Role title
Volunteer Content Creator – SISE Hoot Newsletter (Students in Secure Environments)
Role summary
Research and create content for a printed newsletter that shares relevant and supportive information for Open University students in secure environments.
More information
The SISE Newsletter is a printed publication, issued twice a year (March and September), for Open University students studying in secure environments. It shares encouraging stories (often submitted by SiSE students themselves), practical information, and student-focused content to help readers feel connected to the wider student community.
We’re launching a pilot project and would like to invite you to work more closely with our project team, helping to shape the newsletter. These roles will be reviewed at the end of the pilot in February 2027.
We would love to have you on board to help us develop this exciting opportunity – one that makes a meaningful impact for students in secure environments, while also enabling our student volunteers to build valuable practical skills that will support their future endeavours.
Volunteer Content Creators support the quality and diversity of the Newsletter by researching, sourcing/requesting, creating and reviewing content to ensure it is clear, engaging, inclusive, and suitable for the intended audience.
Do you enjoy working behind the scenes? This role offers a genuinely altruistic opportunity, where your contributions make a meaningful impact without public recognition. Due to the nature of the position, your identity will remain confidential, and individual contributions to the newsletter won’t be publicly credited. However, you’re welcome to include your work in a portfolio, and we’d be happy to verify your authorship if needed.
If you have any questions, please contact our team at oustudents-belonging@open.ac.uk.
What will the volunteers be doing?
- Attend regular working group meetings with volunteers and Open SU staff to share ideas, plan activity, and agree actions.
- Review and analyse feedback from SiSE students to help shape content and priorities.
- Develop engaging content by researching topics, identifying sources, producing content, and collaborating with internal and external contributors.
- Actively support diverse voices by inviting, encouraging, and guiding contributors.
- Promote opportunities to contribute and help build engagement within the SiSE community.
- Organise and save unused material for possible future use.
- Support the overall structure, flow, and coherence of each issue.
- Follow agreed editorial standards, institutional policies, and safeguarding guidance.
- Meet agreed deadlines.
Eligibility requirements
- Open University student and member of the Open SU.
- Confident level of literacy.
- No previous experience required.
Number of volunteers required
Two
Benefits to self
- Develop editing and communication skills
- Gain experience working on a printed publication
- Build confidence giving constructive feedback
- Enhance employability and your CV
Benefits to others
- Supports students in secure environments
- Provides positive, relevant student community content
- Helps reduce isolation and encourage engagement
Hours per week
Approximately 1–2 hours per week, flexible around publication deadlines.
Details of training offered
- Introduction to SISE Newsletter and its audience
- Editorial standards and tone guidance
- Safeguarding and content boundaries overview
- Ongoing staff support
Training is delivered online.
Location
Fully online. Can be completed anywhere with internet access.
DBS required
No
Activity type
Online
Employability skills
- Communication
- Digital and information literacy
- Collaboration
- Self-management and resilience