Volunteering ideas for under 16s
The Volunteering section of your programme is often the most rewarding, uplifting and memorable part of DofE. However, it can be hard to find ideas for your Volunteering section if you’re under 16.
Take a look at some of our Approved Activity Providers (AAPs) that offer Volunteering opportunities for under 16s. You can also check out our Opportunity Finder for more ideas.
Remember, your DofE Leader needs to approve any activity before it is started.
Environment and Animals
Another Way
Another Way is a youth-led environmental education charity aiming to empower people to live with kindness towards our planet.
Volunteer as a Regional Rep: The Power of 10 Ambassador programme is a unique opportunity to get involved with the only project that is empowering all young people to take their passion for planet and turn into action for change in all areas of society. (11+)
British Trust for Ornithology
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is a UK charity that focuses on understanding birds and, in particular, how and why bird populations are changing. Our vision is a world where people are inspired by birds and informed by science.
Volunteer as a Citizen Scientist: As a BTO Citizen Scientist, you will go out and collect data about the birds and wildlife in your surroundings and upload it to the national database. (11+)
Canal and River Trust
Canal and River Trust care for a 2,000-mile-long, 200-year-old network of canals, rivers, reservoirs and docks, they believe that life is better by water.
Be a Young Volunteer: Whether you’re interested in developing your skills and employability, driving social action, or improving your health and wellbeing, Canal and River Trust have something for everyone.
Contact Canal and River Trust here.
Cats Protection
Cats Protection stand up for every cat. In every corner of the country passionate volunteers, employees and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them.
Be a Cat Care Volunteer: As a cat care volunteer, you will spend time directly with the cats and kittens; cleaning their pens, feeding, grooming and enriching their play time. (14+)
RSPB
The RSPB is a UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and all wildlife. It is the largest nature conservation charity in the country, consistently delivering successful conservation, forging powerful new partnerships with other organisations and inspiring others to stand up and give nature the home it deserves.
Be a Young Volunteer: You don’t have to be an RSPB member to volunteer, you don’t even have to be a bird or wildlife expert to volunteer.. There are many ways you can get involved with their work. (14+)
RSPCA
The RSPCA is the largest and oldest animal welfare charity around. They exist to inspire everyone to create a better world for every animal. Every day they change lives, laws, industries and minds so all animals can live a better life.
Be a Young Volunteer: Using their downloadable activity pack you will complete tasks at home and in your local community that will help you create a better world for animals. The tasks include helping wildlife in your local area through litter picking, helping the work of Pet Food Banks and carrying out campaigning tasks to help change minds and doing a bit of fundraising.
Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage is one of the UK’s leading marine conservation and campaigning charities. They are made up of water lovers who protect the ocean from plastic and sewage pollution, they take action on the ground that triggers change at the top.
Be a Million Mile Clean Volunteer: As a Volunteer you will organise and carry out your own cleans, in your own time, using their resources. Choose whichever location suits you – beach, park, river, mountain or street, all cleans count! Surfers against Sewage will send you a free kit and provide insurance and guidance for organising and running a clean. (14+)
Contact Surfers against Sewage here.
Helping others
Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s transforms the lives of the most vulnerable children across the UK. They are committed to provide better outcomes for more children, and need volunteers to support in all areas of their work.
Volunteer as a Retail Assistant: Roles include customer service, sorting donations and merchandising. (14+)
Fundraising: Fundraise for the charity. (14+)
Kissing It Better
Kissing It Better is a healthcare charity that offers supported volunteering opportunities so you can use your talents to light up the day for older people in hospitals and care homes.
Be a Young Volunteer: Form meaningful intergenerational connections. (14+)
Contact Kissing it Better here.
Rotary GB&I
Rotary is full of people who love making a positive difference in communities at home and overseas. Armed with ideas, skills and enthusiasm.
Volunteer as an Interactor: Young people who work together to help others. Whether finding a way to support orphans overseas or volunteering in the local area, the Interactors will create the idea and be supported by their local Rotary. (12+)
Royal Voluntary Service
Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering organisations supporting people’s health, happiness and wellbeing wherever we’re needed most. Volunteers provide a helping hand in the NHS and in local communities.
Be a café and Shop Volunteers: Support hospital shops, cafes and tea bars by serving refreshments and helping to create a welcoming space for patients, NHS staff and visitors. (14+)
Be a Community Volunteer: Support our community-based services including our centres as well as lunch and social clubs. (14+)
Contact Royal Voluntary Service here.
Sanctuary Care
Sanctuary Care is a non-profit organisation that operates more than 100 care homes in England and Scotland
Be a volunteer befriender: You can make residents’ homes even cosier by simply chatting, listening or reading together. Perhaps run an errand or go for a walk, or even attend a singing class with them. (13+)
St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
St Barnabas Hospice is a local independent charity that supports more that 9,000 people across Lincolnshire. They deliver free, high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care and support to adults living with a life limiting or terminal illness, their family and carers.
Be a retail volunteer: You’ll provide excellent service to customers who purchase from and donate to St Barnabas Hospice shops. (14+)
Contact St Barnabas Hospice here.
The Organic Cookery School
The Organic Cookery School is a not-for-profit community cookery school providing young people, families and vulnerable adults with accessible and fun cookery programmes and volunteering opportunities.
Join the community chef volunteering programme: Calling all foodies! The Community Chef Volunteering programme offers you the opportunity to share your love of cooking with food banks, homeless shelters and soup kitchens in your local community. (13+)
Contact The Organic Cookery School here.
Coaching, Teaching and Leadership
Girlguiding UK
Girlguiding UK is the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls.
Be a young external volunteer: You’ll get involved to help run fun weekly meetings with our adult leaders, where girls explore things that really matter in their lives. You could be building dens with 6-year-olds, discovering the wonders of space with 9-year-olds, or helping 12-year-olds create their own campaign. You could even grow your own leadership skills with their young leader development programme. (13+)
Restless Development
Restless Development support the collective power of young people to solve the world’s greatest challenges.
Schools Triathlon Event Volunteer: This volunteer programme will involve a number of online sessions where you’ll learn practical skills to plan and then deliver your own fundraising event. It will also prepare you to volunteer at any one of our Schools Triathlons near to you. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into a large community fundraising event and learn the importance of fundraising in a fun and rewarding way. (14+)
Contact Restless Development here.
Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA)
Riding for the Disabled Association’s horses and ponies provide therapy, achievement and enjoyment to people with disabilities all over the UK. Our network organises activities for up to 28,000 each year.
Be a RDA volunteer: There is a wide range of roles from supporting individuals with a disability to take part in riding, carriage driving or vaulting, to being part of the team behind the scenes at your local RDA group. (12+)
Contact Riding for the Disabled Association here.
Community Action
Edukid
Edukid works with children living in extreme poverty in Asia, Africa and South America. They exist to break down the barriers to education that these children face.
Be a global citizen: Passionate about making the world a better place? Interested in equality and opportunity for every individual? Through volunteering with Edukid, they want to show you that you can make huge ripples of change, even within communities based overseas. You are a global citizen with the power to transform lives through relatively small actions. (12+)
Gamcare
GamCare is the leading provider of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling harms. They operate the National Gambling Helpline, provide structured support for anyone who is harmed by gambling, create awareness about safer gambling and treatment, and encourage an effective approach to safer gambling within the gambling industry.
Be a Youth Advisory board volunteer: As a Youth Advisor, you have the opportunity to work with staff across the organisation, provide insights on our content, services and communication with young people, playing a vital role in ensuring the work they do is relevant and engaging. (11+)
Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage is one of the UK’s leading marine conservation and campaigning charities. They are made up of water lovers who protect the ocean from plastic and sewage pollution.
Be a Million Mile Clean Volunteer: You will organise and carry out their own cleans, in your own time, using their resources. Choose whichever location suits you – beach, park, river, mountain or street, all cleans count! Surfers against Sewage will send you a free kit and provide insurance and guidance for organising and running a clean. (14+)
Contact Surfers against Sewage here.
Helping a charity
British Heart Foundation
British Heart Foundation’s vision is a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases. The raise money to research cures and treatments to continue lifesaving work.
Fundraise Decide on a fundraising activity and volunteer your time planning in the lead up to your fundraising event. Ideas include sponsored events such as walking or running and baking. (14+)
Contact British Heart Foundation here.
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross is part of the largest humanitarian organisation in the world. They aim to help people, whoever and wherever they are, in times of a crisis.
Be a Retail Volunteer: Are you a rummager with a flair for finding hidden treasures? Or do you enjoy a chinwag and meeting new people? If the answer’s yes, then volunteer in one of the British Red Cross shops. (15+)
Join the online volunteering programme: The programme will help you build a timetable for your volunteering section, helping the British Red Cross through activities including; mapping humanitarian hotspots, fundraising, learning First Aid and sharing the power of kindness. (14+)
Contact The British Red Cross here.
DEBRA
DEBRA is the national charity that supports people living with the painful genetic skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). They fund vital community support, specialist healthcare and pioneering research into treatments and a cure/s.
Volunteer in a shop: The role will involve serving customers and using the computerised till to take payments for purchases, sorting donated stock, using a steaming appliance on donated clothes, and assisting the shop manager with any other task to keep the shop running efficiently. (14+)
Oxfam
Oxfam is a global movement of people who share the belief that, in a world rich in resources, poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice which can, and must, be overcome.
Be a young retail volunteer: You can keep busy in the stockroom sorting and checking donations or be on the shop floor, serving customers and putting stock out on sale. Or get involved with social media and online retail. (14+)
Scope
Scope is a disability equality charity in England and Wales. They provide practical information and emotional support when it’s most needed and campaign relentlessly to create a fairer society.
Volunteer in a shop: You will be vital to the work of your local Scope shop, generating income and raising awareness of their work in your local community charity shop. There are lots of opportunities to develop skills in customer service, teamwork and retail operations as well as gaining experience of a large national charity. (14+)
For more ideas, take a look at our Opportunity Finder.
