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Enrich your University experience by making a positive difference to others and develop an abundance of new skills through volunteering. Play an invaluable role through participating in rewarding one-off and short-term volunteering in the local community. There are also unique online opportunities, where you can make an impact nationally and globally.

Make a Difference days are opportunities for students and staff to volunteer, help others and support causes that impact the local community. These one-off and short term activities don’t require ongoing commitment, giving you the opportunity to gain experience and support your personal development, well-being and sense of community.  

Stomp round Leicester Volunteer

Stomp Round Leicester is a public sculpture trail that will leave a BIG impression! From July to September, 40 magnificent elephant sculptures will be stampeding into Leicester to raise vital funds and commemorate , in its 40th anniversary year.

Each Elephant will be sponsored by a business and beautifully designed by a talented artist to create a free, fun, family-friendly trail of discovery for the community to enjoy whilst exploring our great city.

The Stomp round Leicester team are looking for some ele-fantastic volunteers to join the herd! There are a range of volunteering opportunities from providing key information to the public about the trail and supporting events. This is a fun and innovative opportunity taking place in Leicester over the summer, so why not to join the ‘tusk force.’

School Reading Buddy

Help local children to flourish through this fortnightly school-based volunteering role.

As a School Reading Buddy, you will inspire and encourage children to thrive by helping to ignite a love for reading. 

This fun, impactful and rewarding opportunity will involve listening to and reading to children in small groups, whilst offering support and a confidence boost, which they may not always get at home.  The role is flexible as you will just need to commit to a minimum of 2 hours of volunteering every fortnight, during term time.  

You will develop new transferable skills and experiences, plus it’s an easy way to help children in a classroom setting and give back to the community.

Commitment

Please note, this is a long-term volunteering role and the host school have requested a minimum commitment of 6 to 9 months.  The school are keen to take on committed and reliable volunteers who want to make a difference.

No previous experience is needed but you would need to:

• Have a good reading ability and be confident in your spoken English
• Have good communication and organisational skills
• Be reliable, friendly and willing to support children with their tasks
• Undertake any necessary guidance from the school

You will also need to complete a DBS check, which the school will provide.

A school-based Volunteer Induction Session will take place in October 2025.

Please complete the by 5 October to be added to the waiting list.

If you have any questions about this volunteering opportunity, please email: volunteer@le.ac.uk.

Summer Reading Challenge 

Do you love reading?

Plant the seeds of imagination and sign up to volunteer for the Summer Reading Challenge.

Leicester City Council have a fantastic opportunity for you to volunteer in libraries this July and August to support the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge.  This year’s ‘Story Garden’ theme celebrates the key role of imagination in nature.  

Every year Leicester City Council provide a programme of free activities and events around the city to encourage children to keep reading during their long summer holidays.  Hopefully this will help develop a lifelong passion for reading and using the city’s libraries.

This is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in reading, libraries, being creative and working with children and families.

You can volunteer as much or as little as you like.

If you love books and reading, want experience working with children and enjoy talking with people, then why not sign up?

• and apply by 22 June 2025

An Indian Summer Festival Volunteer

Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July 2025

An Indian Summer celebrates the shared culture between South Asia and the UK. An Indian Summer festival weekend is a lively and vibrant programme of live theatre, dance, music, food and film, bringing a unique and contemporary programme of South Asian culture to Leicester and beyond.

The Inspirate Team, who are organising this event are looking for volunteers to deliver different elements of the festival. Volunteers will get a chance to meet new people and widen their networks, and gain insight and understanding of what it takes to make a festival happen.

Whether you can volunteer for one day or both, your support will make a huge difference. No previous event experience or knowledge about South Asian culture is needed. Please apply if you are:

• Enthusiastic about helping with various roles such as stewarding, providing information and engaging with festival attendees, marketing and event set up/clear down 
• Reliable and have the willingness to work collaboratively
• Passionate about the arts and community events 
• Positive and eager to contribute to a vibrant summer festival

Please note, reasonable food and travel expenses will be reimbursed upon submission of receipts, with prior agreement.

An Indian Summer Festival volunteering opportunities are open to everyone.

• by 12.00pm on Friday 30 May 2025.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email volunteer@inspirate.org

NSPCC Childhood Day Volunteer

Childhood Day is the NSPCC’s national flagship day of fundraising and action that brings communities together and gives everyone a way to help keep children safe.

Childhood Day collections will be taking place across the UK from May to June. They have a number of collections across the country that they need volunteers for.

• to find out how you get involved in your area.  

Mind Volunteer

Mind is a charity that is dedicated to developing innovative mental health services to support individuals dealing with mental health challenges. If you have an interest in mental health and would like to gain valuable and rewarding experiences whilst helping your local community, why not consider volunteering for Mind, latest opportunities include:

• Peer Support Volunteer
• Events Support Volunteer
• Social Media Volunteer

 

LOROS Volunteer

Volunteering with offers you the chance to make a meaningful impact in your local community while developing valuable skills.

As a Shop Volunteer, you’ll help operate the till, serve customers, sort donations, and keep the shops organised. This role is perfect for gaining retail experience, developing customer service skills, and supporting hospice care.

If you prefer a more social environment, consider joining the LOROS Café (Peppercorns) in Abbey Park or based at the Hospice café on Groby Road. You’ll provide a warm and friendly service, prepare food and drinks, handle cash transactions, and ensure the café remains clean and welcoming. 

Alternatively, you can make a difference behind the scenes as a Warehouse Donation Volunteer. In this role, you’ll sort and manage donations, handle Gift Aid, and advise customers with queries. It’s a great way to develop organisational skills and gain practical experience in retail.

If you would like to discuss opportunities, please get in touch with the Team at LOROS via email volunteering@loros.co.uk or phone (0116) 231 3771  

Weekly litter picking with Buzzing Roots

Help to revitalize Clarendon Park Gardens by joining a weekly litter pick, organised by a community interest company called Buzzing Roots. Join other friendly locals to make a positive change in small steps. Equipment will be provided and you don’t need to attend every week.

To get involved, meet next to Knighton Library, 165 Clarendon Park Road on Tuesdays from 3.00pm - 4.00pm. There is no need to book, so you can just turn up.

If you’d like to contact Buzzing Roots, you can reach them by email at buzzingroots@gmail.com or phone on 07425867969.

The Climate Ambassadors Scheme

Climate Ambassadors is an initiative funded by the Department for Education to help all education settings make and implement a Climate Action Plan. By supporting nurseries, schools and colleges to build their climate action plans, Climate Ambassadors can help to ensure that young people have access to the learning and skills they will need for their future in the green economy while also helping education settings meet the challenges of a changing climate.

Becoming a Climate Ambassador is a great way to:

• Put your sustainability interest and experience into practical use in your community
• Contribute to your community’s ability to tackle climate risks
• Develop your own climate skills and knowledge
• Inspire the next generation of climate leaders

The Trussell Trust Leicester South Foodbank

Volunteer Warehouse Packer

The Trussell Trust is an anti-poverty charity and community of food banks providing practical support to people who can’t afford the essentials. The Trussell Trust’s vision is to end the need for food banks.

Acting as the link between food donations coming in and reaching those in crisis, as a Warehouse Packer, you’ll support the smooth running of your local food bank. You’ll be part of a team sorting and packing food in the warehouse.  

Time for Trussell Volunteer

• Can you create great social media content?
• Do you want to make a positive impact? 

Time for Trussell volunteers help raise awareness of the work that the Trussell Trust do, using social media.

By sharing our social media messages, you can help the Trussell Trust campaign for change and build a consensus among the public to ensure that everyone can afford the essentials.

If you have good online communication skills and working knowledge of at least one social media platform, you could help us raise awareness and call for change.

IntoUniversity volunteer mentors and academic support tutors

is a nationwide educational charity that supports under represented young people with their educational journeys. From their learning centres, they run after-school academic support sessions and mentoring.

How can you help?

and are needed to help make a real difference as positive role models in the lives of the young people who need that additional help. The roles would be great for anyone who has an enthusiasm for education, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to use their initiative. 

Students Union Volunteering Hub

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ Students Union also work with a range of voluntary organisations and charities who opportunities that you can sign up to now. You can also record your volunteering hours through the Students Union online portal called the Volunteering Hub.

to view the latest volunteering roles.

Virtual and micro-volunteering

Micro-volunteering enables you to offer your time in small chunks. You can manage how often you take part in micro-volunteering activities and can fit them flexibly around other commitments. Roles are mainly virtual and can be done using a lap top or phone. Examples of micro-volunteering and online roles include:

Warning Zone

Educational tour volunteers needed for .

As a life skills centre for children aged 10-11 years who visit them on a school trip, Warning Zone relies on the generosity of volunteers to guide small groups of children around their interactive life skills centre. They educate the children on how to keep themselves safe both online and offline, helping them to recognise hazards, assess risk, avoid consequences and navigate the many different aspects of growing up that they might face such as peer pressure and coercion. Their interactive safety centre has life-like zones covering areas such as fire safety in the home, building sites, water safety, arson, road safety, railways, alcohol, knife crime, grooming, cyber-bullying, posting photos online and so much more.

To sign up, please email volunteer@warningzone.org.uk or call +44 (0)116 262 9739. 

CoachBright online volunteer

CoachBright are a social mobility charity that exists to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds become more independent and resilient so they can lead the lives they want. Volunteers work with pupils in schools to build confidence through academic coaching. 

St John Ambulance

Volunteering with St John Ambulance is a fantastic way to enhance your CV, meet new people, and learn lifesaving skills. Most volunteering opportunities are community based and full training is given after you have been accepted to do your chosen role.

Barclays Digital Champions

The provides a way to build and develop digital skills within organisations and communities, helping people get the most out of technology to thrive in the digital world. 

You don’t need to be a digital expert to become a Digital Champion but you do need a passion for helping others. We’ll give you all the training, resources and support you need.

To become a Digital Champion you’ll join three 90 minute virtual sessions hosted by Barclays Digital Eagles where you’ll meet like-minded people who want to become Digital Champions too. 

Age UK day care passenger assistant volunteer

To volunteer with Age UK, all you need is some spare time and a passion for helping others.

Patient and friendly volunteers are needed to provide support within an Age UK community day centre situated on Humberstone Gate in Leicester City Centre.  The role will involve assisting the day care team in delivering optimum quality of care and support to their service users. This may include assisting the minibus driver when picking up and dropping off clients from 8.30am to 10.30am and/or 2.30pm to 4.30pm. 

No previous experience is needed as full training will be given. You would need to have the physical ability to help move and support older people and have good team working and communication skills. 

If you are interested in applying, please email volunteer@le.ac.uk for more information.

Age UK befriender befriending volunteer

Could you spare 20-30 minutes a week as a telephone befriender to make a couple of weekly phone calls to Age UK service users who may be experiencing isolation and loneliness to offer support and companionship?

You also have the option to do regular face-to-face befriending for 1 hour a week which could be at a day centre location or in the older person’s home.

If you are interested in applying, please email volunteer@le.ac.uk for more information.

Environmental volunteering with Leicester City Council

Leicester environmental volunteers fulfil a vital role in keeping our parks and open spaces, waterways and streets clean and well maintained so that we can all enjoy them.

Make a difference in a park near you and enjoy the benefits of the wide-open spaces, fresh air and physical exercise.

Roles include gardening and horticulture, conservation, environmental improvements, litter picking and more.

 

Short term opportunities 

Age UK volunteers and fundraisers

Age UK Leicestershire and Rutland is celebrating 70 years of support in 2022. They have a busy year of exciting events and activities planned, which you can support through .

Action Tutoring

Volunteering as a tutor with is an easy and rewarding way to make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged young people living in your community. It’s your chance to give back, share your skills and boost your CV.

By volunteering for just one hour a week, you will directly support disadvantaged pupils to build their confidence and help ensure they leave school with the grades needed to build a bright future, as well as developing your own skills.

Park Run event volunteers, Victoria Park, Leicester

are free, weekly, community events all around the world.

Volunteers make parkrun happen. They do all of the high-profile tasks at the event like marshalling, timing, result recording, setting up the running course and more, as well as all the behind-the-scenes roles too.

Whatever you want to do, there is a role for you. To volunteer during a Saturday morning Park Run, you would need to register by the Thursday before, so your name can be added to the volunteer rota in advance. Email leicestervictoria@parkrun.com to help.