University of Plymouth (UK)

The University of Plymouth is a public institution and the largest university in the southwest of England. Plymouth’s history dates back to 1862. It gained university status in 1992 and has grown to a total enrollment of over 30,000 students. It is consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the UK. The vision of the University is to be the enterprise university, placing enterprise at the heart of everything they do in order to develop and innovative and creative culture that empowers people to achieve their goals. At the University there is also a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship, volunteering, and placements with 12,000 students benefitting from placement opportunities. University of Plymouth’s website>>

Community and Public Engagement

The University of Plymouth is committed to social responsibility and responsible business practice. The University supports schools, not-for-profit, voluntary and community groups with an extensive program of community and public engagement focused on: Widening access and participation for under-represented groups; Supporting and enhancing community and voluntary sector activity through the involvement of staff and student volunteering; Staging public events and providing access to University services and facilities for public, community and voluntary group activity; Determining the social and economic impact of university activity on the community, and providing community and voluntary group access to funded research to support intelligence gathering and future funding proposals. Learn more>>

Volunteering in Plymouth (ViP)

Volunteering in Plymouth (ViP) is a student-led society within the Students’ Union, actively developing and running local community volunteering projects in consultation with community representatives, promoting volunteering and acting as University ambassadors in the locality. ViP has a student committee managing eleven projects ranging from conservation and environmental work to working with young people with disabilities and older members of the community. In 2009/10 ViP worked with over 250 student volunteers through their projects resulting in 3010 hours of volunteering – this is a contribution equivalent to £17,489.30 in kind. Learn more>>

The City Jigsaw Garden

The University and Groundwork are lead partners in a city partnership that aims to regenerate an urban wasteland into a creative and culturally exciting community green space. The site, adjacent to the University, has remained dormant without commercial development for four years. Now a strong partnership involving Groundwork, the Plymouth City Centre Company, Marks and Spencer, the Kandahar Group and the University of Plymouth have pooled ideas, resources and teams to provide a temporary green space for the community.

Located at the gateway to the heart of the city center and lying within the city’s strategic Learning and Cultural Quarter, the City Jigsaw Garden will feature art installations, exhibitions and public performance within its amphitheatre. Sustainability is at the heart of the concept, with recycled materials used wherever possible and minimal carbon foot-printing in its development. Volunteers will also be supporting the Jigsaw Garden’s creation with youth programs and Green Teams targeted and developed through the rapid planting and installation plan. Community groups and schools will be invited to submit proposals to position their own art installations and exhibitions, and University students have been working alongside experts on designs, which were then put to the public for consultation. Learn more>>