CSO Programs and Events

CSO offers a wide selection of programs and events that cater to diverse student interests with focus on the various needs of different sectors of the society.

On-Campus Volunteer Programs

On-campus volunteer programs are designed to introduce new volunteers to charity work and augment their perception about voluntary work. On-campus volunteer programs also provide opportunities for volunteers to spend their free time on-campus on meaningful activities.

• Charity Used Book Sale – the used book sale is held during the first week of the semester. Books on sale are donated by the AUS community. This initiative is a combination of fundraising and sustainability. Students and community members can dispose off their used books by donating them to the event where they are sold for a donation and re-used. Proceeds are used to fund various AUS charity initiatives.
• Charity Fundraisers – charity fundraisers support various charity organizations through a variety of on-campus fundraisers such as a bake sale and many others.
• Ramadan Charity Iftar - Ramadan Charity Iftar is held on campus for groups of the elderly, handicapped and orphans under the care of social service organizations. This program provides an opportunity for students to perform humanitarian work during the holy month of Ramadan and promote the spirit of giving and sharing.
• Cleanco Appreciation – held prior to the end of the academic year, in collaboration with the Student Council, student clubs and some university faculty and staff members, the Cleanco Appreciation is organized in appreciation of the university's cleaning staff for their efforts and contributions to the campus community. The event involves fundraising, a lunch or dinner and gift distribution.
• Toy Stories Workshop - this initiative encourages student volunteers to explore their creativity by crafting hand-stitched toys which are then presented to orphans and children with special needs.

Community Awareness Programs

Community Awareness Programs focus on creating awareness among students and the community about social, health, safety, environmental, animal welfare and other issues that impact the quality of life and the society.

• AUS Awareness Day - is organized annually in collaboration with various private and governmental organizations to raise awareness among students about health and safety issues. Various exhibitions, presentations, one-on-one consultations and free tests are offered during the day-long event.
• Health and Wellbeing Awareness Campaigns – these campaigns focus on raising awareness about certain diseases and to help promote the health and wellbeing of AUS community members.
• Social Awareness Campaigns – anti-bullying with Sharjah Police
•  Blood Donation Drives - blood donation campaigns are organized every semester in collaboration with University Health Services and the Sharjah Ministry of Health. This campaign helps the lives of many people who are in need of blood transfusion.
• Community Service Farm - this mini farm on campus is nurtured by student volunteers. Students irrigate and grow plants utilizing sustainable methods that allow them to contribute to global environmental initiatives.

Outreach Programs

Outreach programs provide opportunities for volunteers to go beyond the normal volunteering experiences on campus. Volunteers get the chance to participate in charitable work across UAE and internationally.

• Volunteers Without Borders - this program provides students with the opportunity to volunteer in humanitarian projects in various countries around the world. The program aims to provide volunteers with opportunities to gain meaningful international experiences while helping people improve the quality of their lives. Volunteers Without Borders engages volunteers in a variety of fields, such as school building development, food distribution, informal learning, and other.
•  Hand in Hand: Renovating Orphan Homes – this program is focused on improving the quality of lives of the less privileged through home improvements and renovation projects. Volunteers can make use of their skills and talents as they engage in home renovation projects. 
• Food for the Needy – this program is aimed at reaching out and extending help to the external community specifically those under the care of UAE charities by providing them with basic needs during difficult times. Through this program, volunteers learn the value of helping the needy and become concerned with societal needs.
• Adopt an Orphan for a Day - this is a buddy program wherein a volunteer is paired with a young, orphaned child for a whole day of fun recreational activities. The volunteers will take care of their buddy for the entirety of the trip, providing for their needs including park entry tickets to the overall well-being of the children. This program is a unique and humbling experience for volunteers as they relish and relive their childhood whilst bringing glee into the life of another. 

Programs in Support of People of Determination

This program focuses on supporting people of determination through informal learning sessions on language skills, computer skills, audio recording and many others. Volunteers can gain valuable life experiences and get an insight on how people of determination go on with their daily lives and serve as an inspiration to them.

• American Sign Language Workshops - this initiative seeks to educate volunteers with the basic understanding of the American Sign Language that will enable them to interact and communicate with the deaf and mute while they perform social work.
• English Language and Computer Skills Training – volunteers regularly conduct informal basic English language learning sessions and computer skills training sessions for individuals under the care of Al Thiqah Club for the Handicapped.
• Sight Me: The Dark Café – held in collaboration with the Emirates Association of the Visually Impaired, volunteers experience visiting a café in a specially designed dark room where they will be served coffee and snacks by the visually impaired. Sight Me is an exciting thought-provoking event where volunteers will get to know first-hand what it’s like to be in absolute darkness. A reversal of roles is created where the sighted become blind and the blind become sighted.