#GivingTuesday is here!
02 Dec 2014
As a University that is committed to making a positive difference to society through all of our activities, we are excited to be taking part in the UK's #GivingTuesday campaign today
Established in the US in 2012, #GivingTuesday provides a charitable alternative to the start of the Christmas shopping season, a time for people to begin the festive season with a day of giving and making a commitment to charity.
Staff and students at the University already give generous time and support to a range of initiatives and there are a wide range of examples at our making a difference blog.
Two examples of initiatives staff are already supporting – and where we are encouraging more to get involved – are our volunteer School Governor Initiative and Workplace Giving.
Give time: School Governor Initiative
More than 150 members of staff from across the University are currently volunteering their time and expertise through our School Governor Initiative. Since 2011 the University has trebled the number of staff who support state schools, which is the largest increase of any single employer in the UK. Our staff are volunteering in the region of 13,000 hours a year and this creates nearly a million pounds of economic value to local schools.
As School Governors, staff bring their skills, expertise and enthusiasm to local schools, providing strategic direction and challenge to schools and head teachers. The University has made provision for staff to have appropriate time to undertake this role through the Public Service Leave Policy and related guidance for governors.
Make a difference by volunteering to become a school governor. Find out more and how to register:
- Visit our partner’s SGOSS website and register your interest
or - Contact our Coordinator at the University
Give money: Workplace Giving
The University has recently re-launched a new Workplace Giving Scheme to enable staff to give to charities direct from their pay.
Donating through Workplace Giving makes donations go further: a monthly gift of £10 from take-home pay is boosted to £16.66 for a 40% rate tax payer and to £12.50 for a basic rate taxpayer.
As part of #GivingTuesday, Workplace Giving UK will add an extra £10 to your first donation when you join for the first time between 1 and 5 December 2014.
Make a difference by making contributions through Workplace Giving to any charity you wish to support:
- Visit Workplace Giving
or - Via the apps at iTunes or Google Play
Give voice: social media
Use social media? Why not share on social media how you are making a difference on #GivingTuesday, using #GivingTuesdayUOM and #GivingTuesday.
Show how you are giving by taking an #unselfie:
- Download an #unselfie sheet
- Write on it the reason why you support your chosen charity, whether it’s through volunteering your time or donating money through Workplace Giving or another method of giving
- Take a selfie holding the sheet in front of your face
- Upload the photo to Twitter or Instagram
Further information
For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit: