Film and Screen Studies: a focus on volunteering – how to add to your CV, enhance employability and career prospects

Film and Screen Studies: a focus on volunteering – how to add to your CV, enhance employability and career prospects

Why volunteer?

Volunteering whilst at university can be key to developing existing and gaining new skills and experience, which in turn adds to your CV or portfolio and provides you the opportunity to enhance your careers prospects, not to mention having a positive impact your life at university: new friends, getting to know where you study and live, improving mental health and feeling part of the community.

Don’t take our word for it! …Our University of Brighton volunteers reported that:

• 75% of them felt more confident as a result of volunteering and community engagement
• 63% of them believe that their experience has increased their future earning potential
• 69% of them developed a new network of contacts
• 98% of them would recommend the programme to their peers.

Source: Active Student Volunteering Service Impact Analysis 2016

Thinking of pursuing a film industry career?

“There’s lots of competition for work experience, but do try and get a selection of placements under your belt. On balance it’s probably better to do a few short periods of work experience, rather than one long one. The more places you have experience of, the more attractive you become to someone who might hire you.” Source: Ed Wethered, Development Editor at BBC Film.

What types of film related volunteering opportunities are there in Brighton and Hove? A taster of some current and past roles…

Archive Film Researcher Volunteer, West Pier Trust
We are currently compiling a catalogue of the West Pier’s appearances on film, focussing especially on pre 1990 material. This will lead to the creation various film loops to be used in our new office which will be opening on the seafront in 2017 and, longer term, for our heritage centre. The Trust owns the West Pier site and is landlord of Brighton’s BA i360.

Film Production Research Assistant, University of Brighton
Your role will be to edit video footage into a short film and help organise and run a half day teaching workshop. The purpose of the study is to find out more about how poets and social scientists can work together to create innovative, creative pieces which tell us more about social scientific issues, looking specifically at issues related to prejudice and discrimination.

Film-Maker Volunteer, Girlguiding
Volunteer with gilm-making skills needed to make a short film about the work that GirlGuiding does to be put on its website.

Training Resource Development Volunteer, Trust for Developing Communities
This volunteer would be appraising existing materials and helping us to produce more modern, diverse and appealing powerpoints, posters, handouts, film clips and images. At TDC, our vision is for residents to identify local issues affecting their community and work together to tackle them.

Volunteer Film-Maker, Brighton Housing Trust
Volunteer(s) with filmmaking skills needed to create short film to design and produce film for our website, staff training and funding bid support. BHT’s mission statement is Combating Homelessness, Creating Opportunities, Promoting Change.

More roles!

There are hundreds of volunteering roles in Brighton and Hove and across wider Sussex. You can check them out via the Active Student Volunteering website: https://about.brighton.ac.uk/careers/volunteer/volunteering-opportunities/

Pop-up stands and drop-ins on your campus

Come and have a chat with an Active Student Volunteering Project Officer about how to get involved, as well as a wide range of fantastic volunteering opportunities, in film, arts, heritage, environment, sports, health and social care and much more. All of our sessions are listed on our News and Events page: https://about.brighton.ac.uk/careers/volunteer/news-and-events/

Contact the Active Student Volunteering Service: https://about.brighton.ac.uk/careers/volunteer/contact-active-student/

 

(Image: ARMLE via Compfight)