FAQ

No, it is a free UTS program!

Yes! The program is open to all UTS students, from first year undergraduates to PhD candidates.

Any and all! We encourage students from all faculties to join.

You should volunteer at a time that suits you. The goal is for you to use your time wisely, so find opportunities that work to your timetable.

You have your whole degree to complete SOUL, but you must have your workshops completed and volunteering hours logged by 30 May, 30 October or 15 February of your final session of study at UTS to successfully complete the program.

No, sorry. You can only log volunteering hours from when you join the UTS SOUL program.

We recognise volunteer hours if they are unpaid, within Australia and with a not-for-profit organisation or event with a social mission, that creates a positive social impact. If you’re unsure if your volunteer role will count towards SOUL, send us an email at soul.award@uts.edu.au.

There is no limit to the number of hours you can claim with Internal volunteering in the UTS community.

We only count internal volunteering if it is a position that creates a positive social impact in the student community, such as UTS HELPS or Peer Network. If you’re not sure if your internal volunteering will count towards SOUL, send us an email at soul.award@uts.edu.au.

The SOUL Badge is the perfect program for you, with a lighter volunteering load of 35 hours and two interactive workshops where you can meet new friends in Sydney!

Absolutely not! The Award requirements are just a minimum. If you want to keep volunteering, please keep logging your hours. We’ll reflect your extra commitment and every single hour that you log in your recommendation when you graduate and will keep you in mind for other award nominations!

It’s totally up to you! You could look for volunteering positions to gain relevant experience, improve your interpersonal skills, support a cause you’re passionate about, meet new people or just to have fun!

For any question of insurance, please email us at soul.award@uts.edu.au or call 9514 2900.

You log your volunteering hours here. 

You can submit a form for each instance of volunteering eg. one-off event volunteer, or if you are volunteering regularly in the same role eg. Blue Bird Pantry volunteer, you can submit one form for multiple instances (just make sure to accurately record hours and dates!).

 You will be sent an email with the info you have submitted so you can keep a record too. If you’ve taken photos while volunteering, we’d love for you to share them with us too!

By completing the SOUL Badge, you’ll receive a certificate of completion, a LinkedIn recommendation, and experience you can include on your CV.

Completing the SOUL Badge is a pre-requisite for the SOUL Award.

At the end of the SOUL Award, you’ll receive a certificate of completion, a letter or LinkedIn recommendation that details your volunteering and skills achievements, and the UTS SOUL Award will be listed on your Graduate Statement.

Check out our get started with SOUL page for advice on where to find volunteering roles, including online databases, micro-volunteering, volunteering to develop your disciplinary skills, and volunteering to the support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

If there is a particular organisation you’d like to volunteer with, keep an eye on their website for available roles or reach out to them directly to express your interest in volunteering. 

We also regularly post volunteering opportunities from our community partners on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out!

Working with Children Checks (WWCC) are free for volunteers. If your volunteering involves working with children, you will be asked to declare that you have not been convicted or found guilty of a listed serious offence against children. You can apply for your WWCC here.

Each workshop is offered a number of times during the year, so you can book the right time for you. If you book a workshop and then can’t attend, please cancel your booking so that we know and can make space for others.

To graduate from the program, you’ll need to have your workshops completed and volunteering hours logged by the 30 May, 30 October or 15 February graduation deadline of your final session of study at UTS.

We understand that your studies come first. If you decide that the program is not for you, you can leave the program at any time by emailing us at soul.award@uts.edu.au.

Yes, you definitely can! Completing the SOUL Badge (or even the Award) within a year is achievable, just make sure you balance your commitments and to complete the requirements before 30 May, 30 October, or 15 February of your final session!

We know that students who do Shopfront community projects as part of their coursework commit many hours to meet the brief for their community client.

We’ll recognise your Shopfront project as the full 35 hours volunteering for the SOUL Badge. Just log these volunteer hours and complete your workshops to receive the SOUL Badge.

We process our SOUL graduates in three batches throughout the year. Once you’ve finished the program, the SOUL team will be in touch shortly after the next graduation deadline (30 May, 30 October or 15 February) with further information about receiving your certificate and recommendation.

Everything you need to know about SOUL is available in our student guide here. But if you have any other questions, get in touch with the SOUL team at soul.award@uts.edu.au.

A National Police Check lists an individual’s disclosable outcomes and pending charges, sourced from all Australian police jurisdictions. A standard police check costs around $50 and is valid at the time it was conducted. Volunteers can request discounted $15 police checks through the Centre for Volunteering here. You could also ask whether your volunteer organisation will cover the cost of the check.