Students volunteer roles

About Us

Focus Surrey runs a Saturday Club for autistic children aged 3 to 16. We provide a fun, supportive and child-centred environment where children develop communication, social interaction and early learning skills through play, guided by the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Sessions are led by experienced practitioners, including Board Certified Behaviour Analysts (BCBAs).

We are recruiting volunteers to join our Saturday Club and support autistic children through play-based activities. This is a great work experience opportunity for students and individuals who are interested in developing their understanding of children with disabilities and gaining meaningful experience in psychology, SEN, education, therapy or related fields. The role supports early career development by offering practical experience in a structured and supportive setting where volunteers can build foundational skills confidence and understanding

The Role

As a Volunteer Play Assistant, you will support autistic children during structured and creative play activities, helping them build communication, social interaction and confidence in a positive and inclusive environment. You will work with qualified practitioners, gaining direct experience using evidence-based approaches such as ABA in practice, while receiving ongoing support and guidance throughout the sessions.

Volunteers are allocated a specific child based on their experience and interests, allowing you to build consistency and rapport over time. The role involves active engagement with children, responding to individual needs, and contributing positively to a collaborative and supportive team environment.

What You’ll Gain

· Hands-on experience supporting autistic children in a real-world SEN setting

· Practical exposure to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in practice

· Experience working alongside qualified practitioners and gaining support and guidance

· Development of transferable skills including communication, teamwork and behaviour support

· Increased confidence working with children with diverse needs

· Enhanced DBS check provided

Commitment and Timing

The club will run for 12 Saturdays between February 21st to May 23rd, 2026, from 9am to 4pm each day. Volunteers are encouraged to commit to the majority of the term to ensure consistency for the children and to gain the most from the experience.

Location

The club is based at Merton College in Morden. The venue is a five-minute walk from Morden South Station and is also accessible by bus routes 80, 93, and 154.

Client Support Volunteer - Manchester Schools Project

Do you want to make a difference to someone experiencing the housing emergency?

Information about the role

School staff are working hard to support the thousands of families living in insecure and unsuitable housing in Manchester. Shelter’s @HOME project helps fight for secure and stable homes by working families who would benefit from early intervention to prevent them from becoming homeless and/or mitigate the impact of homelessness on their education. 

Your role will be to support the @HOME coordinator during drop-ins for parents in various school locations.

Location: Various locations across Manchester

Suggested contribution: Two half days per week

Availability: Fridays (Flexible)

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now by clicking ‘fill in an application’ or read on more for details.

Main activities may include:

• Greeting people as they arrive to the drop-in
• Completing registration forms with people as they arrive
• Signposting to appropriate agencies and giving out information
• Running checks with people to assess benefit eligibility
• Being there for people if they need someone to listen
• Translating for clients if possible (common languages: Urdu, Arabic, Somali)

This role fights the housing emergency by supporting people who are struggling with housing and bringing them one step closer to a safe home.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering.

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity.

Your skills and experience

We’d love the volunteer in this role to have good communication skills and be confident with using IT. But the most important thing is that you are friendly and caring, with enthusiasm for fighting the housing emergency.

Supporting you

• You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook.
• The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences.
• You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer expenses policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance.
• You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders.

Next steps

You can apply for this role by clicking ‘fill in an application’. If you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us to see what options are available.

We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further.

Upon offer of role, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions and complete a basic level Criminal Record Check. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean you can’t volunteer with us. We will have a conversation with you to discuss the convictions in relation to the role you have applied for. Sometimes it may limit the ways you can get involved. Please contact us if you require more information.

The Events Officer oversees chapter events, ensuring they run smoothly from start to finish. You’ll manage event requests, coordinate volunteers, support Lead Volunteers, and follow up on post-event tasks such as social media, hours tracking, and costume returns. Strong organisation, communication, and teamwork skills are essential to keep events engaging and well-staffed.

School governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education. Governors are needed to support and challenge schools to help realise their potential.

Anyone with an interest in education can be a governor. Governors are volunteers who work to further the school’s development.

The governing board consists of people from the school’s community, parents, school staff and representatives of the council.

Together with the headteacher they set the future direction for the school and decide how the school’s budget should be spent.

What will you be doing?

As our Technical VR Advisor you'll act as a senior technical voice for the team, providing strategic technical guidance and sharing your experience rather than day-to-day management. Working alongside our Lead Developer and a motivated team of four software developers, you will have the opportunity to:

This role has two sides, and you might lean more towards one than the other:

Product and strategy guidance:

• Advise on hardware decisions, particularly our upcoming transition to standalone VR headsets
• Share knowledge of the VR landscape: tools, platforms, what's working in the industry to help us make smart choices with limited resources
• Help us think about user experience design for an educational audience aged 14–18

Technical and development guidance:

• Advise on software architecture, tooling, and development practices for our Unity/C# VR application
• Mentor volunteer developers, helping them think through technical problems and grow their skills
• Guide the team on performance optimisation and best practices
• Help flag technical risks or opportunities as our product evolves

Note: Strength in either area is valuable (both together is ideal). This is a flexible advisory role and you can shape your involvement around where your experience has the most impact.

What are we looking for?

• Solid knowledge of the VR/XR space
• Familiarity with the VR hardware landscape, particularly standalone headsets (e.g. Meta Quest)
• We'd ideally love someone with professional or substantial hands-on experience in VR, but if you've built that depth through research, teaching, or personal projects, we'd still love to hear from you
• Experience with Unity and/or C# is a bonus but not essential - product and strategic experience in VR is equally valuable
• An interest in mentoring or teaching
• Someone who can commit roughly 1–3 hours per week, with the flexibility to scale up occasionally
• Passion for education, equity in STEM, or making technology accessible to young people

Nice to have: experience with educational software, interactive design, or working with non-profit / volunteer teams.

What difference will you make?

By lending your experience you'll be directly contributing to our goals to:

• Educate students aged 14–18 on the real-world applications of physics using VR
• Increase equitable access to super-curricular STEM activities in disadvantaged communities
• Show young people that physics can lead to exciting careers beyond academia

Role Overview
Are you a retired health professional or a SLT students, or looking at retraining to become a speech and language therapist... Read on!!

We are seeking dedicated and compassionate Volunteers to join our new drop in group in Hemel Hempstead that takes place on 1st monday of the month from 11am to 1pm. This role is ideal for individuals looking to make a meaningful impact in the community while gaining valuable experience.

The Say Aphasia charity provides support groups across the UK for people with aphasia; a language and communication disability caused by a brain injury like a stroke. Aphasia affects over 350,000 people in the UK but is little understood or known about by the public. It is the only aphasia charity set up by people with aphasia for people with aphasia; helping them to adapt to their new way of life and regain their independence and confidence.

Aphasia occurs due to injury to the brain such as a stroke. It affects access to language, resulting in difficulties following conversations, speaking, reading and writing.

Volunteers will support the running of the group with communicating, and will have the opportunity to utilise their communication skills and IT knowledge to take a register of attendance.

Responsibilities

• Provide companionship and support to individuals, particularly those living with asphasia.
• Assist in organising activities that promote social interaction and engagement.
• Communicate effectively with participants, ensuring their needs are understood and met.
• Help maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
• Collaborate with other volunteers to enhance the group.

Qualifications

• An understanding or knowledge in aphasia is desirable.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse groups.
• Proficiency in IT, including familiarity with common software applications.
• A compassionate and patient attitude towards individuals in need of support.

This volunteer position offers a rewarding opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of others while developing personal skills and experiences.

Do you want to support a local school in enhancing its outcomes for its students? Do you want to develop your board level experience? Have you got a passion for making a difference in your communities?

As a school governor, you’ll operate at board-level and develop strategic leadership skills and assist in making decisions on a wide range of topics; all while collaboratively improving education within your local community.
We’re currently recruiting volunteers for schools in Spalding to strengthen their governing boards and enhance outcomes of pupils within your communities. If you feel, you want to make a difference within your community, read on for more details about the role of a governor and how to apply.

Governors make decisions that affect schools and their pupils for years to come; our recent impact survey found that our volunteers bring £9.9 million worth of value to schools each year, and 9/10 volunteers would recommend being a governor to a friend. Becoming a governor gives you ample opportunity for personal and professional development, including exposure to finance and budgeting, safeguarding, HR, strategic planning, and more.
As a governor, you can visit the school to gain an understanding of the culture and ethos and to get the most out of the role as well as have the opportunity to meet children, parents, and teachers, and see the impact of your work first-hand. Governors act as a ‘critical friend’ to their head teacher ensuring accountability and helping to monitor and evaluate the schools progress, budget and staffing. You’ll also help to shape and implement future plans and guide the schools aims, ethos and values.

You don’t need to be a parent or have any specific skills to become a governor as long as you’re over 18 and happy to have a DBS check, you can apply! Professional skills such as HR, finance, law or project management are useful but governing boards are often needing softer skills such as leadership, communication and problem solving alongside a fresh perspective and lived experience within their communities. As a governor, you’ll be supported by the Chair, head teacher and the rest of the governing team.

This vacancy is for a primary school looking to find a governor to sit on their board with experience of SEND and Safeguarding. The school is a small friendly village school set in an old building and embraces the natural environment to ensure the children have a strong relationship with their communities. 

If you’re interested in becoming a school governor, fill out the short application form on our website.

Enjoy driving? Make a Real Difference as a Volunteer Driver!

Are you someone who loves to drive and enjoys the freedom of the open road? Here’s an opportunity to use your driving skills to help others while making a positive impact in your local community. At Together Trust, we champion the rights, needs, and ambitions of children, young people, and adults with disabilities, autism, and mental health differences – and we need volunteers like you to make a difference.

What You’ll Be Doing:

As a Volunteer Driver, you’ll help transport people to a variety of destinations, including social activities, school, work placements, day trips, and more. Your time and kindness will help enrich lives, giving those we support greater independence and opportunities to thrive. The role is flexible, and you’ll find it just as fulfilling as the people you support.

Why You’ll Love Volunteering with Us:

Use Your Driving Skills for Good: If you love driving, this is the perfect way to make the most of that passion. No need to worry about the wear and tear on your own vehicle – we provide the cars, minibuses, and MPVs.

No Cost to You: We cover all the running costs of the vehicle, including fuel, and we’ll reimburse your travel expenses to and from the vehicle collection point. All you need to do is bring your enthusiasm!

Flexibility & Structure: Whether you have a few spare hours each week or you’d like to volunteer more frequently, you can choose the journeys and schedule that suit you. Build your week around your volunteering, it’s that simple!

A Sense of Purpose & Fulfillment: There’s nothing quite like knowing that what you’re doing matters. In this role, you’ll experience the satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re making a real difference to someone’s life.

Gain Experience in Social Care: Depending on the services you want to be involved in, you could be helping students from special education, young people from residential homes, or adults with disabilities. It’s a wonderful way to be part of a caring, supportive community.

Meet New People: Volunteering is a great way to connect with others, both the people you’re helping and fellow volunteers. It’s a wonderful way to socialise, and you’ll find that making these connections will uplift your spirits, too.

What You’ll Need:

• A full UK driving licence (held for at least two years) or a D1 entitlement.
• A few hours a week (or more, if you prefer) to give.
• A calm, patient, and friendly attitude.
• Confidence driving larger vehicles (minibuses or MPVs) is ideal.

What You’ll Receive:

• Full training and support to help you feel confident in your role.
• Ongoing guidance from our friendly team.
• All expenses fully reimbursed, including travel and fuel costs.
• Access to our fleet of vehicles – no need for your own car.
• A meal allowance if you volunteer for 4 hours or more during a mealtime.
• References upon request to support your future endeavours.

Volunteer as a princess, superhero or jedi to bring magic to children who need it! 

Make a Smile volunteers can take on a number of different roles:

1. Characters - Visit children in costume, as well-known children's characters (eg princesses and superheroes). Provide support at events of a number of other charities, children's hospitals and council organisations through storytime, interactions and activities. 

2. Magic Makers - Visit children out of costume and provide enrichment such as arts and crafts, games etc. 

3. Committee - Help behind the scenes by organising events, recruiting volunteers, running training sessions, helping sort costumes, running fundraisers etc.

Wherever your skills lie! All training is given and costumes provided so all you need is a bit of enthusiasm! 

About Roots Academy.

Roots Academy’s Vision.

A generation of young Muslims who embody and promote a God-centred way of life.

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries. Our Mission is to deliver a structured and transformative education in the Essentials of Islam in a way that lowers barriers to access, develops a deep certainty, and inspires action.

Why Does Roots Academy Exist?

Crisis of Faith: 1 in 4 young Muslims are leaving the religion due to various factors, primarily the pervasive anti-religious content and temptations they encounter online and offline.

Roots Academy exists to bridge this gap by providing a structured and transformative Islamic education that speaks directly to the needs and challenges of young Muslims today, delivered in an engaging and accessible form that removes barriers to access and provokes thought and action.

Role Summary.

As a QA Reviewer at Roots Academy, you'll work closely with Regional Leads and the QA team to help maintain and raise the quality of teaching across our programmes. Your role is to support our instructors by regularly observing lessons, offering constructive feedback, and encouraging their continued growth and development.

Your input will help ensure that students benefit from lessons that are clear, engaging, and rooted in sound educational practice.

Key tasks

· Observe lessons via site visits or submitted video recordings throughout the semester.

· Use standardised forms to assess lesson quality and highlight key strengths and areas that could be improved.

· Offer honest and practical feedback, using real examples to guide instructors toward better practice.

· Work alongside Regional Leads to deliver feedback at set points in the semester and support instructor development conversations.

· Attend feedback meetings and take notes to track progress and follow-up actions.

· Recommend helpful activities for instructors, such as shadowing experienced colleagues, team teaching, or reviewing their own lessons.

· Keep track of instructors needing additional support by scheduling follow-up visits or reviewing new lesson recordings.

· Make sure feedback is received, understood, and followed up with clear next steps.

· Raise any serious concerns or ongoing issues with the Regional Lead or relevant team members.

What we’re looking for

· Background in teaching, mentoring, or classroom observation.

· A supportive but honest approach to giving feedback.

· Good understanding of what makes a lesson effective and engaging.

· Confident communicator with good organisation skills.

· Able to work both independently and as part of a wider team.

· Respectful of diverse backgrounds and familiar with Islamic learning settings.

What we have to offer

· Be part of a team of 100+ dedicated volunteers across the UK, Ireland, Canada, US, UAE and Australia.

· Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform.

· Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.

· Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen.

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position.

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy.

We are asking Local Coordinators to launch Amnesty Human Rights Where You Live initiatives in their area of the East Midlands, helping to bring together local people with an interest in human rights. This is an on-the-ground role promoting activism in your area.

Over the next twelve months, Coordinators would then support their local team to: 

• Raise awareness of and campaign on human rights issues locally. 

• Persuade local politicians to put human rights at the heart of their decisions 

• Engage their local community and ‘change the conversation’ on human rights

• Mark International Human Rights Day on 10 December 

• Set up an Amnesty local group with fundraising to enable future campaigning 

They would also have the chance to team up with other Coordinators to help develop and deliver a human rights campaign for the East Midlands. 

This is a great opportunity to make a difference in your local area on issues you are passionate about while also gaining experience and confidence with a wide range of campaign and communication skills.  

What support would I get? 

Coordinators will be supported at every step by the Amnesty East Midlands Regional Organiser and other staff, who will provide: 

• Support for a local launch meeting for Human Rights Where You Live 

• Training in knowledge and skills 

• 1-1 coaching 

• Organising, campaigning and fundraising resources 

• Face-to-face and online networking with other activists as a regional team. 

My main staff point of contact would be: East Midlands Regional Organiser

All Coordinators would:

• Communicate regularly with the East Midlands Regional Organiser

• Feedback on their activities on a regular and structured basis. 

• Aim to attend a reasonable number of core training and networking sessions online and in-person, depending on individual circumstances. 

What skills and knowledge are needed? 

• Some knowledge of your local area in the East Midlands. 

• Good written and oral communications skills 

• Experience of team-working 

• Basic IT competency (email, word processing, etc.) and internet access 

Experience of campaigning is always welcome but not essential – we find that people often have skills from something else they have done that would be very helpful for the role. 

How much time is needed? 

We would estimate around 2-3 hours a week would be the average, although there may be some periods where more or less commitment is needed. We’d ask that you commit to your local Human Rights Where You Live project for at least one year, although we recognize that people’s circumstances do change. 

We also understand that this role may need to fit around your family, studies, caring or other commitments.  

Any other requirements? 

Coordinators would need to be living in the East Midlands and unlikely to move in the next 12 months. We welcome interest from students at East Midlands universities. 

We would ask that any Coordinator be at least 18. However, if you are under 18 but would still like to get involved in Amnesty, please do get in touch to find more about our youth groups. 

We welcome interest from people who are already volunteering with another community or campaign group with an interest in human rights, and who are interested in doing a local Human Rights Where You Live project as a collaboration between Amnesty and that group. 

Volunteer as a princess, superhero or jedi to bring magic to children who need it! 

Make a Smile volunteers can take on a number of different roles:

1. Characters - Visit children in costume, as well-known children's characters (eg princesses and superheroes). Provide support at events of a number of other charities, children's hospitals and council organisations through storytime, interactions and activities. 

2. Magic Makers - Visit children out of costume and provide enrichment such as arts and crafts, games etc. 

3. Committee - Help behind the scenes by organising events, recruiting volunteers, running training sessions, helping sort costumes, running fundraisers etc.

Wherever your skills lie! All training is given and costumes provided so all you need is a bit of enthusiasm! 

Volunteer as a princess, superhero or jedi to bring magic to children who need it! 

Make a Smile volunteers can take on a number of different roles:

1. Characters - Visit children in costume, as well-known children's characters (eg princesses and superheroes). Provide support at events of a number of other charities, children's hospitals and council organisations through storytime, interactions and activities. 

2. Magic Makers - Visit children out of costume and provide enrichment such as arts and crafts, games etc. 

3. Committee - Help behind the scenes by organising events, recruiting volunteers, running training sessions, helping sort costumes, running fundraisers etc.

Wherever your skills lie! All training is given and costumes provided so all you need is a bit of enthusiasm! 

The English class is a part of the Creative Arts and Skills Programme (CASP). It is a safe space for clients to improve their English at their own pace, making friends and immersing themselves in learning to forget some of their daily challenges, whilst being continuously supported by our team of dedicated staff and volunteers throughout their journey.

This weekly English class is a relaxed and friendly space for clients of all language and literacy abilities to practice their English together and develop the confidence to later enrol in a formal college ESOL course. While this class is mostly for beginners, it is also attended by clients who are less comfortable in busy environments and would prefer to learn or improve their English in a smaller group. Some clients are already in college and use this space for extra practice.

We are looking for two volunteers to facilitate this class. The volunteers will work together to develop new class material, and will alternate fortnightly as the main teacher and the support teacher.

Main tasks and activities

• Plan, prepare and deliver high quality English language teaching that meets the differing needs of our clients, taking into account individual learning styles
• Monitor progress and provide regular feedback to each student throughout the term
• Take part in education and training events or schemes as required by the programme
• Keep accurate and timely registers, plus records of travel and other expenses
• Contribute to the development, evaluation, and improvement of the English class, in order to meet learners' needs by actively working as a member of the CASP at HBF
• Keep in contact with the Community and Integration Manager and report any concerns around client wellbeing, following safeguarding procedures when needed

Skills and experience needed

• Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of the Helen Bamber Foundation;
• A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking;
• An understanding of the challenges facing our client group;
• Punctual, reliable and self-motivated with a positive, ’can-do’ attitude;
• Hold a Basic ESOL Subject Specialist qualification (e.g. TEFL, CELTA, university degree);
• Proven experience of teaching as an ESOL/EFL teacher ;
• Experience of informal and community education;
• Experience working with vulnerable people;
• Strong facilitation skills with a focus on inclusivity and community-building
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage own time and workload, and to prioritise a range of competing demands;

What you will get out of the role:

• A strong understanding of how HBF’s integration programmes contribute to the well-being of our clients;
• An appreciation of the processes and systems that asylum seekers and refugees navigate within the UK;
• Access to training opportunities within HBF
• Increased experience and confidence in teaching English as a second language;
• Increased teamwork skills;
• An ability to multi-task between competing priorities.

Please provide a Cover Letter along with your CV to be considered for this role.