Community services volunteers volunteer roles in battersea, greater london

We are based in Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth and Westminster.

At Doorstep Library, we’re dedicated to bringing the magic of books and the joy of reading directly into the homes of children who need our support.

With 1 in 4 children in the UK leaving primary school unable to read or write properly, we recruit and train in-person and online volunteers to introduce children from under-resourced areas to the pleasure of reading.

What’s Involved?

As a Doorstep Library reading volunteer, you’ll visit the same families at their homes every week with a backpack full of books to share with the children and encourage their love of reading.

You will:

• Handpick books based on the children’s age, interests, and reading level
• Visit their homes with your volunteer partner for 20-minute reading sessions  
• Leave behind a selection of books for the children to borrow for the week

Our unique home-based approach allows our volunteers to build trusting relationships with families, helping them to connect with the community and equip them with the skills they need to succeed later in life.

When and Where?

We have volunteer opportunities in: Hammersmith, Parsons Green, Fulham Broadway, Shepherds Bush, East Acton, Latimer Road, Euston, Kings Cross, Marylebone, Edgware Road, Queens Park, Pimlico, Brixton, Tulse Hill, and World's End.

• Time commitment: One evening a week (Regular Volunteer), one evening every other week (Semi-Regular Volunteer) or once every 3 weeks (Stand-In Volunteer) during school term times
• Hours per week: 2.5
• Days: Our projects run on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays depending on where you are based from 4:30pm – 7:00pm

 Why volunteer with Doorstep Library? 

• It's incredibly fun! You get to explore your inner child and share your passion for books and reading. 
• We invest in our team of volunteers to ensure they are valued, supported and are developing. 
• You will be a part of the Doorstep Library community of families, volunteers and staff members. 
•  You can make a real difference to the lives of others. Providing you with a real sense of purpose and achievement. 
•  You give back to the community you live in or the community you visit every week. 
• You build your confidence and improve your self-esteem and mental well-being. 
• You will develop skills and enhance your C.V. 

Doorstep Library is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and all those it comes into contact with. All volunteers undergo rigorous safer recruitment processes including specified interview questions, a DBS check, and the collection of written and/or verbal references.  Safeguarding training is a mandatory part of the induction process for all volunteers, and they are expected to always adhere to our safeguarding policies and procedures.

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Hampstead store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Chiswick High Road store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Fulham Road store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Perinatal Support Volunteers provide one-to-one support to parents during pregnancy and up to nine months after the birth. These parents either have mental health issues or are at risk of developing them.

Perinatal Support Volunteers visit these families once a week (usually weekdays during working hours) for 2-3 hours, providing emotional support and practical help in the family’s home or local community. Support is aimed at empowering parents and building resilience beyond the support period.

The type of support Perinatal Support Volunteers provide to parents may include:

• An empathetic and non-judgemental listening ear
• Support to prepare for parenthood
• Support to build confidence in parenting skills
• Support to develop a positive relationship with their infant
• Support to establish daily and weekly routines
• Support to take time for self-care
• Support to manage the things that are causing stress
• Support to access relevant services
• Support to access local green spaces
• Support to make connections with other parents

No special qualifications are necessary to become a Perinatal Support Volunteer, but Home-Start volunteers are usually either parents or grandparents themselves, or people with experience of young children and family life. We particularly welcome volunteers with lived experience of perinatal mental health challenges.

Do you want to make a real difference?

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

As a till volunteer, you'll be the friendly face of our shop, handling customer transactions with a smile. You'll provide top customer service, and help create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that keeps our customers coming back!

Here's why Oxfam is the perfect opportunity for you:

• Be a Second-hand Superhero: In our high street shops, Ecommerce Hubs and Online Shop, people like you help create exciting and inspiring collections – retail therapy with a purpose!
• Increase Your Skills: If you have a particular interest, you can build on it to gain valuable retail experience to add to your CV, such as merchandising, customer service, and teamwork.
• Find Your Community: Meet like-minded people who share your passion for a fairer world.
• Flexibility: We know life gets busy. That's why we offer flexible volunteering options. A few hours a week is all it takes to make a big difference.

Oxfam isn't just another charity shop. We're a movement of passionate individuals working to create a fairer world, and we’d love you to be a part of it!

What happens next?

After you apply, the manager will ask you to come in for an initial chat. This is not an interview, just a chance to get an idea of what you'd like to do in the shop. From there, you can meet the rest of the volunteer team and get involved with whatever area of the shop takes your interest!

About the opportunity

We need dedicated volunteers to join our friendly team at our store on Wilton Road in the popular shopping area of Victoria. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Tooting store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

This role is an opportunity to get experience of working in a busy office environment supporting a legal advice service. Through providing vital administrative support, responding to enquiries, arranging client meetings and coordinating interpreters, you will help our expert legal advisers to deliver specialist legal advice and representation to refugees and survivors in complex cases. Through this role, you will get experience of working in a legal advice organisation and an understanding of its administrative and support needs. As the role develops, there may also be the opportunity to gain basic knowledge of Legal Aid procedures and client care.

Main tasks and activities

· Providing general administrative support such as copying, scanning, filing documents, data entry and generating reports from client databases;

· Basic reception duties including answering the phone, taking messages, opening and distributing post, and monitoring our email inboxes;

· Maintaining signposting list and providing information about alternative services where we cannot assist;

· Booking client appointments and interpreters, and maintaining interpreter register;

· Assisting the Legal Administrator and/or Billing Coordinator with preparing files for billing or transfer to another provider.

Skills and experience needed

· Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of Asylum Aid;

· A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking;

· Punctual, reliable and self-motivated with a positive, ’can-do’ attitude;

· Basic understanding of the challenges facing our clients and of the UK asylum system

· High degree of accuracy and attention to detail

· Experience of working with spreadsheet computer programs (e.g. Excel) and databases

· Confidence with IT skills

· Excellent organisational skills

· Strong communication skills – written, verbally on the phone and face-to-face

· Ability to work well as part of a team and form effective working relationships

· Understanding of the importance of confidentiality and respect for client confidentiality

· Ability to complete tasks independently once given a clear brief

What you will get out of the role:

· Greater understanding of the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees;

· Knowledge of the UK asylum process and associated legal systems;

· Experience of working in a busy legal advice service;

· Basic awareness of Legal Aid eligibility and procedures;

· Experience of taking calls and responding to enquiries from vulnerable and often distressed clients;

· Stronger administrative skills;

· Ability to process large amounts of data and prioritise or categorise it;

· An ability to multi-task between competing priorities.

Equal Opportunities

The Helen Bamber Foundation and Asylum Aid are an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer. We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates as we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in at every level within the organisation.  We particularly welcome applications from those with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

Please attach a cover letter under 'Supporting Documents' along with your CV. Unfortunately, applications which do not include a cover letter cannot be taken forward to interview.

Due to capacity constraints, we will only respond to applicants who are being invited to interview. 

Please note, a three-month probation period is in place across all HBF voluntary roles.

Please note that successful candidates will be offered the volunteer position subject to an Enhanced DBS certificate.

Refettorio Felix is a community kitchen with an open-door policy in the Earl's Court area. We provide a safe haven and a warm, welcoming atmosphere for those facing homelessness and financial crises.

Using surplus food ingredients, our kitchen freshly prepares a three-course lunch for up to 140 people per weekday. We are looking for friendly and dedicated volunteers to support us in our mission to provide fresh and nutritious meals to our guests.

Your support will have a meaningful impact on the quality of lives of the most vulnerable members of the community. From trained and experienced Chefs to keen home cooks, we would love to hear from you!

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Finchley Road store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Kings Road store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Kentish Town store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Brompton Road store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person