Volunteering opportunities
Some examples of volunteering opportunities available with our charitable partners.
While you are not limited to working with our charitable partners, below are some examples of the organisations we work with and the sort of work our volunteers do to give you some ideas.
If you have an idea for a volunteering opportunity not listed here, get in touch and we'll help you make it happen!
Aston University Commonwealth Champions
The Commonwealth Champions event offers the opportunity for 360 children from local primary schools compete in a multi-sport event in our sports centre from 21–23 June.
We can’t put on this unforgettable experience for the children without the support of our student and staff volunteers. You can volunteer for one, two or three days and no experience is necessary as there will be a Sport Aston member of staff leading each activity. We will also be running briefing sessions in the run up to the event.
There are two volunteer roles available:
- Team Supervisors: Each team supervisor will be allocated to a team of six children and will look after them throughout the day (under the overall control of two accompanying teachers from each school). You will need to escort them around the different activities and provide encouragement and support throughout the day.
- Activities Assistants: The activities assistants will provide help to Sport Aston staff running the activities. Duties could include scoring, judging, or stewarding.
Find out more details and sign up on the Commonwealth Champions Event form.
Aston Villa Foundation
The Aston Villa Foundation is the charitable arm of Aston Villa Football Club, which supports initiatives in the community surrounding Villa Park and across Birmingham.
- Holte End Abseil, 31 July. Here is your chance to abseil down the famous Holte End. Get tickets from tickets.avfc.co.uk/en-GB/categories/foundation
For the more adventurous, the Aston Villa Foundation is also organising sponsored coast-to-coast cylcle rides and treks up the Snowdon and Kilimanjaro mountains and along the Great Wall of China.
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust
Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust are currently actively recruiting volunteers to help with gardening duties at Moseley Hall Hospital from 10.00am-2.00pm (approx) on the following days:
- 25 May for general cleaning/weeding, etc
- 29 June for general cleaning/weeding, etc
There will be a member of staff available on the day to supervise and work with the volunteers.
Love Brum
LoveBrum is a charity that engages with local people and businesses to build an even better Birmingham. They have a range of volunteering and fundraising opportunities available across the region:
- Moor Pool Heritage Trust, based in Harborne, is looking for a team of about six people to help tend to their overgrowing green spaces – sturdy shoes are recommended for this one!
- Cerebral Palsy Midlands, based in Harborne, is in need of volunteer support for the Wheel’n’Walk Sponsored Walk, Cannon Hill Park, Sunday 15 May, 11.00am. This event is a walk supporting inclusion in Birmingham. Volunteers are required to supply refreshments, marshalling or pushing, walking with someone who may need support, stamping and encouraging and also any help with promoting the event would be appreciated.
- Weoley Big Come Back, Saturday 24 September, 7.30pm until late at Weoley Castle Social Club in the main hall. This is a fundraiser, but it is also a chance for our community of people, citizens, staff, carers, trustees, friends and family to come together. They are looking for people to supply table decorations, a photo booth, raffle prizes, photograhy, design of posters and tickets, a DJ with equipment and promotion of the event.
- Sol Cafe, based in Birmingham is looking for additional volunteer support to help front of house and light cooking duties.
- Hamilton School, based in Handsworth Wood, is looking for support in painting a small office room to create a new teaching working space and giving a current computer room a lick of paint. They also need help in dismantling old sensory room equipment and painting a current sensory room to make it a "blank" learning space. There is also opportunities to give the garden some love to help make it more purposeful for students ready for the summer term.
- Disco Inclusive, based in Edgbaston, are looking to restart their monthly evening time (7.00–10.00pm) disco for young adults (target age 18–35 but no one barred) coping with Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Learning Disability. They are looking for volunteers to help run the evening and dress the room, and would love someone who could help with Treasurer/Secretary duties.
- Fur and Feathers is looking for volunteer support to help at their Animal sanctuary in Wythall – they have posted opportunities on their Facebook page furandfeatherswythall
- Our Place Support, based in Sutton Coldfield is in desperate need of help to paint some of the rooms in the Hub.
- Martineau Gardens, located in Edgbaston, have a few painting projects – from painting the pirate ship with wood preserver to giving the toilet block a good coat of paint. They can generally accommodate teams of between 10-15 people to do this type of job.
- The Animal House Rescue, Bartley Green, is looking for volunteers to help lay slabs in their Rescue Field.
- Birmingham Impact Football Club CIC will soon be moving premises and they need lots of help! Roles may include helping to mow the grass and hedge cutting to more technical, professional skills such as help with marketing and coaching. Something for everyone here!
- Fat Fluffs, a rabbit rescue based in Solihulll, need some Wendy houses putting up and painting and are looking to get them sorted by the end of May. They also need extra barn volunteers who can help with weighing, cleaning and socialising their rescue rabbits. At present they are particularly short on Mondays and Fridays.
- Wellcat, based near Frankley, is a cat and kitten rescue centre in desperate need of help to build a small wall.
- MAPA, based in Chelmsley Wood, have manual volunteering opportunities available, such as taking in donations of clothes, bedding, toys, books etc, and running community swapshop sessions when people can come and find what they need. They also have ongoing gardening/site maintenance and development. They are also offereing professional opportunities in working youth night sessions alongside sessional youthworkers and play sessions in the school holidays alongside playworkers.
- Cherished, based in Boldmere, is looking for help with their courses that improve girls' self esteem – this is a creative job that would take a morning or afternoon at their offices. They are also looking for help with an office sort – organising the crafts and resources for their children's groups in the resource room and there are opportunities for people to get involved in their children's story sessions, teaching about kindness!
Aston Villa Foundation
The Aston Villa Foundation is the charitable arm of Aston Villa Football Club, which supports initiatives in the community surrounding Villa Park and across Birmingham. The Foundation delivers schemes across sport, health, education, community safety and community relations agendas – including the Villa Vision project delivered in partnership with Aston University. Opportunities to get involved with the Foundation include supporting those with disabilities, young people and improving the health and wellbeing of our local community.
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust
Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust provide high-quality community and specialist services within Birmingham and the West Midlands, delivering over 100 clinical services in peoples homes and in hospitals, health centres and clinics.
Birmingham Mind
Birmingham Mind is the largest independent mental health charity providing services in and beyond the city of Birmingham's boundaries. Opportunities to volunteer include maintenance of residential homes and gardens, providing support to clients' wellbeing and physical health, and volunteering at fundraising events.
Governors for Schools
Volunteering as a school governor is a great way to connect with your community and raise children’s aspiration. Governors for Schools is a national education charity that finds, places, and supports skilled volunteers as governors on school and academy boards, improving education for children and young people through effective governance. Volunteers will be matched to schools based on their specific skillset and preferences and will receive full support and training.
Groundwork
Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK. Previous opportunities have included volunteering in community engagement, wildlife conservation and green space heritage, including gardening, habitat management, event planning, wildlife surveys and art projects.
Love Brum
LoveBrum is a charity that engages with local people and businesses to build an even better Birmingham. Volunteering opportunities include organising and hosting events, fundraising, blogging, sorting donations, promotion, photography and videography.
Sifa Fireside
SIFA Fireside support homeless and vulnerably housed adults by meeting their everyday needs and enabling them to successfully move on. Previous volunteers have helped out by welcoming clients at Sifa's drop-in centre, and cooking, cleaning and sorting donations.
Birmingham Settlement
Birmingham Settlement works to create opportunity and choice – connecting and empowering people through action, activities, and shared learning to build and sustain wellbeing for all. Volunteering opportunities include fundraising activities and roles at at events.
Bringing Hope
Bringing Hope is a charity based in Birmingham that works in prisons and the community with those involved in serious violence and crime. Opportunities are available in fundraising, and befriending and mentoring clients.
Carrs Lane Counselling Centre
Carrs Lane is a counselling centre in the heart of Birmingham dedicated to providing a face-to-face counselling service for adults for over 50 years. Previous volunteers have offered financial advice to the organisation and ensuring they are following sound accounting practice.
Free@last
free@last is an award-winning Birmingham-based charity committed to improving the lives of children and young people (and those that support them) from the inner-city area of Nechells. The charity aims to enable and equip people to become empowered, resilient and independent. Fundraising opportunities are available in a wide range of sectors, including the arts and creativity, technology, sport, young entrepreneurial business, and events.
free@last
Homeless One
Homeless One provides services to those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Opportunities available include serving hot food and drinks and talking with clients.
