Volunteer recruitment: 30 places your charity can find volunteers

We explore 30 places where charities can find and recruit volunteers.
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Volunteer recruitment: 30 places your charity can find volunteers

We explore 30 places where charities can find and recruit volunteers.
Contents

Finding and retaining volunteers is important to many charities and not-for-profit operations. Volunteer recruitment involves creating an engaging and inspiring volunteer programme, offering incentives or benefits, and building community and connection among volunteers. You’ll also want to consider where your ideal community is. You may have them following you on social media, subscribed to an email list, or in your donor community, but you may need to go out and find them. In this article, we will explore 30 places where charities can advertise volunteering opportunities or be matched with a corporate volunteering programme.

Places that connect volunteers with volunteering opportunities

These are places you can advertise volunteer roles either locally or nationally. Whilst some places acts as a ‘job board’ of lots of local volunteering opportunities, some platforms aim to more precisely match volunteers with charities based on mission & role.

Local volunteering centres

Remember you can also check your local CVS, volunteering centres or community action group.

Online

Recruit volunteers | Reach Volunteering
Promote your charity trustee vacancies and your volunteer opportunities. Search for people with skills to volunteer with your charity/organisation.
reachvolunteering.org.uk
Support Us to build brighter futures and change communities
The impact of our volunteers in communities is not possible without our partners. Get in touch to partner with us and support our work,
volunteeringmatters.org.uk
Find volunteering opportunities
Find and apply for the ideal volunteering role. You can use our app to find and provide help at your own pace
search.volunteero.org
Offers for new customers and small charities | CharityJob Recruiter
Freedom from high recruitment costs. CharityJob connects you with the sector’s brightest talent.
www.charityjob.co.uk
Volunteering search results – Goodmoves
goodmoves.com
Do IT | Connecting people to do good things
Do IT helps people build meaningful connections, do good things, and feel healthier and happier as a result.
doit.life
Volunteering – Volunteer Now
www.volunteernow.co.uk
Advertise your volunteer requirement
Use this form to submit your adverts for voluntary roles and apprenticeships for free inclusion in CJS.
www.countryside-jobs.com
Search For Volunteering Opportunities | Action Together
www.actiontogether.org.uk
Individual Volunteering | HandsOn London
Browse volunteering opportunities all over London and apply to the perfect one for you.
www.handsonlondon.org.uk
Volunteer Opportunities | Communities 1st
www.communities1st.org.uk
Volunteering opportunities | Neighbourly
Find volunteering opportunities with local charities, schools and community groups on Neighbourly.
www.neighbourly.com

For specific roles

These websites are aimed at matching charities with particular skill sets.

Accountants

Connecting accountants and non-profits | Charterpath
Charterpath aims to inspire more accountants to volunteer their time and skills, connect them with non-profit opportunities, and engage with other organisations so volunteering is a core part of an accountant’s career
www.charterpath.org.uk

For trustee roles

These websites have specific pages for recruiting for trustee roles.

Recruit a trustee | Reach Volunteering
reachvolunteering.org.uk
Finding a trustee | Trustees Unlimited
We enrich, diversify and strengthen boards As one of the UK’s leading trustee and board recruitment agencies, we find the right trustees for boards of all s …
trustees-unlimited.co.uk
Current vacancies for treasurers of charities – The Honorary Treasurers Forum
www.honorarytreasurers.org.uk
Home | Step on Board
Preparing skilled individuals for life as a Trustee, and connecting them with exciting board opportunities. Step on Board is an alternative leadership devel …
steponboard.co.uk

Places that connect business employees with charity volunteering opportunities

These sites help connect employees with causes as volunteers.

How to apply for support | Pilotlight
www.pilotlight.org.uk
onHand – The Volunteer and Climate Impact Platform.
The volunteering and climate impact platform for businesses and individuals. Help your local communities and have global impact.
www.beonhand.co.uk
For Impact Organisations — The No. 1 Solution For Employee Volunteering Benefits. Remote or IRL
wearematchable.com
Contact Us – Communities | Employee Volunteering
www.employeevolunteering.co.uk
How We Can Help | Make Good Grow
Good causes are the reason we got started in the first place. You’re doing amazing things in your community and we want to help, at no cost to you.
makegoodgrow.com
Tempo Time Credits | Uniting Volunteers, Businesses & Charities
Volunteers earn Tempo which can be used for a variety of services. We unite charities, volunteers & businesses through Tempo Time Credits.
wearetempo.org
Find a volunteer | Media Trust
We connect charities and skilled communications volunteers through our Volunteer Platform. Sign up today.
mediatrust.org
be/impact – home
beimpact is the platform for skilled corporate volunteering in the UK to improve you L&D and CSR
beimpact.co.uk

Local volunteering opportunities – Organisations helping to mobilise businesses to volunteer in their local communities

These organisations focus on getting people or employees to volunteer for local causes.

Volunteering Works – Volunteering Works create straightforward, effective, and impactful employee volunteering opportunities.
volunteeringworks.org.uk
Business in the Community – Business in the Community
Access expertise to measure and improve your impact in responsible business. Be encouraged to be faster, braver and bolder in how you create sustainable change.
www.bitc.org.uk
Volunteer – Plunkett Foundation
Plunkett’s Corporate Volunteering offers a range of activities that will bring benefits to your company and employees while also supporting local community-owned projects
plunkett.co.uk
Volunteer | Team Oxford
www.team-oxford.co.uk
Find a volunteering role | Team London
www.london.gov.uk

National campaigns for volunteers

These campaigns aim to inspire people to take up volunteering.

The Big Help Out | Home
thebighelpout.org.uk
Volunteers’ Week – Volunteers’ Week is a chance to say thank you for the fantastic contribution volunteers make.
volunteersweek.org

Considerations when recruiting volunteers

Let’s explore some key considerations for charities when recruiting and finding volunteers.

Define the requirements for volunteers

Before starting the recruitment process, it is essential to define the specific roles and responsibilities you need volunteers to undertake. Clearly define the skills, qualifications, and time commitments required for each role.

Develop a compelling proposition

Communicate the benefits of volunteering with your charity. Highlight the impact volunteers can make, the opportunities for personal growth and development and any additional information. Craft a message that resonates with potential volunteers and motivates them to get involved.

Utilise multiple recruitment channels

To maximize your chances of finding suitable volunteers, make use of a variety of recruitment channels. Building your own brand and community will be valuable in attracting people already motivated by your mission, but using the list of channels above, you can tap into the networks and talent pools of other organisations, businesses and communities.

Streamline the volunteer application process

Make it easy and accessible for potential volunteers to apply. Acknowledge receipt and keep applicants updated on the progress of their applications. Implement a structured screening process that ensures good risk management and safeguarding of beneficiaries, staff and stakeholders.

Plan training and support

A volunteer handbook can be useful as a manual and reference point for all your important information and policies but also offer ongoing support, supervision, and guidance to help them succeed in their volunteer positions. Regularly communicate with volunteers to address concerns, provide feedback, and recognise their contributions.

Build a great volunteer experience

Fostering a day-to-day culture where people understand and embed your values is essential to executing any strategy or vision you have. You could recognise and celebrate the achievements of your volunteers, provide opportunities for them to connect and collaborate with other volunteers, invest in their skills and offer personal support. Turning volunteers into advocates should be one of your goals, and will likely help you achieve multiple steps towards your vision. Moreover, seek feedback to understand their experience, to improve the volunteer recruitment and onboarding process for others.

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