Community volunteer roles in dudley, west midlands
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..
The role in a nutshell:
Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?
Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.
How would you be supported in this role?
When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.
Why do we need volunteers in this role?
Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.
Additional information:
We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.
What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?
We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Why not volunteer with Acorns Childrens Hospice at the Worcester Show in Hanbury and support Acorns Children's Hospice?
The 78ᵗʰ annual Hanbury Show, which takes place on Saturday 5th July in 2025, is loved by families from across the region. There really is something to entice and occupy all ages - exciting displays, action-packed arena programmes, have-a-go activities, local food and drink, and quality shopping.
At Acorns we provide care and support for life limited or life threatened children and their families. We are a charity, and our fundraising is vital to enable us to continue providing care and support to the children: it costs around £13 million a year to run our care services.
Join our amazing fundraising team for an exciting day of giving back on Saturday 5th July at Hanbury, we need enthusiastic volunteers to:
- Collect donations to support a great cause.
- Manning the awareness stand.
- A volunteer to dress up as Alex the Acorns!
This is a great opportunity to make a real difference, connect with the community, and support an important cause. Join us and be part of something special!
How much time will it take?
The event runs from 8am-1pm and 1pm-5pm; you can join for a few hours, or the full day—whatever suits you!
We’ll provide bottled water and snacks, parking should be available, and you’ll get free entry to the show!
Am I right for the role?
We’re looking for volunteers who are
- Approachable and happy to raise awareness about Acorns
- Confident and happy to be a collection volunteer which will take place outdoors
Why volunteer at Acorns?
- To help a local charity and make a difference in your community
- Connect with likeminded people and make new friends
- Learn new skills to boost your CV
- Opportunities to progress to other roles
- Access to free online training courses
- Retail discounts
- Participation in our volunteer recognition schemes and rewards
We can only accept volunteers who are 18 years of age or older. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must also apply as they need to accompany you for the duration of your volunteer activities.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Title: Volunteer Painter/Decorator
Location: 201-206 Alcester Street, Digbeth, B12 0NQ, Birmingham, UK
Organisation: Better Pathways
About Us: Better Pathways is a leading organisation dedicated to supporting individuals with mental health challenges and disabilities. Our mission is to create a supportive environment that fosters personal growth and development. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve our facilities and create a welcoming space for our participants, we are seeking a skilled Volunteer Painter/Decorator to join our team.
Role Overview: We are looking for a dedicated Volunteer Painter/Decorator to help enhance our facilities. The ideal candidate will have a keen eye for detail, a passion for creating beautiful spaces, and the ability to work independently or as part of a team. This role is crucial in helping us maintain a positive and inviting environment for our participants and staff.
Key Responsibilities:
- Prepare surfaces for painting, including sanding, filling, and priming as needed.
- Apply paint, varnish, wallpaper, and other finishes to various surfaces.
- Select and mix paints to achieve the desired colour and finish.
- Ensure all work is completed to a high standard with attention to detail.
- Maintain a clean and organised work area, ensuring all tools and materials are used safely.
- Collaborate with staff to prioritise and plan decorating projects.
- Assist with minor repairs and maintenance tasks as needed.
Qualifications:
- Proven experience in painting and decorating.
- Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
- Good communication and teamwork skills.
- A positive attitude and a passion for improving community spaces.
What We Offer:
- The opportunity to make a significant impact on the environment of a leading community organisation.
- A supportive and collaborative work environment.
- Opportunities to develop your skills and gain valuable experience.
- Flexible volunteer hours to suit your schedule.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Volunteer with us!
At Acorns we provide care and support for life limited or life threatened children and their families. We are a charity, so most of the care that we provide is funded through fundraising and through our shops.
We are looking for volunteers to join our Christmas Fayre in Wylde Green Church to help with the sales of craft items and running of the tombola.
Event date Saturday 29th November.
Volunteer opportunities on the day;
- Tombola
- Craft Stall Sales.
Volunteers will be covering the hours of 10.00-16.00 (any hours between these times is fine and times are role dependent)
Why Volunteer at Acorns?
- To help a local charity and make a difference in your local community
- Connect with likeminded people and make new friends
- Enhance your CV by learning new skills and gaining experience
- Opportunities to progress to other roles
- Access to free online courses
- Invites to social events and participation in our volunteer recognition schemes and rewards
- Please apply if you'd like to be apart of this fun filled event! - Refreshments will be provided.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT PAID WORK
Help children as Trustee of an innovative, enterprising Tees Valley Charity that is increasingly supporting children in care through fostering and a planned residential provision. Join an agency that transforms children's lives.
What will you be doing?
You will join us at an exciting time as we pursue growth of fostering and residential services, as well as growth of our early help offer.
You will work across the Charity and the subsidiary fostering company (which we will amalgamate back into the parent Charity).
You will have a particular focus on helping the fostering agency drive growth, ensure regulatory compliance, and deliver excellent care for children and support for foster parents. You will provide support and challenge to the management team.
You’ll contribute 2 to 6 hours a month. The Charity board meets every 8 weeks (shifting to quarterly after September) and the fostering board meets every 8 weeks.
You’ll join a Charity that’s brought £millions of investment into Tees Valley and that helps over 1000 local people a year. We’ve been runners up at the national Charity Governance Awards and ‘community’ winners at the Hartlepool Business Awards.
We are looking for experienced professionals who share our values and want to help.
What are we looking for?
At this time we are specifically looking for Trustees with some of these areas of skills or experience:
Business development
Safeguarding management
Fostering or children's residential care or childrens social work management
Financial management
What difference will you make?
We want to help children and family members heal from trauma, primarily through helping them develop a network of nurturing, loving and appropriately challenging relationships with people in their close and wider communities. Any small surplus we make from helping children in care will be diverted into work to help families stay together and thrive. You will join a team that strives to make this difference. You will help ensure the Charity keeps a strong focus on children and young peoples needs whilst being sustainability and ensuring the agency manages the risks associated with growth and investment in new services.
Before you apply
After expressing an interest through the site, we'd welcome an initial conversation with our CEO and/or Chair. After that, we usually take applications to the Board for consideration. This is usually quite a quick process.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..
The role in a nutshell:
Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?
Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.
How would you be supported in this role?
When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.
Why do we need volunteers in this role?
Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.
Additional information:
We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.
What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?
We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We're looking for a Trustee – Treasurer
Bring your financial expertise and help us shape brighter futures.
At Options for Life, we believe everyone has the right to live a fulfilled and independent life. We are a Sandwell based charity that supports adults with learning disabilities and/or autism to build confidence, learn new skills, access their communities, and make informed choices about their lives.
With two purpose-built centres and over 65 staff, we provide a wide range of services, from outreach and hub-based activities to supported community access and drop-in sessions. Our work takes place in one of England’s most disadvantaged areas, where our services can make the greatest impact.
Join Our Board as Treasurer
As we plan to expand our reach and develop new services, we are seeking a Treasurer to help guide our financial strategy and governance.
We are looking for someone with a background in finance or accounting, who can:
- Oversee our financial health in collaboration with our Head of Finance and CEO
- Ensure effective financial controls, policies, and reporting are in place
- Play an active role in the Finance Committee and wider Board decision-making
- Present clear and insightful financial information to fellow Trustees
We welcome applicants from all walks of life, including those with lived experience of disability or who are new to governance roles. A strong commitment to inclusion, good judgment, and a collaborative spirit are essential.
Commitment:
- Four Board meetings per year
- AGM and annual strategy/away day
- Quarterly Finance Committee and possible ad hoc sub-committee involvement
- Training and induction provided
- Travel expenses reimbursed
Make a lasting difference.
To express interest or learn more, contact our Chief Executive, Nicola Thomson.
Help us give people more choice and control over their lives—because your skills can help change theirs.
This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.
Science plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our planet, and at Physics Partners, we’re on a mission to inspire and support the next generation of physicists. We’re a small charity focused on enhancing the physics skills of teachers and students, with a particular emphasis on underrepresented groups.
We are seeking two new trustees with expertise in charity law, STEM education, industry, or fundraising, to help us grow and impact even more schools. One of these trustees will also be invited to take on the Honorary Secretary role.
As a trustee, you’ll have the chance to guide the charity’s strategic direction, support fundraising efforts, and ensure effective governance. This is a voluntary, unremunerated role with travel expenses covered. If you’re passionate about education and want to help shape the future of physics education, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Be part of something special and volunteer at MS Walk Birmingham. Join an incredible team of volunteers who will be helping to make MS Walk 2025 bigger and better than ever.
The 2025 event will have around 200 participants who will be walking through Birmingham on either the 1km, 5km, 10km or 15km route.
Together these participants will be hoping to raise over £30,000 for the MS Society to help support the MS Community.
There are various roles available on the day from making some noise and encouraging our walkers, to looking after the route and handing out medals at the finish.
Join our team of MS Walk volunteers and support everyone who is walking, rolling and strolling to stop MS.
You'll be required on Saturday 14th June 2025 for one day and there are various times throughout the day. Shifts will be from 2-6 hours depending on role and location.
There are no specific skills required just enthusiasm and a can-do attitude.’
Closing date Wednesday 11th June 2025
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.
We are looking to recruit a Group Coordinator for our Solihull and District group. As our local Group Coordinator you’ll take the lead in making sure your local group works as effectively as possible. You’ll recruit, induct and support other group volunteers to make sure your group’s activities meet the needs of your local MS community. You can see a video about one of our Group Coordinators here.
In this role you’ll be able to develop your leadership, management, communication, organisation and motivation skills.
Time Commitment
We estimate this role will need around 5 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.
This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.
About you
You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.
You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the Solihull and District area to carry out this role.
The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The role in a nutshell:
Volunteers help to keep Age UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you!
What will you be doing?
Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.
How would you be supported in this role?
When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.
Why do we need volunteers in this role?
Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.
Additional information:
We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.
What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?
We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Join our amazing volunteer team in this flexible opportunity that puts you at the heart of our work supporting blind and partially sighted people. You’ll make taking part in events and carrying out volunteering easier and more enjoyable for our customers and volunteers with sight loss. You’ll take some of the stress and anxiety out of getting around and taking part in activities as a blind or partially sighted person. The help you give will encourage people to do more. What you’ll be doing • Sighted guiding / giving practical help to individuals in and around venues, so they can take part in events. • Supporting volunteers with sight loss with their volunteering activities which range from facilitating a regular community group to delivering a talk about sight loss to a local business. Your role would involve things like guiding; Meeting and greeting at group activities or creating a welcoming and interesting display stand at events. In this role you will only be helping individuals in places open to the public, often in a group setting. We will provide training in sighted guiding techniques and understanding sight loss. We would particularly like to recruit support volunteers within the Downpatrick area (last Wednesday of every month) What you’ll gain from the role: • An opportunity to give something back. • A chance to build a strong community. • A sense of achievement through the difference you make. • A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people • An opportunity to develop and explore different roles with RNIB, including our internal job vacancies. In return for donating your time we will provide: • A rewarding experience. • A great Induction and training. • A supportive manager. • Regular updates and catchups. • Expenses. • An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.
What skills and experience are needed?
- • An outgoing, friendly approach to meeting new people. • An empathetic and professional manner. • The ability to take the supportive and helpful role.
-
Particularly looking for Volunteers in Downpatrick area - Last Wednesday of Every month
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
"We are looking for 3 candidates to join our volunteer enhanced professional development programme and gain real world experience in your chosen field). While we only have 3 vacancies available through this programme, other options are available if your skills match our criteria".
WHO WE ARE
We are a Kingston-based social enterprise using creative thinking to build community cohesion. Encouraging different cultures to unite enables us to share and celebrate essential lessons. Partnering with cultural, social and sports organisation's, we put on programmes of training, workshops and other events that promote unity and tolerance.
We conduct research to challenge preconceptions around race and stereotyping. Our findings are supported by educational opportunities designed to broaden perspectives.
Ready for an adventure? Dive into the heart of Quilombo UK by exploring our website and videos! Discover our mission, values and the impactful work we do to make a difference in our community.
Your journey with purpose begins here
Join us in creating positive change!
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Join our dynamic team as a Volunteer HR Recruiter and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our non-profit Organisation. As a key member of our Human Resources team, you will be responsible for managing the end-to-end recruitment process, ensuring the acquisition of talented individuals passionate about our mission. Your expertise will contribute to building a dedicated and skilled workforce, enabling us to impact the community positively. This role offers a unique opportunity to utilise your HR recruitment skills for a meaningful cause while gaining valuable experience in the non-profit sector.
Collaborate with hiring managers to identify hiring needs and implement effective sourcing strategies,
Interview and Selection
Build and maintain a strong talent pipeline.
Conduct initial screening interviews to effectively evaluate the candidates’ skill set and cultural fit while providing an engaging experience.
Foster positive relationships with candidates, keeping them informed about the status of their applications.
Ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date candidate records and recruitment metrics.
REQUIRED SKILLS:
Proven experience as an HR Recruiter or in a similar role
Familiarity with job boards and professional social platforms
Strong understanding of recruitment processes and employment laws
Good communication and interpersonal skills
Office based skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Excellent time management and organisational skills
Strong marketing and negotiation skills
Outstanding teamwork skills and ability to create relationships at all levels, showing respect to different types of people.
Professionalism and Confidentiality
WHAT WE OFFER:
Opportunity for professional growth and development in Recruitment and other HR departments depending on your knowledge and learning aptitude.
A collaborative and inclusive work environment that values diversity and innovation.
Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
The Professional Development Programme with Quilombo UK runs over a period of 16 weeks, is UNPAID and requires a minimum of 12 hours commitment per week across Monday to Friday.
Upon successful application, our HR team will contact you to arrange an interview. Following a successful interview, we'll initiate the onboarding process by sending you the necessary documents. Once your onboarding and identification documents are received and verified, you'll be invited to a 6-hour HR and System Induction. Subsequently, you'll meet with your Head of Department or Assistant Manager for your First Day.
Job Types: Part-time, Volunteer
Contract length: 16 weeks
Expected hours: No less than 12 per week
Benefits:
- Work from home
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Flexitime
Work Location: Remote
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Travel Radar is a passionate media organisation committed to making travel more meaningful and accessible for everyone. Since 2015, we've grown into one of the leading online sources for aviation and air-travel news, reaching over 20 million people worldwide.
Powered by a diverse, fully remote team of 50+ volunteers and contributors, we provide around-the-clock coverage of global travel developments. Our mission is to change the way people experience travel — helping them make every journey more enriching, informed, and enjoyable through timely news and helpful insights.
Join us in reshaping the future of travel and making a global impact through the power of storytelling and information.
We're on the lookout for a Social Media Manager to head up a range of exciting work including:
- developing creative and engaging social media strategies for our platforms;
- managing the day-to-day handling of all social media channels such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube, adapting content to suit different channels;
- overseeing, planning and delivering content across different platforms using scheduling tools such as Buffer and Meta Business Suite;
- developing, launching and managing new competitions and campaigns that promote Travel Radar and the brand;
- forming key relationships with influencers in the aviation and air-travel space across the social media platforms;
- managing and facilitating social media communities by responding to social media posts and developing discussions;
- researching and evaluating the latest trends and techniques in order to find new and better ways of creating and measuring social media activity;
- managing, motivating and coaching junior staff such as social media executives or assistants;
We're looking for a passionate and creative individual to lead and grow Travel Radar’s presence across social media. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the voice of one of the most engaged aviation communities online and create impactful content that inspires millions of travellers worldwide. We already have a strong foundation and loyal following — now we need someone who’s ready to take it to the next level. Whether you're a recent graduate full of fresh ideas, an experienced social media pro seeking a meaningful new challenge, a travel and aviation enthusiast, or a current student eager to gain hands-on experience — we care more about your passion and creativity than your CV.
If you're excited by the idea of building community, creating compelling content, and being part of a mission-driven team, we’d love to hear from you!
✨ Perks of Volunteering with Travel Radar:
(Please note: This is a voluntary, unpaid role — but we make it worth your time!)
Flexible workload – Contribute as and when you’re available each month
Fully remote – We can provide a laptop, desktop, or virtual machine if needed
Lunch & travel expenses covered – For in-person events, conferences, or meetings
✈️ Exclusive discount program – Access deals with 3,000+ retailers, from travel to insurance
Professional training – Fully funded CPD Level 3, 5, or 7 accreditation included and access industry leading support and mentoring
Latest tech tools – Free access to Office365, Grammarly Premium, Adobe Photoshop, Canva Pro — for both Travel Radar and personal use
Commitment per Week: 5hrs per week
Reports to: Chief Content Officer
Our mission to change how travel is seen involves showing people how to make their journeys as fulfilling as possible whilst empowering our team!

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Sustainability Research Volunteer
People & Planet is looking for volunteers to assist with compiling its 2025/26 People & Planet
University League; the only higher education ranking that classifies based on ethics and climate
justice criteria.
Universities impart skills and knowledge, form life-long beliefs and behaviours, act as centres of
communities, employ, house and feed large numbers of people and promote the creation and
sharing of knowledge. We believe this makes them uniquely placed to lead on environmental and
ethical issues. For this reason the People & Planet University League has been running since 2007
and has been published by high-profile media partners such as The Guardian (2021, 2022. 2023,
2024) and whose data is used in the Sunday Time Good University Guide.
Volunteers will research publicly available university documents and assess universities against
our marking criteria, which cover a wide range of climate and social justice issues including
decarbonisation, fossil fuel divestment, ethical banking, workers’ rights and environmental
management among others. This work will help to incentivise the university sector towards taking
immediate and appropriate action on the climate crisis and upholding the rights and wellbeing of all
people internationally.
The role will develop and improve the following areas:
● Qualitative research skills
● Attention to detail
● Use of data collection software
● Time management and keeping to deadlines
● Working independently and remotely
● Communication skills
● Knowledge of environmental management processes and sustainability reporting.
Training is provided for the role. We believe the skills and experience gained could be valuable for
a number of career paths, including working in NGOs, corporate sustainability, estates
management, higher education policy making, research and campaigning among many others.
People & Planet would like to support volunteers in their future careers, so will give all volunteers
an official reference letter on successful completion of their placement and will act as a referee for
future positions for which you may apply. From last year’s cohort, 100% said they would
recommend this position to someone who wanted to add experience to their CV.
Feedback from previous volunteers
‘I think as someone looking for relevant experience to bolster a CV, this is a helpful and
not-too-time-consuming position. It had exactly the kind of flexibility that I required at this point in time.’
‘It's a really great opportunity to hone one's research skills, learn more about what our universities can do to
improve their impact on the planet, and make a small but real difference.’
Person Specification -the following are essential:
- Access to a computer or laptop and internet connection.
- Familiarity with desk-based research.
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently to agreed standards.
- Reliability and commitment to completing work to deadlines.Sustainability Research Volunteer
- Able to communicate needs with staff at People & Planet and if needed, ask for appropriate
- support to complete tasks in time.
- Ability to search policy documents for specific information in English.
- Ability to assess information against standardised frameworks.
- Ability to work remotely and independently
The following are desirable:
● Awareness of current issues in sustainability and ethics.
● Experience of research and data collection.
● An interest in higher education policy.
You will need to commit to
● Two 25 hour weeks of remote work in July and August.
● 5 hours work per day for the two week period. Volunteers can manage their own time
flexibly and will receive support from People & Planet, but must meet task deadlines on a
weekly basis and attend a short daily meeting.
● One half day of remote training and induction the week prior to your 2 week engagement.
● Attending a brief meeting in the morning or afternoon each day and one individual check-in
meeting in week 1.
Summer timetable
June 30th-July 11th Ethical Investment and Banking, Ethical Careers and Recruitment,
Education for Sustainable Development. Training and induction w/c 23rd June
July 21st-1st August Sustainable Food, Staff & HR, Environmental Policy and Strategy
Training and induction w/c 14th July
August 11th-August 22nd Managing Carbon, Workers’ Rights, Staff and Student
Engagement, Environmental Management and Auditing. Training and induction w/c August
4th
Application
Applications will be processed on a rolling basis until positions are filled, so please apply early to
avoid disappointment. The deadline for applications is Friday June the 6th 2025
Candidates will need to attend a non-competitive group recruitment session and complete an
online self-access task before being invited to volunteer with us.
Please let us know if you have specific access needs and what we can do to make the interview,
training and volunteer experience more accessible to you, including organising a one-on-one
interview. We welcome people with hearing loss, deaf and or disabled people to apply for thisSustainability Research Volunteer volunteer opportunity -unfortunately we don't use BSL so would need to make alternative support provisions for the training, unless a BSL interpreter can join you. If you have specific needs where
we might support you by making this volunteering opportunity more accessible, please let us know via email
People & Planet welcome applications from BAME folks and people of colour, from disabled people, from LGBTQI*people, from people who speak English as a second language, from people who identify as non-binary gender, from women, from people of different ages, from people with caring responsibilities and from people with irregular migration status, people seeking asylum in the UK or with a migrant background, folks with a working class background, and everyone else.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.