King’s has a long history of making a significant contribution to society, driven by the ethos of knowledge with purpose. This means that, alongside delivering world-class education and research, we actively use our knowledge to make a difference in the world beyond King’s.
There are a range of opportunities for you to connect with and contribute to our local communities in London and societies around the world.
Volunteering in our communities
King’s Volunteering is your one-stop shop for discovering opportunities and building connections with people and organisations that are driving positive change locally, nationally and internationally. Develop your skills, tackle issues that are important to you and have fun through volunteering.
From one-off events to regular volunteering opportunities, there's something for everyone. You can do anything from supporting young people as a mentor to sorting stock for a food bank or planting vegetables at a local community garden.
We all have our reasons to volunteer, whether it’s advocating for a social issue, gaining new skills, improving our wellbeing or meeting new people. Whatever your motivation, sign up to King’s Volunteering to connect, discover and make a difference.
Have an idea that could change the world? Check out Policy idol
Policy Idol, from the Policy Institute at King’s, is an annual competition open to current students in which contestants pitch their policy ideas to a panel of judges from the worlds of politics, academia and industry.
The competition offers students a chance to win cash prizes and get advice, training and support from leading experts.
You can now apply for Policy Idol 2023, either entering by yourself or as part of a team. Applications close on Sunday 22 January.
Find out more about applying and take a look at last year’s final.
Sign up to the Policy Insititute's newsletter to keep up to date with events and opportunities.
Get involved in your students’ union
You can take part of a range of volunteering opportunities with KCLSU, from micro volunteering activities for 10 minutes in one of their cafes to launching large scale projects of your own.
Have a particular interest in a cause or issue? At KCLSU there are nearly 300 societies and student activity groups as well as student networks that combat oppression, discrimination, and inequality faced by students on a local and national level. Networks are representative communities who act as a platform to facilitate connection, collaboration and collective campaigning.
The union also runs the KCLSU Buddy Scheme, where trained student mentors are paired with first year Widening Participation students to offer them guidance and support.
Sign up to the KCLSU newsletter to keep up to date with upcoming opportunities to get involved.