Volunteer roles

Do you enjoy outdoor spaces, flowers and nature? Can you appreciate the beauty of a well-maintained garden and enjoy taking care of it?

We’re looking for volunteer gardeners to help us maintain our gardens in our Birmingham hospice.

At Acorns we provide care and support for life limited or life threatened children and their families. We have three hospices in the West Midlands, which provide a happy homely environment where children can experience all kinds of great activities, meet new friends or relax and enjoy some quiet time.

As a volunteer, you’ll get involved in a variety of hands-on tasks such as planting, weeding, path clearing, sweeping, and general garden maintenance. It's a rewarding way to contribute to our hospice community while enjoying nature and staying active.

We are especially looking for help on Mondays and Thursdays, but we’re also open to flexible hours and days to suit your availability.

Am i right for the role

We are currently seeking volunteers with relevant experience in gardening or outdoor maintenance, as their skills and knowledge will be invaluable in helping us care for and maintain our garden to a high standard

Why volunteer at Acorns?

• Achieve a sense of wellbeing that you are helping your local community
• To connect with like-minded people and make new friends
• To enhance your CV by learning new skills and gain valuable experience
• We’ll give you a reference for future work or volunteering
• You’ll get Invites to social events and participation in our volunteer recognition schemes and awards
• You’ll receive free mandatory and role specific training

Full training will be provided.

Our recruitment process includes attending interview, obtaining two suitable references and a clear DBS check (instigated by Acorns)

At Oxfam, we're not just selling pre-loved items and unique finds – we're working together to build a radically better world. With your help, we will turn pre-loved treasures into resources that empower communities worldwide.

We’re seeking friendly, reliable individuals aged 18 or over who want to make a difference in their community by helping their local Oxfam shop to stay open for as long possible. We need people to open and close the shop, and ensure volunteers know what tasks to undertake so the shop can run smoothly.

No prior experience is needed, as we provide full training. If you’re open to learning, enjoy working with others, and have a passion for helping people, you’ll fit right in!

You have the time to become a volunteer in your community; you might be looking for work experience, the opportunity to meet new people, or keep active.

By volunteering with us in one of our amazing retail spaces you will be raising essential funds for Oxfam – all whilst learning new skills and meeting some incredible people.

What you will be doing

• Undertaking shop related tasks agreed with the Manager, for example:
• Opening or closing the shop.
• Ensuring that the shop is ready to trade or cashing up at the end of trade
• Allocating tasks to members of the volunteer team.
• Selecting, sorting, and pricing donated stock.
• Chatting to customers, giving great service on the till.
• Researching valuable and vintage stock.
• Visual merchandising: creating eye-catching window and in-store displays.
• Photographing and listing items for the online shop.
• This role may include occasionally lifting boxes. We prioritise a safe working environment and provide comprehensive health and safety training to all volunteers.

The skills you need

• We ask that you are reliable and on time for your volunteering
• Full training and support is given for this role - no prior experience is required
• Happy to be part of a team and collaborate effectively with others
• Confident communicator

What's in it for you

• Some lunch and travel costs paid (speak to the Manager first to understand what is covered)
• Access to training and development
• Grow your confidence and meet new people
• Flexible volunteering schedules that fit your lifestyle
• Free confidential support by the Retail Trust
• Possible references for future employers

We’re looking for Pool Spotter Volunteers to support our children, young people and families at our Birmingham Hospice.

At Acorns we provide care and support for life limited or life threatened children and their families.  We have three hospices in the West Midlands, which provide a happy homely environment where children can experience all kinds of great activities, meet new friends or relax and enjoy some quiet time.

Pool Spotter Volunteers need to be lifeguard trained and we provide this training free for our volunteers. Training takes 6 hours over a 1 day period and volunteers are required to retrain every 2 years.

Volunteering with us is flexible. Once sessions are planned, you choose the sessions you help with. We ask that you offer a minimum of two sessions (1-3 hours) per month. You may be asked to attend occasional meetings and additional training sessions

Volunteers are required to complete an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Check, which we will pay for and process for you.

Am I right for the role?

Pool Spotter Volunteers need to:

• Be welcoming and friendly
• Have good communication skills
• Be physically fit and a confident swimmer
• Be willing to undertake lifeguard training
• Be reliable
• Be sensitive to the needs of our children, young people and families
  
  What we offer:
   
• Meet new people everyday
• Access to free online courses
• Learn new skills to boost your CV
• We’ll give you a reference for future work or volunteering

We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and therefore any successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check for children and will be asked to provide two satisfactory references.

Replenishment and Merchandising Volunteer  - We have multiple Volunteer Opportunities in Acorns Children's Hospice Superstore in Harborne

The Role 

To help us to continue to provide the care that we do, we are looking for fun and enthusiastic volunteers to join us in our Harborne Superstore. Our shops are exciting and dynamic, with no two days being the same. From our walk-in customers, to receiving donations, and everything in between.

How much time will it take? 

Our shop is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sundays 10am to 4pm. You can volunteer the hours that suit you, but it would be great if you could support in the shop for at least 3 hours a week.

Why volunteer at Acorns? 

• To help a local charity
• To make a difference in your local community
• To connect with like minded people and make new friends
• Boost your CV
• Opportunities to progress to other roles
• All training will be provided

Am I right for the job?

For this role, you'll need to:

• Be welcoming and friendly
• Have a good eye for merchandising
• Be a team player that thinks of others
• Be sensitive to the needs of our customers/donators

Full training will be providedhe

Are you obsessed with making short-form videos that grab attention, inspire action, and build communities? Do you thrive on creating reels, TikToks, and YouTube shorts that people actually stop scrolling for?

What will you be doing?

We’re breaking barriers to employment for jobseekers across the UK who are too often shut out because of age, background, or “imperfect” career paths. With your video skills, we can amplify their voices and show the world the value of untapped talent.

Your focus will be video-first content that connects, inspires, and drives growth:

• Filming, editing, and publishing short-form videos (reels, stories, TikTok/YouTube shorts) that showcase our work and motivate jobseekers.
• Repurposing longer content into bite-sized, shareable clips.
• Creating social-first trailers and snippets.
• Adding engaging captions, subtitles, and visuals that boost watch time and shares.
• Testing new video trends and formats to grow our reach on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

What are we looking for?

We’d love you to bring:

• Proven skills in video creation and editing (reels, shorts, TikTok-style).
• Experience with tools like Canva, or similar.
• A creative eye for storytelling and pacing that works in under 60 seconds.
• A collaborative, can-do mindset and great communication skills.
• The ability to adapt and deliver impactful content in a small not-for-profit environment.

What’s in it for you?

• A chance to shine as a video-first content creator with real creative freedom.
• Portfolio-worthy projects that showcase your ability to build audiences through video.
• Learning opportunities through our Practice Hub to grow your own skills.
• Collaboration with our Director, who will support you with strategy and ideas to fuel your success.

What difference will you make?

Your videos will do more than entertain; they’ll help real people get jobs, rebuild confidence, and prove that careers aren’t defined by age, background, or “perfect” CVs.

This is your chance to use your creativity, storytelling, and video skills to change lives, one reel at a time.

Please provide a brief cover letter explaining why you would like to volunteer with us. Interviews will be an informal online chat with our Director. 

Must have Right to Work in the UK.

Inspiring, supportive, and committed - just a few of the words we’d use to describe our volunteers. 

At Rethink Mental Illness, volunteers are at the heart of what we do. They play a vital role in supporting our services and making a real difference in people’s lives. If you’re looking for a rewarding role where you can have a positive impact while developing your own skills and experience, we’d love you to join us. 

About the role

We are looking for Volunteer Befrienders to support our Brent Mental Health service in the London Borough of Brent. 

As a Volunteer Befriender, you will be required to travel across Brent to meet with service users and carry out your role. Ideally, you will be able to commit a minimum of 2 hours per week to volunteering. 

You will be supported by Befriending Volunteer Coordinators who will provide regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role. You can read more about the benefits of volunteering on the full advert on our website.

About the service

Our Brent Mental Health service provides support to people aged 18 and above, who live in the Borough of Brent, and who have a mental illness and are known to the local NHS trust Central and North West London (CNWL).

The Befriending Service aims to;

• Reduce social isolation of service users
• Increase the confidence of service users in accessing community resources independently
• Provide meaningful activities and peer support for service users 
• Help service users to live happier, healthier, independent lives
• Provide volunteering opportunities for people with mental health issues
• Reduce stigma and raise mental health awareness

What you will be doing as a Volunteer Befriender:

• Meeting with service users in locations and times which meet their needs (including evenings and weekends)
• Provide befriending support to a maximum of 2 service users at any one time
• Provide emotional support based on your own lived experience
• Support service users to access and build social and community networks and activities
• Act as a community connector to local services

What will make you a great fit for this role?

• You will have good communication skills
• You will be flexible to meet the needs of the service users

How to apply 

To apply, simply click the “apply now” button on the advert on our website and complete a short interest form. 

If you would like to express an interest in this opportunity, please complete an application as soon as possible, as the advert may close early if we receive a high level of interest.

Who are we?

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”    

It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.    

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion  

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.  

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation  

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.  

We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. 

ROLDA UK is a registerd charity that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes stray dogs and cats in both Romania and the Ukraine.

As a Champion for ROLDA, you will play a crucial role in driving our online and in-person fundraising efforts. This position is ideal for a passionate individual dedicated to animal welfare who wants to help make a tangible difference towards our rescue efforts. In tandem with the ROLDA team, you will lead initiatives, develop strategies, and inspire supporters to contribute to ROLDA’s mission, amplifying our impact.

Key Responsibilities:
● Fundraising Strategy Development: Collaborate with ROLDA’s leadership to create and implement innovative online         and in-person fundraising campaigns.
● Campaign Management: Coordinate and execute engaging, high-impact fundraising campaigns, such as peer-to-peer       fundraisers, social media drives, and seasonal events.
● Event Leadership: Organise and attend fundraising events, representing ROLDA in the community. Recruit and manage     a team of event volunteers when necessary.
● Donor Engagement: Foster relationships with existing and potential donors, recognise and thank contributors, and               cultivate new support channels.
● Social Media Outreach: Collaborate with the social media team to create content that promotes fundraising efforts and       highlights donor stories and campaign updates.
● Reporting and Goal Setting: Set and track fundraising goals, prepare reports to measure progress, and share                     outcomes with the team to enhance future initiatives.

Requirements:
● Previous experience in fundraising, sales, marketing, or community engagement (experience in nonprofit organisations is a plus)
● Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with an ability to connect with a diverse audience
● Self-motivated and able to work independently, managing multiple projects and deadlines
● Availability to attend periodic in-person events
● Passionate about animal welfare and committed to ROLDA’s mission
● Ability to pass a background check

Time Commitment:
● Flexible hours, with a minimum commitment of 5 hours per week
● Availability for occasional in-person events in your area

Benefits:
● Opportunity to make a direct impact on animal rescue efforts
● Gain experience in fundraising, project management, and community engagement
● Collaborate with a dedicated, like-minded team working toward meaningful change

If you’re ready to lead our fundraising efforts and drive positive change for animals in need, we’d love to hear from you! 

This is an excellent opportunity to directly shape Grow's future and guide our fundraising efforts. We are seeking a strategic and passionate individual to support our Head of Fundraising in building a robust strategy that will diversify our income and help us achieve our goals.

You will provide expert guidance to our trustee board on developments in the fundraising sector and help us make informed decisions based on your fundraising expertise. This role also involves supporting key fundraising events and assisting with the monitoring of our progress against our targets.

If you are excited by the prospect of helping a small charity grow its impact and sustain its vital work, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
 

Role responsibilities

• Support Grow’s Head of Fundraising in building a robust fundraising strategy that diversifies our income streams
• Advise the trustee board on all developments in the fundraising sector
• Support the board to make decisions based on fundraising predictions
• Support Grow’s fundraising events
• Assist with the monitoring of fundraising against targets and report on this to the trustee board

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are seeking Event Nurses to respond to and manage emergency calls/incidents whilst attending events. Event nurses shall provide specialist, clinical, social and holistic care and undertake clinical assessment and interventions in the pre-hospital environment, which may include venues such as stadia, concert halls, motorsports tracks, road races etc. This will mainly involve working in treatment units or temporary event medical centers.

Successful candidates will be registered nurses with the NMC and be able to provide evidence of CPD activity within the previous 12 months.

What we're looking for

We're looking for enthusiastic, creative and organised people across the nation to be a Community Fundraising Volunteer. Around 90 per cent of our income comes from our supporters and we couldn't continue doing what we do without them. That means, our community fundraising volunteers play a really important part in rallying people together to raise vital funds which help to protect children and prevent abuse.

What you'll do

You'll volunteer without regular time commitments, ‘as and when' volunteering! Engage with the public, organisations and local communities – promoting a positive image of the NSPCC! You'll be a valued part of one of our Volunteer Community Fundraising Teams across the UK, raising awareness and funds. We appreciate that work, family and friends come first and, with that in mind, this role offers flexibility to fit in with your lifestyle. You only need to commit to a couple of hours a month, but if you want to do more that would be great.

What you'll get

We'll support you with advice, skills and tools to help you fundraise and spread the word of the NSPCC. You'll learn more about how you're helping to protect children across the UK, and you'll have the opportunity to grow your skills and inspire others to support us. It's also a chance to spend time with like-minded people and make new friends.

Who's right for the role?

While we think this role is suitable for a whole range of people, we are particularly looking for those with the following qualities and experiences.

• Passionate about helping young people and children
• Enthusiastic and personable
• Strong organisational skills
• Able to think on your feet
• You work well within a team
• Great communication and social skills
   

We are currently unable to accept applications from under 18's to this role, please view our other volunteering opportunities.

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer today and join our fight for every childhood.

Inspiring, supportive, and committed - just a few of the words we’d use to describe our volunteers. 

At Rethink Mental Illness, volunteers are at the heart of what we do. They play a vital role in supporting our services and making a real difference in people’s lives. If you’re looking for a rewarding role where you can have a positive impact while developing your own skills and experience, we’d love you to join us. 

About the role 

Do you enjoy meeting people, working as part of a team, and creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere? We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to give at least 4 hours a week to help us run our community café in Leek.

As a Volunteer Café Assistant, you’ll:

• Support café staff, volunteers, and trainees in the smooth day-to-day running of the café
• Prepare, present, and serve food and drinks to a high standard
• Operate the coffee machine (full training provided)
• Handle cash and card transactions using the till
• Maintain excellent hygiene and health & safety standards
• Provide friendly customer service to visitors and guests
• Help out at special events and activities held in the café

Full training and regular supervision will be provided, so you’ll feel confident and supported in your role.

About the service 

John Hall Wellness Garden is a community education garden and café in Leek. It’s a safe and inclusive green space where local people, schools, colleges, and social enterprises can come together to learn, work, and socialise. We especially welcome and support people with mental or physical health needs, children, young people, and adults of all ages.

What will make you a great fit for this role?  

• A cheerful, positive attitude
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• A willingness to learn new skills
• An interest in providing excellent customer service

It’s not essential, but you may also bring:

• Experience in food handling or preparation
• Basic food safety knowledge or HACCP (training will be provided)
• Previous experience in catering, hospitality, or customer service

How to apply

To apply, simply click the “apply now” button on the advert on our website and complete a short interest form.

If you have any questions about this role, please get in touch

Who are we? 

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”     

It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.     

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion   

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.   

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation   

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.   

We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. 

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are seeking Event Paramedics to respond to and manage emergency calls/incidents whilst attending events. At all times provide specialist, clinical, social and holistic care to undertake clinical assessment and interventions those individuals in the pre-hospital environment, which may include stadia, concerts, motorsports, road races etc. This may encompass working on both ambulances / FRV’s and within treatment units as required.

Successful candidates will be registered Paramedics with the HCPC and be able to provide evidence of CPD activity within the previous 12 months.

Are you a Christian with a passion for addressing the climate and biodiversity crises? Do you believe the Church has a vital role to play in this work?

One of the UK’s first faith-based climate charities, Operation Noah was established in 2004 as an ecumenical Christian response to the climate crisis. Over the past twenty years, we have become known as a small charity that makes a big impact – not only in the UK, but around the world.

From our environmentally-themed Bible study Tenants of the King, to the creation of the Climate Sunday service, to getting nearly every UK denomination to divest from fossil fuels, Operation Noah has engaged with thousands of Christians on the climate and nature crises, built coalitions to lobby the government, and moved millions of pounds out of oil, gas and coal.

Operation Noah is looking for new trustees to help lead our mission to inspire and equip the Church to take action on climate change. In this voluntary position, you will play an active role in shaping the strategic direction of the charity and supporting its growth. We are especially looking for people with skills in Human Resources or Fundraising.

Commitments from our Board of Trustees include:

• Attending approximately six board meetings per year (held via Zoom or hybrid from London, lasting around two hours)
• Using your professional skills to support strategic decision-making
• Some of your time. Trustees on average give 2-4 hours per month to the charity, though some trustees with increased levels of responsibility give 5-10 hours of their time monthly

Nicky Bull, Operation Noah Trustee from June 2012 to December 2023, said this:

‘My time in post was a hugely rewarding experience. I had very little specialist knowledge but I was concerned that climate change was not seen as a crucial issue within the Christian Church and it has been really encouraging to see the changes that have taken place over the last decade and to be part of an enthusiastic team helping to bring about those changes. I have learned a great deal and would really recommend anyone to join the inspirational group of people who are the trustees of Operation Noah.’

Edinburgh South East Foodbank are looking for someone with financial experience to join the Board as a Trustee to advise on financial matters, ensure we meet our financial obligations, and help us build a sound financial strategy.

What will you be doing?

This role involves leading on the financial affairs of the Foodbank and ensuring that they are conducted within the required legal, accounting, and good practice frameworks.

Key tasks:

• ensure the Board of Trustees fulfils its financial responsibilities
• ensure that the Foodbank has proper systems for budgeting, financial control, insurance and reporting
• inform the trustee board members of the finances of the Foodbank by written report, at least on a quarterly basis ensuring that the board have a clear picture of the financial health of the Foodbank
• ensure that financial reports:

1. are comprehensible and properly discussed at trustee board meetings
2. are provided in the proper format and at the proper time, as required by the relevant charity regulator body (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator)
3. have properly appointed auditors or independent examiners (on income over £25k)
4. are reported on an annual basis at annual general meetings (AGMs)

Other responsibilities, along with the board of trustees, include:

• to approve, support and guide the charity’s purpose, vision, strategy, goals and objectives
• to manage the charity’s resources responsibly, ensuring the charity’s assets are used only to carry out its purpose, ensure the charity does not become over-committed, and ensure that key risks are identified, monitored and controlled appropriately
• to ensure the effective and efficient administration of the charity, responding to changes in the local community as appropriate
• to ensure appropriate financial plans are in place, budgets are monitored, financial statements are reviewed, and progress is evaluated
• to help promote the organisation to key stakeholders and beneficiaries
• to ensure the charity has appropriate procedures to comply with current legislation and good practice, including employment, health and safety, equity, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding, and GDPR compliance/data protection
• to prepare for and regularly attend and participate in board and subcommittee meetings and any trustee away days.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for people who want to help their local community and work towards the eradication of food poverty. Our ideal candidates would demonstrate:

• a knowledge of and commitment to the work of the South East Edinburgh Foodbank
• previous experience or an ability in:

1. financial accounting and reporting procedures
2. communicating financial information to those who may have little or no financial background
3. keeping all financial records up to date

• a sympathy towards the faith position of the South East Edinburgh Foodbank as a Christian charity

What difference will you make?

By leading on the financial matters of the Foodbank operation, you are part of providing a vital holistic support function in your local community, ensuring a dignified experience to anyone visiting, or anyone who comes into contact with, the South East Edinburgh Foodbank.