Otago Polytechnic has agreed to fund a Scarfie Army so Dunedin students can volunteer in the community while they are at university.
The project is based on Christchurch's Student Volunteer Army, which was formed as a response to the Canterbury earthquakes.
The Otago Polytechnic is also looking at creating a course called Student Volunteering.
One of organisers of the Scarfie Army, Louis Brown, says a group of students will work to find out what is needed in the community, and assign projects.
He hopes 20,000 Otago students will experience volunteering at least once a year through the project.