Environmental volunteer roles

Our partner is an environmental charity focused on protecting and restoring forests and supporting the communities that depend on them, with a particular emphasis on East Africa.

The Treasurer will join the Board of Trustees and provide oversight of financial management and governance. Working closely with the CEO and Finance Manager, the role includes monitoring financial performance, ensuring appropriate controls are in place, supporting budgeting and reporting, and helping trustees interpret financial information. You will also play a key role in overseeing financial processes linked to international operations.

The ideal candidate will bring strong financial expertise, with a recognised qualification and experience of organisational accounting. An understanding of charity finance is important, ideally with some exposure to international work. You will be comfortable operating at Board level and able to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial colleagues.

This role involves four Board meetings per year, alongside Finance Committee involvement and some ad hoc support, with an overall time commitment of around 10-12 days annually.

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For more Trustee and Treasurer roles please visit the AfID website.

Fundraising volunteers wanted to help East London Waterworks Park reach its funding goals

East London Waterworks Park is working to acquire a 14-acre, concreted-over depot on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, and to transform it into a ‘brownfield rainforest’ with wild-swimming pools and creative learning spaces for the local community. We are showcasing an environment-first, community-led approach to land ownership that will help nature and people thrive together, revolutionising the way we think about green and blue spaces in cities.

Our Crowdfunder raised over half a million pounds towards buying the land, but we are waiting for the landowner to make decisions about the use of the site. Whilst we wait, we need to raise money for the other work we are carrying out. We have an exciting programme of community projects and work coming up, including carrying out biodiverse transformations on other sites in London.

If you have experience of planning or running fundraising campaigns and would like to get involved with a local charity, we would love to hear from you. Perhaps you are buzzing with ideas of how to raise money or are keen to get stuck in and help to make some events happen. Maybe you are a good writer and seller of ideas and would like to join our mini team of funding bid writers. We would especially love to hear from you if you have experience of writing funding applications.

If you are a professional fundraiser and would like to help but are short on time, we would still love for you to get in touch. Even if you are unable to get deeply involved, we would appreciate one-off or ongoing advice.

We hope that people bring radical imagination, peace with nature and courageous inclusiveness to the role.

We meet once a fortnight online on a Thursday evening 

Opportunity to use your expertise and knowledge of the planning system, sound grasp of related procedures and a keen interest in the environment. At CPRE London you will help us protect and improve access to London'sgreen spaces.

As a Senior Planning Volunteer for CPRE  this offers an opportunity to use your investigative skills on planning applications which affect Londoners' access to green spaces and help us to influence positive, environmentally friendly outcomes. You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to national consultations and policy development.

You are accountable to the CPRE London Operations Director.

Hybrid working with occasional attendance at meetings. Our team will provide you with training and support to develop in your role.

This role would suit anyone with an interest in and knowledge of the planning system and environmental issues. CPRE London is dedicated to greening the city, sharing countryside's beauty, tranquillity, and accessibility. Volunteer with us to aid London in becoming carbon-neutral by 2030, boosting biodiversity, and enhancing life for wildlife and residents.

What will you be doing: 

• Investigating planning applications with an impact on London’s green spaces
• Preparing and submitting responses to influence the outcome of planning applications and appeals
• Visiting the local planning offices and proposed development sites to look at plans and record details
• Liaising with parish and district councils and other conservation bodies
• Seeking to influence local and neighbourhood plans
• Building relationships with local organisations to influence their management plans
• Liaising with the planning team and policy committee at National CPRE to contribute to consultations and policy development
• Proactively investigating the planning designation of green spaces in your local area to find out whether there is scope to strengthen these in order to better protect these sites for future generations.

What are we looking for: Skills / Experience

• An eye for detail and an interest in investigative work
• Knowledge of planning and environmental issues is essential 
• Some previous experience in the planning sector would be beneficial in this role
• Good local knowledge of one of these London boroughs would be useful: Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, Newham, Haringey, Enfield, Harrow, Hillingdon, Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, Wandsworth, Lambeth, Hackney, Camden, Brent, Ealing, Hounslow, Merton, Sutton, Croydon, City of London, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley, Havering,
• A willingness to visit the local planning office and proposed development sites
• Able to carry out tasks independently and as part of a team
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Access to a computer and the internet at home and be comfortable using them

Benefits of the role:

• Use your skills and experience to contribute to the success of our charity and make a positive impact on London’s environment 
• Meet like-minded people and enjoy being part of a team
• Enhance your CV by developing new skills and gaining valuable experience
• We’ll support you to develop in your volunteering role and provide you with relevant training
• We’ll give you a reference for your future work or volunteering
• Get involved with social events and workshops on a local and national level, including the annual CPRE conference
• The opportunity to attend a volunteer induction day at CPRE’s national office in London or a regional centre
• We are happy to provide out-of-pocket travel expenses

People & Planet is looking for volunteers to assist with compiling its 2026/27 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, 2025), The BBC, 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.

• 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.

Please note anyone employed by a UK university cannot volunteer as a Researcher.

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. Volunteers are free to work evenings and weekends, but please note People & Planet operates a 4 day week from 9-5.

• One induction session the week prior to your 2 week engagement.

• Completion of a self-access standardisation activity prior to the start of your engagement.

• Attending a brief meeting in the morning or afternoon each day and one individual check-in meeting in week 1.

• Checking the work chat function regularly.

Summer timetable

June 22nd-July 3rd Ethical Investment and Banking, Ethical Careers and Recruitment, Education for Sustainable Development. Induction 18th June 10am

July 13th-July 24th Sustainable Food, Staff & HR, Environmental Policy and Strategy Induction 9th July 10am

August 3rd-August 14th Managing Carbon, Workers’ Rights, Staff and Student Engagement. Induction 30th July 10am

How to Apply

Fill in this form and attach a C.V that has your full name in the filename.

Applications will be processed on a rolling basis until positions are filled, so please apply early to avoid disappointment. The deadline for applications is Wednesday the 20th May at 11:59

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 this 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 contact us.

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.

AtoANI Agriventure

We provide Farming-as-a-Service combining data-driven crop planning, direct distribution, and carbon credit monetization.

Carbon MRV and Climate Finance Specialist

Role Overview
AtoANI Agriventures is looking for a Carbon MRV and Climate Finance Specialist to support the development of frameworks for measuring environmental outcomes from sustainable agriculture initiatives. This role focuses on research and analytical support related to measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, environmental impact monitoring, and emerging climate finance mechanisms related to agriculture and nature-based solutions. The volunteer will assist in reviewing methodologies for environmental monitoring, exploring approaches for quantifying ecosystem benefits from regenerative agriculture, and supporting the preparation of technical documentation and reports.

The role will involve working closely with the project team to help translate environmental data into insights that can support sustainable farming practices and climate-aligned agricultural initiatives.
This role is well suited for individuals interested in carbon markets, climate finance, regenerative agriculture, or environmental impact measurement.
Key Responsibilities

• Design digital MRV architecture for soil carbon monitoring.
• Assist in structuring MRV workflows for regenerative agriculture.
• Support research on carbon credit methodologies and soil carbon measurement.
• Align platform outputs with Verra methodology.
• Develop soil carbon quantification workflows.
• Coordinate for carbon issuance.
• Prepare documentation for carbon credit certification.
• Structure carbon pre-purchase agreements.

Key Outputs

• Soil carbon mapping system
• Carbon sequestration dataset
• Verra-aligned MRV protocol
• Carbon credit issuance pipeline

Volunteer Profile

• Background in Climate Science, Environmental Economics, Sustainability, or Policy
• Climate MRV Specialist
• Carbon markets expertise
• Experience with:
  • Verra Standard methodologies
  • Remote sensing for carbon
  • Climate finance
• Interest in carbon markets, nature-based solutions, or regenerative agriculture
• Strong research and analytical skills

Minimum Hours per Week:

7-9 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Outdoor Learning Volunteer Officers are a key part of our team at Skelton Grange Environment Centre and are involved in:
- Supporting and leading environmental activities with young people and the local community.
- Planning and preparing sessions - and sometimes even developing new activities to help young people connect with nature.
- You will be trained and supported by experienced project staff and work as part of a team with paid staff, trainees and other Volunteers.

Typical activities for the Outdoor Learning Volunteer role include:
- Running environmental education sessions for school visits during term time.
- Running play activities for groups of children and young people during the school holidays.
- Keeping education day resources up to date and developing new resources, activities or materials as required.
- Helping with the general running of the centre and the project, including both development work and routine maintenance to ensure we are an inspiring location for visitors to experience nature.

Benefits to you:
We aim to involve our Outdoor Learning Volunteer Officers in:
- Running a range of outdoor education and play activities and events with schools and community groups on the Skelton Grange Environment Centre site.
- Planning, risk assessing and running safe and engaging activities outside for children.
- All the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to run the sessions, from bushcraft skills to plant identification to working with children.

The role will give you the opportunity to use your skills and experience in a supportive environment and aims to support you into being able to run activities and lead groups independently.
It's a chance to do something very satisfying and worthwhile and have lots of fun with some great people!
If you want to use this role to move on into employment in the environmental sector we can also provide you with a range of useful training courses, job opportunity information, interview guidance and references.

We will provide expenses to cover volunteer travel costs.

What you need:
We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are keen to work with young people and to connect people with green spaces.
People volunteer with us for all sorts of reasons: you may have lots of skills that you are keen to share, or you might be looking for something worthwhile to do with your time, or you might be wanting to launch a career in the environment sector.

This position is open to anyone with a keen interest in Friends of the Earth and our local campaigns in the borough of Camden. We are looking for people interested in environmental and sustainability issues and environmental justice in the Camden community who enjoy assisting in the organisation of events.

Duties:

The events assistants will provide support in our events as part of a team, including tasks like:

• Assisting with the execution of various charity events and campaigns

• Helping with the preparation of events and campaigns

• Attending meetings with the group and events such as FoE marches 

• Setting up event spaces, including decorations and signage

• Addressing any issues that arise during the event and providing immediate solutions

• Collecting event data and feedback from attendees

• Assisting with post-event reporting

Desired attributes: 

• Good organisation skills and a collaborative mindset

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to interact with diverse stakeholders

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

• Passion for the charity's mission and commitment to its values

We are organising a screening of the animated film "Savages" at Clarence Hall in Camden and would like to invite you to the screening and help with the preparation as well as organisation on the day. There is also the Together march in Central London on 28th March. 

Look forward to your application. Anyone who cares about the environment and want to be part of a nice group please apply!

Please send us a message stating clearly why you are interested in volunteering in our group.

betterSoil

We improve soil fertility and climate resilience through compost, biochar, agroforestry, consulting and products.

Senior Data Scientist with Python skills

At betterSoil, we are building a digital solution, the betterSoil Farm Assistant, to support sustainable agriculture using data, satellite insights, and science-based recommendations. We are looking for a Senior Data Scientist to help us take this product to the next level.

Your Role

You will support the development and improvement of our Farm Assistant, working on data models, AI integration, and analytical logic that translates complex data into actionable insights for farmers.

What you’ll do

• Develop and improve data models and analytical frameworks for the Farm Assistant
• Work with Python and data pipelines to process and analyse agricultural and environmental data
• Apply and experiment with AI tools (e.g. Gemini, LLMs, ML models) to enhance recommendations and user value
• Translate satellite, weather, and soil data into meaningful outputs
• Collaborate with our developers, scientists, and product team
• Contribute to the technical vision and architecture of the product

What you’ll gain

• Work on a real-world climate-tech product with impact
• Shape an early-stage digital solution from the ground up
• Collaborate with an international, interdisciplinary team
• Apply your expertise to sustainability, agriculture, and climate challenges

Commitment

• Flexible, voluntary engagement
• Ideally ~10 hours per week, with flexibility depending on project phases

Who you are

• Strong experience in data science and Python programming
• Experience with AI/ML models and tools (e.g. Gemini, LLMs, or similar)
• Comfortable working with complex datasets (e.g. environmental, geospatial, or time-series data is a plus)
• Ability to translate data into practical applications
• Independent, structured, and motivated to contribute to a purpose-driven initiative

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Our partner is a UK environmental charity working to improve biodiversity, water quality and public engagement across a local river catchment, delivering a wide range of projects in partnership with public bodies and local communities.

The Treasurer will join the Board as a Trustee and chair the Finance Committee, providing oversight of financial performance and governance. Working closely with the Chief Executive and finance lead, the role includes reviewing budgets and financial reporting, supporting the development of financial policies, and ensuring appropriate controls and scrutiny are in place. The role also acts as a bridge between the Board and staff, offering both support and constructive challenge, while remaining strategic rather than operational.

The ideal candidate will bring financial experience, either through professional qualification or relevant senior-level roles, along with an understanding of charity finance and governance. You will be comfortable operating at Board level, able to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial colleagues, and confident contributing to strategic discussions.

This role involves around 8 meetings per year, including Board and Finance Committee meetings, with in-person meetings on the outskirts of Oxford and some flexibility for remote participation.

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For more Trustee and Treasurer roles please visit the AfID website.

In preparation for our International Biodiversity Arts Exhibtion, we are seeking volunteer support from a reliable and trustworthy person who wishes to gain experience working for an environmental arts social enterprise. 

This is a remote role for a UK based person who is able to populate application information from spreadsheets into our online gallery inventory within a programme called Kunstmatrix.

The volunteer will also be able to prepare word documents of name and artwork labels to feature in our physical gallery.

The work required should take the volunteer between 5 - 15 hours, depending upon how quickly they can work. Prior to starting work, the volunteer will be able to meet for a video call at a time convenient to them and Insecta Collective director Elizabeth.

The work can be undertaken at any time of day, on any day of the week, providing it is completed within the specified deadline given when the volunteer meeting takes place.

In return for volunteer hours, the volunteer can enter their artwork into our open call exhibition for free. They will also recieve a certificate for their time and dedication.

Could you use your mechanical skills to support your local community?

Join the team at our Bristol-based Hub! You’ll work on our award-winning environmental and social initiative, Bikes Beyond Bars.

About the role

As a volunteer at Life Cycle’s community bike shop, you’ll be part of a friendly, hands-on team that refurbishes donated bicycles and supports sustainable cycling in the local community.

You’ll work alongside professional mechanics and fellow volunteers to:

• Refurbish bikes ready for sale and reuse
• Strip bikes for parts or scrap
• Support Hub staff with bike sales to the public
• Help with online sales (eBay) and general Hub activities
• (Optional) Work alongside people on release from prison to support them with bike repairs

This role is a great opportunity for people who enjoy practical work, love bikes, and want to make a meaningful contribution to environmental sustainability and community impact.

About Bikes Beyond Bars

Life Cycle is a Bristol-based charity that transforms lives and the environment through cycling.

At Bikes Beyond Bars, we take donations of unwanted bikes to our prison workshops across the UK, where their workshop tutors teach men how to refurbish them. Prisoners earn a bike mechanics qualification, gain employable skills, and find a new sense of purpose and hope.

Bikes leave the prison workshop and are taken to our Bristol Hub. There, Life Cycle’s mechanics and team of volunteers check, tweak, and prepare them for sale.

"Life Cycle helped me massively in prison, keeping me occupied and out of the celI. I felt respected and treated as a valued member of society, not just an ex-con." – Jon (name changed).

About you

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Practical, positive and ready to get stuck in
• Has good mechanical skills – if you’re unsure, get in touch!
• Enthusiastic about Life Cycle’s mission, vision and values
• Believes in the possibility of change for those who have been involved in the criminal justice system.    

We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Volunteer Researcher to support our Corporate Fundaising team. Your role will be pivotal in identifying and researching prospects and Charity of The Year Partnerships who align with our mission. You will help us grow our pipeline of supporters and inform personalised, strategic approaches that lead to meaningful engagement and transformational support.

About Us:

Rays of Sunshine is dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill young people and their families by granting wishes and providing ongoing support in hospital and within the community. We are seeking a motivated volunteer to support our major gifts team by conducting research and helping to build our partnerships pipeline.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify and research prospective corporate partners, with a focus on Charity of the Year opportunities

• Build and maintain a structured prospect pipeline to support new business development

• Research CSR strategies, ESG priorities, funding history, key decision-makers and employee engagement programmes

• Strong research and analytical skills

• Commercial awareness and understanding of corporate partnerships

• Excellent attention to detail

• Confident using LinkedIn, Companies House, Charity Commission and online research tools

• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently

What You’ll Gain:

• The opportunity to directly contribute to securing high-value corporate partnerships

• Insight into charity new business and pipeline strategy

• Experience working with a dynamic, ambitious team

• A chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of seriously ill children and their families

• A reference upon successful completion of your volunteering

Role description

The Open Spaces Society, Britain's oldest conservation body, needs additional trustees to broaden our reach.If you are keen to develop strategy and policy for creating, defending, and maintaining commons, greens, and paths, and to develop new approaches to make open spaces available to all, this role is for you. 

Trustees may be co-opted by the present board, but are expected to offer themselves for election by the membership at the first available opportunity.

Working collectively, trustees have three main responsibilities. These are to:

1 set a direction for the society,

2 ensure the society’s plans are carried out appropriately,

3 ensure the society meets its legal responsibilities.

The duties of a trustee are to:

4 ensure the society complies with its articles of association, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations,

5 ensure that the society pursues its objects as defined in its articles of association,

6 ensure that the society directs its resources exclusively towards its objects,

7 in association with the general secretary, ensure that the organisation is adequately staffed, and that the staff and volunteers have appropriate support and resources to pursue organisational goals,

8 contribute actively to the board’s role of developing strategy, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets,

9 safeguard the reputation and values of the society,

10 ensure effective and efficient administration and financial stability, 1

1 appoint the general secretary and monitor her performance,

12 act in the best interests of the society at all times.

Person specification

• Commitment to the society’s mission

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of trusteeship

• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

• Strategic vision

• Objective and insightful judgement

• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team

• Adherence to Nolan’s seven principles of public life (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership).

For more than a century, the RAF Benevolent Fund has stood beside the RAF Family; through
war and peace, hardship and change. From the first day in uniform to the final years of life,
we have been a constant source of emotional, practical and financial support. Today, our work
reaches serving personnel, veterans, families and the bereaved in more than 30 countries.

We are seeking an individual to join our Finance, Audit and Investments Committee which
provides advice, guidance and support to our Board who has Investment management / portfolio
experience.

The successful candidate will:

• advise on matters relating to the Fund’s investment policy and strategy; 
• assist the Committee in monitoring and advising on the performance of the Fund’s Investment Managers; and 
• offer advice and guidance on investing funds on behalf of the Fund

The full role description can be found on our website. These roles are voluntary, however
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses are paid. We will provide the successful candidate with a bespoke
induction programme and relevant training / development.

Interested?

If you have the experience we are seeking and are as passionate about the RAF Family as we are, we 
would love to hear from you. 

Please send an up-to-date CV and covering email / letter outlining your background, skills, 
experience and interest in the role to the email address noted on our website.

We welcome applications from anyone who has the experience we are seeking, irrespective of 
background, community, industry or protected characteristics. If you require any reasonable 
adjustments as part of your application process, please let us know. We operate safer selection 
practices; this will involve the successful candidate being required to have a Disclosure and Barring 
Service check. 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and this position will remain open until we have
found our ideal candidate. No agencies please.