Volunteer volunteer roles in ilford, greater london

Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:

1. It's fun

2. It's flexible

3. You'll learn and share skills

4. You'll be making a difference

5. You'll work with a great team

We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital funds for our work and act as incredible advocates for the rights of children both in the UK and around the world.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Volunteering in the shop

We've recently reopened our Islington Shop with a gorgeous new look inspired by the neighbouring film studios. In amongst the retro cinema seats and beautiful backstage velvet curtains you'll find unique vintage treasures and lovingly curated donated stock, hand picked by our brilliant volunteer team.

Our Islington Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.

It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied.

Why volunteer with Save the Children?

In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.

Skills and experiences we seek

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children. 

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.

What happens next?

After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related). 

How to apply

Express your interest on email via the apply button. 

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Could you help to change a care-experienced child's life by reading with them for just an hour a week over a six month period?

We're looking for new volunteers to read online. Reading Heroes is a highly individualised initiative - every book that you read has been chosen specifically for you and the child.  All books are provided, and you will receive ongoing personal support from our dedicated Reading Heroes team, as well as opportunities to meet with other volunteers.

The number of care-experienced children in the UK growing; research tells us that these children are more likely to experience social, emotional and mental health problems, so we believe that Reading Heroes is a more important project than ever.

We have found that the Reading Heroes scheme has helped the children involved with their reading and other literacy-based skills, but these are not our primary purposes. Reading Heroes simply promotes reading for pleasure, and giving some of our time to children who need a little extra support - along with a kindly, friendly listener!

As a Reading Heroes volunteer, you’ll be instilling a love of stories which can have a lifelong positive impact. 80% of participants tell us they enjoy reading more after taking part.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/FVts50SBrIm

“Thank you for helping me read better and for making reading fun and not stupid boring!" (Reading Heroes participant)

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

You can expect us to 

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food
• Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you 

• A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home or in a purpose-built pen in your garden provided by us
• Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction
• A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare
• Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home
• You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Time expectation

Our volunteer fosterers usually spend around one and a half hours per day (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care.

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support. 

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About the CARAS ESOL Team:

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to adults at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling people to attend college and access other services in the future.

About the Role:

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our face-to-face adult ESOL classes in Tooting. Volunteers in this role are required to commit to at least one 2-hour session every Wednesday during these times: 

• Mondays ESOL 9:30 to 13:30

• Tuesday 9:30 to 11:30

• Tuesday One-to-one employability and language learning support 15:00 to 17:00 

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities:

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes; 

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session; 

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class; 

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project; 

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential; 

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements; 

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential: 

• To be 18 years or older; 

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (travel expenses can be reimbursed); 

• An interest in education and English language teaching; 

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds; 

• To be reliable and punctual; 

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English; 

• The ability to volunteer on Mondays or Wednesdays during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of three months; 

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum-seeker or refugee status 

• *Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; 

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role. 

 *DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK. 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

We are embarking on our first ever online shop and we are looking for a volunteer with some experience in this area and the area of website support to help share the workload of managing enquiries to the shop. They will also be required to update new items as they become available and allocate orders as they come in to the relevant supplier and deal with any enquiries or complaints. This is a role that will grow as the shop does and is a creative fun role as you join a warm and welcoming team. Although remote there will be the chance to meet other volunteers at fundraising events throughout the year.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit a Support Volunteer for the London Borough of Sutton Group. As our local group Support Volunteer you’ll help people affected by MS find information about local and national services. That could be helping someone access local information about the care or benefits they need or giving them a hand with a grant application.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your listening and communication skills, as well as your knowledge of local services. Most importantly you’ll help people affected by MS to access the help they need. 

Time commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role.

Apply 

1. Read through the role description carefully

2. Please apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Amy’s Place is a partnership between the Amy Winehouse Foundation and Clarion Housing, providing supported living accommodation for young women aged 18-30 in recovery from drugs, alcohol and other addictive behaviors.

An enthusiastic, reliable and compassionate volunteer with good interpersonal skills and a desire to help others. The volunteer needs to hold a professional level diploma in counselling and have training and experience working with individuals with eating disorders.

Activities

• To provide therapeutic support to young women (aged 18-30) with eating disorders
• One-to-One counselling sessions will aim to support the individual to improve self-confidence, identify and resolve negative thought processes, implement constructive coping strategies and empower them to fulfil attainable life goals
• To develop and promote a positive relationship with the women within allocated caseload
• To keep up-to-date with development in the field of counselling and eating disorder therapy
• To manage appropriate professional boundaries in the relationship
• To maintain records for monitoring, evaluation and tracking purposes plus service evaluation
• To take responsibility for own professional development

Requirements

• Hold a professional level diploma in counselling
• Hold professional membership with BACP, UKCP or equivalent
• Have own regular supervision with a qualified supervisor
• Fully trained in eating disorder therapy and previous experience supporting individuals with eating disorders
• This role requires us to carry out a check through the Disclosure and Barring Service for the Enhanced DBS

Commitment 

This is a flexible opportunity and volunteering times and frequency will vary depending on the volunteer’s availability and the needs of the residents. Ideally weekly one-to-one sessions for a minimum of 3 months.

Support 

•  Volunteers receive a thorough induction and have access to any relevant in-house and external training
•  Reasonable travel and lunch expenses will be reimbursed
• The role is based at the service in East London. The exact address cannot be given until the volunteer starts due to safety and privacy reasons.

Whether you have a few hours or days to spare, volunteering can be extremely rewarding. From learning new skills to meeting new people we are looking for people who have are fun motivated to learn some new skills.

We are looking for people to cover all areas of our shops including:

- Working on the till
- Sorting and steaming donations
- Styling and merchandising the shop floor
- Listing items on eBay, Vinted and other digital platforms

Our shops are a large source of income for The Fertility Foundation and the heart of our shops is the volunteers that give up their time to help run the shops. The Fertility Foundation uses the income to provide grants for couples and individuals in the UK to help them start a family.

We are looking for volunteers for our Waltham Cross shop.

TASKS

To welcome, assist and serve our customers in a warm and friendly way providing a good standard of customer service. To ensure Gift Aid is explained clearly and promoted to all our donors and thanking them for their valuable contribution. To promote public understanding of our work and the importance of raising funds, promoting our charity events and activities to the public. Help sort, steam, hang and display our donated stock and rotate the stock following the manager’s guidelines. Dealing with customer purchases, confidently process the cash handling and accurate operation of the till.

SKILLS & QUALITIES

 Be a Honest, trustworthy and respectful with an enthusiastic positive attitude. Have good communication and numeracy skills. to be a reliable, commited, dependable and flexible. Able to work as part of a team as well as under your own initiative.

ABOUT THE FERTILITY FOUNDATION

The Fertility Foundation aims to continue being the leading patient charity across the UK in the provision of IVF funding and support network for those facing fertility challenges at all stages of their journey, providing authoritative information as well as practical and emotional support.

Around 1 in 7 couples today have trouble conceiving, which equates to 3.5 million people in the UK. The prospect of facing any kind of fertility problem is very distressing to live with and many people believe that no one else really understands. For many struggling to conceive being denied access to NHS funding means their hopes of starting a family can seem impossible. We aim to help them navigate this journey through introductions to our support network, assistance with dealing the CCG’s, working on their behalf with clinics and ultimately providing funding.

We understand the assistance needed on an individual’s journey is as unique as they are. We setup The Fertility Foundation based on our overwhelming desire to help as many people as we can to either start or extend their family.

TO APPLY

Please use the link below to complete your application. We would recommend that you read the job description and personal specification below before applying. 

YourGateway2Success is a non-profit organization that helps young people aged 16–25. We provide fun activities and support to help them grow and succeed.

Responsibilities 

- Help plan and run fun activities for young people

- Support and encourage them during events

- Build positive relationships in a safe and welcoming environment

- Work with staff and other volunteers to deliver programs

- Assist with simple tasks like setting up and taking down events

What We are Looking For:

You don’t need any formal experience Just bring:

- A friendly attitude

- Interest in helping young people

- Good communication skills

- Willingness to learn

What You will Gain

- Experience working with young people

- New skills and training

- A reference for future opportunities

- The chance to make a real difference

As an Involvement and Engagement Volunteer, you will be ensuring our clients are actively and meaningfully involved in their local service. Involving clients not only makes our services better and more sustainable but also helps the individuals develop new skills and gain confidence.

You will need to be able to build good relationship and rapport with clients, feel confident leading group activities with support from staff, and to motivate and encourage client engagement and involvement with activities or feedback sessions.

Please see all locations and the time commitments we are currently recruiting for in this role:

• Hammersmith and Fulham- Tuesday, Thursday or Fridays, 3 hours per week between 9am-5pm.

In this role, you will be supporting us with all or some of the following tasks:

• Engaging with clients and getting their feedback on how to improve the service. • Building rapport and relationships with clients and finding out more about their skills and interests • Planning and facilitating activities based on client feedback e.g. gardening, barbecues etc • Encouraging and supporting clients to participate in activities • Evaluating these activities and presenting findings to both staff and clients • Attending resident/client meetings • Empowering clients to get further involved with the local community or other involvement opportunities offered within St. Mungo’s • Adhering to St Mungo’s Policies and Procedures at all times.

Do I need to have any specific skills? • Any skills or interests that you can share with clients would be welcome • Experience of working with people with complex support needs is welcome • Ability to work on own initiative, flexibility and adaptability • Problem solving skills and a can-do attitude • A friendly personality, good interpersonal skills and enthusiasm. • An understanding of the causes of homelessness and its impact. • Genuine interest in and commitment to St Mungo’s work and client group. • An understanding of and commitment to diversity & equality. We particularly welcome applicants with lived experience.

RollaDome All Skate is looking for a proactive and motivated Volunteer HR Assistant to support our HR team with administrative duties. This volunteer position provides valuable experience in human resources, recruitment, and employee support. You will assist with managing HR processes, recruitment activities, and employee-related queries, contributing to the smooth operation of the organization. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Assist with recruitment processes, including posting job ads and scheduling interviews 

• Maintain HR records and update employee files 

• Respond to general HR inquiries and provide assistance to staff 

• Support in the onboarding process for new employees and volunteers 

• Assist with employee benefits administration and paperwork 

• Help organize training and development sessions for staff 

• Assist with data entry and HR reporting 

• Support with exit interviews and employee feedback collection 

Skills & Qualifications 

• Strong organizational skills and keen attention to detail 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage sensitive information 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) 

• Interest in pursuing a career in HR, administration, or management 

• Previous HR or administrative experience is an advantage 

Commitment 

• Minimum 15 hours per week, with flexible hours. 

Benefits 

• Gain valuable hands-on HR experience in a nonprofit setting 

• Opportunity to contribute to the HR function in a growing organization 

• Develop transferable skills in recruitment, employee relations, and administration 

• Networking opportunities with HR professionals and charity staff 

• Expenses reimbursed for role-related costs 

We are Alex, The Leukodystrophy Charity (Alex TLC).

Alex TLC is a trusted and experienced organisation offering support and information for all those affected by a genetic leukodystrophy. Formerly ALD Life, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for people affected by adrenoleukodystrophy and adrenomyeloneuropathy, the charity was established in 2004.

Due to popular demand, we extended our services to support all leukodystrophies in 2019 and became Alex, The Leukodystrophy Charity.

Like many other small charities, we have grown organically from an informal support group to the recognised voice for adrenoleukodystrophy patients and their families. Our charitable work is supported by our chain of five charity shops across south east London.

With scant resources we are always in need of trustworthy and reliable volunteers to assist retail staff.

Could you spare a few hours a week? 

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people.

We need help to give hope and support to people affected by leukodystrophy – could you be that help?

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for volunteers who can:

• sort and clean stock
• serve customers
• create eye catching displays
• identify potentially valuable stock

ABOUT YOU

Candidates should be able to demonstrate the following:

• an interest in Alex TLC and the work that we do
• honesty and trustworthiness
• reliability
• enthusiasm

The role is located in any of our five shops in Forest Hill, Greenwich, Peckham, Penge or Walworth Road.

Alex TLC is committed to promoting diversity. 

We are only able to accept applications from UK residents. 

Background

Our Time Charity is a unique and pioneering organization dedicated to supporting children and young people who have parents with mental illness. Our mission is to ensure that these young individuals do not feel isolated, misunderstood, or overlooked, and to provide them with the tools and resources they need to thrive. We achieve this through innovative programmes, education, and advocacy, making a tangible difference in their lives.

Established in 2012, Our Time has grown from a small initiative into a nationally recognized charity. Our founders, driven by personal experiences and a profound understanding of the challenges faced by children of parents with mental illness, have created a compassionate and impactful charity. Over the years, we have developed a range of innovative interventions and expanded our reach, positively improving the lives of thousands of young people across the UK.

We are proud to be partnering with Save the Children to deliver a new 6-month programme of KidsTime Workshops in Tower Hamlets, focused on mothers with mental health challenges and their young children (aged 2–6). These twice-monthly, multi-family workshops offer a safe, supportive space for connection, creativity, and healing. 

The Role

We are seeking a Volunteer Practitioner to join a small, committed team in delivering these community-based workshops. This role is ideal for someone with some experience in perinatal or family mental health or play therapy. This role is suited to someone pursuing training in psychology and early years development. You will be expected to bring warmth, professionalism, and a belief in the strength and potential of families to cope with the challenges of parenting with a mental illness.  You will play a vital part in creating a space that builds relationships, fosters resilience, and nurtures the emotional bond between mothers and their young children.

Benefits
This volunteer placement will offer valuable clinical experience in understanding and supporting mothers who have mental illness and children aged between 2 and 6 years.  You will be involved in the design and implementation of this family mental health intervention. Depending on the interest and experience of the volunteer, the role will include supporting the running of creative activities with the children's group and providing support where needed to the Mental Health Workshop Lead.

Volunteer Responsibilities

● To attend all 12 groups over a 6 month period, plus meetings with the Our Time Charity team throughout the project.

● Co-facilitate workshops, alongside 2 lead practitioners, for mothers and their children aged 2–6, ensuring a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging atmosphere.

● Support families using a non-clinical, relational approach that values lived experience, emotional safety, and mutual respect.

● Promote attachment, attunement, and resilience within the parent-child relationship.

● Participate in team meetings and supervision (held virtually).

● Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of workshops and share learning with the wider project team.

● Ensure all safeguarding, data protection, and equality practices are embedded in your work.

● To complete online Safeguarding Children Level 2 training organised  by Our Time and report any safeguarding concerns that arise during  workshops immediately to the Safeguarding Lead.

● To complete an enhanced DBS form which can be organised by Our  Time.

● To read and abide by all Our Time policies and procedures.

Essential Requirements

● Experience in facilitating or supporting therapeutic practice/interventions/settings. 

● Experience in using creative tools and activities with young children and therefore ability to contribute to the design and implementation of such activities in this group.

● Confidence in supporting group sessions in a warm, collaborative way.

● Clear, compassionate communicator with excellent organisational and time management skills.

● Committed to working flexibly and non-hierarchically, building relationships based on empathy and mutual trust.

● Familiar with safeguarding, data protection, and equality, diversity and inclusion best practices.

Desirable Requirements

● Understanding of parent-child relationships, particularly attachment and attunement in early childhood.

● Experience supporting families where mental illness is a factor, ideally in early years or perinatal settings

● Understanding of the challenges children face when a parent has a mental illness.

About us: GT Scholars is a charitable social enterprise that tackles educational inequality by giving ambitious young people the support, skills and strategies they need to achieve aspirations. We run a wide range of programmes that help young people achieve their academic and career aspirations, particularly those from less-privileged backgrounds. 

What makes us different? We run tutoring, mentoring & career insight programmes that help our scholars, aged 11-18, discover their strengths, develop their mindsets and design their own futures.

There are many charitable organisations and social enterprises offering programmes to improve the life chances of young people. 

However, our programmes use a unique 3:1 model which means that we’re able to sustainably use our profits to provide additional places on our programmes, to young people from low income homes. 

We believe that all young people are gifted and talented, regardless of their background. 

Our mission is to empower and develop the next generation of leaders and change-makers and we’re looking for volunteer tutors that are passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives!

If you are an undergraduate or graduate, you could make a difference by joining us as a volunteer tutor. As a volunteer tutor, you’ll need to:

• Have a passion for helping children and young people

• Provide online one-to-one tutoring support for 1 hour week

• Build pupil confidence in Maths.

• Have strong subject knowledge (confident enough to tutor up to GCSE)

• Work collaboratively with other tutors and mentors

• Have a minimum of an undergraduate degree or be working towards this

Volunteer tutoring can be extremely rewarding and volunteers with GT Scholars benefit from:

• A flexible schedule - you can choose online tutoring hours to suit your schedule

• The chance to grow your contacts and meet like-minded volunteers 

• The chance to make a real difference in the life of a young person.

Additional information: We’re looking for tutors that can commit to a minimum of 2 academic terms of volunteering.

We will need to conduct reference checks and you will need an Enhanced DBS for this role as you will be working directly with children. We can process this for you or you may submit one if this is less than 3 years old.