Invent Plus

Deliver engineering workshops through Invent Plus
In person around Southampton
Two hours per week, for six weeks
No experience needed

What is Invent Plus

Invent Plus supports University of Southampton students to deliver engineering and STEM workshops for pupils at local schools.

The programme benefits young people by building their problem solving and teamwork skills, ultimately introducing them to engineering as a pathway. The programme will also benefit your engagement with the world around you, wellbeing and key skills such as confidence, resilience, leadership and teamwork.

‘I hope for the kids that they enjoyed it and they seem to enjoy it… And I hope that they can take away the different types of engineering that they can do and they can take away things to think about or things that you can try at home and they’ll look for other engineering opportunities.’

Hayley Brooks
Invent Plus Volunteer 2022-23

What you’ll be doing

As an Invent Plus volunteer you will attend and deliver six weekly workshops with young people. The projects for Autumn 2023 will be confirmed soon.

How to get involved

To apply you need to complete an application form to let us know why you’re interested in Invent Plus, your availability for training and which series of workshops you want to take part in.

Once we’ve heard from you the next steps will be:

Attending introductory training, including safeguarding
Attending workshop specific training
Completing a DBS check
Attending your location induction

If you have any questions, or require any support to get involved, don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@southamptonhub.org.

Apply now

FAQ

How will I benefit from Invent Plus?

There are loads of benefits for you if you get involved with Southampton Hub. These include:

Having an impact in the community. You can make a difference and support access to engineering
You will develop key skills including teamwork, leadership, resilience and confidence. This will be supported by the professional training you receive and the support you get throughout your experience
A certificate recognising the commitment you’ve made, which you can put on your CV and share on Linkedin

Is this programme accessible to my needs?

We’ve assessed the accessibility of all our opportunities and are able to discuss these with you prior to you starting your placement, this includes any reasonable adjustments we can make. All accessibility information will also be sent to you prior to your placement as standard. If you have any questions about accessibility, or want to make request a reasonable adjustment, please reach out to us at hello@southamptonhub.org.

Some examples of reasonable adjustments we can offer include:

Using an expensed taxi service to aid mobility conditions
Making sure there is seating with no arms
Extra time to complete activities in training, as you would get in exams

I’ve not been involved in social action before. Who can I speak to for more information and support?

Our activities are all open for everyone so if you’ve not been involved in social action before, or you’re apprehensive about getting involved, reach out to us at hello@southamptonhub.org. All of our opportunities practice a safe space policy meaning they are supportive, non-judgemental and always willing to listen.

I’ve just applied, when will I hear from you?

We will be in touch as soon as we’ve read your application. We will let you know about upcoming training, our available opportunities and other key information to support the application process such as expectations to complete safeguarding training and get a DBS check.

What is a DBS check?

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service. These provide a UK criminal records check and are required when individuals are working closely with young people or adults at risk, or have access to sensitive information. In order to get your DBS check you will need:

Your address history for the last five years
Your national insurance number
Your passport, driving license or other form of ID

Southampton Hub pays for the check and will support you at every step of the process. If you have a question about this check or want to make a self-disclosure about a criminal record please reach out to us at hello@southamptonhub.org

What’s included in the training?

In order to support you to be confident working with young people as an Invent Plus volunteer we deliver comprehensive training covering:

Safeguarding, to ensure both you and the young people you work with are kept safe
Advice on delivering the workshops, to ensure you share key information in an engaging way
Working with young people, to give you the confidence you need to communicate with pupils and manage behaviour

I am nervous about applying, where can I get support

It’s natural to feel nervous when you try new things, but don’t let you put that off. If you want to talk to a member of our team before applying or attending a session you can email them. Or if you’re not sure who to speak to email info@southamptonhub.org and we’ll get back to you.

Some things we recommend often include joining the programme with a friend – you could sign up together and come to the same session so that you’ll have a friendly face. Alternatively, you could arrange to meet a member of our team before a session so that you get to know each other 1-1 and can travel together. We’ll work together to find a solution which supports you to get involved, whatever that may be.