Volunteering

Our trained volunteer tutors are empowered to enable pupils to make meaningful academic progress, opening doors to future opportunities. 

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity. We are working to revolutionise the way we treat, diagnose, and prevent dementia. But we will not stop there.

With your support, we will keep going until every person is free from the heartbreak of dementia.

We exist for a cure.

Insurance at 

Volunteer-Liability-2021-2022.pdf (museum.wales)

SSWEL is a professional service found within Cardiff Universities professional services. SSWEL includes Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety and Occupational Health. SSWEL sets out generic arrangements for managing Safety, Health and Environment which are implemented locally and in partnership with the University.

In December 2015, our founder Anna set up the charity a week after the passing of her husband Stuart and seven-year-old son Fraser in a road collision, which resulted in their organs and tissues being donated which saved at least four lives. This experience was traumatic for Anna, however, two weeks prior, and just a week before the soft opt-out was introduced in Wales, Stuart made Anna aware of his wishes should the worst happen. Anna found a moment of clarity amongst the chaos and knew what to do when posed with the question. Since then, she has made it her mission to educate communities across the UK on the process of organ donation, getting rid of the taboo and encouraging people to talk to their family and friends about their wishes, and also support those affected by organ donation.   Now with our board of trustees, we have been working on our Believe Organ Donation Memorial Garden. The aim of this garden is not only to reflect and educate on all areas of organ donation but to be a wellbeing space for families to reflect the FAB Gift Of Life  and a place to honour those that have donated and been involved and assisted in the organ donation process.

Our vision is a future where nobody dies of the disease.

As well as being someone to listen, talk to and connect with, our befriending volunteers can also support with low-level cleaning, gardening and shopping tasks to support the carer, and signpost them to services who can support them as and when needed.

If you speak to any potential volunteers, or unpaid carers, who’d like to be involved in this pilot please either complete the Volunteer Information Form (attached) or Referral Form (attached) and send it to CarersBefriending@cardiff.gov.uk.

Attached is the project referral guide which gives a more in-depth guide for anyone considering utilising the service.

Cathays & Central Youth & Community Project (CCYCP) is a not-for-profit organisation and charity that aims to serve and provide for the community of Cathays and central Cardiff. It is managed by a voluntary committee of elected members from the local area. As part of these goals it runs Cathays Community Centre which provides services to the local neighbourhood and Cardiff in the form of events, projects, clubs, and facilities.

Childline Volunteer Counsellor

Childline is a vital service available 365 days a year to support children and young people, whatever their worry or concern. Childline Cardiff currently have vacancies for Volunteer Counsellors.

If you are interested in volunteering for Childline in Cardiff and want to find out more about the roles available, the next step is to attend a Volunteer Information Meeting, which is a fantastic opportunity to:

• Meet with staff as well as volunteers to ask any questions you may have
• Learn more about the application process and your volunteer journey

Our meetings are designed to help you decide whether you want to apply – there's no obligation or expectation that you'll apply if you attend one. At the meeting, you’ll also receive information on other ways you can become a supporter of the NSPCC.

To find out more and to apply, click here.

Poverty isn't a choice you make, it's a trap that denies you the opportunity to make your life better. It's losing your income, your home, your security, your options. 

But we believe there is always hope. And if we act together as global citizens, our hope can create a fairer, more peaceful world. By supporting Christian Aid, you'll be standing with a global community to defend human rights everywhere—no matter how tough it gets. 

You'll be helping make sure people's voices are heard, that local communities are listened to, and that Christian Aid-funded partners are given the means to create solutions on their terms. Your passion and support mean more awareness and funding to tackle the causes of poverty, like the climate crisis, conflict and unfair economic systems. When disasters strike, you'll help us respond and stay until people can restore and protect their dignity and freedom.

As a Christian Aid supporter, you'll stand united in hope, love and faith with churches the world over, supporting millions of people of all faiths and none. 

Together, we can put hope into action. 

Community Care and Wellbeing Service (CCAWS) is a mental health charity based in Cardiff and consists of a team of volunteers who provide specialist support to the local community within South Wales. CCAWS is a new charity (registered 2018) building on the work of its predecessor, Ihasaan Social Support Association Wales (ISSA), which was set up by volunteers from the community to support people from the Black Asian Ethnic Minority (BAME) and Muslim communities by providing holistic support. A core group of individuals from ISSA consulted with volunteers, beneficiaries and stakeholders and the decision was made to start a charity which would focus on three main strands; Advocacy, Befriending and Counselling and consequently CCAWS was formed.  

Democracy Volunteers is the UK's leading election observation group. We observe elections to assess the quality of them and to report back to returning officers, the UK's Electoral Commission and to government. We do this by a combination of interview with key election officials as well as in-person observations of elections, such as attending polling stations and the counting process.

As one of the country’s largest not-for-profits, Dimensions provides support for around 3,500 people with learning disabilities and autism across the UK. 

The people we support and their families are at the heart of everything we do and we are driven by our values to work towards enabling every person we support to have a great life, with excellent outcomes.

We help people to live more independently, to be involved in their local communities, and our volunteers play a vital role in our work.

We are the UK’s leading charity for all those affected by endometriosis, determined to ensure that everyone gets prompt diagnosis and the best treatment and support.

Family Lives Cardiff & Vale Parent Wellbeing support

A service for parents/ carers of children with emotional wellbeing and/ or mental health issues, aged 0-18, living in either Cardiff or the Vale of Glamorgan. 

We deliver a peer support service for parents and carers whose children are experiencing emotional wellbeing and/or mental health issues. At Family Lives we recognise that everyone’s experience and situation is unique and the challenges they are facing, as a family unit will be diverse. The common thread, is that parents/ carers of children with emotional and mental health needs often feel overwhelmed in navigating systems, obtaining advice and support to make effective and informed decisions for their children and ensure they are in the best position themselves to support their children. 

Our staff and volunteers support people by offering emotional and practical support, which aims to enable people to regain balance in their life. We do this by offering a listening ear and understanding and developing positive peer relationships. We support people to find their own strengths and solutions, build their confidence and self-esteem. We help them to develop a toolkit and coping strategies on their journey to achieving better family harmony by looking after themselves and being able to support their children. 

Our Parent Carer Wellbeing Support volunteers have lived experience and have a good understanding of what parents/ carers of children with mental health issues are going through and coping with. We know what it is like to feel you are alone and we understand that sometimes the worry and concern about the stigma associated with mental health can be overwhelming and can act as a barrier to seeking support, particularly if you feel your parenting is being judged. We also know how relieved and hopeful people can feel when they do reach out and realise that they are not alone and support is available. 

Our support services  

At Family Lives we believe that our services are needed more than ever in the current crisis; we know that many individuals and families are experiencing even more challenges. This service provides a programme of support which, includes, face-to-face sessions in the home and community, phone and remote support, group work, social gatherings, signposting and support with accessing other services and activities. 

We aim to deliver a friendly service in a manner that encourages participation and partnership and enables us to tailor our service to meet people’s unique needs. We appreciate it will change as we travel together but to begin with we can offer the following types of support: 

•  weekly 1:1 support for approximately 6 –8 weeks alongside drop –in groups  

• Phone and online support, including signposting to the Family Lives helpline, email support and live chat and other services. signposting to relevant local support organisations, 

As this is a new service and the service progresses: 

• Online peer support forum and Facebook group where people can engage and connect with each other in a safe space, offer and receive support, share and gain information about coping strategies, local community events and relevant helpful organisations. 

• Access to relevant parent training and group sessions 

The online support can be accessed alongside the individual support sessions and group work. 

Get in touch 

For information about this project and to access this service, please email NicolaS@familylives.org.uk or call 07739788115.  

FareShare Cymru is part of the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste. We believe that no good food should go to waste. We redistribute surplus food to charities that turn it into meals. FareShare Cymru is based in Cardiff and works with charities and community organisations across South East Wales. Volunteers are key to FareShare Cymru’s success and new people are always welcome. If you would like to volunteer to help alleviate food poverty and food waste in the region please have a look at our opportunities here and sign up to feed those in need and save waste.

We are FoodCycle, and our vision is to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community. With community dining, week in, week out we feed the hungry and give company to the lonely in our communities; providing delicious meals and great conversation, and using food which would otherwise go to waste.

At FoodCycle we are a diverse organisation and welcome volunteers and guests from all backgrounds and walks of life. Without the amazing work of our thousands of volunteers across the country, FoodCycle simply wouldn’t be possible. So much of our success is down to our incredible volunteers and whether you’re a Masterchef winner in the making or a cooking novice you can roll your sleeves up, and join the kitchen team producing a three-course vegetarian meal using surplus food. You don’t need to have any previous cooking experience; you just need to get stuck in!

We’ll give you training and support, and you’ll be able to claim back your expenses, including mileage.

It's a Penalty works collaboratively to end human trafficking, exploitation and abuse. We run local and global education and awareness campaigns highlighting penalties for offenders, the signs to look out for, and how to make a report.

Our Student Ambassador Programme educates and empowers UK university students to prevent human trafficking, the world's fastest growing crime.

It’s a Penalty run global campaigns during major sporting events such as the Olympic & Paralympic Games and the NFL Super Bowls, working in partnership with the sports, travel and tourism industry, NGO's, law enforcers and top athletes. We also advocate for legal reform to improve protection from sexual exploitation and abuse for children through our CommonProtect programme.

We support those most in need and least likely to find support elsewhere, whilst aiming to bridge community gaps and bring services and support together.

Our core services include:

Asylum Support

Those seeking asylum in the UK can come to us to seek help with applying for accommodation and financial support, to report issues with asylum accommodation, and any other advice needed during their asylum journey. We also provide support during the post-decision period, whether the decision has been positive or negative.

Victims of Slavery and Human Trafficking Support

We provide specialist support and accommodation to victims of human trafficking and modern slavery, and their dependants. Our dedicated casework teams provide safe accommodation, develop support plans and facilitate access to key services in order to empower clients as they recover from trauma. Our aim is to reduce the risk of re-trafficking and help the survivors to move onto a positive new chapter in their lives.

Refugee Resettlement

In September 2015, the Government committed to bringing 20,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees into the UK under the SVPR scheme by 2020. We work alongside local authorities in East Kent to assist refugees resettled in the area. We support the individuals and families as they settle into their new communities, helping them to cope with trauma with the help of specialist services, learn English and access healthcare, education, employment opportunities and other key services.

EU Settlement Scheme

EU citizens living in the country must apply for settled or pre-settled status to guarantee their rights after the UK leaves the European Union. We are committed to advising and supporting vulnerable people in this process, including those who are part of Gypsy, traveller or Roma communities, homeless, elderly, disabled, adults who have left care or victims of domestic abuse, modern slavery or human trafficking.

Clear Voice Interpreting Services

Clear Voice offers high-quality interpreting and translation services throughout the UK and is the only social enterprise service of its kind. All of Clear Voice’s profits are donated back to Migrant Help to support our work.  

Fortunate enough to find ourselves in a unique position to help, we also strive to influence positive change to policy and practice, as well as demonstrate the value that migrants bring to the UK in order to address the rising hostility from some parts of the population.

We believe that everyone deserves to be safe, respected and treated equally, and we strive to ensure this through committed partnerships, innovation and excellence.

As we get older, our social circles diminish, and we find ourselves with fewer and fewer people to turn to. Imagine realising one day that all your friends and family have gone from your life. Loneliness can be cruel, and it affects millions of people over 75 who live in social isolation.

Re-engage is making life less lonely for thousands of older people every year. Older people tell us that our volunteer-led activities make them happier and more able to trust others. 

Our tea parties are monthly social groups open to people aged 75 and over, and give older people regular afternoons of conversation and laughter with friends of all ages. 

Call companions is our telephone befriending service ensuring older people stay connected to the outside world. Call companions is available to anyone aged 75 and over who’s socially isolated and would like a regular chat over the phone with a friendly volunteer.

Our activity groups give people 75 and over the chance to do gentle exercise as they make connections with other people. Our activity groups in Birmingham, Bristol and the South West, London, Manchester, the Scottish Borders, Wales, and West Yorkshire, take place both face to face and online.

Welcome to all!

The Riverside Community Garden Project is a volunteer-led project, supported by local registered charity Grow Cardiff. You don't need to have any gardening experience, just come along and have a go. We welcome anybody who enjoys gardening or working outdoors. Children are welcome if accompanied by a responsible adult.

Our lovely garden on Pontcanna Permanent Allotments includes a large organic veg, fruit and herb patch, a cabin with cob oven, bee hives, a forest garden, a thriving pond,and a woodwork and education shelter.

Come and join us on Wednesdays and Fridays 10am-4pm or the first Saturday in the month. Feel free to call in anytime between these hours - even if only to have a look around and join us for a chat and a cuppa with some friendly faces.

On open days please phone the garden number (0753 238 5899) for access to the project. Entry is via the main gate to Pontcanna Permanent Allotments (Main gate is just off of Western Avenue, along the lane towards Cardiff Riding Stables)

PLEASE VIEW MAP OF OUR LOCATION : http://goo.gl/maps/IESZ2

Alternatively email riversidecommunitygdn@gmail.com to arrange a visit or to find out more about the project.

For more information about Grow Cardiff or to arrange group visits to the garden, please contact Isla Horton on tony@growcardiff.org & isla@growcardiff.org 

In the UK, 1 in 5 adults are deaf or have hearing loss, and 1 in 8 have tinnitus.

Despite that, many people face the stigma of being treated as stupid, shouted at, or made fun of. There’s a frustrating lack of patience, empathy and understanding. Barriers to work, travel, socialising and communication take a toll on self-esteem and mental wellbeing, and cause social isolation. Day-to-day life is more difficult – and this needs to stop.

It’s a big challenge. But together, we can change things.

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

There is still so much to do so that people with a learning disability have the same rights as everyone else and are treated equally in society.

Mencap is going to be working in a different way to help people with a learning disability to make this happen.

We protect and restore habitats and landscapes, save species, lobby governments, help to tackle the nature and climate emergency, and inspire others to do the same.

We do conservation you can see from space, built from the ground up. Led by science, our work ranges from the transformation of land and sea, to everyday actions that help protect and restore natural environments and save species. We inspire and empower millions of people, forging partnerships that change behaviour to build a world where nature thrives.

People are central to what we do.  Without them we would have a very limited impact. We and the planet need YOU. If we all do a little – the impact will be great.

If you’re new to volunteering and have a question about the variety of our offer, or how you can get involved, ask away!

OU DON’T NEED TO RUN TO BE PART OF SOME OF THE BIGGEST MASS-PARTICIPATION EVENTS IN WALES!

Our volunteers, better known as the Extra Milers, are essential in making sure that Run 4 Wales race days are a huge success. You don’t need any special skills to become an Extra Miler, just be reliable, flexible and have lots of enthusiasm!

Extra Milers chose what role they would like to do on event day. You can be a course marshal, cheering on and directing runners around the course. You can hand out water to runners as they pass the water stations or you can celebrate their success on the finish line giving out medals and t-shirts. 

All volunteers are supported by experienced Run 4 Wales supervisors on event day, as well as receiving an exclusive Extra Milers event t-shirt, lunch and refreshments and the chance to have a front row seat to the action. Run 4 Wales also support Tempo Time Credits and gives out credits everytime you volunteer with us. You can spend these credits on a range of local and national activities and services.  

Volunteering is a great way to experience the electric atmosphere of race day without the need to run, have fun, make friends and contacts and enhance your CV. If you’re a local community or youth group that might be interested in getting involved across our events, we’d love to hear from you!

We are passionate, driven and determined to make a positive difference to people’s lives by providing them with the practical and effective support and advocacy they need.

• Are you between the ages of 18 and 25?
• Do you want to meet new people in a fun, welcoming and inclusive space?
• Would you like to be part of a team making positive changes for people in your community
• If the answer is yes; then Scope Youth Community Collective Cardiff is for you!

What is Scope Youth Community Collective?

The Scope Youth Community Collective is a project run by the disability equality charity Scope.  The aim is to create a welcoming inclusive space for disabled and non-disabled young people to meet and socialise monthly. There is also an opportunity to talk about issues that matter to you.

Funding available for community projects

We discuss things that are working well in the community; as well as common barriers experienced. We then work together to design and run projects to overcome the barriers identified and help to improve outcomes for the community. We have some start-up funding available for projects from Barclays and the Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) to support this. Some examples of local project ideas include:

• Accessible creative writing courses
• Sensory friendly study spaces for students in Cardiff
• Access audits of transport in and around Cardiff
• Improving access to gigs and entertainment venues locally …. And much more!

How you can get involved: 

Join our Facebook group: Scope Youth Community Collective (Cardiff) | Facebook

Come along to our monthly meet ups at venues around Cardiff

Contact Katie (Youth Community Engagement Officer) at katie.mobbs@scope.org.uk

You can find more details here: https://www.scope.org.uk/youth-community-collective/

At Tenovus Cancer Care our aims are simple. We want to help prevent, treat and find a cure for cancer. We do this by offering support, advice and treatment to cancer patients and their loved ones. We also promote healthy lifestyles and fund cancer research to find new ways to prevent it, diagnose it, and treat it. We do this where it is needed most - right at the heart of the community. 

We’re Wales’ leading cancer charity, with a long and distinguished history and are widely recognised for the quality of our support, care and research.

Our story

Over 75 years ago, ten local businessmen came together to help a friend in need. They were the founders of Tenovus Cancer Care. We’re a charity with community at its heart, even to this day. Read our story and learn more about our fascinating history here.

The Access Project is an education charity supporting young people from under-resourced backgrounds across London, the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North West. The programme provides GCSE students with expert mentorship and personalised academic tuition delivered by our team of volunteer tutors.  

Today, young people in the UK from disadvantaged backgrounds are almost three times less likely to progress to a top-third university, compared to their peers working at a similar academic level. We want to change this. We help these young people to see university as something that is “for them”, to support them to make competitive applications and to get the grades they deserve so that they can fulfil their potential. 

FAN Groups started as a way for people learning English to meet with local people and to practise their new skills.  FAN is 20 years old and now people from the local area and all around the world continue to meet in FAN.  FAN Groups help you to feel less lonely, be part of your local community and are a place to talk about interesting topics.  Groups are facilitated by Volunteer Faciltators trained and supported by FAN. 

The goal of the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity is to create brighter todays and better tomorrows for the 73,000 children cared for at our nation’s children’s hospital each year. The charity ensures that treatment and outcomes for children can continue to improve by funding new and innovative medical equipment and facilities. It supports children and families in the here and now through its emotional support service and the much-loved play specialist team and it invests in the future by providing technology that helps train the bright clinicians of tomorrow.

The SAFE Foundation is a Cardiff-based charity committed to improving the lives of some of the poorest people and communities in the world. With a variety of projects taking place in the UK and overseas, our mission is to build a fairer, brighter and peaceful future for the world. 

This involves improving access to human rights; something we achieve through creating opportunities for those that need them the most. Transforming lives in Britain, we empower people to take control of their future, making a change to their own lives by helping others overseas. This is partly achieved through developing skills, attitudes and values. 

We're working tirelessly to make veganism an easily-adopted and widely-recognised approach to reducing animal suffering and environmental damage. We do so through peaceful and factual dialogue with individuals, organisations and businesses.

We achieve this vision and mission by providing information, supporting and advising individuals and health professionals, caterers, manufacturers, and influencing policy makers. We also fund vegan initiatives set up by members and supporters, and work with volunteers and partners towards making our vision a reality. We work with the media to help reinforce a positive view of veganism and to help a larger audience see that veganism is a rewarding, enjoyable and viable lifestyle.

Our long-term goals

1.  Improved vegan catering, nutrition, education and agriculture; encouraging government, public and private sector bodies to adopt and reward sustainable, healthy and compassionate lifestyles.

2.  Greatly increase the number of people trying veganism and remaining vegan, because they believe that:

• Animals have a right to life and freedom
• Animal exploitation also negatively affects human justice (global food distribution issues, etc)
• Animal farming is not sustainable and is severely damaging to the environment
• Balanced vegan nutrition is healthy. 

Ambitious but achievable goals that will ultimately make a huge difference to the future of animals, the planet and us. Here's to a brighter future for all.

Tutor The Nation is a new educational charity that provides disadvantaged children with free online tuition from university students. With your help, we hope to work with a very substantial number of schools that educate children from underprivileged backgrounds. We currently work with pupils Year 10-13 as they approach their GCSE and A-Level exams.

The charity connects schools in deprived areas to carefully vetted volunteer university students, supported by teachers and professional tutors working for free. Our volunteers tutor and mentor children to strive for as beneficial Higher or Further Education outcomes as they can achieve.

Volunteer tutors provide one or two hours a week free of charge. Tutor The Nation will cover enhanced DBS checks and provide full safeguard training and basic tutor training. We will connect the tutor to a student who needs their help, through the school's Local Educational Authority, the match is based on the tutor's skillset and the student's needs.

Having made it to university, the ability to give something back is hugely rewarding, as is the process of mentoring in terms of confidence-building and developing your personal skillset. 

If you are interested in getting involved with our mission to reduce the attainment gap, check out our website and get in contact at volunteer@tutorthenation.org

VICTA is a national charity based in Milton Keynes that provides support to children and young people who are blind or partially sighted and their families. We believe that everyone has the right to an independent and fulfilling life. If you would like to help us change lives, please join our team of fantastic volunteers and be a vital part of the work we do. Volunteering is a fantastic way to make your mark, have fun and learn new things along the way.

We Are Donors is a network of groups aiming to increase the number of organ and blood donors across the UK through student led education at schools and universities. Each group organises educational talks and workshops at local schools and events at their universities including blood drives run by We Are Donors university student Ambassadors. The university groups works closely with the We Are Donors National Steering Committee. A committee formed by students, doctors, surgeons, and other volunteers, who are responsible for helping student groups and for achieving the We Are Donors mission.

YHA England and Wales has youth hostels in amazing locations in cities, towns, the countryside and by the sea. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to discover, explore and experience something new and what better way than through volunteering. Our mission is to reach out and enhance the lives of all young people, with the goal of reaching over one million young people every year. As a volunteer with YHA you will contribute towards young people's experiences, giving them life skills like travelling independently, team working and inspiring them to aim high in their own lives.

Zero Gravity is a social impact organisation with a funded 1:2:1 mentoring platform that has supported 3,000+ students from areas of low opportunity to get a place at a top university since 2020, including 400+ Oxbridge offers. Our UCAS evaluation showed that Zero Gravity students are 40% more likely to get a place at a top uni, and now, we've created a careers platform to bring this sort of success to our students. To support our mentor community, we partner with leading employers, such as HSBC and KPMG, and have matched 200+ undergraduates with a graduate mentor to propel them into top careers.

The Zero Gravity journey:

• Sign up and check your eligibility in under 5 minutes.
• Get matched with a student that is looking to study your subject at university. 
• Set your availability so that you can mentor around your schedule. All you need is a device and a connection.
• Support their UCAS application for less than 1hr per week, boost your CV, and watch your mentee defy expectations.
• Become part of a 5000+ member community of talented students.
• Unlock careers, with community, content and 121 mentoring from world-class employers. 

Find out more and check your eligibility by clicking 'Apply Now' on our website.