple schools together for a challenge or festival;
- Join a community based mentoring project in a local school.
Corporate Engagement:
We engage with staff as individuals representing their organisation, as teams or as part of corporate challenge days. We can personalise and structure engagement to meet the needs of your team including potential virtual engagement. Staff can get involved in the following ways:
- Our bigger events such as business games, structures challenges offer a fun opportunity to bring a diverse team from your organisation to share skills and support delivery.
- Joining one of our Careers events linked to a specific programme eg. STEM or Construction or a Careers networking event where we get as many different job roles together eg. finance, HR, procurement, legal, manufacturing, marketing etc.
- Our mentoring programme offers the opportunity for a team of employees to work with a designated school to deliver a full academic year of 1:1 mentoring.
- We can partner with you to deliver a corporate challenge day that uses your staff's skill and expertise to bring together a number of schools to undertake a challenge related to your business whilst learning about the wider industry.
We also provide staff sessions (virtually or in-person) to encourage and explain the benefits of volunteering to your workforce.
Research & Development:
- Provide a summer research project placement for one or more A-Level students by providing a topic and staff time to mentor the students involved over a 2-4 week period. We seek projects that provide real benefit both the organisation and the student.
- Support us develop new workshops or events on the issues of the day or specific skillsets that will encourage students to broaden their horizons in STEM, Construction or Business skills.
The Recognised Impact of Employee Engagement in Education:
Key research findings from Education & Employers Research:
- Broaden young peoples' horizons and raise their aspirations;
- Excite children about subjects, increasing motivation, confidence and attitude to learning;
- Challenge gender and social stereotypes;
- Improve academic attainment at GCSE;
- Increase young people's earning potential;
- Reduce the likelihood of young people becoming NEET after 4 or more encounters with employers.
"Both our mentoring programs have been a great success, with positive feedback received from both the schools and our staff. We now look forward to a long partnership working with SATRO to help make a positive difference for young people at such an important stage in their lives."
Byron Harding, Synamedia
How does SATRO support our volunteers ?
We recognise that you will be giving up your time to join us as a volunteer and as such will do everything we can to make in an impactful and enjoyable experience. That's why SATRO will support you every step of the way.
- We will always tell you what to expect prior to volunteering and provide volunteer briefings or necessary training;
- We have a robust safeguarding and volunteer policies to ensure both students and volunteers feel safe and supported;
- You will receive a pack of instructions ahead of the event and will have a designated point of contact;
- Our workshops and events are professionally led by an experienced SATRO member of staff with business and education experience who will guide you through the day;
- After the event we will provide feedback from teachers and students which can be used directly for your own social responsibility reporting;
- We recognise corporate support through our online presence and charitable impact reporting.
- You can sign up to our monthly e-newsletter to find out more about upcoming volunteer opportunities and we will keep you updated with what is going on in SATRO more widely.
- We recognise the contribution of our volunteers at our annual SATRO Awards (postponed in 2020 and 2021 but hopefully returning in 2022).
SATRO is a partner who will facilitate and ensure your contribution to a high quality educational event in school at all times. We pride ourselves on 35 years of working with business and education to bring high impact employer engagement to students.
Above all, we will help you enjoy your volunteering experience and ensure that it is a rewarding one.
"Education is for improving the lives of others
and for leaving your community and world better than you found it."
Marian Wright Edelman
Register as a Volunteer
If you would like to become a volunteer, please fill out the form below and note if you would like to receive our monthly bulletin and/or additional information about yourself and your interests.
