Volunteer roles

Outreach Worker

Through your outreach, you’ll provide advice, advocacy and direct frontline support to individuals experiencing homelessness or hardship. You will connect them with survival essentials, safe accommodation and guide them toward vital services that improve wellbeing and independence.

What will you be doing?

You’ll carry out outreach across the community, building trust with people experiencing homelessness or crisis. The role includes distributing essential items, offering advice and signposting around housing, benefits, healthcare and employment, and supporting access to education and training. You’ll also assist with project coordination, fundraising activities and help promote our work and values through social media and community engagement.

What are we looking for?

We’re looking for compassionate, reliable people who are comfortable working hands-on in the community and are enthusiastic about supporting vulnerable individuals. You’ll be a good listener and communicator, able to build positive relationships and offer guidance with empathy and respect. A proactive, adaptable and solutions-focused mindset is important. Experience in outreach or working with vulnerable groups is not essential; the right attitude and caring nature matter the most.

What difference will you make?

Your input will have a direct impact on people’s lives and help reduce homelessness in Birmingham. You’ll support individuals to build confidence, resilience and self-worth, helping them regain control by removing barriers that can hold people back and supporting them towards a more secure and hopeful future.

Based right in the heart of the city, Shopmobility is a vital and much loved service for all of our customers.  A place where they know they will be listened to, treated with dignity and provided with the best assistance we can offer them, to live their lives independently.

Equal Lives is a user led Disabled People's Organisation and we're really proud of Shopmobility!  It's the part of our organisation which is people facing, the part where our staff and volunteers get to represent us and interact with our customers on a daily basis.  So, it's vital that we have the right people on hand and that's where you come in!

If you've got a passion to help the Disabled community by empowering them to live the life they deserve, then you're our kind of person.  We're looking for those compassionate individuals who want to help others, who are happy to give a few minutes to listen to someone's story, to ask how their day was and to support them in working out the best solutions to suit their needs.

Shopmobility is a scheme that supports people to hire mobility aids during their visit to the city. We're based in Chantry Place (previously Chapelfield Shopping Centre) and we are looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of the day-to-day running of the shop.This is a great opportunity to volunteer, build your skills and meet new people! 

Role overview: 

 As is typical of working with the community, no one day is the same.  As such, the role may include, but is not limited to: 

• Opening the site ready for business and helping to prepare the shop 
• Closing the shop at the end of the day 
• Greeting customers and acting as a friendly, supportive and welcoming face 
• Supporting customers to work out what they need, and to hire the equipmen
• Keeping the site looking presentable and welcoming
• Handling cash and taking card payments
• Supporting people to sign up as Shopmobility members and to join Equal Lives as members
• Responding to queries on social media, email and telephone
• Taking future bookings for the equipment 
• Cleaning and maintenance of vehicles when they’re returned 
• Marketing and promoting the shop 
• Some other occasional ad hoc tasks as required

We’ll give you: 

• Comprehensive training, including Customer Service, GDPR, Safeguarding and Data Protection 
• The opportunity to choose your days and hours (within our opening times of Tuesday to Friday)
• An accessible city centre location 
• A variety of activities to challenge you and develop your skills 
• The opportunity to take on additional responsibilities as you gain experience 
• Specific tasks focusing on the skills you want to gain 
• A friendly and supportive team of staff and volunteers 
• A mapped out plan of personal development to help you evidence your professional progression

You will be doing really important work with this role, supporting those with mobility issues access the City to lead more independent lives. This opportunity gives you a fantastic chance to learn and develop great transferable skills. 

If you are looking for a volunteer role which gives you the chance to make a real difference to people's lives, this role could be for you. 

Volunteering Arrangements 

 The site will follow the COVID19 safety guidelines and volunteers will be reimbursed reasonable expenses incurred whilst supporting us.

All volunteers are required to undertake our core training programme. This covers basic safeguarding and other key features, such as data protection.

New volunteers will have an opportunity to ‘shadow’ experienced volunteers and members of staff 

Potentially, depending on the candidate, there may be additional opportunities to participate in a variety of accredited training courses. Please ask a manager for further details. 

Volunteers are required to adhere to the organisation’s policies and practice guidelines. 

Reasonable expenses, including travel whilst undertaking this role will be reimbursed. This includes mileage (currently £0.45 p/mile) and parking costs. 

Person specification 

• Honesty
• An ability to be empathic, whilst maintaining professional boundaries 
• Reliability, and only committing to a level of volunteering which is realistic 
• Good interpersonal skills 
• The ability to be non-judgemental 
• Good verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent listening skills 
• Commitment to attend training courses and team meetings 
• Ability to follow organisational policies and procedures including safeguarding, data protection and health and safety
• Dedicated to the empowerment of Disabled people 

Description

Buses are a lifeline for blind and partially sighted people. They help people with sight loss maintain independence, stay connected with friends and family, and access work, education, healthcare, and leisure opportunities. Yet in Wales, only one in ten blind and partially sighted people can make all the journeys they need by bus.

To change this, RNIB Cymru is working with bus companies to ensure drivers understand how to support passengers with sight loss. Our Swap with Me sessions bring bus drivers and blind or partially sighted people together to share experiences and learn practical skills.

We need participants with lived experience of sight loss who use buses to attend these sessions in Bangor and / or Rhyl and share their insights. You’ll help drivers understand the challenges and solutions for accessible travel and take part in practical exercises where drivers experience what it’s like to travel with sight loss.

Training and support will be provided as part of RNIB’s volunteer induction process. Reasonable expenses will be available to fulfil the role.

When and where needed:
In person – Wednesday 11th March 2026 in Rhyl, 10am – 2pm. Wednesday 18th March 2026 in Bangor, 10am – 2pm.
Sessions will be repeated every 3 months.

Region

• Wales

Additional location information

• Bangor and / or Rhyl Venues to be confirmed

Who this opportunity will suit

• This role is reserved for blind and partially sighted applicants

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• • Lived experience of sight loss and bus travel in North Wales. • Comfortable speaking in a group setting and sharing personal experiences.

Description

Buses are a lifeline for blind and partially sighted people. They help people with sight loss maintain independence, stay connected with friends and family, and access work, education, healthcare, and leisure opportunities. Yet in Wales, only one in ten blind and partially sighted people can make all the journeys they need by bus.

To change this, RNIB Cymru is working with bus companies to ensure drivers understand how to support passengers with sight loss. Our Swap with Me sessions bring bus drivers and blind or partially sighted people together to share experiences and learn practical skills.

We need participants with lived experience of sight loss who use buses to attend these sessions in Bangor and / or Rhyl and share their insights. You’ll help drivers understand the challenges and solutions for accessible travel and take part in practical exercises where drivers experience what it’s like to travel with sight loss.

Training and support will be provided as part of RNIB’s volunteer induction process. Reasonable expenses will be available to fulfil the role.

When and where needed:
In person – Wednesday 11th March 2026 in Rhyl, 10am – 2pm. Wednesday 18th March 2026 in Bangor, 10am – 2pm.
Sessions will be repeated every 3 months.

How often will I be needed?

• 5 Hours per Event

• Wales

Additional location information

• Bangor and / or Rhyl Venues to be confirmed

Who this opportunity will suit

• This role is reserved for blind and partially sighted applicants

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• • Lived experience of sight loss and bus travel in North Wales. • Comfortable speaking in a group setting and sharing personal experiences.