Get a Life!
Welcome to the “extra-curricular” home page where you can find pointers towards a number of extra-curricular opportunities open to you, both science and non-science related.
You may be interested in taking on extra-curricular activities either because you feel there is more you can be doing with your life, or to enhance your cv and career prospects. Most of you will graduate with a reasonable degree, along with thousands of other students in the UK every year. What do you have on your cv to make you “stand out”? In addition, a number of popular careers, especially in the fields of conservation and overseas development, require prior experience before you are likely to land a paid job in those fields. Volunteering is one way to gain this experience.
Extra-curricular activities can enhance your cv whether or not they are directly related to your degree / intended career path. Choose something that interests and inspires you. Career-focussed experience such as summer internships (placements), or conservation volunteering has an obvious benefit, but most activities – sports, arts etc will give you “transferable skills” that employers are looking for, for example evidence of initiative, leadership, teamwork etc.
The Lancaster Award
This is an award that recognises students' extra-curricular achievements and can be taken alongside the degree programme. Many of our students are already involved in lots of extra-curricular activities, and the award aims to encourage students to complete such activities and be recognised for their accomplishments.
To achieve the Award students are required to undertake activities in four areas:
- Employability/career development
- Campus, community and social development
- Work experience
- Additional skills
See www.lancs.ac.uk/careers/award for details.
Summer Internships
These are paid (and sometimes, unfortunately, unpaid) summer vacation placements offered to students by companies willing to offer “work experience”. They are usually very competitive, with selection via application form and interview. Taking a summer internship has enormous benefits. It:
- allows you to discover whether a certain field of work is as interesting as you thought it was, before you commit to that career path.
- Shows future employers that you are committed, already have prior experience, and that your internship company thought sufficiently highly of your application that you were selected in the first place.
- Should pay better than stacking shelves at the local supermarket.
- May lead to a graduate job offer from your internship company if you perform well. Some companies (albeit mostly in banking) ONLY take on recruits from those who have taken an internship with them previously.
Below are a number of links to companies that provide summer internships. But you may also approach companies direct if you have a specific interest in their field.
Remember that you will have dissertations to complete over the summer holidays between your second and third year at University. You could do a summer placement between first and second year, or between second and third year if you make sure you factor in sufficient time for your dissertation.
Note that some companies offer “unpaid” internships. You need to think carefully about your views on this. On the one hand, if you can afford to take the opportunity, it can provide excellent experience. On the other hand, what are your views about working for no pay?
The National Council for work experience:
This site lists a number of internships and summer placements.
www.work-experience.org
Note that the link “graduate job search” includes not only graduate and sandwich-placement opportunities, but also undergraduate summer placements.
Westlakes Scientific Consulting:
Cumbria based company providing environmental consulting and health research services to public and private sector clients, both in the UK and internationally. Runs 10 week summer student placements most years, open to 1st and 2nd years, with placements in the fields of Environmental Science, Executive Office, Genetics, Human Resources and Marketing. Placements are advertised around February time on their website and in their local press (Whitehaven News, Times and Star and Cumberland News).
Environmental Change Network (ECN)
One YEAR LONG student placement with the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) here at the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC). The student undertakes environmental monitoring at the Moor House National Nature Reserve, involving field work, lab work and computer work, with a short independent project.
Gatsby Charitable Foundation
This charity provides funding for 2nd year student placements in the field of plant science. Jane Taylor (j.e.taylor@lancaster.ac.uk) and Brian Forde (b.g.forde@lancaster.ac.uk) are the Lancaster University representatives for this scheme.
www.gatsbyplants.leeds.ac.uk/careers/careers_2G.html
British Geological Survey
Each summer BGS provides places for students with an active interest in geology and the earth sciences to undertake fieldwork in areas throughout the UK. Although classed as voluntary workers, individuals are paid a set allowance to cover the costs of their accommodation and/or meals. Placements can be offered for periods of between one and six weeks. Details are sent to universities each January/February [or contact BGS directly for information].
www.bgs.ac.uk/vacancies/opport.htm
The John Innes Centre and Sainsbury Laboratory (Norwich)
Biology-related research and training projects for undergraduates studying any branch of science, finishing their second year of study this summer. 8 week placements (5th July-30th August), free accommodation and £200/week. Deadline for applications: 1st March. For more information about the programme, visit: http://www.jic.ac.uk/summerprogramme/
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, East Kilbride.
Typically, on summer placements of between 4 to 8 weeks duration, Interns work in one or more of the SUERC research groups undertaking a specific research project. These Internships are a particularly good opportunity for undergraduate students about to embark on their final year to get some real experience of hands-on research. The most successful Interns have been able to kick-start careers in research through publication of the results of their projects.
See www.gla.ac.uk/departments/suerc/internships/ for more details.Companies matching students with prospective internship employers.
There are a number of companies that specialise in matching students with employers, which you can find by browsing the internet. Just type in “internships”. For example www.e4s.co.uk/docs/internships.htm.
Be very careful that these companies are providing you with genuine and valuable work placements, rather than providing you with glorified holidays in attractive locations, or your employer with cheap / free labour. They may also charge an administration fee.
Voluntary work in the environmental sector
Voluntary work allows you to give something back to the community, as well as gaining satisfaction and new skills. A number of careers, particularly in the fields of conservation and overseas development, require prior experience before a graduate job can be obtained. Volunteering in the environmental sector can take many forms – outdoors practical hands-on conservation is obviously a big part of this sector of volunteering, but it is not just about “working outside”. For example there are also opportunities to work for voluntary organisations in their admin offices, with IT, with the design of interpretative display boards etc.
Voluntary work in other sectors.
Voluntary work in sectors outside of science are also extremely valuable, as well as fulfilling. They will enhance your cv and employment prospects by showing that you are a “well-rounded” person and by providing you with evidence to demonstrate skills that employers are looking for – communication skills, leadership, teamwork, initiative etc.
Time commitments and locations
Some UK-based voluntary organisations require a fixed time commitment per week, others run flexible “turn up on the day” systems. Either way, it should be possible to fit a schedule around your university timetable.
Full-time vacation volunteering opportunities also exist, both in the UK and abroad. A number of organisations that offer such placements are listed in the following publications, (amongst many others), available on amazon.co.uk:
World Volunteers, 2008, edited by Fabio Ausenda and Erin McCloskey. Published by Green volunteers. ISBN 978-88-89060-13-1
Green volunteers. The world guide to voluntary work in Nature conservations. 2009. by Fabio Ausenda.
Volunteer: a Traveller’s guide. 2007. by Charlotte Hindle et al. Published by Lonely Planet. ISBN: 9781741790207.
Some of the Lonely Planet travel guidebooks also have country-specific volunteering opportunities listed.
There are also numerous websites offering volunteering opportunities abroad.
Below are a number of UK organisations that require volunteers.
STEMNET Ambassador programme:
volunteers required to inspire school children to enjoy science.
Arnside AONB:
“countryside focussed placements for …. undergraduates who want to further their careers in environmental fields”. Positions include practical conservation projects, event organisation, contribution to management plans, interpretation board design etc
www.arnsidesilverdaleaonb.org.uk/asaonb/aonb_volunteers.html
Lancaster University Volunteering Unit:
A wide range of options with flexibility for your study timetable.
“Do it”
A national database of organisations requiring volunteers in each region.
Lancaster district Community and Voluntary Solutions:
Maintains a database of voluntary organisations as a pdf download.
Expeditions
You can organise your own expedition, or you can pay to take part in commercially organised expeditions.
Commercially organised expeditions, especially those with environmental projects, allow you to gain and demonstrate:
- field experience
- teamwork skills
- self-reliance and adaptability, probably in a different culture and environment.
Links to some commercial companies that run such expeditions are given below. There are many more organisations than listed here, easily found online, and of variable quality. Those listed below are known and well-regarded by members of staff at Lancaster University. Nevertheless, the standard of their expeditions has not been officially verified by Lancaster University and their appearance in this webpage should not constitute endorsement.
- Operation Wallacea: www.opwall.com
- Brathay Exploration Group: www.brathayexploration.org.uk
- British Schools Exploring Society trains Young Leaders (18-23 year olds with some previous expedition experience) to become expedition leaders. www.bses.org.uk
- Raleigh International (amount of conservation / surveying in expeditions varies). www.raleighinternational.org
Organising your own expedition, be it science or non-science related, allows you to gain:
- leadership skills
- teamwork skills
- organisation skills
- self reliance and adaptability, probably in a different culture and environment
- technical skills related to your objective – science related or otherwise.
It has a much higher “value added” factor compared to commercially organised expeditions, as you will be in charge of choosing your group, determining your objectives, dealing with the logistics, producing a prospectus and final report, fund raising, and being the responsible party to make the decisions and adapt to situations in the field. It is a big commitment.
It takes dedication and time to organise and execute a successful expedition. When you make your plans, remember that you also have to work on your dissertation in the summer of your second year. But there is sufficient time to do both. Expeditions in the summer of your first or third year are also possible.
For more information and advice on organising an expedition see the Planning an expedition page.
Other activities
All extra-curricular activities – sports, arts, travel etc - involve “transferable skills” (e.g. leadership, teamwork, communication, initiative, adaptability etc) of interest to a future employer. Lancaster University and Lancaster town have numerous clubs and societies to suit most interests. Simple participation will give you something to enhance your CV. If you can become involved in the running of the club, e.g. become elected on to the committee, then so much the better.
Travelling abroad, on your own or in a group, gives you ample opportunity to develop self-reliance, adaptability etc. If you prefer to travel with an additional purpose, to contribute to a community’s welfare or help with conservation projects for example, numerous volunteering opportunities exist for vacation placements. Try the following resources, which can be bought from amazon.co.uk
World Volunteers, 2008, edited by Fabio Ausenda and Erin McCloskey. Published by Green volunteers. ISBN 978-88-89060-13-1
Green volunteers. The world guide to voluntary work in Nature conservations. 2009. by Fabio Ausenda.
Volunteer: a Traveller’s guide. 2007. by Charlotte Hindle et al. Published by Lonely Planet. ISBN: 9781741790207.
Some of the Lonely Planet travel guidebooks also have country-specific volunteering opportunities listed.
LEC Expedition and Extra-curricular Personal Development Fund
LEC has a small fund (£1200) available to help fund student expeditions or extra-curricular activities.
Criteria for eligibility
- Open to LEC Majors undergraduates only. The activity for which the grant is awarded must take place by the October of graduation, i.e. 3rd year students may apply for activities to take place in the summer of their graduation.
- help fund a group of students planning their own expedition, unrelated to coursework or dissertation requirements.
- fund individuals wishing to carry out extra-curricular activities, provided their proposed activity is clearly a significant undertaking above and beyond normal leisure activities. There should be clear evidence of how the activity will enhance a student’s “skill base” – be that leadership, teamwork, adaptability, initiative, or whatever.
- The fund cannot be used to help fund students taking part on commercially-organised expeditions, except in exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances could be, for example, where participation on an expedition has involved particularly rigorous selection criteria, rather than “pay-and-go” operations.
- Evidence of significant levels of involvement and advancement in the planning of the expedition/activity must be demonstrated before the grant is released.
- A one page report must be submitted once the expedition / activity has been carried out, detailing the achievements of the activity.
- Expeditions with scientific / research-related objectives, organised and executed by the applicants.
- Expeditions with adventure / exploratory / outdoor pursuits-related objectives, organised and executed by the applicants, where they can demonstrate that the organisation and execution of the expedition will give them significant “transferable skills” experience (e.g. development of leadership and teamwork skills, self-reliance, adaptability, initiative and problem-solving etc), and NOT merely development of sporting skills. For example, a kayaking / climbing trip to a relatively unexplored area, with significant logistical organisation and a requirement for substantial self-reliance on site, may be supported, whilst a similar trip to a well known easily organised climbing / kayaking mecca is unlikely to be supported even if the climbing / kayaking is superb!
- Individual activities – scientific, voluntary work, arts / sports related or other, which can demonstrate significant advancement in the development either of scientific / environmental skills, or of transferable skills, e.g. leadership and teamwork skills, self-reliance, adaptability, initiative and problem-solving etc.
- Application deadline: 5pm, on the Friday at the end of week 11, i.e. end of the first week of Lent term. Late applications will be accepted if there is spare money.
- Application to be submitted to Yani Najman by email – y.najman@lancaster.ac.uk.
- Application should consist of
- completion of the application form Only one application form needs to be completed per group.
- Supporting documentation. In the case of an expedition, this should be an expedition prospectus detailing (in any appropriate order)
- Participants, with a brief summary of their past relevant experience if appropriate.
- Aims and objectives
- Methodology
- Location and logistics, including insurance and health and safety considerations.
- Expected outcomes – results and/or broader implications
- Budget; breakdown of funds required, other funds applied to or already received, and a plan for fund raising.
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The fund is intended to:
Examples of activities that may be supported (this list is not exhaustive – email Yani Najman: y.najman@lancaster.ac.uk if you are not sure if you are eligible).
Application
In the case of other extra-curricular activities, the wide range of possible activities precludes prescriptive requirements for supporting documentation. You can adapt the “Expedition template” above, using only those headings which are applicable (most will be applicable), and add your own headings as appropriate.