Volunteering can help you:
- Build confidence and independence.
- Learn new skills for life and work.
- Make friends and feel part of the community.
- Explore interests and discover talents.
Volunteering
What is volunteering?
Volunteering is when you choose to give your time to help others, either in your local community or elsewhere.
It can take lots of different forms – formal or informal, individual or in groups, indoors or outdoors.
Volunteers contribute a wide range of skills such as administration, IT, care for children/elderly people, accountancy, gardening and sports.
Volunteers don’t get paid, instead they get the satisfaction of helping others, a chance to make new friends and an opportunity to develop new skills.
Volunteering can help you:
- Build confidence and independence.
- Learn new skills for life and work.
- Make friends and feel part of the community.
- Explore interests and discover talents.
Do you have a learning disability? Are you interested in volunteering, or know someone who might be? If so, Mencap has lots of exciting opportunities to try something new, learn new skills and make friends. You can also read about those on the external link on the right as well as an easy read guide.
See more other volunteering opportunities in Hampshire.
Do you have a learning disability? Are you interested in volunteering, or know someone who might be? If so, Mencap has lots of exciting opportunities to try something new, learn new skills and make friends. You can also read about those on the external link on the right as well as an easy read guide.
See more other volunteering opportunities in Hampshire.
vInspired is a charity which supports young people aged 14 – 25 find volunteering opportunities within their local area.
vInspired is a charity which supports young people aged 14 – 25 find volunteering opportunities within their local area.
When looking for volunteering roles:
- Think about your interests and strengths (e.g., animals, arts, sports, technology).
- Ask what the role would involve and think how it would be to do that role. Go and visit the place where you would be working and check the role would be accessible to you.
Volunteering doesn't always mean giving up whole days at a time. There are many opportunities available to suit even the busiest of people. Just sparing a couple of hours can be enough to help a good cause. Search for volunteering opportunities.
What types of volunteering are there?
There are numerous types of volunteering open to you. Here are just a few:
If you or someone you know has been affected by a specific health condition, volunteering can be a great way of sharing your knowledge and experience. It could even play a part in your own recovery. You might like to give your time to the hospital unit or department that treated you.
Alternatively, you could volunteer for a charity. This might involve helping in a charity shop, fundraising or running support groups. Find details of how to approach your local NHS Trust or visit or visit the website of a charity you'd like to volunteer for.
If you or someone you know has been affected by a specific health condition, volunteering can be a great way of sharing your knowledge and experience. It could even play a part in your own recovery. You might like to give your time to the hospital unit or department that treated you.
Alternatively, you could volunteer for a charity. This might involve helping in a charity shop, fundraising or running support groups. Find details of how to approach your local NHS Trust or visit or visit the website of a charity you'd like to volunteer for.
Biobanking involves healthy people or people with a specific condition giving samples of blood, urine, tissue or saliva - these are then used to develop a better understanding of health and certain illnesses.
For more information, visit Healthtalk where you can hear volunteers talk about their experiences of biobanking.
Biobanking involves healthy people or people with a specific condition giving samples of blood, urine, tissue or saliva - these are then used to develop a better understanding of health and certain illnesses.
For more information, visit Healthtalk where you can hear volunteers talk about their experiences of biobanking.
Time banks are an innovative way of volunteering your time and skills. If you participate in a time bank you offer your skills in return for credits, which you can then use to buy someone else's services. For example, you could offer three hours of gardening and in exchange receive a one-hour language lesson and a two-hour beauty treatment from other members of the time bank.
Visit Time Banking UK to find out what's available in your area.
Time banks are an innovative way of volunteering your time and skills. If you participate in a time bank you offer your skills in return for credits, which you can then use to buy someone else's services. For example, you could offer three hours of gardening and in exchange receive a one-hour language lesson and a two-hour beauty treatment from other members of the time bank.
Visit Time Banking UK to find out what's available in your area.
What You Can Do at the Library
- Help visitors – say “Hello!” and show them where to find books or what to do when they come in
- Sort books – put books back on the shelves or get them ready for others
- Join events – help with story time, craft clubs, or special activities for kids and grown-ups
2. Delivering Books to People
Some people can’t come to the library, so:
- You can choose books and audiobooks for them.
- You take the books to their homes and chat about them.
This is called the Home Library Service
3. The Summer Reading Challenge
In summer:
- You help children join the challenge and log their books.
- You talk to them about what they read and cheer them on
4. Why It’s Great
- You meet new friends and talk to people
- You learn how to help others and be kind
- You try new things like organizing events or delivering books
How to Start
- Go in and talk to the friendly people in your local library.
- Tell them what you’d like to do — helping visitors, events, or book deliveries.
- They’ll show you what to do and teach you new skills
What You Can Do at the Library
- Help visitors – say “Hello!” and show them where to find books or what to do when they come in
- Sort books – put books back on the shelves or get them ready for others
- Join events – help with story time, craft clubs, or special activities for kids and grown-ups
2. Delivering Books to People
Some people can’t come to the library, so:
- You can choose books and audiobooks for them.
- You take the books to their homes and chat about them.
This is called the Home Library Service
3. The Summer Reading Challenge
In summer:
- You help children join the challenge and log their books.
- You talk to them about what they read and cheer them on
4. Why It’s Great
- You meet new friends and talk to people
- You learn how to help others and be kind
- You try new things like organizing events or delivering books
How to Start
- Go in and talk to the friendly people in your local library.
- Tell them what you’d like to do — helping visitors, events, or book deliveries.
- They’ll show you what to do and teach you new skills
Passionate about animals?
Hampshire has lots of local charities that support animals and rely on volunteers to help them.
These include:
Passionate about animals?
Hampshire has lots of local charities that support animals and rely on volunteers to help them.
These include:
Volunteering Matters
Volunteering Matters (formerly CSV) was founded to encourage young people aged 16 to 35 to volunteer. Its main focus is on full-time volunteering. Opportunities include work on environmental projects, helping children to read and supporting people who are unwell and unable to carry out day-to-day tasks. There are also many health-focused projects, open to people of all ages on a part-time or full-time basis.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
NCVO is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England, with the aim of connecting people and organisations. It has 11,000 members, from large organisations to small community groups, so there will be one that is right for you.
Locate your nearest volunteer centre.
Friends of the Elderly
Friends of the Elderly needs volunteers to help out with its day centres, befriending services, and activities in care homes, and to get involved in its Be a Friend campaign.
Volunteering Matters
Volunteering Matters (formerly CSV) was founded to encourage young people aged 16 to 35 to volunteer. Its main focus is on full-time volunteering. Opportunities include work on environmental projects, helping children to read and supporting people who are unwell and unable to carry out day-to-day tasks. There are also many health-focused projects, open to people of all ages on a part-time or full-time basis.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
NCVO is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England, with the aim of connecting people and organisations. It has 11,000 members, from large organisations to small community groups, so there will be one that is right for you.
Locate your nearest volunteer centre.
Friends of the Elderly
Friends of the Elderly needs volunteers to help out with its day centres, befriending services, and activities in care homes, and to get involved in its Be a Friend campaign.