Programmes

King’s runs a range of programmes to support university staff and students to develop new skills and serve as volunteers.

This includes bespoke programmes like Board Bank that equip staff and students to become charity trustees and school governors, as well as initiatives that enable students to complete research that meets the needs of our local community through the Community + Student Research Hub.

Explore all our available programmes below and keep an eye on our events page for upcoming webinars and information sessions. 

Board-level volunteering is a collective term for an individual who serves on the governing board of a not-for-profit organisation, local school or similar body in a voluntary capacity, for example as a charity trustee or school governor.

Through King's Board Bank we provide the structure and guidance needed to help students and staff members develop the skills, experience and knowledge required to become effective board members across charities and schools. 

Board Bank currently offers two programmes: Pathway to Governance, for staff and students interested in becoming school governors, and Aspiring Trustees, for staff interested in becoming charity trustees.

Read how participants have benefited from these programmes 

Pathway to Governance 

King’s Volunteering work in partnership with Boards for Education to deliver Pathway to Governance — a CPD-certified online programme designed to help participants understand what it takes to be a school governor and how to become one.

The self-led course explores how to become an effective new governor with a heightened awareness of the challenges facing schools and the ability to make a difference in education. Participants also have the opportunity to take part in a mock board exercise, providing valuable practical experience of school governance.

The programme is open to 20 students and staff members and will be of particular interest to those who care about educational inequality and are seeking to develop or nurture their leadership and professional skills.

The 2026/27 programme commences in December, with successful applicants expected to complete Pathway to Governance by October 2027.

How to apply

To register your interest, please complete our short application form before 23:59 on Sunday 22 November.

For more information about the programme, please email Emma Hawker at Emma.Hawker@governorsforschools.org.uk

Aspiring Trustees Programme

King’s Volunteering and Organisational Development are working in partnership with Leon Ward, an experienced trustee and CEO of Money Ready, to deliver King’s Board Bank: Aspiring Trustees Programme.

This programme provides comprehensive training for 20 staff members at King’s covering what it takes to become a charity trustee. This hybrid course is fully participatory, incorporating live application guidance, mock interview support and peer-to-peer discussions in breakout rooms, as well as charity expert-led panels with real-time Q&As.

Applications for this programme will be live in February 2027. 

The Community + Student Research Hub is committed to driving socially impactful research that addresses real community needs — locally, nationally and globally.

About the Hub

The Hub supports King’s students to work with community organisations and apply their learning and research to real-world challenges. Partners identify areas where students can contribute, helping to ensure their work is relevant, impactful and makes a meaningful difference to society.

What are the benefits?

Students benefit from the perspectives, ideas and on-the-ground expertise of community partners, helping to inform and strengthen their research. In turn, community organisations can draw on students’ skills and knowledge to explore questions they may not otherwise have the time or resources to investigate.

Examples of past research questions explored by students at the King's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience include:

• How do counsellors and counselling organisations manage their clients’ practical demands? A qualitative study exploring therapeutic boundaries in community counselling settings, in partnership with Waterloo Community Counselling.
• How do ethnicity and temporary accommodation affect people’s mental health? A study conducted in partnership with Southwark Wellbeing Hub.

Get involved

King's faculties participating in the programme include:

• King's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
• King’s Business School
• Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences.

If you’re a community partner and would like to learn more about the Hub, please contact the King's Volunteering team at volunteer@kcl.ac.uk.

Community Impact Lab is a collaboration between the King’s Entrepreneurship Institute and King’s Volunteering. The programme brings together students from across King's to develop entrepreneurial skills while working on real-life challenges faced by local charities and community organisations.

Delivered through two one-day events each academic year, Community Impact Lab introduces students to tools and approaches such as design thinking, creative problem-solving and pitching, while helping charities explore solutions to organisational challenges.

How it works

At each event, local charities and community organisations present a genuine challenge they are currently facing. Challenges may relate to areas such as communications, marketing, volunteer engagement, fundraising, service delivery or other organisational priorities.

Students work in interdisciplinary teams to analyse the challenge, generate ideas and develop practical recommendations, which they present to the organisation at the end of the day.

For students

Community Impact Lab provides an opportunity to:

• Gain experience of tackling real-world challenges faced by charities and community organisations.
• Develop entrepreneurial skills, including design thinking, creative problem-solving, teamwork, communication and pitching.
• Learn more about the social impact sector and make connections with organisations working within it.

Students interested in taking part should register on the King's Volunteering platform to receive updates when sign-ups open for Community Impact Lab events.

For charities and community organisations

Community Impact Lab offers organisations the opportunity to:

• Gain fresh perspectives and innovative ideas from King's students.
• Explore potential solutions to organisational challenges.
• Raise awareness of your organisation and its work among socially engaged students.

Charities and community organisations registered on the King's Volunteering platform will receive invitations to submit a challenge in advance of each Community Impact Lab event. 

Read how students and community partners experienced the Lab