SheffieldVolunteering, based at the University's Union of Students, has been given £96,000, to encourage more students to volunteer and offer help to more community groups.

The extra funding, which will be awarded over the next two and a half years will be put towards a number of new initiatives. These will include, sports coaching - allowing students to volunteer their skills and experience at local schools and kids clubs and 'clubbing crew' - offering support to young people with special needs on nights out.

SheffieldVolunteering will also use the new funding to continue to develop its existing projects.

The organisation aims to expand 'Love where you Live', a project they run in partnership with the University and its Union. The aim of the scheme is to bring students and local residents closer together through activities aimed at brightening up their neighbourhood. In the past residents in Crookesmoor have benefited from the scheme but with the extra funding the scheme will be rolled out in Broomhall.

Students will also be given the flexibility to develop existing projects. For example Football For Friendship - a scheme that brings together students and asylum seekers in the local community and Globall - an end of year ball organised by students for adults with special needs. A new project to help elderly residents with their gardening will also be handed over to the students to develop.

This year over 1271 staff and student volunteers from 45 University departments supported 126 organisations in the local community and Stella McHugh, Manager of SheffieldVolunteering believes the extra funding will help reach a new audience of volunteers.

She said: "I am delighted that we have received this money from V. The extra funds mean we will be able to develop even more partnerships with local organisations as well as continuing to support the organisations we already work with."

She added: "The University has such a pool of talent and experience we are keen to encourage as many students as possible to volunteer. With new exciting schemes that cater for different tastes and interests we are confident even more students will come on board and even more community groups will reap the rewards."

Polly Blacker, a resident in Broomhall, welcomes the new funding and the expansion of 'Love Where You Live' into Broomhall.

She said: "Students are such an important part of the neighbourhood but with different lifestyles it can be hard for students and residents to actually meet each other. You can smile in the street but how do you get to know your neighbours? An event like Love Where You Live will really bring people together."



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