Volunteer volunteer roles in South east

Our Community Volunteers are vital in enabling us to continue to feed the 3 million children we feed every day and to help us reach the next child. They use their talents in their communities to spread the story of Mary’s Meals.

What is the role of a Community Volunteer?

Some of the things you can do as a community volunteer:

• Help us to share our story – arrange and give Mary’s Meals talks to local community organisations, schools, churches and faith groups to raise vital awareness and funds
• Use your networks and contacts to book talks, stalls and events and help us share our story
• Organise fundraising events in your local area such as coffee mornings, quizzes, supermarket bag packs and bucket collections
• Organise film screenings in your community to show Mary’s Meals films
• Volunteer at local fundraising and awareness events such as film screenings, bucket collections or concerts
• Promote Mary’s Meals’ fundraising campaigns and events in your community and across their networks and contacts
• Distribute and display promotional materials
• Place collection tins in local community areas
• Host community engagement events about Mary’s Meals’ work
• Come together as a group with other local volunteers to support each other with this work
• Lead a group in your community to fundraise for Mary’s Meals

What support and resources will I receive?

• Support, encouragement, and guidance from your local Supporter Engagement Officer
• A comprehensive induction to Mary’s Meals
• Opportunities to join online or in person volunteer meetings and briefings
• Training and if desired, public speaking training
• Resources to fulfil your role
• A regular volunteer update e-mail

What are the benefits of volunteering for Mary's Meals?

• Feeling part of the global Mary’s Meals movement to end world hunger
• Learning new skills and gaining experience as part of a growing and vibrant organisation
• Meeting new like-minded people
• Increasing confidence and team-working skills.
• Developing communication skills (verbal and written)
• Feeling empowered to have your voice heard, knowing that you are playing an active role in changing the lives of those who need it the most.

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.

Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:

1. It's fun

2. It's flexible

3. You'll learn and share skills

4. You'll be making a difference

5. You'll work with a great team

We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital funds for our work and act as incredible advocates for the rights of children both in the UK and around the world.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. Candidates must be over 18.

Volunteering in the shop

Our High Wycombe Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.

It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied.

Why volunteer with Save the Children?

In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.

Skills and experiences we seek

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 and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children.

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.

What happens next?

After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related).

How to apply

Express your interest on email via the apply button.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests.

Organisation: Make a Smile
Location: Remote - UK-based (with opportunities for occasional in-person involvement)
Commitment: Flexible, approx. 4–6 hours per week

About Make a Smile

At Make a Smile, we believe every volunteer should feel supported, valued, and empowered. Our volunteers are the heart of our charity, and we work hard to break down barriers so that everyone—no matter their background—can get involved and make a difference to children’s lives.

The Role

The Supporting Chapter Manager provides support to Chapter that are deemed to be struggling. They should assess chapters frequently to ensure they have a clear awareness of what a chapter requires support, in addition to input from other Trustees. They will then provide hands on support to the struggling chapters with focus on recruitment, events and costumes. 

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience in volunteer management and co-ordination.

• The chance to make a lasting impact in the areas needing the most support.

• Opportunities to develop leadership, communication, and management.

• The satisfaction of knowing you’re helping volunteers feel supported, engaged, and empowered.

Time Commitment

This role is flexible and can be done remotely. We ask for around 4–6 hours per week, though this may vary depending on activities or events.

Why we want you
Food banks provide essential community services to people in crisis. At Brent Foodbank, our warehouse volunteers play a vital role in ensuring our distribution centres can provide food parcels to people in our community who are struggling to afford the essentials. By volunteering at our warehouse, you will help process food donations, sort items (ensuring they are in date), minimise wastage and pack food ready for distribution. Alongside being a voice for change in your community, you can make a real difference to people’s lives providing vital help and support in your local community. 

What you will be doing
Ensure that all Brent Foodbank warehousing procedures and processes are followed as per the foodbank operating manual. Receive food donations from members of the public and thank them. Ensure that incoming stock is checked, weighed and recorded. Sort food by date and type, removing any items that are damaged or outof-date and weighing these out separately. Keep warehouse area clean and tidy at all times. Prepare stock orders for the food bank centres and/or emergency food boxes, as appropriate. Assist in undertaking an annual stock take as detailed in the food bank operating manual. Report any health & safety or safeguarding concerns to the Foodbank and Warehouse Manager. Complete Brent Foodbank training modules.

The skills you need

• Strong team player
• Motivated and organised
• Happy with some heavy lifting

What's in it for you

• Using your existing skills to make a difference.
• Meet a fantastic, friendly team of people who share your passion to eradicate poverty in the community.
• Make a real difference to the running of your food bank.

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support. 

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About the CARAS ESOL Team:

Our ESOL team offer English language classes to adults at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling people to attend college and access other services in the future.

About the Role: 

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our online Zoom classes on Monday mornings: 

• ESOL Entry 2+ level: 1:30am to 2:30pm (plus a 10-minute debrief) 

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

As a volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistant your role is flexible and varied. It will involve supporting the Adult ESOL Teacher in the delivery of online Zoom classes, as well as providing learners with one-to-one or small-group support. 

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities: 

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes; 

• Helping learners build confidence in digital literacy; 

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session; 

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class; 

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the lessons; 

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential; 

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements; 

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management, online communications and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements:  

Essential  

• To be 18 years or older; 

• An interest in education and English language teaching; 

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds; 

• To be reliable and punctual; 

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English; 

• The ability to volunteer on Tuesday mornings during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of three months;  

• Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; * 

• Able to attend compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding prior to start of role 

• UK resident; has asylum-seeker or refugee status 

*DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK. 

Desirable  

• Knowledge of community languages, such as (including Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish). 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including ESOL safeguarding training; 

• Gain experience in teaching and interpreting. 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering. 

Join SUNSHINE as Our First Volunteer Coordinator / Volunteer Manager (Volunteer Role)

Help us spark joy, connection, and community across London — Be a SUNSHINE Volunteer and bring your Heart of Gold.

Loneliness is one of the quietest challenges of our time, but at SUNSHINE, we believe in the power of people coming together to change that story, to break through the clouds with beautiful rays of warmth, belonging, and hope.

SUNSHINE is a brand new loneliness and wellbeing charity with a simple but powerful mission: to bring people together, spread joy, nurture community spirit, and create spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and connected.

With our charity application submitted, our dedicated Board of Trustees in place, and a series of exciting pilot programmes ready to launch, we are stepping into a defining moment and we’re looking for someone extraordinary to step in with us.

Could you be our first ever Volunteer Coordinator / Volunteer Manager?

This is a rare and meaningful opportunity to help shape a charity from the ground up by building the very heart of our movement: our volunteers.

We’re searching for a volunteer who brings:

• A natural gift for bringing people together

• Warmth, empathy, and a people-first mindset

• Organisational flair and a love of nurturing others

• Dedication to community, wellbeing, and social impact

• A collaborative spirit and a willingness to roll up their sleeves

As our inaugural Volunteer Coordinator / Manager, you will work closely with our Founder and CEO to recruit, support, and empower the volunteers who will bring SUNSHINE to life, ensuring every person who joins us feels welcomed, valued, and inspired.

What you’ll help us build

• A joyful, diverse, and committed volunteer community.

• Supportive systems that help volunteers thrive.

• Training, onboarding, and communication pathways that feel warm and human.

• Volunteer teams for our pilot programmes — from wellbeing workshops to community meet-ups.

• A culture rooted in compassion, connection, and hope.

• A movement that reaches across London and beyond.

This is more than a role, it’s a chance to help write the opening chapter of a charity designed to lift people up, brighten lives, and transform communities.

Why SUNSHINE?

Because we believe in:

• Joy as a form of care

• Community as a source of strength

• Connection as a human right

• People as the heart of everything we do

If you’re someone who leads with purpose, dreams boldly, and wants to make a real difference, we would love to meet you.

Ready to help us bring more SUNSHINE into the world?

Let’s build something beautiful together — one smile, one moment, one community at a time.

SUNSHINE

The Loneliness and Wellbeing Charity

The Community Officer is responsible for creating an engaging and welcoming environment for volunteers. This encourages and motivates volunteers to get involved and stay involved. This includes encouraging engagement in shared social spaces (Discord and Whatsapp), organising a range of regular socials and supporting with the Ball at conference. 

Join FARA, a charity with over 30 years of experience and 39 charity shops across London. Our Clapham Books store is looking for a dedicated Book Volunteer to assist us on Friday.

By volunteering with us, you'll not only support our charitable work but also contribute to creating a positive experience for our community of customers. You'll also play a key role in ensuring that items FARA cannot sell are responsibly redirected, helping us further our commitment to a sustainable economy.

The Role:

As a volunteer, your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

• Sorting book donations
• Pricing books
• Assisting with the placement of books on shelves
• Identifying valuable and collectable books
• Creating engaging book displays
• Greeting and assisting customers
• Till operations

The Volunteer:

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a genuine passion for books (and perhaps belongs to a book club)
• Is friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic
• Previous experience working with books is a plus, but not essential
• Ideally connected with the local area

What’s in it for You?

At FARA, our shops are run by welcoming, collaborative teams where everyone works together. You'll gain valuable experience, working alongside supportive colleagues who help each other develop, challenge, and celebrate each other's contributions. Full training will be provided, and we offer a positive and safe environment where you can learn and enhance your skills.

Your Time:

Our shop operates from 09:30 to 17:30, and we're looking for someone who can volunteer for a minimum of 4 hours a day, either in the Morning or Afternoon, on Wednesday, Friday & Saturday. 

If this sounds like the role for you, please click the "Apply" button.

FARA is committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please don't hesitate to let us know.

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.

Could you spend an hour a week sharing a friendly chat over a cup of tea and helping someone feel valued and connected? Our Befrienders offer regular visits or calls to local older people, bringing warmth, companionship and a welcoming presence.

We match people thoughtfully, building genuine friendships that make a lasting difference to everyone involved.

We have volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and communities fulfilling various different roles. We wouldn’t be able to deliver our services without the help of these amazing volunteers who generously give their time, energy and skills to enable us to provide our clients with the services, care and support they deserve. 

Our volunteers form a vital and integral part of the work we do at CHEER. Like you, they’re people who want to make an impact on a local level in their community. By joining us you’ll discover new friends, new skills and be able to share your passion and experience to support local people. No matter how much time you can commit, we can help you find a role that works for you. 

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.