Information for volunteers

Why volunteer with Make-A-Wish?

By volunteering with Make-A-Wish, you’ll be helping to transform lives. You could be using your existing skills or learning new ones. There are loads of ways of getting involved – whether it's promoting Make-A-Wish in your local community or cheering on our Team #WishHero runners at an event. Volunteers are an invaluable part of the Make-A-Wish community, and we always aim to give you the best experience possible when you volunteer with us.

How old do I need to be to volunteer?

The minimum age for volunteering in most of our roles is 18. If you're aged 16 or over, you could volunteer to support our runners or cyclists at a challenge event near you.

I live outside the UK, can I volunteer with you?

If you’re from the EU/European Economic Activity (EEA) area, there are no restrictions on volunteering. If you’re from outside the EEA, you'll need to check if the type of visa you’re travelling on permits you to volunteer.

I’m a refugee/asylum seeker, can I volunteer with you?

Yes.

What if I have a criminal record?

We won’t unfairly discriminate against anyone because of any criminal convictions they may have. We'll review applications from those with convictions on a case-by-case basis.

How do I apply for a role?

You can find out which roles are available in your area by searching our opportunities.

If you’d like to apply all you need to do is fill in our online form, then we'll be in touch.

Where can I volunteer?

This will depend on your role. Many of our roles are home-based or involve travel within your local community. Some are based at our Reading hub.

How much time would I need to give?

This will depend on the volunteer role – all our roles will say how much time you'll need to commit.

Do you offer training?

Yes, for most roles you’ll need to complete an online induction and some mandatory training e.g., data privacy. For some roles, we'll also arrange face-to-face training with you.

Not all volunteer roles require training; if you’re volunteering at a one-off event such as the London Marathon you’ll receive information and support from our Challenge Events team prior to and on the day of the event.

Will it cost me anything to volunteer?

We'll reimburse you for travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by you when volunteering.

Can you explain the application process?

Our application process is designed to help us make sure we match your needs, skills and experiences with the right volunteer role. We want to find out who you are, what you can offer and what you'd like to get out of your volunteering experience.

Soon after you apply, we'll contact you to arrange a time to have a chat about the role you’ve applied for.

For many of our roles we’ll also ask you to provide details of two people who would be happy to provide a reference for you.

If you’re applying for a one-off event, once we've received your application, we’ll be in touch with more information about the event you’ve volunteered for.

The application process should take no longer than 12 weeks and may be shorter depending on factors outside of our control, such as how quickly your references are returned. You can contact us at any time to find out what stage your application is at.

As part of the application process your referees will be asked questions on your suitability to work with children and adults at risk.

Do you offer work experience opportunities?

Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer work experience. Search our volunteering opportunities to find out if there are any short-term or one-off roles available.

What about internships?

We don’t generally offer internships. If you’re interested in working for Make-A-Wish please visit our careers page.

My employer encourages volunteering, is there anything me and my colleagues could help with?

You can search our current volunteering opportunities to find out how you can get involved in your local area. You could also visit our fundraising page for ideas on how you can raise funds for wishes.