From 2011 to 2024 Southampton Hub worked with incredible students and our amazing local community to mainstream student social action. Our programmes empowered students to engage with their local community and make change.
Although Southampton Hub is now closed, there are still lots of opportunities to engage in student social action through the University and in the local community. Check our overview of Southampton social action activities to find opportunities for university students to volunteer.
It is definitely a unique experience that most students do not experience. Taking time out in the day from my lectures to spend time and do something I enjoy that also has a beneficial impact motivated me more to do well in my studies, as it was a reminder of my aims and goals for the future.
— Weronika Szczepan
Impact
We aimed to support students to create positive social change in their communities. Last year, Southampton Hub worked with:
219
University of Southampton students
25
Community partners
774
Community members
Our impact with the local community
In the local Southampton community we:
- Developed pupils’ subject understanding, confidence, resilience and motivation through Schools Plus and Libraries Plus. Ultimately supporting young people to have improved educational attainment, tackling educational inequality
- Built young people’s confidence in setting goals, self-awareness, relationships with others and self-belief through Empower. Leading to improved expectations for future life
- Empowered young people to develop critical thinking skills and learn about social issues through Inspire, Debate, Change workshops. Civil education to develop active citizenship
- Delivered free activity days for 7-11 year olds and student mentors through Branch Up. Developing key social and emotional skills, self-belief and new relationships ultimately raising expectations to provide a better chance of success in life
- Facilitated engineering and STEM workshops to support young people to develop core skills in problem solving and teamwork through Invent Plus
Our impact with students
Students who engaged in our programmes developed:
- Critical engagement, including an understanding of social issues, and a passion to continue tackling them
- Wellbeing, including sense of belonging and connection with the university and local communities
- Skills for life, including confidence, leadership, resilience and teamwork
- Student experience, including their attainment, retention and progression within higher education