Students in Secure Environments (SiSE)
Have you ever thought about how difficult it would be to complete your studies without use of the internet or library? The Open University currently have around 1,800 students studying from secure environments such as prisons and secure hospitals. For these students, not being able to access the internet or library is the reality, making it practically impossible to study for Level 3 or Postgraduate qualifications. This is where our Library Study Volunteers are able to assist them.
Library Study Volunteers (LSVs)
The Library Study Volunteers service began as a pilot in January 2019 and the value of it was quickly recognised. LSVs are current students themselves who volunteer some time to fulfil research requests on behalf of Students in Secure Environments. The students send us their requests through their education officers and then the volunteers conduct the research using Library databases. From receiving the requests, Open SU and volunteers take on average five days to complete a request.
The resources are then printed by the OU's printing team, who post them to the students so that they can complete the research elements of their courses.
A popular and important volunteering role that seeks to support OU students studying in a secure environment, such as prison. Students in prison do not have access to the internet, and online research materials, so Library Study Volunteers do research and find references on their behalf.
Without this assistance it would be virtually impossible for students in prison to be able to study at Level 2 and above.
Becoming a Library Study Volunteer
We are fortunate that this is a popular volunteering opportunity among students who want to make a difference. Recruitment rounds happen each year with those who wish to apply telling us a little bit about themselves, any applicable skills (such as languages) and their courses. Successful applicants then receive comprehensive training from Open SU's Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) & Student Welfare team, the OU's SiSE team, and the Library team.
Benefits to others
Volunteers receive requests and inquiries from students in various languages, and our dedicated Library Study Volunteer team is equipped to address them. Whether the student in a secure environment prefers English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Urdu or any other language, we aim to fulfil that request. We encourage students with additional languages to apply.
Language diversity is an important aspect of our community, and we aim to complete requests from students in a secure environment in their preferred language- we are particularly interested in applications from bilingual students.
Since 2019, well over 700 requests have been fulfilled, and more than 5000 individual resources sent out to students in prisons. And the feedback we receive from students in prison highlights the crucial role that Library Study Volunteers play.
Hours per week
Typically 2 to 4 hours per week. There are quieter and more busy periods so it depends on the number of requests coming in and how many you respond to. At minimum, completing 1 request per week could take around an hour.
Want to find out more?
To find out more about the Open University SiSE service, visit their webpage at:
www.open.ac.uk/secure-environments
If you would like to find out some more about what it's like to be a Library Study Volunteer assisting SiSE, then two volunteers have written articles that you can read here:
Article by Library Studies volunteer Janet Mackay
Article by Library Studies volunteer Isabelle Hoyet
Applications open on Friday 18 July 2025