President’s Volunteer Award (PVA)

Welcome!

Our vision for the University of Limerick is to provide an outstanding student experience, to actively serve our communities and to contribute to the civil, social and cultural life of the Shannon Region and beyond.  The PVA is a unqiue higher education volunteer award.  The President of the University formally recognise students for their volunteering work and that is why all PVA's boost the UL student transcipt.  Please take the time to explore this website and discover how volunteering can help to make a difference in your own life and in your community.
 

The President's Volunteer Award is also designed to help you put the V in your CV during your time in UL. The best thing about putting the V in your CV is, your are supporting and contributing to the development of clubs, societies and organisations as well as the people using and needing these services and supports.  You are also making great use of your spare time, learning new skills and gaining valuable practical experience and transferrable workrelated skills. That's why our clever students volunteer!

About The PVA

The President's Volunteer Award (PVA) has been established to harness, acknowledge and support the contribution that students at the University of Limerick make to their communities.  The PVA draws on a strong tradition of student volunteering both on and off campus.

The primary goals of the PVA are:

• Sustain and foster a culture of volunteering, active citizenship and civic engagement amongst the student population.
• Develop collaborative projects as well as furthering existing initiatives between UL and our communities.
• Formally acknowledge and support the contribution that UL student volunteers make to our communities.
• Promote the development of civic and leadership skills amongst students.

How Does it Work?

The most important requirement for the PVA award is that you show a commitment to volunteering during your academic year. All volunteer hours are calculated towards a PVA. The Overseas PVA is based on students engaging with pre and post training provided by Comhlámh in addition to the completion of the PVA reflective portfolio which can be found here. 
 

To find a volunteer opportunity on campus or off campus in our many community organisations browse through volunteering opportunities. Please note: You are not limited to these opportunities. If for example, you volunteer in your home county (sports clubs, youth clubs, etc) or you volunteer abroad or you have created your own volunteer opportunity, once your have your hours signed off and you complete the reflective portfolio you can apply for the PVA.

HOT TIP: if you know of volunteering opportunities in your home county then go and organise volunteering hours with them. Contact pva@ul.ie for further guidance,information and support.
 

Please note:

The PVA is awarded to students who have completed a PVA application form reflective portfolio and have their volunteering hours approved on studentvolunteer.ie by their volunteer supervisor.

• You can volunteer as many hours as you want and we encourage student to log all their hours. 
• Full-time students have the opportunity to earn a Bronze, Silver, Gold and/or Overseas award every year.
• You do not have to get a Bronze or Silver award before applying for a Gold.
• During a 4 year degree program, you could potentially earn 4 PVA awards. (not doubt this haul of awards will impress any employer!).

Applying for the President's Volunteer Award

Step 1: Decide what award you are applying for. There are 5 types of awards: 

1. BRONZE: minimum of 20 hours of volunteering
2. SILVER:   minimum of 40 hours of volunteering
3. GOLD:     minimum of 60 hours of volunteering

4. Plassey:   12 hours in one semester - The Plassey Award recognises that international students spending one semester at UL do not have the same opportunities as those students spending a full-academic year at UL. Therefore, students spending one semester in UL may apply for the Plassey Award. To be eligible for this award you must show a committment to volunteering.

5. Overseas:  Pre and post volunteering training provided by Comhlámh (www.comhlamh.org)
International Students: Plassey Award

Step 2: Ensure all volunteer hours are logged on studentvolunteer.ie and approved. (Overseas ensure pre and post training hours signed by Comhlámh).

Step 3: Complete the reflective portfolio. There are 7 questions and all that is needed are a couple of paragraphs. This application is designed to help you reflect on the impact and benefits that both you and the community organisation gained from your volunteering role (the reflective portfolio will be very useful when you are updating your C.V. and in job interviews).

Step 4: All completed applications must be submitted by 26th April 2024. The SVO office will review after the deadline and the status of your application will change here once confirmed. We will also email you to inform you of your award. Please keep an eye on your emails. 

Step 5: The PVA ceremony will take place during the Autumn Semester 2024..  All UL students are welcome to attend the awards. Email communication will follow once the date and venue have been confirmed.
 

Community/Students/Higher Education Institutions:

Studentvolunteer.ie is a network of Irish Higher Education institutions that have come together to create a unique database, management system and online resource that is directed towards the development of civic engagement through student volunteering. This new unique national system will connect students and community groups, charities, schools, hospitals, public bodies and NGOs across Ireland and beyond. It will also for the first time acknowledge, promote and support higher education student volunteering across the sector and provide evidenced based information on their contribution to Irish society and beyond. It will also connect communities across Ireland and beyond to this very valuable resource.

Studentvolunteer.ie is funded by each Higher Education member institution and Campus Engage.

Why join studentvolunteer.ie?

Community

Members of studentvolunteer.ie avail of the following:

• Online database and management system that enables you to promote your volunteer opportunity to higher education students across Ireland and connect directly with this cohort.
• Develop and create civic engagement partnerships with staff and students in higher education institutions across Ireland.
• Work in collaboration with higher education institutions across Ireland to develop best practices in civic engagement activities.

Students

Members of studentvolunteer.ie avail of the following:

• Facilitates higher education students across Ireland to get involved in your local communities.
• Provide online management system that enables you to log your volunteer hours and reflect on your learning.
• Profiles the significant volunteer contribution that higher education students make to their communities in Ireland and beyond.

Higher Education Institutions

Members of studentvolunteer.ie avail of the following:

• An efficient and effective management system that promotes and supports higher education civic engagement through student volunteering.
• A bespoke database that captures the diversity of community organisations engaging with higher education institutions in Ireland and the multiplicity of volunteer activities higher education students are delivering.
• A civic engagement professional practitioner forum for sharing best practices.