39 Volunteer roles for the Justice sector

The Witness Service supports victims and witnesses when they come to court by providing practical information and emotional support, helping them to feel confident when giving their evidence. You’ll need to be able to attend court once per week in your local area during normal court hours, usually 9am to 5pm.

You’ll offer practical guidance around court processes and offer emotional support for witnesses as they wait to give evidence. You may also spend time with witnesses after they have given their evidence to help them process their experience.

This role also involves showing witnesses around the court in advance of their trial date, answering questions and supporting people with understanding how the court works. This may be through either an in-person or virtual pre-trial visit (which includes a virtual court tour).

No prior knowledge of the courts is required. However we do ask that you have excellent communication skills and are a friendly, empathetic and approachable person.

Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a UK-based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise. We are supported by an incredible team of prison volunteers who are the link between the charity and the stitchers we work with in prison. Our volunteers run fortnightly stitching groups in the prisons we work with to facilitate our stitchers’ production of high-quality needlework.

Our prison volunteers work in small teams to teach our stitchers’ embroidery and needlepoint, organise their group sessions, and liaise with the prison and FCW office.

What you will do as a prison volunteer:

• Teach people in prison how to stitch and support the completion of our premade kits in our cell groups, which consist of around 10-15 stitchers.
• Communicate with staff at our hub in Battersea to receive kits and supplies for your group and send back completed work for your stitchers to be paid.
• Develop stitchers’ skills and confidence by encouraging them to take responsibility as peer mentors.
• Act as an ambassador for the charity and sharing our vision and values throughout your volunteering.

Who we are looking for:

• Skills in embroidery and/or needlepoint or a willingness to learn to stitch is essential for this role.
• Ideally some teaching experience or experience working with socially-excluded groups.
• Someone with a non-judgemental attitude and commitment to rehabilitation.
• Someone who is an excellent team worker.
• Someone who is good at observing personal boundaries.

Commitment: our stitching groups run for 2 hours every fortnight, so with travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

You must be over 18 for this role with the ability to travel to the prison. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

Wild We Stand is a fully volunteer-led collective and this is a volunteer opportunity. We are a flat collective where everyone belongs, a co-creation space where we get excited about your work, support your ideas, and want you to thrive with genuine freedom. We highly value our team’s time and expertise, and provide learning opportunities, perks, and a community for us all. While this is currently a volunteer role, as a registered Community Interest Company (CIC), our shared goal is to build a sustainable pathway to paid roles as the collective grows.

Time Commitment: We’re looking for long-term collective members and partners. We’re flexible on time commitment but it would be ideal if you were excited and available to dedicate 5 hours per week to Wild We Stand.

Location Policy: Fully Globally Remote. Must be available for 1-2 hours of meetings weekly within core UK hours to collaborate with the team.

What is the role?

As our Web & Digital Lead, you will look after our website and online presence to make sure everything runs smoothly and stays updated.

You will manage our Wix site, keep our shop and event listings running seamlessly, and upload new content and zines so our community can easily connect with our work.

This is a volunteer position. Your work in our purpose-driven collective will have a direct role in shaping the visual language of a justice-centred environmental movement.

What will you be responsible for?

1. Manage, update, and maintain the Wild We Stand website.

2. Set up and look after shop pages, digital downloads, and event ticketing.

3. Upload new graphics, zine PDFs, and content updates provided by the Visual and Editorial leads.

4. Fix any website glitches or tech issues to keep things running smoothly.

5. Commitment to a decolonised imagination that connects conservation to the intersections of wildlife and oppression.

6. An unwavering drive to confront the consequences of capitalism and systems of power with the urgency required for genuine change and justice.

What are we looking for?

1. Practical experience building and managing sites on Wix (or similar).

2. Comfort setting up simple online store features, digital downloads, and ticket links.

3. A practical, hands-on mindset to handle site updates independently.

4. Good organizational skills to keep pages updated and tidy.

5. Shared commitment to radical ecology and accessible digital spaces.

6. A collaborative, non-hierarchical mindset that thrives in a flat collective structure.

It would also be great if you had:

• Experience setting up community newsletter tools or membership pages.

Why Join Wild We Stand?

As a member of our Founding Collective, you will help lead an organisation dedicated to exploring the crucial intersections of conservation, wildlife, oppression, and the fight for justice and liberation. You will join a team focused on untangling these complexities through critical engagement and candid discussions to light the pathway for solving global challenges.

We are proud to offer:

• Belonging in a truly flat, supportive co-creation space where we hype your work and give you space to be your best self

• Membership in the Wild We Stand collective and access to all WWS programmes, events, and content

• Collective mentorship and peer solidarity to process systemic issues and sustain the drive for change

• The tools you and your team need to thrive

• Access to all WWS programmes, events, and content

• Team recognition, treats and physical & virtual get-togethers

• A pathway to paid positions as part of a collective roadmap

Wild We Stand is a fully volunteer-led collective and this is a volunteer opportunity. We are a flat collective where everyone belongs, a co-creation space where we get excited about your work, support your ideas, and want you to thrive with genuine freedom. We highly value our team’s time and expertise, and provide learning opportunities, perks, and a community for us all. While this is currently a volunteer role, as a registered Community Interest Company (CIC), our shared goal is to build a sustainable pathway to paid roles as the collective grows. 

Time Commitment: We’re looking for long-term collective members and partners. We’re flexible on time commitment but it would be ideal if you were excited and available to dedicate 5+ hours per week to Wild We Stand.

Location Policy: Fully Globally Remote. Must be available for 1-2 hours of meetings weekly within core UK hours to collaborate with the team.

What is the role?

As our Visual & Creative Lead you will own the aesthetic identity and graphic output of Wild We Stand, working closely with our editorial and community leads to shape the visual language of our movement.

You will help us to define a creative strategy for the collective, and produce all our visual assets, including events & announcement posters, carousels, print media and more.

This is a volunteer position. Your work in our purpose-driven collective will have a direct role in shaping the visual language of a justice-centred environmental movement.

What will you be responsible for?

1. Design and format print/digital zine layouts, publications, and editorial assets 

2. Establish and maintain the visual identity, typography, and graphic aesthetic across all collective materials.

3. Produce print-ready artwork and specifications for stickers, flyers, posters, and physical merchandise.

4. Export clean graphics and visual assets for digital channels, campaign launches, and event promotions.

5. Commitment to a decolonised imagination that connects conservation to the intersections of wildlife and oppression.

6. An unwavering drive to confront the consequences of capitalism and systems of power with the urgency required for genuine change and justice.

What are we looking for?

1. Proficiency in graphic design tools (such as InDesign, Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator, or Figma).

2. Experience in editorial layout, print preparation, or zine design.

3. A strong visual portfolio showcasing experimental, radical, or narrative-driven creative work.

4. Ability to take raw copy and transform it into compelling, accessible visual layouts independently.

5. Alignment with radical ecology and a desire to use art as a tool for movement-building.

6. A collaborative, non-hierarchical mindset that thrives in a flat collective structure.

It would also be great if you had:

• Experience working with eco-friendly print processes or local print shops.

• Illustration, collage, or physical media artwork skills.

Why Join Wild We Stand?

As a member of our Founding Collective, you will help lead an organisation dedicated to exploring the crucial intersections of conservation, wildlife, oppression, and the fight for justice and liberation. You will join a team focused on untangling these complexities through critical engagement and candid discussions to light the pathway for solving global challenges.

We are proud to offer:

• Belonging in a truly flat, supportive co-creation space where we hype your work and give you space to be your best self

• Membership in the Wild We Stand collective and access to all WWS programmes, events, and content

• Opportunity for a formal Director stake in the Wild We Stand CIC

• Collective mentorship and peer solidarity to process systemic issues and sustain the drive for change

• The tools you and your team need to thrive

• Access to all WWS programmes, events, and content

• Team recognition, treats and physical & virtual get-togethers

• A pathway to paid positions as part of a collective roadmap

Wild We Stand is a fully volunteer-led collective and this is a volunteer opportunity. We are a flat collective where everyone belongs, a co-creation space where we get excited about your work, support your ideas, and want you to thrive with genuine freedom. We highly value our team’s time and expertise, and provide learning opportunities, perks, and a community for us all. While this is currently a volunteer role, as a registered Community Interest Company (CIC), our shared goal is to build a sustainable pathway to paid roles as the collective grows. For candidates who commit deeply and demonstrate strong long-term alignment, we are actively open to offering an equity % in the collective.

Time Commitment: We’re looking for long-term collective members and partners. We’re flexible on time commitment but it would be ideal if you were excited and available to dedicate 5+ hours per week to Wild We Stand.

Location Policy: Fully Globally Remote. Must be available for 1-2 hours of meetings weekly within core UK hours to collaborate with the team.

What is the role?

As our Movement & Strategy Director, you will be the first new addition to our leadership team, and directly work alongside our co-founders to create narrative strategy and translate concepts into clear movement direction.

You will help us design strategy and structure to help grow the collective. We are just starting our journey or assessing membership models, grants, and creating project timelines to host more & bigger events and build a sustainable pathway to pay our collective members and founder.

This is a volunteer position. Your work in our purpose-driven collective will have a direct role in shaping the visual language of a justice-centred environmental movement.

What will you be responsible for?

1. Partner directly with our co-founders to finalise and launch our Manifesto, create our Narrative Strategy, co-design campaign concepts and strategic hooks

2. Help to build and launch a community membership model to generate revenue for bigger events, project budgets, and collective pay

3. Map out project timelines and strategic roadmaps to turn ideas into structured, executable campaign timelines

4. Identify and help to submit applications for grassroots micro-grants, council climate funds, and community pots

5. Commitment to a decolonised imagination that connects conservation to the intersections of wildlife and oppression

6. An unwavering drive to confront the consequences of capitalism and systems of power with the urgency required for genuine change and justice

What are we looking for?

1. Proven experience growing or co-leading a collective, non-profit, grassroots movement, or community initiative

2. Background or experience in narrative strategy, movement communications, campaign messaging, in related spaces (conservation, environment, culture, social justice, community)

3. A strategic mindset, excited to ideate, build and create

4. Ability to bring strategic timelines and structure while preserving our grassroots ethos

5. Self-directed initiative to take big concepts and turn them into clear, structured project plans

6. A collaborative, non-hierarchical mindset that thrives in a flat collective structure

It would also be great if you had:

• Existing connections to environmental, climate justice, or grassroots grant funding networks

Why Join Wild We Stand?

As a member of our Founding Collective, you will help lead an organisation dedicated to exploring the crucial intersections of conservation, wildlife, oppression, and the fight for justice and liberation. You will join a team focused on untangling these complexities through critical engagement and candid discussions to light the pathway for solving global challenges.

We are proud to offer:

• Belonging in a truly flat, supportive co-creation space where we hype your work and give you space to be your best self

• Membership in the Wild We Stand collective and access to all WWS programmes, events, and content

• Opportunity for a formal Director stake in the Wild We Stand CIC

• Collective mentorship and peer solidarity to process systemic issues and sustain the drive for change

• The tools you and your team need to thrive

• Access to all WWS programmes, events, and content

• Team recognition, treats and physical & virtual get-togethers

• A pathway to paid positions as part of a collective roadmap

Make a Difference – Become a Group Work Support Volunteer

Location: Stafford

Commitment: 4–6 hours per week on Wednesdays

At Change Grow Live, we support people to overcome challenges related to dependency and recovery. As a Group Work Support Volunteer, you’ll play a vital role in helping individuals on Probation feel supported, included, and empowered to make positive changes in their lives.

Group Work Support Volunteer  - Stafford

What You’ll Be Doing

• Welcome and support individuals attending group sessions
• Encourage participation and build confidence
• Help plan and prepare engaging group activities
• Take accurate session notes and write up feedback
• Co-facilitate sessions alongside experienced staff
• Provide compassionate support to individuals within a group setting
• Help people connect with local support services (e.g. housing, mental health, food banks)

(please see attached volunteer role description for full role and person specification)

 What You’ll Gain

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills. You’ll benefit from:

• Full training and ongoing support
• Experience in group facilitation and support work
• Confidence in working with people from diverse backgrounds
• Opportunities to progress towards leading your own group sessions
• Valuable experience for careers in criminal justice, health, or social care

Please note before applying for this role -

• The volunteer role is based at Approved Premises in Stafford on Wednesday for 4 – 6 hours
• Some of the training for this role is eLearning and so access to a laptop in order to complete this will be beneficial
• This role will require you to complete an Enhanced DBS check and Enhanced Level 1 vetting clearance for the Probation Service
• We welcome applications from those with and without Lived Experience of drugs, alcohol and the criminal justice system.
• Please remember to complete the Personal Statement part of the application as this forms part of the shortlisting process

To find out more about this exciting opportunity please read the attached role description.

Help Make a Difference Every Day

Your time and skills can help change lives. Join DFN as a Volunteer Administrative Assistant and become part of a friendly team supporting an international charity making a lasting impact on vulnerable communities in India.

Based in our Stafford office, you'll help keep our day-to-day operations running smoothly while gaining valuable experience in a supportive and welcoming environment.

Please see the attached Role Description for full details about the role and how to apply.

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 information about the group 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 be:

• Developing skills and confidence
• 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's 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 some knowledge of needlework.

Volunteers work in prisons around the UK dependent 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.