People volunteer roles

At St John Ambulance, we are looking to develop our volunteering offer and become an even more integral part of our communities through delivering community first aid and education. 

We need people who have a passion for helping others, care about their communities and want to make a difference. Through volunteering as an Emergency Responder, you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering essential first aid and lifesaving clinical care at community and major events in your areas, including at sporting events, concerts, community festivals.

The Emergency Responder role will see you bring your clinical skills to all kinds of events here in Plymouth. Whether that be at the bigger events such as British Firework Championships and Armed Forces Day, or whether that be at smaller local events such as fetes, local farm summer fairs, school fayres, or a regular Saturday at Plymouth Albion Rugby. You could have the opportunity to become part of a wonderful team at our Plymouth Network, delivering a higher scope of clinical practice and giving back to the community. If you would like to join our team, please apply, we are looking forward to meeting you!

We will make sure you will have access to a proper induction to volunteering with SJA and the training you need for the role you take on. We will also provide you with a supportive environment while you are volunteering with us. Information about our volunteer roles are included in the role descriptions. What you can expect from SJA, and what we expect from those who volunteer with us, is included in the volunteer charter.

100 volunteer hours, 6 days of practical training, in person interview, online training, CPD portfolio.

We will be running a number of information events locally Date, time and location to be advised

If you are successful you will need to undertake induction & training for role at these dates: Date, time and location to be advised

Closing date for these opportunities is: 18/05/2026

To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:

Prison-based volunteers are the backbone of Fine Cell Work (FCW). Supported by the Fine Cell Work programmes team and by other staff at the FCW office, they teach and administer FCW stitching groups in prisons.

Prison volunteers work in teams to organise classes and teach our stitchers, as well as providing groups information to the prison and to the FCW office. The precise mix of skills will vary from prison to prison.

Volunteering in prison for Fine Cell Work requires ideally a good level of needlework skill (or a willingness to learn), some teaching experience and/or experience of working with socially-excluded groups. Volunteers must be patient and non-judgemental in order to work effectively. As a prison volunteer you will:

• Developing skills and confidence
• Teach prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects
• Teaching prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects

It is essential for volunteers to support FCW ethos, believe in rehabilitation, be an excellent teamworker, observe personal boundaries, be reliable and patient to ensure cell groups run smoothly, and have record-keeping skills and have at knowledge of tapestry/needlework. . 

Volunteers work in prisons around the UK dependant on where groups are based, therefore it is requred that volunteers will be able to travel to the relevant prisons. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity. 

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our volunteers.

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in FCW’s workforce.

These include applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+, and male identifying applicants as these are currently under-represented in our volunteers groups.

At Doorstep Library, we’re dedicated to bringing the magic of books and the joy of reading directly into the homes of children who need our support.

With 1 in 4 children in the UK leaving primary school unable to read or write properly, we recruit and train in-person and online volunteers to introduce children from under-resourced areas to the pleasure of reading.

What’s Involved?

As a Doorstep Library reading volunteer, you’ll visit the same families via Zoom every week with eBooks to share with the children and encourage their love of reading.

You will:

• Handpick eBooks from our online portals based on the children’s age, interests, and reading level
• Join families via Zoom with your volunteer partner for 20-minute reading sessions  
• Make notes after the session to keep track of how the child/ren are progressing

Our unique home-based approach allows our volunteers to build trusting relationships with families, helping them to connect with the community and equip them with the skills they need to succeed later in life.

When and Where?

You can be based anywhere in the UK to become a Doorstep Library online volunteer.

• Time commitment: One evening a week (Regular Volunteer), one evening every other week (Semi-Regular Volunteer) or once every 3 weeks (Stand-In Volunteer) during school term times
• Hours per week: 2
• Days: Our projects run on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays from 4:30pm – 6:30pm

Why volunteer with Doorstep Library?

• It's incredibly fun! You get to explore your inner child and share your passion for books and reading.
• We invest in our team of volunteers to ensure they are valued, supported and are developing.
• You will be a part of the Doorstep Library community of families, volunteers and staff members.
• You can make a real difference to the lives of others. Providing you with a real sense of purpose and achievement.
• You give back to the community you live in or the community you visit every week.
• You build your confidence and improve your self-esteem and mental well-being.
• You will develop skills and enhance your C.V. 

Doorstep Library is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and all those it comes into contact with. All volunteers undergo rigorous safer recruitment processes including specified interview questions, a DBS check, and the collection of written and/or verbal references.  Safeguarding training is a mandatory part of the induction process for all volunteers, and they are expected to always adhere to our safeguarding policies and procedures.  

Could you be a star baker, master chef or perhaps you simply enjoy baking or cooking! We are recruiting for a volunteer to join our team supporting individuals to learn new recipes together as a group.

Baking and cooking helps to relax, get creative and indulge in our senses. Often, it can spark nostalgia and helps us to recreate positive experiences or memories. Inspire and motivate people in our services to do something that brings joy, an opportunity to learn new skills whilst connecting with others over sharing baked goods and delicious meals.

What you will be doing

• Research and plan new recipes for cooking/baking sessions in collaboration with the group each week
• Encourage individuals to participate in the sessions and delegate cooking tasks
• Support individuals to shop for ingredients needed for the session
• Support individuals each week in setting up for the sessions and tidying away afterwards
• Encourage individuals to participate in all aspects of the planning and attendance
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team

The skills you need

• Food Safety Certificate/knowledge or willingness to complete relevant training
• Passion and knowledge of healthy eating and cooking
• Ability to engage, encourage and motivate individuals to participate in sessions
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

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, 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 shop sales assistant
• Volunteer stock generation assistant
• Volunteer window dresser/Merchandiser
• 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:

• Welcoming and assisting customers with their purchases, providing them with great customer service and a delightful shopping experience
• Receiving donated items from members of the public
• Sorting, steaming, tagging and preparing donated items for sale
• Creating visually appealing window and in-store displays
• Keeping the shop floor well stocked, clean and coordinated
• Processing sales and serving at the till
• Signing up gift aid donors
• 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.

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, 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 shop sales assistant
• Volunteer stock generation assistant
• Volunteer window dresser/Merchandiser
• 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:

• Welcoming and assisting customers with their purchases, providing them with great customer service and a delightful shopping experience
• Receiving donated items from members of the public
• Sorting, steaming, tagging and preparing donated items for sale
• Creating visually appealing window and in-store displays
• Keeping the shop floor well stocked, clean and coordinated
• Processing sales and serving at the till
• Signing up gift aid donors
• 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.

Our busy Homework Club is part of our delivery of child and family support services, in order that low income and vulnerable families have improved access to services, employment opportunities and life chances.

Do you have some teaching or coaching exeperince either as a parent, classroom assistant or teacher? On Fridays afternoons from 3.30-5.30pm the Centre provides an after-school Homework club during term time. Children from three local primary schools, and a few from Year 7 attend the club.  Many come from families where English is a second language.

Volunteers sit on a table with 1 or 2 children and provide help with their homework, maths and English work mostly, and some reading.  Volunteers commit to one session a week on Friday (3.30 – 5.30pm). 

Our Mission

Each Person Matters: The Cardinal Hume Centre enables families, children and young people to overcome poverty and avoid homelessness.

What are we looking for?

• Ideally you have some experience in teaching, either professionally, voluntary or at home with your own children. 
• You are friendly, patient and can have rapport with children easily.
• Able to help with maths and English at primary school level. 

What is the time commitment?

• Ideally at least one academic term
• Fridays, 3.30 – 5.30pm at The Cardinal Hume Centre and we are trialing an outreach sessions at a local Library & Hotel on otger weekdays

How will you be supported?

• You will be supported by the Family Services staff team. 
• You will have access to wide range of e-learning topics.  Child safeguarding and fire safety awareness is mandatory for all new volunteers.
• You will be reimbursed for travel expenses.

We’re Looking for a Financial Leader With Heart — Could It Be You?

Unlock YOUR Potential is a brand‑new East London charity with a bold mission: to open doors for adults who need support, confidence, and real opportunities to move forward in their careers and lives. Through employability skills, mentoring, coaching, and community‑driven programmes, we’re here to help people step into their future with pride and possibility.

But every strong charity needs a strong financial backbone — and that’s where you come in.

We’re searching for a volunteer Finance Director / Treasurer to lead the set‑up of our financial systems, processes, and reporting.

Just a few hours a month — but with the power to shape the integrity, transparency, and long‑term sustainability of our organisation.

What this role is all about

You’ll help us:

• Set up our financial systems, controls, and processes from the ground up

• Establish good practice in charity finance and governance

• Act as our lead contact and signatory with the bank

• Oversee budgeting, cashflow, and financial planning

• Ensure accurate and compliant financial reporting

• Lead on annual submissions to the Charity Commission

• Provide financial insight that supports strategic decision‑making

Your leadership will ensure we launch with confidence, credibility, and strong financial stewardship.

Who we hope to find

Someone who:

• Has experience in finance, accounting, or charity financial management

• Understands the importance of transparency, controls, and good governance

• Wants to give back in a way that creates long‑lasting impact

• Can offer a few hours a week to help build our financial foundation

• Feels energised by shaping a new charity with purpose and integrity

• Believes in opportunity, community, and the power of second chances

Why your contribution matters

• You won’t just be managing numbers — you’ll be safeguarding our mission.
• You’ll help us build trust with donors, partners, volunteers, and the community.
• You’ll ensure every pound is used wisely to support adults across East London.
• And you’ll play a central role in helping us grow into a stable, responsible, and impactful charity.

Your expertise becomes the anchor that allows our mission to thrive.

If you’re passionate about financial stewardship and want to make a real difference in East London and beyond, this is your moment.

Join us. Help build the financial foundation that unlocks someone’s future.

About the Role

We are seeking a proactive, confident, and highly organised Volunteer Housing & Asset Management Administrator to support our busy Housing and Asset Management teams.

This role is ideal for someone looking to gain experience within a housing association or supported housing environment while making a meaningful contribution to services supporting vulnerable residents.

What we do

Causeway is a small housing association, originally set up to accommodate young Irish migrants, and now providing housing and support services to people from anywhere in the world, with a wide range of needs – from those who just need an affordable place to live, to those who need a helping hand to achieve their life goals.

What we offer

We offer the opportunity to be part of a diverse, multi-disciplinary team, where your skills and creativity will be valued. You will grow and develop with colleagues in similar roles and work collaboratively with other team members, gaining experience in new areas while contributing to the learning of others. As a volunteer, we will cover reasonable travel expenses, provide training opportunities internally and externally, and offer fully flexible working days and hours. 

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds and abilities. We can provide reasonable adjustments to support volunteers who may need them, at interview stage and/or once in the role.

Minimum Age: 18

References Required: We will ask for two employment/character references: These can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Criminal record check: This is conducted by CIHA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires a basic check.

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not nessessarily mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

At St John Ambulance, we are looking to develop our volunteering offer and become an even more integral part of our communities through delivering community first aid and education. 

We need people who have a passion for helping others, care about their communities and want to make a difference. Through volunteering as an Emergency Responder, you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering essential first aid and lifesaving clinical care at community and major events in your areas, including at sporting events, concerts, community festivals.

We will make sure you will have access to a proper induction to volunteering with SJA and the training you need for the role you take on. We will also provide you with a supportive environment while you are volunteering with us. Information about our volunteer roles are included in the role descriptions. What you can expect from SJA, and what we expect from those who volunteer with us, is included in the volunteer charter.

Bedfordshire is made of of 2 Networks, one based in Bedford who meet on a Monday evening and one based in Dunstable who meet on a Wednesday evening, both at 8pm.Events Bedfordshire has historically covered are Bedford River Festival, Dunstable music events, Luton Town FC, Bedford Athletic club and Bedford blues rugby.

Whilst many of the events we cover are at the weekends we do also cover mid-week events.

We are looking to run a volunteering selection and interview session in June, date and venue TBC.

If you are successful you will need to undertake induction & training for role at these dates:

• Welcome Event (Induction) - TBC
• Training for role - This role is subject to a 6 day training course which will be spread across 3 weekends. Locations and dates will be confirmed with 3 courses booked across the East Region, please note travel may be required. The earliest course will be in Norwich in July and August with further courses being planned for September/ October and October/ November.

Closing date for these opportunities is: 16/06/2026

To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:

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.

We are looking for a creative and encouraging Songwriting Support Volunteer to help service users explore music as a form of expression, confidence building, and emotional wellbeing. You will support individuals or small groups to develop their own lyrics, melodies, and song ideas in a relaxed, person-centred environment.

What you will be doing

• Support service users to create original music, including lyrics, themes, melodies, and simple compositions.
• Encourage creativity and self-expression through structured or informal songwriting sessions
• Help service users explore different styles or genres based on their interests
• Provide positive, trauma informed encouragement to build confidence and celebrate progress.
• Feedback to staff after sessions regarding attendance, engagement, and any wellbeing concerns

The skills you need

• A passion for music, songwriting, or creative arts
• Ability to support and encourage people with varying levels of confidence and ability
• Friendly, patient, and person centred approach
• Good communication and listening skills
• Ability to create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun.

As a Legal and Policy Volunteer at Big Brother Watch, you'll be volunteering with Advocacy Team to help us analyse a range of current legislation impacting privacy and civil liberties; digest emerging policy and research papers; conduct parliamentary monitoring and research; and supporting advocacy strategies to achieve change and protect rights and liberties in the UK.

Prior experience is not essential; nor do you need to be training as a lawyer; but motivation and a high level of interest in our issues are vital! You'll be given guidance and supervision to help grow your skills in these areas. This role is ideal for people looking to grow skills in policy or legal analysis, research or campaigns. 

We have 2 vacancies for Legal and Policy Volunteers - one will focus on free speech and protest, and one will focus on facial recognition and digital IDs. Please indicate in your application which area you are most interested in and why. 

We are looking for volunteers with: 

• A demonstrable passion for civil liberties and either research, campaigning or policy/law
• Interest in the intersection of technology and human rights
• Courage to hold the powerful to account
• An ability to volunteer for 1 day (Mon-Fri) per week for a minimum of six months

What we can offer:

• We will reimburse your travel costs within London (zones 1-6) and a daily lunch allowance of up to £7
• Experience working as part of a dedicated, dynamic, positive team of campaigners on critical civil liberties issues 
• Monthly supervisions and support

About Big Brother Watch

Big Brother Watch is a UK civil liberties campaign group fighting for a free future. We’re determined to reclaim our privacy and defend freedoms at this time of enormous technological change. And we fight to win.

We’re a fiercely independent, diverse, non-partisan and non-profit group of campaigners and researchers who work to roll back the surveillance state and protect rights in parliament, the media or the courts if we have to. We publish unique investigations and pursue powerful public campaigns to pursue real change. We work relentlessly to inform and empower the public to collectively reclaim privacy, defend our civil liberties and protect freedoms for the future.

We’re a small, dedicated and highly effective team of seven full-time staff and five volunteers.

Volunteer Drivers 

Enthusiastic, hands-on volunteers needed to help provide food to the community. Bounds Green Food Bank is fortunate in receiving food and other donations from local supermarkets, businesses and individuals. We are grateful to our team of volunteer drivers who both collect and deliver on the food bank’s behalf each week. 

Hours: At any time during the week - this is a very flexible role and there is no minimum time commitment, can choose deliveries to suit your own schedule.

Location: Around the Enfield and Haringey area

About Bounds Green Food Bank: 

Open since June 2020, we serve over 1,500 children and adults in the community. We are committed to improving lives by providing food and essential household items to build a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow. We strive to promote social inclusion by supporting people who find themselves in a crisis situation where they need assistance to feed themselves and their families.

Requirements:

• A driver's license and your own vehicle

• WhatsApp, as this is how deliveries are organised

The role: 

• Each week a timetable showing scheduled food donations by local stores and businesses is posted on the volunteer drivers’ WhatsApp group

• Drivers indicate to the group that they are able to make a particular collection, adding their name to the schedule (this is editable by all chat members)

• Once collected, the donation will need to be delivered either to the hall or to a nearby storage facility according to instructions

• The food bank also makes up parcels for guests unable to access the hall in person. Drivers collect from the hall and deliver  to guests, all of whom live within the surrounding area

Person specification: 

• Flexible

• Attend training as required (Zoom Induction)

• A patient and cheerful approach are helpful! 

Benefits:

• Flexible - book deliveries to suit your own schedule!

• Give back to the community - one of the NHS’ 5 Ways to Wellbeing!

• Gain access to free workshops for volunteers and upskill on a range of topics (conflict resolution, mental health first aid, arts and crafts, and more)

• Join free social events for volunteers (such as picnics, walks, games nights and celebration events)

• Gain a sense of community and meet the huge team of volunteers