We’re currently preparing for our annual Alumni Telephone Appeal and are seeking applicants for our student caller team.
Our Development & Alumni Relations Office (DARO) will be running a Telephone Appeal from Saturday 3 – Sunday 25 February 2024.
As well as raising vital funds to support Durham students, the Appeal offers valuable experience, advice and inspiration for our student callers as they talk to members of our alumni community. On the flip side, our alumni enjoy hearing from our current students, reliving their memories and reconnecting with the University.
The Telephone Appeal raises funds which provide bursaries and employability grants for students needing financial support. Launched in the mid-90s, the Appeal calls upon the generosity of Durham alumni so that we can ensure that all students, irrespective of background or circumstances, can realise their potential.
Last year’s Appeal was extremely successful, raising £170,000. A team of 26 student callers drawn from across our colleges, departments and levels of study contacted 838 alumni, engaging many new donors in the process.
Last year also saw the introduction of new levels of communication with our alumni, harnessing technological advances to make a multi-media, student-led appeal. After chatting to alumni, our student callers recorded personalised videos, enabling call recipients to see who they had been talking to, and enabling instant stewardship for gifts made.
“I really enjoyed talking to you the other day […]. I think you are doing a marvellous job contacting past alumni in this way – for me it felt like a real connection to Durham after all these years. I hope you will be as happy in Durham as I was, and I wish you the best of luck with your future studies.”
- 2023 alum ‘thank you’ video recipient
Above and beyond raising funds, our paid callers benefit from a range of development opportunities, including communication skills, making great telephone calls, making an inspiring fundraising ask, and relationship and affinity building.
And of course, discovering the wealth of experience through our alumni community of over 200,000 members offers a breadth of vision that studies alone cannot give.
“It was a very enlightening experience, speaking to so many alumni really showed me what can be done with a Durham degree!”
- Ian, 2023 Telephone Appeal student caller
If you are a current Durham student and would like to apply to be a caller for the 2024 campaign, you can read more details and submit your application using this application form. All students are welcome to apply, irrespective of level of study or subject.
Successful candidates will be remunerated at £11.32/hr (with a three shift/week commitment, including one weekend shift). Compulsory training will take place on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 February 2024, with calls beginning on Monday 5 February.
The deadline for applications is midnight, Sunday 12 November 2023. For any queries about the role, contact DARO’s Regular Giving team.
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