7 ways to volunteer during isolation (and gain UOWx recognition')

Plus, if you're a University of Wollongong current student, and you complete 20 hours of approved volunteering in one year, you can achieve UOWx recognition on your transcript. You'll graduate with an extra boost to your resume.

So what are you waiting for? If you've got some time on your hands, here are seven ways you can make a difference in your and someone else's life.

1. Helping seniors connect - Living Connected digital tutors & coordinators

Learning to use a phone or tablet, or connect through apps and social platforms can open up a whole new world to senior citizens. You might take these technologies for granted, but for many older people this can be their first experience with connecting via the digital world. These platforms are more important than ever in today's remote world. Living Connected tutoring is a rewarding cross-generational experience.

2. Lend an ear - international student mentors

Newly arrived international students face many daunting situations, and during coronavirus isolation many are going through these challenges alone. As an international student mentor, you can foster a positive UOW experience by providing support and advice, and referring students to appropriate support services on campus. You'll have a huge impact just by lending an ear, and helping others to learn from your own UOW experiences.

Become an international student mentor in Business and Law or Engineering and Information Science.

3. Help to preserve history - Australian Museum Digi Vol

The Australian Museum Digi Vol program asks volunteers to get involved in data collection and organisation. The museum has a treasure trove of images, documents and labels that need sorting and transcribing. You'll be contributing to environmental and historical document conservation. Anyone can get involved in Digi Vol on their own. If you join through UOWx UniLife volunteering you can gain UOWx recognised hours.

4. Age Matters - write to an IRT resident

Loneliness is a challenge for all of us during isolated living. Due to increased health risks, the senior residents of IRT are unable to have any visitors. The Age Matters program aims to help residents feel more connected by asking students to write and send them a physical letter. Become a UniLife volunteer and exchange knowledge and build life-changing friendships.

5. Mix it up - the UniLife Vollie Facebook Challenge

If you'd prefer a mixed bag of volunteering experiences, try joining as a Community Vollie and take part in the UniLife Vollie Challenge. You'll be invited to complete a list of tasks set out in a Facebook event. Tasks include community activities like checking on friends and family through texts and letters, gardening, cleaning the local environment during exercise, and offering to help elderly neighbours.

6. Events Crew - help host UniLife's online trivia

Keep your fellow students entertained and connected by volunteering to prep or host UniLife Online Trivia. The event goes live every Wednesday night from 5:30 - 6:30PM, using the online quiz platform Kahoot and Facebook. Events Crew volunteers have the opportunity to create rounds of questions for trivia each week. One volunteer assists by going "live" on Facebook each week as the trivia host.

7. Peer Academic Coaches - your knowledge and experience can benefit others

University studies can be challenging. We've all felt those moments of being unsure how to reference correctly, where to find information, or just how to keep on top of the academic load. Peer Academic Coaches (PACs) are a team of trained, senior students who provide one-on-one academic support to other students. If you've gained good marks in a subject previously, you're in the unique situation of being able to guide less experienced students. PACs are connected to the Learning Co-op, and work collaboratively with students to develop their independent learning skills.