Need skilled students for your organisation? Want to partner on an initiative that has positive social impact?
Connect with SOUL Students
SOUL partners with community organisations to connect our passionate and skilled students with opportunities to make an impact.
SOUL can:
Advertise your opportunity to thousands of skilled and socially minded UTS students
Advise on strategies to attract students
Work with you to shape your needs into a suitable role
To connect with SOUL students, please complete the online form below and the SOUL team will get back to you within 7 working days.
Guidelines for Engaging SOUL Students
The UTS SOUL Program supports students to venture beyond their degree and into the community to make a positive social impact.
Students enrolled in our program come from all stages of study, across all UTS facilities and are looking to use their time, skills and passion for social good.
Who we work with
We seek opportunities for students to engage with non-profit organisations, grassroots and community groups, charities and social enterprises for social change.
We recognise social impact action that
Is unpaid and completed willingly within Australia.
Contributes to a positive change that results in enhanced equity, inclusion and/or social justice.
Definitions:
Social Impact – a significant and positive change in people’s lives that results in enhanced equity, social justice and inclusion.
Equity – removing systemic barriers to access and success.
Social justice – an active commitment to realising equality, fairness and human rights
Inclusion – an environment of participation, belonging and respect, where a diversity of people and perspectives are welcomed, valued and able to contribute.
Types of Opportunities
Our students are interested in diverse social impact action experiences, ranging from one-off engagements to commitments of up to 3 months.
This could look like:
A volunteer opportunity
Engaging students in advocacy, campaigning and activism
Community building projects e.g. skills sharing, mentoring, maintaining public spaces or resources
Skilled project-based work
As students’ availability changes with the university calendar, we recommend a maximum 7 hours per week with commitments of no longer than 3 months.
The SOUL Team can work with your organisation to shape opportunities for a student audience.
Opportunities we don't promote:
Promotion of religion
Working on the general business or election of a political party
Internships with for-profit organisations
Overseas opportunities
Recreational events without a charity fundraising component
Best time to engage students
Students are most engaged in the first half of the teaching session (February – April and July – September) and will have limited availability during assessment periods (May – June and October – November).
If you would like to engage students in skilled project-based work, the university breaks (July and November – February) are an ideal time.
Expectations
The UTS SOUL program aims to provide positive social impact action experiences for our students. To help us achieve that, it is expected that organisations will:
Communicate with each applicant the outcome of their application
Provide appropriate training and induction
Provide suitable supervision of students
Provide public liability insurance – if your organisation is unable to do so, please contact the SOUL Team at soul.award@uts.edu.au
Complaints
The UTS SOUL Program takes complaints seriously and are committed to ensuring a positive experience for students and our community partners, eliminating discrimination and harassment in university study and work environments. In instances where a student or organisation representative has a concern or complaint, they have a right to lodge a formal complaint.
If you have a concern or complaint regarding your experience with the SOUL program, please email soul.award@uts.edu.au the SOUL team and we will be in contact to discuss the matter further.
If you have questions, are not sure if we have students who would be appropriate for your needs, or would like to discuss how we can help you, please reach out to us at soul.award@uts.edu.au.