Blind volunteer volunteer roles

Are you a dog lover? Do you have the time to help raise a life-changing puppy? Would you like to make a difference to someone's life? If you've answered yes to these questions, then this role could be perfect for you! 

As a Puppy Raiser, you'll provide a 6-8 week-old puppy with the vital foundation for its future role as a guide dog. You'll be looking after a puppy for 12-16 months and will guide him or her through training, socialisation, the introduction of new environments and experiences while providing a loving home.

There might be the odd chewed slipper along the way, but nothing beats the rewarding feeling of loving and raising a puppy who will go on to make an enormous difference to someone living with sight loss.

What you'll be doing:

• Engaging with our world-class training programme to prepare your puppy for the next stages of becoming a guide dog.
• Providing care and support for your puppy at home e.g., loving, grooming and feeding him or her. 
• Socialising your puppy and introducing him or her to a variety of environments to increase confidence – this can be as simple as taking your puppy with you to the shops, office or park as you go about your everyday life.
• Teaching your puppy to be comfortable alone - gradually building up from a few minutes to a maximum of four hours.
• Taking your puppy to monthly puppy classes, and interacting with other puppy raisers in your community whilst refreshing your training and sharing tips.
• Meeting with your volunteer manager as frequently as needed to discuss any changes or issues with your puppy.
• Completing short questionnaires about your puppy’s development.

You'll ideally have:

• A loving home with enough time to invest in raising a puppy and attending to their needs (e.g. toilet training). If you work from home or have hobbies, you'll need to be available to give the puppy regular attention alongside these.
• Someone at home who is physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25-40kg).
• Access to a car, so that you can get your puppy used to travelling.
• The agreement of your landlord to have a dog in the property if you rent your home. 
• A safe secure area outside for your puppy to go to the toilet.

What you'll get:

• The satisfaction of knowing you're supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently, and well.
• The rewarding feeling of watching a mischievous puppy learn new training techniques to help them develop into a guide dog.
• The opportunity to participate in our bespoke world-class training programme – this can help you train your own dogs or advance a future career in dog handling.
• The opportunity to have a loveable, canine companion, proven to reduce feelings of stress and improve fitness – you’ll be out walking rain or shine!
• The chance to be part of the inspirational Guide Dogs community, meeting like-minded people and interacting with a community of puppy raisers in your area.
• A dedicated volunteer manager and fellow peers who will help support you throughout your role.

s a volunteer you'll have access to our world-class training programme, to implement with your puppy in training, a great bonus for any dog owner! This is delivered in an interactive and engaging manner, using a mixture of different learning techniques virtually e.g., videos, documents and e-learning modules. Examples of the modules you'll have access to include:

• Food manners
• Greeting new visitors
• Being home alone
• Settling in new environments

You'll receive plenty of support from your volunteer manager who will help you work through these training modules with your puppy. We also offer puppy classes for puppy raisers in the local area to get together, share stories and provide refreshers on training techniques. 

Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any pre-agreed expenses related to volunteering with us, including veterinary costs, food costs for the puppy and other materials needed for the puppy’s training. We will also pay an optional allowance of up to £100 a year to offset additional costs, and we have working agreements with certain bus and train operating companies, letting you take your puppy on short training journeys free of charge.

Minimum age of applicant: 18.

To find out if this role is available in your area, please click 'Redirect to recruiter' at the top of the page, and use the postcode search function on the Guide Dogs website to explore local opportunities. 

Are you a dog lover with room in your home to look after a dog during evenings and weekends? This could be the perfect role for you!

As a Training Dog Fosterer, you’ll provide a loving temporary home to a dog in training, typically for a period of 12 to 20 weeks, as they begin their journey to become a guide dog. You’ll get to see the progress your furry companion is making in their training and be a vital part of their journey, without the commitment of looking after a dog full time.

What you’ll be doing:

In this rewarding role, your support for a guide dog in training will include:

• Doing the school run for your dog in training! This will typically involve dropping them off and picking them up at an agreed time Monday to Friday at one of our regional centres or community teams, however, some sites may vary. There are some locations where we will be able to collect and return the training dog from your home. 
• Caring for your dog in your home such as feeding, grooming, free running and playing, following the advice of our expert staff.
• Helping your dog keep up with their training by reinforcing the techniques at home from our first-class training programme.
• Making sure your dog is not left alone for more than four hours in a 24-hour period. If you’re planning on going on holiday, let us know at your initial phone call so we can plan alternative cover for your future life changer.

Can I foster a dog?

If you’re hoping to foster a guide dog in training, here’s what we ideally look for:

• Being close to one of our regional centres or community teams so that your dog can get to their training. 
• The agreement of your landlord to have a dog in your home if you rent your home.
• A safe and secure area outside for the dog to go to the toilet.

However, we try to be flexible – for example, you’ll still be able to foster a dog if you live in London, even if you don’t have access to outside space. 

What you’ll get:

• The opportunity to have a lovable canine companion!
• The satisfaction in knowing you’re supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently, and well.
• The rewarding feeling of seeing your dog learn new training techniques to help them develop into a guide dog.
• An insight into our bespoke world-class training programme so that your dog’s training stays consistent at home, which can also help you train your own dogs or advance in a future career in dog handling.
• The opportunity to be part of the Guide Dogs community, meeting like-minded people in your area.
• A dedicated volunteer manager and fellow peers who will help support you throughout your role.

Training and support

You’ll attend a training workshop to understand the basics of our bespoke training techniques so you can confidently support your dog’s training at home. You’ll also receive ongoing guidance from your volunteer manager. If you have questions about the training requirements, we can answer these at your initial phone call along with any other support or accessibility needs you may have.

Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any pre-agreed expenses related to volunteering with us, including veterinary costs, dog food costs and other materials needed for your dog’s training.

Minimum age for volunteer is 18.

We also have a respite fosterer role available in some areas, where a dog would stay with you full time before moving on to the next stage of its journey.

Please check out our website to see what roles are available where you live.

Join the pack. Lend a hand. Change lives. Join your local fundraising group as a volunteer.

Are you looking for a volunteering opportunity where you can meet new people and raise funds that will change lives?  Join a Guide Dogs group near you for fun, fundraising and four-legged friends.

Did you know it costs £102,000 to raise, train, and support a guide dog from birth to retirement.

We have a range of roles from being a group member, to taking on a lead role such as Group Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator, Treasurer, Merchandise Coordinator or Collection Box Coordinator.

Why become a fundraising volunteer:

As well as making a huge difference to people’s lives, volunteering with your local Guide Dogs fundraising group is a great way to spend some of your free time and give back.

• Inspire people to support Guide Dogs and make a difference to someone with sight loss.
• Have fun finding new events and places to volunteer at.
• You’ll meet lots of special dogs – from young puppies in training to incredible guide dogs in partnership.
• You’ll empower others to get involved with Guide Dogs.
• You’ll learn new skills and we’ll provide all the training you need for your role.
• You can take on as much or as little as you want, and you can fit the role around your other commitments.

Who you are:

We appreciate our volunteers’ passion and energy, but we also value your unique skills, perspectives and personalities.

• Inspire others: Do you have lots of ideas that could motivate others? We need more inspirational volunteer leaders and fundraisers who can bring their energy and unique perspective to our local fundraising groups.

• Bring your skills: Could you help organise a calendar of events, take care of ordering merchandise, or count the funds raised by your local team? We need more volunteer treasurers, secretaries, and merchandise coordinators to support our fundraising groups.

• Help take Guide Dogs into your community: Are you well connected or do you love going to new places and meeting new people? We need more volunteer fundraisers to help at our events and spread the word about our work.

Training and pre-agreed expenses available.

Visit our webiste to see what roles are available where you live. 

Description

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

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

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

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

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

Region

• Wales

Additional location information

• Bangor and / or Rhyl Venues to be confirmed

Who this opportunity will suit

• This role is reserved for blind and partially sighted applicants

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

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

Our Gardener Volunteers support our homes by helping to maintain their outdoor spaces through weeding, pruning and planting, so that the people we support can enjoy spending time in a beautiful environment. 

We are currently looking for volunteer gardeners for one of our services, who can support with the following tasks:

• Create planters

• Provide general maintenance of our gardens

• Watering, planting, weeding and pruning

• Maintaining flower beds

• Creating/improving/maintaining our sensory garden spaces

Skills required 

In order to become one of our gardener volunteers you will be:

• Knowledgeable about plants

• Confident using gardening equipment

• Punctual and reliable

• Friendly and approachable.

Training required for this role (all delivered vis e-learning)

• Safeguarding

• H&S

• Manual Handling

• How to be Eye Care Aware

• Fire Safety

• Infection Control

• Data Security and Confidentiality

• First Aid

All these courses will take approximately 40-60 minutes, apart from the First Aid which is 2 hours.

Benefits

This is a fantastic opportunity to give something positive back to society and have a direct impact on people’s lives.

Gardening is a great way to get out and about, stay fit and meet new people.

Volunteers can claim travel expenses

About us

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. This year we are celebrating our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

What you’ll be doing

You will play an important role in the lives of those in need of a friendly driver. Many of the people we support have their own  vehicles, so you will need to be happy to drive these. You will make a difference by being a reliable driver to take them to appointments and activities.

Skills required

•  To be a confident driver with a full clean driver’s licence

• To be able to assist when necessary with sighted guidance/orientation

  To be kind and friendly, empathetic and patient

• To be reliable and punctual.

Benefits

• This is a fantastic opportunity to give something positive back to society and have a direct impact on someone’s life.

• Driving is a great way to get out and about, meet new people and help others.
• SeeAbility provides training and this can help you to develop new skills.

• Volunteers can claim travel expenses.

About Us 

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. In 2024 we celebrated our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

As a maintenance (handyman) volunteer at SeeAbility, you will support the facility in maintaining a safe, functional, and pleasant environment for people we support and our teams.

This position requires a reliable, skilled, and proactive individual who can carry out general maintenance tasks and assist with small repairs around the property. Your efforts will directly contribute to the well-being of the people we support and ensure that the home remains a comfortable and secure place for all.

 Skills Required 

•   Perform general maintenance and minor repairs to the building and facilities, including but not limited to:  carpentry, painting, decorating and repairing

• Assist with the installation of furniture, fixtures, or equipment, ensuring they meet safety standards.

• Ensure that all tools and materials are properly maintained and stored safely.

• Help identify potential maintenance issues before they become problems.

• Report more complex repairs or safety concerns to the Facility Manager or Maintenance Supervisor.

• Support the care home during renovation or redecoration projects.

• Work collaboratively with other volunteers and staff to ensure the upkeep of the home.

• Would not be asked to carry out and electrical or plumping works

• Adhere to health and safety guidelines, ensuring all tasks are completed with care and in compliance with regulations

Benefits

• Being a maintenance (handyman) volunteer provides a key service by helping to keep our homes in good condition. 
• This is a fantastic opportunity to have a direct impact upon the lives of others
• SeeAbility provides training and this can help you to develop new skills.
• Volunteers can claim travel expenses.

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. In 2024 we  celebrated our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

As a maintenance (handyman) volunteer at SeeAbility, you will support the facility in maintaining a safe, functional, and pleasant environment for people we support and our teams.

This position requires a reliable, skilled, and proactive individual who can carry out general maintenance tasks and assist with small repairs around the property. Your efforts will directly contribute to the well-being of the people we support and ensure that the home remains a comfortable and secure place for all.

Skills Required 

•   Perform general maintenance and minor repairs to the building and facilities, including but not limited to:  carpentry, painting, decorating and repairing

• Assist with the installation of furniture, fixtures, or equipment, ensuring they meet safety standards.

• Ensure that all tools and materials are properly maintained and stored safely.

• Help identify potential maintenance issues before they become problems.

• Report more complex repairs or safety concerns to the Facility Manager or Maintenance Supervisor.

• Support the care home during renovation or redecoration projects.

• Work collaboratively with other volunteers and staff to ensure the upkeep of the home.

• Volunteers will not be asked to carry out any electrical or plumbing works

• Adhere to health and safety guidelines, ensuring all tasks are completed with care and in compliance with regulations

Benefits

• Being a maintenance (handyman) volunteer provides a key service by helping to keep our homes in good condition. 
• This is a fantastic opportunity to have a direct impact upon the lives of others.
• SeeAbility provides training and this can help you to develop new skills.
• Volunteers can claim travel expenses.

About Us

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. In 2024 we  celebrated our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

Our Gardener Volunteers support our homes by helping to maintain their outdoor spaces through weeding, pruning and planting, so that the people we support can enjoy spending time in a beautiful environment. 

We are currently looking for volunteer gardeners for one of our services, who can support with the following tasks:

• Create planters

• Provide general maintenance of our gardens

• Watering, planting, weeding and pruning

• Maintaining flower beds

• Creating/improving/maintaining our sensory garden spaces

Skills required 

In order to become one of our gardener volunteers you will be:

• Knowledgeable about plants

• Confident using gardening equipment

• Punctual and reliable

• Friendly and approachable.

Training required for this role (all delivered vis e-learning)

• Safeguarding

• H&S

• Manual Handling

• How to be Eye Care Aware

• Fire Safety

• Infection Control

• Data Security and Confidentiality

• First Aid

All these courses will take approximately 40-60 minutes, apart from the First Aid which is 2 hours.

Benefits

This is a fantastic opportunity to give something positive back to society and have a direct impact on people’s lives.

Gardening is a great way to get out and about, stay fit and meet new people.

Volunteers can claim travel expenses

About us

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. This year we are celebrating our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

Location: Exeter (hybrid options available)
Hours: Flexible
Term: Three-year periods
Type: Voluntary

Help shape the future of specialist education for young people with vision impairment and complex needs.
At InFocus, we believe everyone deserves to live life to the full, with choice, control, and meaningful opportunities. We support young people who face significant barriers due to vision impairment combined with additional disabilities, helping each individual follow their own pathway towards independence and fulfilment.

We’re now looking for a Volunteer Trustee with strong experience in special education to help guide and strengthen our specialist FE College.

What the role involves

In addition to the standard responsibilities of a trustee, you will:

• Focus on the delivery and development of post-16 education for learners with vision impairment and complex needs

• Scrutinise the quality of teaching and learning

• Provide constructive challenge and professional insight as part of our Education Advisory Committee

• Work closely with our College Principal to champion high-quality, person-centred education

This opportunity would suit someone with experience as:

• A senior leader within a SEND provision

• A headteacher or principal

• A SEND improvement partner

• An Ofsted inspector

Our Board meets seven times a year, with optional invitations to events and celebrations. Trustees are encouraged to attend in person, though online attendance is possible where needed. Travel expenses are covered, and overnight accommodation can be arranged for trustees living outside Devon.

Short on time? Advisory Member roles available

If you’d like to share your expertise without taking on full trustee responsibilities, consider joining us as an Advisory Member. Advisory Members sit on committees and offer specialist knowledge without the full governance role. 

We're keen to hear from you if you'd like to share your experiences as a blind and partially sighted person and help build a world which understands the impact of living with sight loss.

In this role, you will be:

• Delivering talks to groups of sighted people about your lived experience of sight loss to challenge their perceptions and behaviours. Audiences will vary but may include local businesses, community, faith and voluntary groups.

• Making links with your own existing groups and networks in your local community that may want to be involved in reducing barriers to blind and partially sighted people.
• Building relationships with people or local businesses you know.
• Taking part in and sharing information about specific campaigns and initiatives to help remove barriers to blind and partially sighted people.
• Delivering talks on behalf of RNIB’s Social Action Team.

What you'll gain from the role:
• A chance to make a difference to the lives of blind and partially sighted people with a sense of achievement.
• A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people.
• To make an impact by speaking to groups of people.
• An opportunity to develop your role into delivering talks independently as your confidence and skills grow.
• An opportunity to improve public understanding, helping change perceptions and behaviours, building a world which understands sight loss.
• An opportunity to explore different volunteer roles within our organisation and have access to internal employment opportunities.

In return for donating your time we will provide:
• Induction to the role and organisation.
• Training in public speaking and telling your story.
• A supportive volunteer manager.
• Regular catch-ups.
• Expenses.
• An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.

The Admin Volunteer will support our home/service with general day-to-day, ad hoc, administrative tasks, such as:

• Organising files

• Archiving and scanning paperwork

• Collecting and inputting data

• Answering phone calls and welcoming visitors.

Skills required

• To be proficient in Microsoft Office software.

• Very good organisational skills and eye for detail.

• To be punctual and reliable.

• To be able to deal with information in line with our data protection and confidentiality procedures.

• Very good telephone manners/skills.

Training required for this role (all delivered vis e-learning)

• Safeguarding

• H&S

• Manual Handling

• How to be Eye Care Aware

• Fire Safety

• Infection Control

• Data Security and Confidentiality

• First Aid

All these courses will take approximately 40-60 minutes, apart from the First Aid which is 2 hours.

Benefits

This is a fantastic opportunity to give something positive back to society and have a direct impact on people’s lives. 

Through this volunteer role, you can gain experience and develop your skill set. On top of this, SeeAbility provides training which could be added to your CV.

Volunteers can claim travel expenses.

About Us

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. This year we are celebrating our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

Our Gardener Volunteers support our homes by helping to maintain their outdoor spaces through weeding, pruning and planting, so that the people we support can enjoy spending time in a beautiful environment. 

We are currently looking for volunteer gardeners for one of our services, who can support with the following tasks:

• Create planters

• Provide general maintenance of our gardens

• Watering, planting, weeding and pruning

• Maintaining flower beds

• Creating/improving/maintaining our sensory garden spaces

Skills required 

In order to become one of our gardener volunteers you will be:

• Knowledgeable about plants

• Confident using gardening equipment

• Punctual and reliable

• Friendly and approachable.

Training required for this role (all delivered vis e-learning)

• Safeguarding

• H&S

• Manual Handling

• How to be Eye Care Aware

• Fire Safety

• Infection Control

• Data Security and Confidentiality

• First Aid

All these courses will take approximately 40-60 minutes, apart from the First Aid which is 2 hours.

Benefits

This is a fantastic opportunity to give something positive back to society and have a direct impact on people’s lives.

Gardening is a great way to get out and about, stay fit and meet new people.

Volunteers can claim travel expenses.

About Us 

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. This year we are celebrating our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

Description

Sooty, the nation’s much-loved bear and a true national treasure, has featured on RNIB’s collection boxes for over 50 years. Thanks to generous public support, these iconic boxes have raised more than £13 million in donations.

We’re looking for friendly, reliable volunteers to join our network of Sooty Box collectors. In this flexible role, you’ll help place new boxes and collect and bank donations from Sooty Boxes in local shops, cafés and other businesses in your area. Whether you volunteer on your own, with a friend or as part of a group, you’ll be making a real difference in your community.

You can give as much or as little time as you like and fit the role around your other commitments.

Please note: Volunteers are expected to use their own transport and ideally should have access to a car. Mileage or public transport costs will be reimbursed.

How often will I be needed?

• 1 Hours per Week

Key requirements

• Requires 2 references

  Who this opportunity will suit

  Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

• What skills and experience are needed?

• • Good organisational skills • Trustworthy, enthusiastic and self-motivated • Willing to travel in and around your local area • Comfortable working independently • Able to send and receive emails