How to volunteer: a checklist

Let your line manager know you’d like to make use of your Day to Make a Difference. 

• You might already be connected to an organisation and want to use your day of volunteering leave with them. If you don’t have a specific place in mind, you can find lots of great opportunities on the Volunteering Opportunities page.  

• If you have a specific skill or experience that you think would be useful for an organisation - e.g. financial planning, or social media etc - Reach Volunteering can pair you up based on skills.    

• You can take your leave all at once or across more than one day. 

• If you want to volunteer as a group, speak to colleagues in your team or department. 

• The University can’t support individuals or teams to organise volunteering on their behalf.  If you have questions about using your Day to Make a Difference, read our FAQs below. Please contact local@ed.ac.uk if you can’t find the information you are looking for.  

Once you’ve agreed a date (or dates) and time with your chosen organisation, log it in P&M using the below steps:

1. Sign into People and Money 

2. Click the “Time and Absences icon” and click “Add absence”. 

3. In the drop-down menu marked “type”, choose “Special Paid Leave”. Add in the start and end date, and in the drop-down menu marked “Reason”, choose “Volunteering activities”. 

4. Enter the number of hours you’re using. 

5. Click submit