Our events bring together experts in sustainability, youth leadership and social change with the next generation of leaders, consumers and decision-makers for students. For universities, we deliver listening events with students and communities to support your strategy and goals.
One Community Forum
Since 2017 we have been facilitating the One Community Forum project, originally supported by the UPP Foundation. In 2017 and 2018 our local Hubs in Oxford and Southampton hosted the event with the University of Oxford and University of Southampton respectively, providing an opportunity for students, university staff and local community organisations to address civic priorities for the places they share, and ultimately to create a positive impact in their communities.
Sitting at the intersection of universities, communities and students allows us to take a unique position hosting events focusing on making positive change in shared local areas. The key to the Forums is our delivery afterwards, which focuses on actioning the insights from the Forum and designing and developing initiatives which directly tackle the issues discussed at the Forum, ultimately building stronger partnerships locally to engage with these challenges.
In 2020 we held our One Community Forum virtually. This meant we could bring together stakeholders from all five of our Hubs to discuss a national topic: how university students could support their communities to tackle challenges relating to educational attainment since the impact of Covid-19. You can read more about our 2020 One Community Forum on our blog.
In 2022, we worked with Leeds Conservatoire to support their knowledge exchange strategy and deliver a One Community Forum for students, university staff, and community groups in Leeds. During the project, we also collated research, designed a stakeholder map for Leeds Conservatoire to use, and built the foundations of future activities, whilst also providing key recommendations and learnings in a final report. You can read more about our Summer 2022 project with Leeds Conservatoire on our blog.
In September 2023, we launched the One Community Forum Toolkit with the UPP Foundation, enabling universities to lead on delivering this work in their regions. We can support your delivery of a One Community Forum as delivery staff, consultants, or attendees. Get in touch with Fiona Walsh McDonnell at fiona.walsh@studenthubs.org to enquire.
The National Societies and Volunteering Awards
The National Societies and Volunteering Awards recognise the contributions of student volunteers and student-led societies from UK higher and further education institutions. Student Hubs support the awards alongside our friends at Organised Fun.
See the 2023 winners and shortlist, and see our statement on the future of the Awards.
Hub Events
Our Hubs organise events to raise awareness of social issues, and active citizenship. These events span from social opportunities to get to know likeminded individuals, to multi day conferences to learn about a topical issue.
One of our regular conferences is the Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Forum. Every year, with the support of Cambridge Zero, the student conference committee brings together hundreds of students at the University of Cambridge to hear speakers, discuss key environmental topics, and learn. These events are designed and delivered by a student committee, recruited and trained by Student Hubs, to enable our student leaders to build their networks and gain key experiences which will support their employability and skills.
In 2021 9 students leaders delivered a 2 day conference with 26 speakers, 300 attendees and a green fair with 13 organisations.
[Engage for Change] helped me practice my interpersonal skills, management skills, and most importantly, my confidence.
I didn’t get to do my project at the end of the Engage for Change programme, but through this programme I got the chance to be part of the Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Forum (CCSF) committee and integrate my project into the Forum. I managed to gather 13 initiatives and present them to the audience in the CCSF which was a great achievement for me.”
Sarah Alya Firnadya, Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Forum Committee member and Engage for Change participant, Cambridge Hub
If you’re a student who wants to see a social impact event at your institution, get in touch with your local Hub in Bristol, Cambridge or Southampton or contact us at info@studenthubs.org to see what we can do at your university.
If you’re a university staff member interested in running an event, find out more about how your institution can partner with us.
If you’re a member of a local organisation and you think a student social impact event would be beneficial for your community, read more about our approach to partnerships.