Volunteering manager volunteer volunteer roles in Warrington, cheshire

We are seeking a reliable and detail-oriented HR Assistant to support our recruitment and volunteer coordination processes. In this role, you will work closely with the HR & Recruitment Officer to help deliver an efficient and inclusive recruitment experience, from advertising roles through to onboarding new volunteers.

A key part of this role involves maintaining accurate records within our CRM system to support recruitment and onboarding activities.

This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in HR and recruitment within a grassroots charity environment.

Hidayah is a UK-based charity that supports LGBTQI+ Muslims by creating safe, inclusive spaces and promoting wellbeing, inclusion, and social justice.

Key Responsibilities

You will support a range of recruitment and administrative activities, including:

• Assisting with the creation and posting of job adverts and volunteer opportunities
• Supporting recruitment activities, including screening applications and scheduling interviews
• Maintaining accurate candidate and volunteer records using the organisation’s CRM system
• Assisting with onboarding tasks such as collecting documents and reference checks
• Supporting the development, review, and organisation of HR policies and procedures
• Contributing ideas and initiatives that help promote a positive and inclusive workplace culture
• Communicating professionally with applicants and volunteers via email and other platforms
• Updating and organising documents within shared systems such as Google Drive
• Supporting inclusive, fair, and transparent recruitment practices
• Attending monthly check-in meetings with the HR & Recruitment Officer
• Assisting with general HR and administrative tasks where required

• Person Specification

• Essential Criteria

• Strong organisational and administrative skills 

• High level of attention to detail 

• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism 

• Good written and verbal communication skills 

• Confidence using Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) 

• Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines independently 

• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion 

• Alignment with the values and mission of Hidayah LGBTQI+ 

• Desirable Criteria

• Experience using CRM systems or applicant tracking systems 

• Previous experience in recruitment, HR, or volunteer coordination 

• Understanding of inclusive recruitment and accessibility best practices 

• Awareness of challenges facing LGBTQI+ Muslims and other marginalised communities 

• Experience working or volunteering within a charity or community-based organisation 

• Time Commitment

• This is a flexible voluntary role that can be carried out alongside other commitments, provided agreed tasks are completed on time.

• Minimum of 2 hours per week, with the opportunity to contribute additional hours if available 

• Flexible working schedule 

• Attendance at a monthly check-in meeting 

• Benefits of Volunteering

• Make a meaningful impact within the LGBTQI+ Muslim community 

• Be part of a values-driven organisation promoting inclusion and social justice 

• Gain hands-on HR and recruitment experience 

• Develop professional, organisational, and interpersonal skills 

• Expand your professional network 

• Receive a reference for your CV

It’s an exciting time to join Victim Support, as we prepare to begin delivery of the Witness Service from April 2026. We look forward to welcoming current Witness Service staff and volunteers to Victim Support — and we’re also now beginning recruitment for several new roles and to fill vacant positions.  

The Witness Service provides free, independent support to any witness giving evidence in criminal courts in England and Wales — both for the prosecution and the defence.  

Our trained staff and volunteers help people understand what to expect before, during and after a trial, and offer practical and emotional support every step of the way, so witnesses can give their best evidence.   

The Witness Service also supports bereaved family members, and friends and family who are accompanying witnesses in court.

This is an exceptional opportunity to help us ensure a smooth transition and shape a high-quality, high-impact and trauma-informed service — so every witness feels informed, supported and more confident in court.  

Witness Service Outreach Volunteers provide support to witnesses when they are attending court, as well as pre-trial and post-trial helping them to feel safe and informed. You will provide support to both prosecution and defence witnesses.

Why volunteer with us?

• Make a difference - you will volunteer directly with victims and witnesses.

• Gain skills and experience - you will receive training on how to provide practical and emotional support.

• Join our community - you will be part of a large community of over 2,000 volunteers and staff. 

• Beyond your role – attend one of our many events/webinars and join one of our six Equality, Diversity & Inclusion networks.

What do we ask of you? 

In order to join us as a Witness Service Volunteer, you must: 

• Be 18 years of age or over. 

• Be able to volunteer for at least 1 day per week, for at least 12 months. 

• Undertake training – this includes virtual training days as well as completing online learning modules. 

• Undertake an Enhanced DBS with Child Barred List check & be part of the DBS Update Service.

• Be able to provide two satisfactory references. 

• Have an active email address that you are comfortable using in order to engage with VS communications. 

Diversity Matters 

• VS strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need. 

• VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role. 

• We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to support you through the application process. 

Do you enjoy organising things and making this happen?

Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?

Yes? We’d love to hear from you.

We’re looking for admin volunteers to help with our daily operations.  We have a variety of ways you can get involved:

• Responding to client requests and enquiries
• Fundrasing and partnership management
• Managing and updating company databases
• Keeping track of partnership enquiries
• Maintaining internal, volunteer, and client records
• Drafting and mailing client correspondence and newsletters
• Organising events, scheduling meetings, and making travel arrangements
• Providing administrative support to other departments or projects as needed
• Performing other duties as agreed in advance

We’ve designed our volunteering programme to be flexible and adaptive to you.  All volunteering is 100% remote and you’re supported fully by our team.  You control what you do and how many hours per week you want to volunteer.  Some roles may require an Enhanced DBS check. If your application is successful, we will ask for a donation towards the cost of your enhanced DBS check if it's required for your role. This cost is £22.60.

Here’s some further information on what’s needed:

Are you over 18 and living in the UK?

You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.  You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.

Do you have a laptop?

A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.

How much time can you give?

A minimum of 2 hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.

Training

We provide accredited training with 3 short courses needing to be completed prior starting your volunteer role.  After, you’ll have access to over 90 accredited courses should you want to study further.

Head of Operations (Volunteer Role)

Organisation: The Lysene Foundation

Location: Remote (global)

Time Commitment: Approx. 8 hours per month

About the Lysene Foundation

The Lysene Foundation is a start‑up charitable organisation inspired by the micronation known as the Principality of Lys — a creative community rooted in the classical arts, architecture, and beauty of the French Renaissance, Baroque, Beaux‑Arts, and the age of Humanism and Enlightenment.

We believe in a new Renaissance for Europe and the wider world. Our mission is to bring the cultural and community spirit of Lys to life through accessible public programmes, including community events, educational initiatives, exhibitions, publications, artistic opportunities, and more.

All activities and resources are open to the public without restriction.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a highly organised, strategic, and solutions‑driven Head of Operations to build and oversee the operational backbone of the foundation. This is a senior volunteer role ideal for someone who enjoys creating structure, designing systems, and ensuring that a growing organisation runs smoothly and efficiently.

You will establish our operational frameworks, develop internal processes, and support the coordination of teams across the foundation. As we grow, you will build and lead an operations department, ensuring that our programmes, volunteers, and leadership have the systems they need to thrive.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the operational future of a cultural charity at an early stage.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the foundation’s operational strategy, systems, and workflows.

• Create and maintain organisational policies, procedures, and best‑practice frameworks.

• Oversee internal coordination across departments, ensuring smooth communication and alignment.

• Support project planning, scheduling, and cross‑team collaboration.

• Establish tools and platforms for internal operations (project management, documentation, communication).

• Monitor organisational performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

• Work closely with senior leadership to ensure operations support strategic goals.

• Build and lead an operations team as the foundation grows.

• Ensure compliance with relevant governance, data protection, and safeguarding standards.

• Support risk management, reporting, and organisational planning.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience in operations, project management, organisational development, or a related field.

• Strong ability to design systems, processes, and structures in a start‑up environment.

• Excellent organisational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.

• Confident using digital tools and platforms to streamline workflows.

• A proactive, hands‑on approach with strong attention to detail.

• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams.

• Passion for arts, culture, education, or heritage is a bonus.

• A calm, supportive leadership style.

What You’ll Gain

• The chance to build the operational foundations of a global cultural organisation.

• Senior‑level leadership experience within a growing foundation.

• The opportunity to shape systems, strategy, and long‑term organisational impact.

• A creative, mission‑driven environment where your ideas genuinely matter.

• A meaningful role that strengthens your CV and professional profile, with a reference after a minimum of 6 months commitment to our Foundation.

Time Commitment

Approx. 8 hours per month, fully remote, with flexibility around your schedule.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a short statement explaining why you’re interested in this role and what you would bring to the foundation.

We Are Lys

We Are The Lysene Foundation

Job Description

We are looking for a Volunteer Digital Marketing Director to help lead and coordinate our digital outreach and growth strategy.

You will help develop and manage the organisation’s digital marketing activities, ensuring campaigns, content and communication channels work together to raise awareness and engage supporters.

This role involves working closely with the Founder and Digital Marketing team to guide digital campaigns, support online engagement and help build systems that allow the organisation to grow.

The role focuses on strategy, coordination and improving the impact of digital campaigns and outreach.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the organisation’s digital marketing strategy
• Support the planning and delivery of digital campaigns across platforms
• Work with content, design and campaign teams to align messaging and activities
• Help build digital pathways for volunteers, donors and supporters to engage with the organisation
• Monitor campaign performance and recommend improvements
• Oversee tools such as email marketing platforms, social media channels and CRM systems
• Ensure digital activities follow data protection and GDPR guidelines
• Provide updates and insights to leadership on digital performance

What We’re Looking For

• Experience or strong interest in digital marketing strategy or campaign management
• Ability to coordinate multiple digital channels such as social media, email and websites
• Experience working with tools such as CRM systems, email marketing platforms or digital collaboration tools
• Strong organisational and leadership skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with a remote volunteer team
• Interest in social impact, community engagement or nonprofit work
• Experience in nonprofit digital marketing or campaign strategy is helpful but not required

What You’ll Gain

• Leadership experience helping guide the digital strategy of a growing organisation
• Opportunity to help build digital systems and campaigns from the ground up
• Hands-on experience working with a multidisciplinary digital team
• Priority consideration for future paid roles when funding becomes available

VOLUNTEER ROLE: EVENTS ORGANISER

The Lyonic Scots Clan Society

Flexible • One‑off or multiple events throughout the year

The Lyonic Scots Clan Society is a modern Scottish cultural organisation inspired by the legacy of Robert “The Lyon” and the survivors of Culloden. We celebrate Scottish heritage, Highland identity, and the enduring spirit of courage, kinship, and belonging.

As we continue to grow across the UK and internationally, we are seeking enthusiastic Volunteer Events Organisers to help us plan and deliver a number of small cultural events throughout the year. Whether you want to organise one event or several, your contribution will help bring the Clan together and strengthen our community.

About the Role

Events are at the heart of any clan society — moments where heritage comes alive, friendships are formed, and community is strengthened. We are looking for volunteers who can help plan, coordinate, and deliver small‑scale gatherings such as:

• Cultural meet‑ups

• Heritage talks or workshops

• Social gatherings

• Online events

• Local clan meet‑and‑greets

• Seasonal celebrations

You can take on one event, a few, or support the full calendar — whatever suits your availability.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and organise small events (online or in‑person)

• Coordinate logistics such as venue, timings, and materials

• Communicate with attendees and the Council

• Ensure events run smoothly and reflect the dignity and heritage of the Clan

• Work with other volunteers when needed

• Share ideas for new cultural or community‑building activities

Who We’re Looking For

You’ll be a great fit if you:

• Enjoy organising gatherings or community events

• Are reliable, friendly, and good at communicating

• Can manage simple logistics and planning tasks

• Are creative and enjoy bringing people together

• Care about Scottish culture, heritage, and community identity

• Want to contribute to a meaningful cultural organisation

No professional events experience is required — just enthusiasm and a willingness to help.

What You’ll Gain

• Experience in event planning and community organising

• A chance to shape the cultural life of the Lyonic Scots

• Flexible volunteering — take on as much or as little as you like

• A warm, supportive team who value your contribution

• The joy of bringing people together through heritage and community

Help Bring the Clan Together

If you’re ready to help create meaningful cultural moments for the Lyonic Scots, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Apply now through CharityJob and help us build a vibrant calendar of clan events.

Position: Website Master (Volunteer)

Club: Kenningwell United Women’s Football Club (KUWFC)

Location: Home

Commitment: Up to 3 hours per week

About Us

Kenningwell United WFC is a non-profit women’s football team competing in the Greater London Women’s Football League. Part of the She’s Got Skills collective, we promote accessibility, wellbeing, and inclusion in women’s football.

Role Overview

We’re seeking a dedicate Website Master to help us maintain and update our club’s website. This is a great opportunity for someone with basic web skills who wants to support grassroots sport and gain valuable experience.

Key Responsibilities

- Update website content (fixtures, results, news, team info) as needed

- Make basic edits and improvements to layout or design

- Ensure information is accurate, timely, and accessible

- Liaise with club staff for updates and content

- Monitor website for issues and coordinate fixes

Requirements

- Familiarity with basic website management (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or similar)

- Attention to detail and good written communication

- Ability to work independently and manage time effectively (no more than 3 hours/week)

- Enthusiasm for women’s football and supporting community sport

What We Offer

- Flexible, remote volunteering

- Opportunity to make a real impact in grassroots women’s football

- Supportive club environment and references for future opportunities

To Apply: 

Email a brief note about your experience & your CV

JOB PURPOSE: We are seeking a passionate, creative, and community-driven Book Club Manager / Community Lead (Volunteer) to help build and grow a thought-provoking book club focused on awakening, education, critical thinking, and personal growth. This role involves developing the vision and structure of the book club, curating impactful reading materials, and creating a welcoming space where members can engage in meaningful discussions and self-reflection. The successful candidate will lead both online and offline sessions, organize engaging events, and foster a strong sense of community among members aged 16–35. The ideal volunteer is someone who enjoys bringing people together through ideas, conversations, and learning experiences, while encouraging intellectual curiosity and personal development.

About the role: The purpose of the Book Club Manager / Community Lead (Volunteer) role is to establish, manage, and grow an engaging and intellectually stimulating book club community that promotes education, awareness, personal development, and critical thinking. The role holder will be responsible for creating and implementing the club’s structure, coordinating discussions and events, curating impactful reading materials, and developing systems that enhance member participation and overall community experience. This position aims to create a safe, inclusive, and inspiring environment where members can explore new perspectives, challenge mainstream narratives, and build meaningful connections through shared learning and discussion.

Experience Qualification and Requirements

Experience running or managing book clubs, discussion groups, or community programs is a plus, but passionate and motivated individuals are encouraged to apply.
Strong organizational and event management skills.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills for leading discussions.
Knowledge of tools and platforms for virtual book clubs (Zoom, Discord, social media, event management platforms, etc.).
Ability to research, source, and recommend books that challenge mainstream narratives and promote critical thinking.
Passion for personal growth, education and community development.
Ability to engage members aged 16–35 and fosters a welcoming and intellectually stimulating environment

Main Responsibilities/ Key Duties

Develop and establish the structure of the book club, including mission, themes, and long-term goals.
Schedule and organize regular book club sessions, both online and offline.
Manage and moderate discussions to ensure engaging, respectful, and thought-provoking conversations.
Source, curate, and recommend books aligned with the club’s mission of awakening, education, and self-reflection.
Create and host events such as webinars, author talks, workshops, or live discussions.
Promote the book club through social media, community networks, and other channels to grow membership.
Develop systems and processes to streamline operations, track member engagement, and improve overall club experience.
Mentor and guide members on critical thinking, awareness, and personal growth.

VOLUNTEER ROLE: COMMITTEE MEMBER

The Lyonic Scots Clan Society

UK‑based applicants only

The Lyonic Scots Clan Society is a modern Scottish cultural organisation inspired by the legacy of Robert “The Lyon” and the survivors of Culloden. We celebrate Scottish heritage, Highland identity, and the enduring spirit of courage, kinship, and belonging.

As we continue to grow across the UK and internationally, we are seeking UK‑based Volunteer Committee Members to help guide the Society’s development, strengthen our governance, and support our cultural mission.

This is an important leadership role within the Society — ideal for someone who values heritage, community, and collaborative decision‑making.

About the Role

Committee Members play a key part in shaping the direction of the Lyonic Scots Clan Society. Working alongside the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and wider Council, you will help oversee our activities, support cultural initiatives, and ensure the organisation remains community‑focused, transparent, and well‑governed.

This role is remote‑friendly, but you must be based in the UK for governance and compliance purposes.

Key Responsibilities

As a Committee Member, you may:

• Contribute to decision‑making on Society activities, events, and heritage projects

• Support the development of policies, programmes, and community initiatives

• Attend regular Council meetings and participate in discussions

• Provide guidance and oversight to ensure good governance

• Assist with planning cultural events, campaigns, and membership engagement

• Champion the Society’s values of kinship, heritage, and community spirit

• Offer your skills, experience, and ideas to help the organisation grow

(Responsibilities can be shaped around your strengths and interests.)

Who We’re Looking For

You’ll be a great fit if you:

• Are UK‑based

• Are reliable, collaborative, and comfortable working as part of a small leadership team

• Communicate clearly and respectfully

• Care about Scottish culture, heritage, and community building

• Want to contribute your time and skills to a meaningful cultural organisation

• Bring experience in any of the following (helpful but not required):

  • Community leadership

  • Governance or committee work

  • Event planning

  • Heritage or cultural engagement

  • Communications, outreach, or membership support

You do not need to be Scottish — only committed to cultural preservation and community spirit.

What You’ll Gain

• A leadership role within a growing cultural organisation

• Experience in governance and community‑group decision‑making

• A chance to support Scottish heritage and identity

• Flexible volunteering you can fit around your life

• A warm, respectful team who value your contribution

Help Guide the Future of the Clan

If you’re ready to contribute your skills and help shape a living Scottish cultural movement, we would be honoured to hear from you.

Apply now through CharityJob and become part of the Lyonic Scots Clan Society.

Graphic Designer (Volunteer Role)

Organisation: The Lysene Foundation

Location: Remote (global)

Time Commitment: Fully flexible to suit your time and availability

About the Lysene Foundation

The Lysene Foundation is a start‑up charitable organisation inspired by the micronation known as the Principality of Lys — a creative community rooted in the classical arts, architecture, and beauty of the French Renaissance, Baroque, Beaux‑Arts, and the age of Humanism and Enlightenment.

We believe in a new Renaissance for Europe and the wider world. Our mission is to bring the cultural and community spirit of Lys to life through accessible public programmes, including community events, educational initiatives, exhibitions, publications, artistic opportunities, and more.

All activities and resources are open to the public without restriction.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a talented and imaginative Graphic Designer to help shape the visual identity of the foundation. This volunteer role is ideal for someone who loves classical aesthetics, elegant design, and creating beautiful visual materials that bring cultural ideas to life.

You will work closely with our Creative Director and Marketing team to produce graphics for digital platforms, publications, events, and campaigns. Your work will play a key role in defining how the world sees and experiences the spirit of Lys.

This is a wonderful opportunity to contribute creatively to a cultural organisation at an early stage.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high‑quality visual assets for social media, website content, newsletters, and campaigns.

• Support the development of branding materials, templates, and style guidelines.

• Design graphics for events, programmes, exhibitions, and educational initiatives.

• Collaborate with the Creative Director to ensure visual coherence across all outputs.

• Produce illustrations, layouts, and promotional materials aligned with the classical aesthetic of Lys.

• Work with the Marketing team to translate ideas into compelling visual content.

• Maintain organised design files and contribute to a growing visual asset library.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience in graphic design, visual communication, or a related creative field.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating design skills and aesthetic sensitivity.

• Proficiency with design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Affinity, Canva, or similar.

• Ability to work within a defined visual style while contributing fresh ideas.

• Interest in classical art, architecture, culture, or heritage is a bonus.

• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate with a creative team.

• Reliable, organised, and comfortable working independently in a remote environment.

What You’ll Gain

• The chance to help shape the visual identity of a global cultural foundation.

• Experience designing for a wide range of creative and cultural projects.

• A portfolio of meaningful, mission‑driven work.

• A supportive, imaginative environment where your ideas genuinely matter.

• A reference after a minimum of 6 months commitment to our Foundation.

Time Commitment

Fully remote, with flexibility around your schedule.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV, portfolio, and a short statement explaining why you’re interested in this role and what you would bring to the foundation.

We Are Lys

We Are The Lysene Foundation

"We are looking for 3 candidates to join our volunteer enhanced professional development programme and gain real world experience in your chosen field). While we only have 3 vacancies available through this programme, other options are available if your skills match our criteria".

Job description

Quilombo UK is looking for a Bid Writer (Grant & Funds), who loves to face work challenges; to join their growing team.

The Bid Writer (Grant & Funds) will play a critical role by assisting the manager to prepare the proposal that helps the organization to further develop and establish.

This role offers a great opportunity for the right person who is looking to; gain experience in the Third Sector; love to 'give back to their community'. The role is for you if you are looking for flexibility and autonomy. Where necessary specific training will also be provided to help you develop and grow your skill set.

Main Responsibilities

• Apart from writing proposals, you will also be reviewing and editing previously written content wherever necessary.
• Working with other team members to produce bid responses and writings
• Helps in writing funding applications for the varied projects that we run in order to meet our organisational objectives.
• Also helps in presentations and all supporting documentation.

General tasks

• Contribute to staff meetings and other internal meetings with views and suggestions etc.

Essential

• You must be based in the UK
• You will need to have good written skills
• Able to write effective, concise and compelling content
• You will be self-starting and willing to research and look for new funding opportunities that match our aims and objectives;
• Ability to work on tight deadlines
• Well organized, proactive and able to deliver tasks efficiently.
• Able to speak confidently with a variety of stakeholders.
• Good time-management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and excel.
• To show professionalism at all levels and in all environments
• Strong team player
• Ability to work independently and ask for clarification when needed.

The volunteering program with Quilombo UK requires a minimum of 16 weeks of commitment. We are looking for someone who can offer 12 hours a week, Monday - Friday (2 times a week).

Please note that this is a volunteering unpaid role.

Job Types: Part-time, Volunteer

Benefits: Work from home

Experience:

• Technical Writing: 2 years (preferred)

Work Location: Remote

The national charity No Panic supports people with anxiety problems, such as panic attacks, OCD, agoraphobia, social phobia & health anxiety. Our main service is our helpline.

We seek a volunteer to coordinate the Fundraisers Engagement Team, who liaise with people raising money for us by participating in challenges/contests.

The role is to keep track of current and potential fundraisers contacted by team members & the amounts of money raised, & involve other No Panic Teams as necessary.

The Co-ordinator may also carry out the roles of fundraiser contactors, when there is insufficient capa

You will need to provide a reference.

We ask you to commit to volunteer for a year.

We are looking for a Volunteer Copywriter / Script Editor to support our Podcast Production Team.

You will help turn podcast discussions into clear, engaging scripts and written content that supports storytelling and episode structure.

Key Responsibilities

• Write and edit podcast scripts
• Prepare episode summaries and show notes
• Support development of host questions and episode structure
• Ensure clarity, tone, and consistency in written content
• Edit transcripts for readability when needed
• Support written content for podcast promotion

Who We're Looking For

Essential

• Strong writing and editing skills
• Excellent written English
• Ability to structure and summarise conversations
• Attention to detail
• Comfortable working with sensitive topics

Bonus Skills

• Experience in copywriting, journalism, or media writing
• Experience writing podcast scripts or show notes
• Interest in storytelling, media, or social impact work

Formal qualifications are not required — writing samples or portfolio work are welcome.

Why Join Us

• Gain experience in podcast writing and editorial work
• Build your portfolio in media and storytelling
• Work with a mission-driven creative team
• Contribute to a meaningful social impact project
• Priority consideration for future paid 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.