Open SU are recruiting for Sustainability Volunteers to join our Environment and Sustainability Working Group. This is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with fellow students and staff to address environmental, social and economic issues and promote sustainability within the student union and the University.
What will you be doing as a Sustainability Volunteer?
As a member of Open SU’s Environment and Sustainability Working Group, you will work alongside other students and staff on sustainability projects including campaigns, awareness building, policy updates and accreditation activities including Responsible Futures and Hedgehog Friendly Campus.
As a student union volunteer, you will also get the opportunity to help us plan and run student-facing events online and on campus. Our organisation is also trying to reduce its carbon footprint and explore ways to reduce our impact on the environment.
Tasks and projects will be shared during our monthly meetings where you can hear the key details, express interest to be involved and then complete tasks away from the meeting.
Available Sustainability Volunteer roles:
Applicants can select the roles they are interested in applying for:
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Sustainable Events Ambassador (two roles available): these volunteers will keep up to date with ways to make our in-person events more sustainable and run awareness building online events. If the successful applicant lives close to the Milton Keynes campus they would be able to run in-person events if they wanted to. However, to apply for this role applicants do not need to live near Milton Keynes.
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Sustainability Impact Ambassador (two roles available): our Impact Ambassadors will help us to research ways to reduce our organisation’s emissions and lessen our impact on the environment.
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Sustainability Campaigns Ambassador (two roles available): the Campaigns Ambassador will keep up to date with University issues that could benefit from student voice to implement sustainability considerations. This volunteer will be involved in sustainability awareness campaigns.
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Student Hedgehog Ambassador (four roles available): volunteers will plan impactful events to raise awareness, improve campus and/or local community wildlife areas and help us raise money for either the British Hedgehog Preservation Society or a local hedgehog rescue. Volunteers will also contribute to meetings and raise awareness by writing articles for Open SU’s online magazine, the Hoot.
There will be flexibility around role remits and opportunities to work on projects outside your specific role. All Sustainability Volunteer roles are encouraged to share what they're working on with the student community by posting articles on Open SU's student magazine, the Hoot and through other communication channels. Volunteers will also contribute to the planning of sustainability communications to raise awareness on a wider scale.
Role tasks:
This opportunity is open to all students and is vital for engaging with The Open University to consider current working practices. As a member of this group, you would be:
Meeting commitment:
Volunteers must be available on the second Wednesday of every month from 10am to 11:30am for working group meetings, starting on Wednesday 17 January 2026. Meetings are online via Microsoft Teams.
Meetings are informal and very chatty and friendly! At the start, staff and volunteers have a chat before starting the meeting which will be chaired by staff and the Sustainability Representative who will guide volunteers through the agenda. There will be an agenda item that relates to each volunteer role where you will be able to give updates once you get started on some projects with us.
We also have guests from the University who come to speak to us about their sustainability work.
There will be opportunities to brainstorm ideas for upcoming projects and events, give opinions and generally share thoughts and views on a range of topics in a very safe and friendly space.
Skills developed in role:
Role benefits:
Role training (online):
Commitment:
Typically, two hours per week for a minimum of 12 months. Sustainability volunteers attend monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of each month.
Applications for this role will close on Sunday 23 November, 11:59pm.
Join us in making a difference and promoting sustainability at Open SU and The Open University.