Volunteering with the Sports Union is a brilliant way to enhance your student experience, make new friends and work on your personal and professional development.
There are many different ways to get involved and try out a variety of different roles throughout your time at HWU. Check out the options below to find out more!
Sports Union Ambassadors
Sports Union Ambassadors represent the values and culture of our Watt Family and encourage participation in our SU activities throughout the year, wearing a bright yellow tshirt and a big welcoming smile! There are two types of SU Ambassador; Lead and Event.
Lead Ambassadors assist the SU President, Executive and Staff Team in the promotion and delivery of SU activities. Each Sports Union Executive Officer relies on a small team of Lead Ambassadors to help them deliver their own remit.
Why become an SU Ambassador?
Being an SU Ambassador is a great way to develop personally and professionally. You have the opportunity to enhance your communication, organisational and time managment skills amongst many other attributes. It’s also a great way to meet people and make new friends. Welcome Week is a particularly busy time for our Ambassadors but it’s also a lot of fun!
If you are looking to get involved there is an application process towards the end of Semester 2 for the following academic year.
Sports Union Club Committees
Each Sports Union Club is run by a committee of student volunteers, supported by the SU Staff Team and Executive Committee. These roles are voted on at each club’s AGM. The structure of each committee varies from club to club but, as a minimum, there would be at least three positions including President, Treasurer and Secretary. Larger clubs, or those whose sport is more specialised, will often have several other roles from social media officers and kit managers, to team captains and fundraisers.
Why join an SU Club Committee?
Joining an SU Club Committee is a great way to develop personally and professionally. Not only will the skills and experience gained help to boost your CV, you may also find that there’s a role that allows you to put into practice some of the things you are learning as part of your degree, such as accounting, business management or marketing.
Coaching Opportunities
Getting involved with the Heriot-Watt Sports Union as a coach or referee is a fantastic way to stay connected with sport, whether you’re playing regularly, recovering from an injury, or exploring a new role. Coaching allows you to give back to the sport or club you’re passionate about, helping others improve while contributing to the wider sports community. The Sports Union and Clubs can support volunteer coaches with opportunities to gain recognised qualifications, making it easier than ever to develop your skills and enhance your CV. Importantly, volunteering as a coach fits within the same time commitments as other players, allowing you to make a meaningful impact without taking on the additional responsibilities of a committee role.
Refereeing is another brilliant way to stay active in sport while building key skills like confidence, decision-making, and teamwork. It’s a great way to give back to your club and ensure games are played fairly and with integrity. With the Sports Union and clubs providing support for qualifications and training, becoming a referee is an accessible and rewarding option.
Whether you’re looking to stay involved during recovery, develop a future income stream, or gain valuable experience, coaching and refereeing offer the perfect balance of involvement and flexibility, allowing you to make a difference while staying connected to the Heriot-Watt sports community.
Contact Us
Please get in contact with us for any enquires about volunteering or coaching
Contact the Sports Union President for volunteering: supresident@hw.ac.uk
Contact Ben Graham for coaching & refereeing: ben.graham@hw.ac.uk