75 Volunteer roles for the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector

Join the Team and Help Us Build the Future of The Swadhinata Trust 

The Swadhinata Trust is embarking on a journey of significant growth and transformation. Having recently refreshed our purpose, mission, and brand, we are now ready for our next big leap: transitioning from a grassroots volunteer organisation to a scalable charity with paid staff and expanded reach.

To reach our full potential, we need 'roll-up-your-sleeves' leaders who are eager to help us transform. This isn’t just about giving advice from the sidelines; it’s about being the engine of our transformation. Whether you are an expert in your field or looking to develop new skills, joining us as a collaborative partner offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible, lasting impact on our journey.

How Can You Help 

We are looking for both professionals and enthusiasts eager to use their skills to help us transform. Whether you can offer 2 hours a week or 10, your expertise will be a vital part of reaching our big goals. You don’t need to be a veteran in your field; we value a 'roll-up-your-sleeves' attitude and a commitment to our mission just as much as a CV.

Fundraising and Partnerships Volunteer

The Goal: Help us build the relationships that fuel our work. You’ll be part of the team that finds the resources we need to grow.

We’d love help with:

• Researching Opportunities: Finding new grants, trusts, or local businesses who might want to partner with us.

• Drafting Bids: Helping us write compelling stories and applications for funding.

• Relationship Building: Supporting our communications with current donors to keep them updated on our success.

What you bring:

• A gift for storytelling and clear, persuasive writing.

• A friendly, professional manner and a love for networking.

• Persistence and a "hunter" mindset for finding new opportunities.

Join the Team and Help Us Build the Future of The Swadhinata Trust 

The Swadhinata Trust is embarking on a journey of significant growth and transformation. Having recently refreshed our purpose, mission, and brand, we are now ready for our next big leap: transitioning from a grassroots volunteer organisation to a scalable charity with paid staff and expanded reach.

To reach our full potential, we need 'roll-up-your-sleeves' leaders who are eager to help us transform. This isn’t just about giving advice from the sidelines; it’s about being the engine of our transformation. Whether you are an expert in your field or looking to develop new skills, joining us as a collaborative partner offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible, lasting impact on our journey.

How Can You Help 

We are looking for both professionals and enthusiasts eager to use their skills to help us transform. Whether you can offer 2 hours a week or 10, your expertise will be a vital part of reaching our big goals. You don’t need to be a veteran in your field; we value a 'roll-up-your-sleeves' attitude and a commitment to our mission just as much as a CV.

Strategy and Programme Volunteer

The Goal:Help us turn our big dreams into reality. You will be part of the team that takes our ambitions and builds them into practical, life-changing projects.

We’d love help with:

• Planning the Journey: Helping us draft clear project plans and timelines.

• Tracking our Progress: Helping us collect information to see how well our projects are doing.

• Organising Teams: Assisting with the coordination of different tasks to keep everything running on time.

What you bring:

• An organised mind and a love for "getting things done."

• Experience in project management or a strong interest in how charities run.

• The ability to see the steps needed to reach a big goal.

Join the Team and Help Us Build the Future of The Swadhinata Trust 

The Swadhinata Trust is embarking on a journey of significant growth and transformation. Having recently refreshed our purpose, mission, and brand, we are now ready for our next big leap: transitioning from a grassroots volunteer organisation to a scalable charity with paid staff and expanded reach.

To reach our full potential, we need 'roll-up-your-sleeves' leaders who are eager to help us transform. This isn’t just about giving advice from the sidelines; it’s about being the engine of our transformation. Whether you are an expert in your field or looking to develop new skills, joining us as a collaborative partner offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible, lasting impact on our journey.

How Can You Help 

We are looking for both professionals and enthusiasts eager to use their skills to help us transform. Whether you can offer 2 hours a week or 10, your expertise will be a vital part of reaching our big goals. You don’t need to be a veteran in your field; we value a 'roll-up-your-sleeves' attitude and a commitment to our mission just as much as a CV.

Marketing and Communications Volunteer

The Goal: Help us share our story with the world. You’ll be a creative voice for the Trust, helping our message reach and inspire action.

We’d love help with:

• Digital Content: Creating engaging posts for social media, newsletters, or our website.

• Designing Materials: Helping us make flyers, posters, or digital graphics that look great.

• Campaigning: Assisting with the launch of new campaigns to celebrate our impact.

What you bring:

• A creative eye and a knack for writing content that people want to read.

• Familiarity with social media or design tools (like Canva or Mailchimp).

• A passion for sharing the history and stories of the British Bengali community.

Role Overview

• Role Title: Volunteer Administrative and Archiving Assistant
• Organisation: Swadhinata Trust
• Location: Hybrid (Remote file management, online digital cataloguing, and in-person physical archiving in London)
• Commitment: 5–8 hours per week (Flexible)
• Compensation: Unpaid volunteer role

Key Responsibilities

• Digital & Physical Archiving:
  • Sort, organise, and streamline the shared drive (remote).
  • Carry out digital cataloguing of assets and records (online).
  • Manage and arrange physical archive materials (in-person).
• General Administration:
  • Monitor and reply to general admin emails.
  • Help coordinate and schedule team meetings.
  • Attend meetings, take clear notes, and write up minutes.

Person Specification

• Skills: Good eye for detail, organised, and reliable.
• Tech: Comfortable using shared drives, cloud storage, and video meeting tools.
• Interest: An appreciation for community heritage and the work of the Trust.

To support our growth, the Swadhinata Trust is looking for a skilled volunteer to build a
modern, engaging, and easy-to-maintain website.
Our new site will be the heart of our organisation, hosting our extensive archives and
publications, showcasing our latest projects, and making it easy for people to support our
work. We need a platform that reflects our history while providing a seamless experience for
our users.
This is a vital role in our journey of transformation. If you have the technical skills to help a
small, dedicated team make a big change, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us. 

We are looking for Welcome volunteers to staff the welcome desk and be first point of contact for our visitors. Our volunteers play an important and valuable role in our cathedral community. Volunteering  can be a wonderful way to find a sense of purpose and belonging. You can use your skills, build your confidence and develop as part of a supportive and caring team. You’ll have the opportunity to work in an exciting and vibrant place of Christian worship, surrounded by beautiful architecture and our world-famous stained-glass windows.

Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and each person has their own reasons for wanting to volunteer. We welcome applications from anyone interested in being a part of what we do, and will work with you to ensure that your volunteering experience is as inclusive and accessible as possible.

Our volunteers need to be sympathetic to our vision, mission and values, but you do not need to be a Christian to join our team.

Tasks include: 

· To greet visitors entering the cathedral and offer a first-class welcome

· To open positive conversations and demonstrate the welcoming nature of the cathedral

· To provide information and signpost as requested by the visitor, details and basic history of the cathedral, location of toilets etc.

DBS Check and Training to be completed / provided:

• Basic DBS check
• Basic Awareness and Foundation level safeguarding training.
• ACT Counter Terrorism training.
• In-house additional training as required.

Ensuring the safety of everyone who comes into the cathedral is Birmingham Cathedral Chapter’s highest priority. All volunteers must also complete our Safeguarding training before they can start working with us.

What this volunteering opportunity will provide you with:

• Knowledge of the international significance of the windows, the artists Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris and their links to Birmingham.
• Experience working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
• Insight into the workings of the cathedral, and experience working in a sacred building and place of faith.
• The opportunity to practice speaking in various foreign languages dependent on the nationality of visitors you encounter.
• Opportunities to volunteer in further roles in the cathedral team.
• Experience working alongside a team of skilled and knowledgeable individuals both clergy and non-clergy
• Safeguarding and ACT training (this is a requirement)

Depending on the nature of the volunteering role you undertake with us, we may need to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service Rules.

All information provided by volunteers with be held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation within the Data Protection Act 2018.

Your expert understanding of charity and/or company accounts and financial management will ensure that trustees exercise their financial responsibilities. You will act as lead trustee on overseeing the annual audit, and advise on financial procedures, regular financial reporting and forecasting.

This will involve chairing the Trust’s Audit Committee, which meets once a year to receive draft charity accounts and audit reports for The Abbotsford Trust and its subsidiary Abbotsford Trading Company. The Committee is responsible for recommending accounts for approval to the Board of Directors, and for making recommendations on the appointment of auditors.

You will exercise oversight of the Trust’s financial management throughout the year through membership of the Executive Committee, which meets up to 10 times a year to receive financial reports from management. Trading Company management accounts are the responsibility of a separate Trading Company Board.

This role will suit someone with professional accountancy qualifications and experience of audited accounts. Ideally, but not necessarily, you will have experience of charity accounts.

Stepping Stones Learning and Leisure is a small, friendly charity based in Southwark, providing inclusive activities for adults with learning disabilities. We believe everyone should have the chance to express themselves, connect with others, and take part in activities that bring joy, confidence, and new skills. 

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and proactive Dance Fit Class Volunteer to support our weekly Thursday afternoon classes (1pm-3pm), held at St Faith’s Community Centre, Red Post Hill, SE24 9JQ (close to North Dulwich and Herne Hill stations). 

About Dance Fit

Dance Fit is a fun way to stay active through music and movement. Sessions are designed to improve fitness, flexibility and confidence in a supportive and enjoyable environment. Routines and exercises can be performed standing or seated, making the sessions accessible for everyone. The group learns simple routines that can also be practised at home, and each July learners have the opportunity to perform to friends and family at our Summer Show!

About The Role 

This role is ideal for someone who loves to move. You’ll support our tutor in delivering inclusive and fun classes for a small group of adults with learning disabilities. Every class is an opportunity for the learners to express themselves freely, socialise with others and feel the benefits of physical activity on their wellbeing.

As a Dance Fit Class Volunteer at Stepping Stones, you will: 

• Assist the tutor in setting up and closing down the studio space
• Encourage and support learners 
• Demonstrate movements
• Offer 1:1 or group support where needed to help participants engage 
• Help build a warm, inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels safe to express themselves 

What You’ll Gain 

Volunteering with us is a chance to: 

• Contribute to a creative and meaningful community project 
• Build relationships with and support learners to learn new skills and grow in confidence 
• Experience working with adults with learning disabilities in a supportive setting 
• Develop skills in teamwork, adaptability, communication, and creative problem-solving 
• Have a place in a welcoming and friendly team of tutors, staff and volunteers 
• Receive appropriate training and guidance from an experienced team 

What We’re Looking For 

You don’t need to be a trained dancer to volunteer in this role! At Stepping Stones we value: 

• Good communication and a warm, encouraging approach 
• Enthusiasm, patience, and a willingness to get involved 
• A non-judgemental and inclusive mindset 
• Reliability and commitment 
• Flexibility and adaptability 

Prior to volunteering, we ask all volunteers to: 

• Attend an in-person session with the Stepping Stones team and learners 
• Provide two references 
• Complete a DBS check (we will arrange this) 
• Commit to volunteering one session per week for 3 x 10 week terms throughout the year. For continuity for our service users, we ask that you commit to volunteering with us for one year

How to Apply 

Please submit your CV and respond to the following questions (these will come up when you hit 'Apply Now') 

1. Why would you like to volunteer with Stepping Stones? 
2. What are the strongest attributes and values you feel you'll bring to this role? 

We're searching for volunteers for our upcoming concert in central London. The volunteers are required just for one day, Sunday 27th September. Hours roughly 10am-6:40pm

Roles include:

• Supervising children aged 14-17 (enhanced DBS check essential, we can provide if necessary)
• Front of house roles 
• Bucket shaking and collecting donations
• Photography and videography
   

Creative Arts & Drama Group Volunteer

We are looking for friendly, creative Volunteers to support our weekly arts and drama groups for adults. Sessions run throughout the week and provide a relaxed, inclusive space for people to explore creativity, build confidence and support their mental wellbeing.

These are informal, participant-led groups, and our participants include adults who are:

• Autistic
• Non-verbal or have limited verbal communication
• Blind or visually impaired
• Wheelchair users or people with mobility difficulties
• Adults with learning disabilities or learning difficulties
• Individuals with a wide range of confidence levels and communication styles

What you’ll be doing

• Helping set up and pack away session spaces and resources
• Preparing refreshments (tea and coffee)
• Welcoming and supporting participants
• Encouraging engagement in creative activities (art or drama)
• Supporting a safe, inclusive and relaxed group environment
• Being present alongside participants during sessions

What we’re looking for

• Friendly, patient and reliable
• Comfortable working in inclusive and diverse settings
• Interest in creativity, arts or drama
• Supportive, non-judgemental approach
• Commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and community
• Ability to follow safeguarding and organisational guidelines

Time commitment

• 2–3 hours per session
• Weekly sessions across the week on a rota basis
• Occasional training and volunteer meetings

What you’ll get

• Experience supporting creative arts and drama sessions
• Training and ongoing support
• Opportunity to work alongside experienced facilitators
• Experience supporting adults with diverse communication and support needs
• Agreed expenses (if applicable)
• A welcoming and supportive volunteer environment

Open Studio Mental Health Arts group

We are looking for a creative, enthusiastic Volunteer to support our Mental health art group ‘Open Studios’ for adults on Thursday afternoons.

Open Studios is a friendly space where people can paint, draw or create without pressure.

This is a workshop space to work on your own choice of art. It is not a taught session, but guidance is available from our artists. Aimed at those who are experiencing social isolation or who are working towards healthier mental wellbeing.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll work closely with the Magic Carpet Artist practitioner/s to create a safe and welcoming space for group members to explore their creativity.

Tasks may include:

• Setting up tables and chairs ready for the group
• Making teas and coffee
• Getting out art materials and resources
• Supporting group members to decide what they might like to do
• Being ‘alongside’ group members (this may include spending time working on your own artwork)

We’re looking for someone who:

• Enjoys supporting people to improve their mental health and wellbeing
• Believes in art and creativity as a powerful tool for prompting wellbeing
• Is reliable, friendly, and comfortable working with people
• Cares about community, creativity, and inclusive arts
• Is willing to abide by ECIs code of conduct and safeguarding procedures.

Time commitment

• 2.5 hours per week (1.45pm – 2.15pm)
• Occasional volunteer meetings and training sessions

What you’ll get

• Hands-on experience with a creative arts project
• An opportunity to work alongside an experienced and professional artist practitioner
• Experience working with people with mental health support needs (this may also include Neuro divergence and mild learning disabilities).
• Agreed expenses if applicable
• Tea and lots of gratitude!

Use your creativity as a graphic or motion designer to help us grow our cinema's social media presence and our audience.

Earth Stewards Travel Club | an Ecosy Travel initiative

We help travellers and accommodations plan, share, and transparently report low‑carbon flight‑free holidays.

Earth Stewards Travel Club is a grassroots climate action community for travellers and tourism professionals who believe exploring the world and protecting it go hand in hand. We organise guided events across London combining sightseeing with environmental action: canal clean-ups, forest garden volunteering, citizen science, wild swims, wetland walks, and more, and we're building a network of volunteer destination leaders to take the model to locations around the world.

We're a certified B Corp and registered social enterprise at an early and exciting stage. We've run our first trial event in London and are working on building the community before we scale. This is an opportunity to shape how an emerging climate action community delivers impact.

The role

We're looking for a proactive, personable, and organised volunteer to build and manage the distribution partnerships that get Earth Steward's events in front of the right people. You'll identify, approach, and develop relationships with hotels, hostels, and visitor accommodation in London, as well as tourism organisations, sustainable travel communities, and visitor-facing platforms whose audiences overlap with ours.

This is fundamentally a business development and relationship management role. You'll be representing Earth Stewards Travel Club externally, opening doors, and building the network of partners who help us grow without paid advertising.

This role suits someone with a background or interest in sales, business development, tourism, hospitality, or partnership management, and who wants to apply those skills to a purpose-driven business.

What you'll do
Hotel & accommodation partnerships

• Identify independent hotels, boutique stays, eco-friendly properties, hostels, and B&Bs in London whose guests are likely to be interested in our events
• Reach out to concierge teams, guest experience managers, and hotel marketing contacts to propose distributing Earth Stewards event information to their guests, via leaflets, digital displays, concierge recommendations, or inclusion in welcome packs
• Build and maintain ongoing relationships with accommodation partners, keeping them updated on upcoming events and new tour routes
• Explore reciprocal opportunities where relevant, promoting partner properties to our community in return

Tourism organisation partnerships

• Identify and approach tourism organisations, destination management organisations, sustainable travel networks, and visitor guides whose audience matches our community of eco-conscious travellers
• Pitch co-promotion arrangements: newsletter features, social media cross-promotion, event listings in partner channels, or collaborative event programming
• Develop relationships with organisations already working at the intersection of tourism and sustainability including B Corp networks, social enterprise communities, and green travel platforms

Partnership management

• Maintain a simple CRM or partnership tracker to record outreach, conversations, and active relationships
• Brief the founder regularly on pipeline and active partnerships
• Work with the Community & events marketing coordinator to ensure partner co-promotion is joined up with our own content calendar
• Identify new distribution opportunities as the event programme grows and new routes launch

Who we're looking for

Essential

• Genuine passion for sustainability, climate action, or conscious travel
• Confident communicator: comfortable reaching out cold, following up, and building relationships with people you haven't met before
• Organised and self-directed: able to manage a pipeline of outreach without close supervision
• Professional written communication skills: you'll be representing Earth Stewards externally in emails and proposals

Desirable

• Background or experience in sales, business development, account management, hospitality, or tourism
• Existing knowledge of or contacts within the London hotel, hostel, or sustainable tourism sector
• Experience with partnership or sponsorship outreach
• Familiarity with sustainable travel organisations, B Corp networks, or social enterprise communities

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Pause Conservations

We connect communities to Lake Victoria's ecosystem through education and eco-tourism to drive conservation action.

Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator

Pause Conservations is looking for a Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator to elevate our brand presence, expand our community reach, and drive participation across our conservation initiatives, community tours, and literacy programs. This role will serve as the engine for our digital performance, strategic alliances, and public engagement.

The coordinator will directly will head campaigns, secure strategic placements in high-end venues, cultivate cross-sector collaborations, and help roll out our national primary school/community libraries conservation literacy model. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to build transformational programs, drive sustainable revenue streams, and mobilize young leaders and local communities around biodiversity restoration.

Minimum Hours per Week:

7-9 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months