Sales assistant volunteer volunteer roles

Join us at Shaw Trust as a Volunteer Retail Assistant and help us raise vital funds to support communities across the UK. As a not-for-profit charity, all our proceeds go to helping people around the UK. 

Whether you prefer to volunteer behind the scenes or to engage with customers, there’s plenty for you to get involved with. 

We believe that everyone has something to offer, even if you have no retail experience. We’ll give you all the training and support you need to make you feel comfortable and confident here. 

Key Tasks 

Every day is different in our shop – that’s part of the fun! 

• Sorting donations, including steaming and pricing them

• Serving customers at the till and helping donors/supporters 

• Create stylish window displays 

• Keeping the shop fully stocked and tidy 

What’s in it for you 

• Improve your skills and boost your CV 

• Grow your confidence and meet new people 

• Receive some lunch and travel expenses 

• Flexibility around your health, education, family, work or other commitments 

• You’ll be staying social and active 

What we’re asking for 

• We typically ask for around 4 hours a week but we can be flexible 

• That you’re helpful and happy to be part of a team 

• Volunteers in our shop must be aged 14 or older 

Volunteering is a great way to make a real difference and build your skills. If you have any questions, just ask!  
 

Tempted? Click Apply now and we'll get back to you soon! 

Join Shaw Trust 

Shaw Trust is a national charity which helps people to achieve their potential, find meaningful employment, and boost their wellbeing.

From Glasgow to Glastonbury, our 32 shops raise over £1,000,000 annually to help us support 300,000 people.

We know everyone has something to offer. With over 350 volunteers in our shops, you can be part of a committed and caring team, giving time to improve communities across the UK.

Shaw Trust Registered Charity No. England & Wales: 287785. Scotland: SC039856.   

Become the new friendly face in your local Tŷ Hafan charity shop!

This opportunity is a great way to develop new skills and enjoy yourself at the same time.

Our shops generate funds that directly support the whole family, from medical care and therapeutic services for children, to emotional and practical care for families, to sibling support activities & experiences.

Your role will help us continue providing vital care and support to Tŷ Hafan children and their families.

About our Cowbridge Shop:

Our Cowbridge shop seeks to celebrate the town’s diversity in the way our team thoughtfully curates the mixture of preloved items its occupants have generously donated.

We offer high street to designer names, tea sets to linens, vinyl to hatpins, toys and books for all ages and plenty in between. 

Tom and his team of superstar volunteers will do their best to help you find just the thing and the chance to buy a winning lottery ticket, too.

Considerations:

Age requirement: 16+

Location: 29 High St, Cowbridge CF71 7AE

Commitment:  Availability: Monday and Thursday afternoons.

Shifts will be discussed during your informal chat.

Background checks: We will ask you to provide us with the details of two referees.

Activities include:

• Providing a warm and friendly welcome to all customers entering the shop;
• Helping customers to locate items they are looking for;
• Serving customers at the till;
• Taking donations and promoting Gift Aid;
• Selling and processing our raffle/lottery tickets;
• Acting as an ambassador for Tŷ Hafan, promoting our Big Ambition within your local community..

Become the new friendly face in your local Tŷ Hafan charity shop!

This opportunity is a great way to develop new skills and enjoy yourself at the same time.

Our shops generate funds that directly support the whole family, from medical care and therapeutic services for children, to emotional and practical care for families, to sibling support activities & experiences.

Your role will help us continue providing vital care and support to Tŷ Hafan children and their families.

About our Abergavenny Shop:

Abergavenny is one of our newer shops, beautifully designed to showcase quirky and unique donations. It also features a famous formalwear and bridal room, offering a unique shopping experience.
 

Considerations:

Age requirement: 16+

Location: 55 Frogmore Street, Abergavenny NP7 4AR 

Commitment:Our shops operate Monday-Saturday, 9am-4:45pm and we appreciate any time you can spare, but ideally at least 2 hours per week.

Shifts will be discussed during your informal chat.

Background checks: We will ask you to provide us with the details of two referees.

Activities include:

• Providing a warm and friendly welcome to all customers entering the shop;
• Helping customers to locate items they are looking for;
• Serving customers at the till;
• Taking donations and promoting Gift Aid;
• Selling and processing our raffle/lottery tickets;
• Acting as an ambassador for Tŷ Hafan, promoting our Big Ambition within your local community..

Click here to view the full role description

This role is purely voluntary and this arrangement is not meant to be a legally binding one or an employment contract.

Providing care and support is something we are only able to do because of the kindness and commitment of our wonderful staff, supporters and volunteers.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team. Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting, steaming, and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms. We are particularly looking for till cover just now.

Creating a warm, friendly and inviting space is just as important. You'll help design eye-catching window displays, keep the space tidy, and use your creativity to ensure everything looks its best, encouraging customers to return.

About The Role

 At WWT we believe the best way for people to understand and connect to wetlands is to experience them, so we bring awe-inspiring nature up close and let it do the talking. People feel part of something amazing and are motivated to make a difference.

By providing an excellent visitor experience as a member of the visitor services team, you will be encouraging our visitors to make the most of their visit to Washington Wetland Centre, and to understand and support our work to save wetlands for wildlife and people.

Volunteers are an essential part of the WWT team. You'll get a warm welcome, including information on training, equipment and anything else you need.  

About You

To carry out this role, you will need:

• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Good listening skills, with the ability to adapt your approach to suit your audience
• Confident in the use of multi operation tills
• A confident attitude and/or experience of successful face-to-face contact with the public
• Commitment to excellent customer service
• An interest in and enthusiasm for the work of WWT
• The ability to work under your own initiative under the direction of the Visitor Services and Engagement Officer
• Commitment to undertake relevant training

About Us

We’re WWT, and we’re on a mission to restore the super-powered ecosystems we call wetlands. There’s never been a more important moment for our work, and we’ve got some phenomenal people on the case.

Whether they’re taking a new visitor under their wing, or conducting ground-breaking research further afield, our team are second to none. And there’s nothing we love more than watching them soar.

Whatever you do here, you’ll be helping to restore wetlands and unlock their power. So, the only question left is, what role will you play?

Why you'll love volunteering at WWT

• Feel good knowing you are helping to restore wetlands, and our world
• Be surrounded and inspired by like-minded wetland lovers
• Hear from the people who inject their energy, passion and expertise into wetlands and wildlife - talks, walks, webinars, tea and cake...
• Free entry to all our wetland centres, including your family
• Volunteer discount on shopping and memberships
• Access to webinars and practical information to help you manage daily life

We’re Mind, the leading mental health charity. We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect. We provide advice and support to empower anybody experiencing a mental health problem and we campaign to improve services, raise awareness, and promote understanding.

Our volunteers are a fundamental part of our shops. Any time which they volunteer at our shops and warehouses, help us be there for more people who are experiencing a mental health problem. 

About the volunteer role

To provide our volunteers with opportunities to gain a variety of skills and experience, we offer them a range of volunteer roles to choose from, which include:

• Stock preparation volunteer
• Volunteer stock generation assistant
• Specialist knowledge volunteer (antiques and collectables)
• Specialist knowledge volunteer (books and entertainment)
• Housekeeping volunteer

Key tasks

There is a variety of tasks within the above mentioned roles that our volunteers get involved with, including:

• If you are volunteering in one of our warehouses there may be some variation in your role
• We are looking for ebay listers, including researching items, help with processing and packing our online shop orders.
• Support with our van drivers, collecting and delivering stock to our network of shops and also helping with local street collections.
• Receiving donated items from members of the public
• Sorting, tagging and preparing donated items for sale
• Stock rotation
• Identifying special or valuable items within donated stock

About you

• Passionate about customer service
• Good communication skills 
• Friendly and helpful
• Respectful of others and their diversity

Experience & skills you will gain

• Experience of working as part of a team
• Retail experience 
• Stock organisation
• Selling skills 
• Customer service skills 

Our Commitment

We are committed to becoming actively anti-racist in everything we do. This is a critical priority for Mind. We embrace diversity and understand that being an inclusive organisation, recognising different perspectives, will enable us to provide excellent services. We are committed to ensuring all our employees are treated fairly and equitably at work and promoting equity in physical and mental health for all.

Are you interested in fashion, weddings or proms? Then this could be a fantastic volunteer role for you. The role includes helping brides pick out a dress for their big special day, chatting to the relatives and making the experience one to remember! The St Barnabas Shop in Worthing town Centre offer a wide range of beautiful affordable outfits, including wedding dresses, suits and prom dresses.

You’ll get the chance to meet new people and make friends, plus you’ll be part of a fantastic team of volunteers. We are ideally looking for assistance on a Saturday and one day during the week, however please do get in touch to discuss availability.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team. Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting, steaming, and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms.

Creating a warm, friendly and inviting space is just as important. You'll help design eye-catching window displays, keep the space tidy, and use your creativity to ensure everything looks its best, encouraging customers to return.

No special skills are needed as we’ll show you what to do, and we provide all the training you’ll need.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team. Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting, steaming, and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms.

Creating a warm, friendly and inviting space is just as important. You'll help design eye-catching window displays, keep the space tidy, and use your creativity to ensure everything looks its best, encouraging customers to return.

No special skills are needed as we’ll show you what to do, and we provide all the training you’ll need.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team. Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting, steaming, and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms.

Creating a warm, friendly and inviting space is just as important. You'll help design eye-catching window displays, keep the space tidy, and use your creativity to ensure everything looks its best, encouraging customers to return.

No special skills are needed as we’ll show you what to do, and we provide all the training you’ll need.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team.

On site we have two shops to volunteer in. The Showroom is Martlets primary furniture and home goods store and the Discount Shop is home to our £1 clothing rails. Both are hubs for our local community to share stories and bag a bargain! We work together with the warehouse to take in the majority of donations for the charity.

Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team. Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting, steaming, and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms.

Creating a warm, friendly and inviting space is just as important. You'll help design eye-catching window displays, keep the space tidy, and use your creativity to ensure everything looks its best, encouraging customers to return.

No special skills are needed as we’ll show you what to do, and we provide all the training you’ll need.

Our shops help raise vital funds, and volunteering with us is a great way to make a difference, meet new people, and join a fantastic team. Volunteering in our shops offers a variety of exciting tasks. From sorting, steaming, and pricing donations to spotting hidden gems, you'll roll up your sleeves in the backroom and assist on the shop floor. Engaging with customers is key, whether you're serving with a smile, working the till or helping donors complete Gift Aid forms.

Creating a warm, friendly and inviting space is just as important. You'll help design eye-catching window displays, keep the space tidy, and use your creativity to ensure everything looks its best, encouraging customers to return.

No special skills are needed as we’ll show you what to do, and we provide all the training you’ll need. 

Our small friendly Charity Shop in South Westminster

As well as being an important source of revenue for the Centre, the shop on Horseferry Road is the public face of the Cardinal Hume Centre to the residents and workers of Westminster. It can be a very busy environment with lots of regular customers. You will be part of a friendly, international team!  You will receive excellent support and opportunities to learn team skills and customer service.  You can obtain a reference for future employers.

How does this role make a difference?

You will be part of the fundraising team, raising funds to support the work of the Cardinal Hume Centre and promoting the work of the Centre to the public. Typically, the Charity Shop raises in the region of £50,000 per year.

What will you be doing?

Flexibility will be given where possible, but in general, volunteers will undertake the following tasks as part of this role:

· Customer service on the till

· Cashing up at the end of the day and walking the takings round to the reception and handing in to Finance Team

· Greeting and helping customers

· Replenishing the stock on the shop floor

· Sorting donations

· Helping present top items in window display and around the shop

· Promoting the work of the Centre to the public

Want to increase your skills in retail?

If you want to develop in this role, we are keen to support you.  There are more responsibilities you can take on in the shop, for example; opening and closing the shop, cashing up at the end of the day and helping with the induction of new volunteers.  Let us know if this interests you.  We also have employment advisors who can provide employment support.  Furthermore, if you want to expand your experience in the voluntary sector, you can combine your role in the shop with a volunteer role elsewhere in the organisation.

What are we looking for?

No special qualifications are needed to work in our shop, as relevant training will be given, however, we will be asking for the following qualities:

· Over 16+

· Good spoken English needed – at least Entry Level 3

· The ability to contribute to a positive team culture and atmosphere

· Be able to provide a friendly, high-quality service to customers

· A commitment to equal opportunities and to treating all individuals who visit or work in the shop with dignity and respect

· Physically fit - able to lift light bags and boxes and to comfortably use the stairs between the shop floor and the stock room.  Manual handling training will be given.

What is the time commitment?

The shop opening hours are 10am – 4.30pm, Monday – Friday.  A full or half day (10 – 1pm or 1 – 4.30pm) is ideal, but we are flexible and are grateful for even a couple of hours help each week. Ideally, volunteers will commit to a period of at least 4 months.

How will you be supported?

· You will be supported and trained in all areas of retail and customer service by the Charity Shop Manager and the Assistant Shop Manager.

· You will receive a Centre induction from a Volunteer Coordinator

· You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses such as travel and also lunch if working a full day.

· For volunteers who stay for more than three months, we are happy to provide a reference.