Student volunteering

Volunteering roles

If you wish to look at active roles that are seeking 18-25 year olds, follow this link 

Research

In February 2025, we launched a piece of research into student volunteering in Greater Manchester, bringing together VCSE organisations, universities and colleges, and student volunteers. The session sparked valuable cross-sector conversations and confirmed a strong appetite to make student volunteering more inclusive, visible, and impactful across the city region.

The research explores the motivations and barriers for students, alongside organisational challenges and practical recommendations. What stood out in the room were the stories: students keen to contribute but feeling unsure how to connect; organisations open to working with students but needing clearer pathways and support; and a shared recognition that small, intentional changes – like flexible opportunities and targeted recognition – can unlock real value.

Download The Current Climate of Student Volunteering in Greater Manchester Impact Research Project: Business Report By Anushka Swannell, Volunteer Development Worker

Download Student Volunteering Research Tool Kit


Get involved or share your ideas, we'd love to hear from you. You can get in touch by emailing: info@volunteercentremanchester.co.uk 

Volunteering Opportunities

Displaying 49 - 72 of 120
Volunteer Driver
Summary: Nightstop prevents homelessness through community hosting. It helps people who are in immediate housing crisis by providing safe accommodation while Nightstop finds longer term appropriate accommodation.

They're looking for volunteer drivers who will put Nightstop guests at ease and enable guests to find their way to a new hosts-home.

Nightstop provides training, support and supervision to volunteer drivers so they can provide a space that really does make a difference to people's lives.
Area of Interest: Children Young People & Families, Driving, Homelessness & Housing, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Migrants & Refugees
Online Shop Volunteer
Summary: As an Online Shop Volunteer, you'll help transform pre-loved treasures into vital funds that support communities around the world, from responding to emergencies and humanitarian crises to tackling poverty and inequality.

Whether you're researching and pricing stock, photographing products, creating listings, preparing orders or supporting other online shop activities, you'll play an important role in connecting donated items with new owners and helping to raise money for Oxfam's life-changing work.

You can choose to learn a bit of everything or focus on the areas that interest you most.
Area of Interest: Retail
Refugee Football Volunteer
Summary: Caritas Shrewsbury is looking for friendly football enthusiasts to volunteer at our weekly football sessions in Fallowfield. The sessions bring together refugees and people seeking asylum for football, fitness and social connection. A qualified coach already leads the sessions, so no coaching experience or qualifications are needed. We are simply looking for people who enjoy football, are friendly and would like to help welcome and encourage participants. Whether you currently play, used to play or just love football, we’d love to hear from you.
Area of Interest: Befriending, Migrants & Refugees, Sports & Movement
Volunteer Research Assistant - Bulgarian Speaking
Summary: Europia is looking for a Bulgarian-speaking volunteer to support a research project exploring the digital wellbeing and experiences of Eastern European migrants in the UK. The project is being delivered in partnership with researchers at the University of Liverpool.
The project centres on a Digital Wellbeing Toolkit designed to support people with online information, misinformation and digital confidence. We want to introduce the toolkit to Bulgarian-speaking community members, including Roma communities, and hear their views on how understandable, useful and relevant it is to their everyday lives.
Area of Interest: Education & Literacy, Health & Social Care, Migrants & Refugees, Student Volunteers (18+)
Foodbank session volunteer
Summary: We urgently need volunteers for our weekly foodbank sessions at the Neighbourhood Project, Conran Street, Harpurhey (Thursday mornings), St Clement's Church, Openshaw (Tuesday afternoons) and Brunswick Church, Ardwick (Friday mornings). As a foodbank volunteer you'll be helping desperate families who can't make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis. You will be packing emergency three-day food parcels, meeting clients and talking through the packing list with them.
Our foodbank sessions are busy so you will be making a huge difference to struggling families. There's nothing more rewarding than giving practical help to people in need and offering them some kindness.
Area of Interest: Food Cooking & Foodbanks
Training Coordinator / Assistant
Summary: Help organisations and businesses across the UK take action on (single-use) plastic effectively by researching and organising training courses for a UK network
Area of Interest: Administration, Environment & Conservation, Events
Homework Club volunteers needed at Powerhouse Library
Summary: Do you think you can give something back to the community and give a local child a hand with their homework? Experience is helpful but not required.
Area of Interest: Education & Literacy, Libraries
Careers Advice and Guidance Assistant
Summary: Community Revival are looking for volunteers to support helping people progress in their careers, education, and personal development.

Volunteers will support with the resource preparation and administration for learning activities and provide high quality learning support.
Area of Interest: Advice & Employment, Education & Literacy, Mentoring
Befriending Volunteer
Summary: The Widows Empowerment Trust are looking for volunteer befrienders provide emotional, social, and practical companionship to bereaved spouses and widows who may be experiencing loneliness, isolation, or a lack of community support. This role involves regular home visits and telephone befriending, offering a compassionate presence, active listening, and encouragement.

Role and Responsibility

Provide friendly, regular companionship through scheduled home visits or telephone calls

Offer a supportive, non-judgmental, and empathetic listening ear to bereaved individuals

Help reduce loneliness, build confidence, and encourage engagement in community activities where appropriate

Maintain healthy and professional boundaries at all times

Record interactions appropriately while maintaining confidentiality

Follow the charity’s safeguarding policies and procedures at all times

Communicate any safeguarding concerns immediately to the appropriate staff members

Attend volunteer induction, training sessions, and occasional reflective practice meetings

Represent The Widows Empowerment Trust with professionalism and cultural sensitivity
Area of Interest: Befriending, Mentoring, Older People, Student Volunteers (18+)
FareShare (Felix) Food Demonstration Volunteer
Summary: Join our Community Chef in delivering fun and engaging cooking demonstrations across selected community venues across Greater Manchester. You'll help prepare ingredients, support participants, and inspire people to create quick, nutritious, and affordable meals helping to reduce food waste.
Area of Interest: Children Young People & Families, Education & Literacy, Environment & Conservation, Events, Food Cooking & Foodbanks
Outreach and Publicity Volunteer
Summary: Northmoor Community Centre is based in Longsight and part of Northmoor Community Association. We need help with spreading information on advice, activities and services to the local community as well as improving communication and engagement.

Skills needed: Creative, good communication skills,
Skills desired: Previous experience in local outreach and publicity, can speak Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi or Bangla.

We will provide:
Induction to the role
Flexible hours
Paid out-of-pocket expenses such as bus fares

We require a commitment to Equal Opportunities, (treating all individuals equally and with respect) and our Confidentiality, Safeguarding and GDPR standards.
Area of Interest: Digital and Tech, Marketing & Social Media
Retail Volunteer (Manchester, Chorlton)
Summary: Role with Barnardos. work on the till processing sales and returns
Prepare stock, including sorting, steaming and pricing
Create stylish window displays
Replenish stock on the shop floor
Stock-take and other administrative tasks
Area of Interest: Children Young People & Families, Finance & Fundraising, Retail, Student Volunteers (18+), Young Volunteers (under 18)
Create local impact as Global Shaper
Summary: Join Global Shapers Manchester Hub to create impactful projects on climate action, financial literacy, well-being, inclusion and more! Apply online: https://mcrshapers.org/join/
Area of Interest: Administration, Children Young People & Families, Education & Literacy, Environment & Conservation, Mental Health
Marketing & PR Assistant (Voluntary Role)
Summary: This is an exciting opportunity to gain real hands-on experience in international marketing, PR, partnerships, and business development while working closely with senior leadership.
Area of Interest: Education & Literacy, Marketing & Social Media
Volunteer Leader
Summary: Local Welcome are looking for volunteers to help organisa and facilitate meals in your local area. Help with deciding what to cook, ensuring the meal runs smoothly, sharing feedback with staff, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for your group members and fellow leaders.
Area of Interest: Befriending, Events, Migrants & Refugees, Sports & Movement
Heaton Park Pals Volunteers
Summary: Become a Park Pals volunteer and help bring Heaton Park to life. With over 600 acres of green space, historic landmarks and major events enjoyed by millions each year, there’s always something exciting happening. As a volunteer, you’ll support activities across the park, from festivals and community events to environmental projects, all on a flexible schedule that fits around you. After a quick induction, you’ll receive regular updates so you can choose the opportunities that inspire you most!
Area of Interest: Arts Culture & Music, Environment & Conservation, Events, Sports & Movement
Academic Outreach & Sustainable Fashion Liaison
Summary: We are seeking a highly motivated and organised volunteer with a passion for sustainable fashion, community development, and ethical supply chain research. This role will focus specifically on bridging the gap between our local efforts (repair, upcycling) and the complex, often non-transparent global system of used clothing disposal. A core goal is to research and expose the ethical concerns surrounding the second-hand clothing export industry.
Area of Interest: Administration, Education & Literacy, Environment & Conservation, Sports & Movement
Wednesday Core Volunteer
Summary: We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our weekly Core Volunteer Day – our main volunteering opportunity at Hulme Community Garden Centre.

This role offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a working community garden environment while learning directly from our expert horticulturists, nursery managers and wider leadership team.

Volunteers will become part of the day-to-day running of the centre, supporting a wide range of horticultural, maintenance and community activities. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in gardening, environmental sustainability, practical skills development, community work or exploring a future career in horticulture.
Area of Interest: Arts Culture & Music, Environment & Conservation
Retail Volunteer (Bolton Breightmet)
Summary: Work on the till processing sales and returns
Prepare stock, including sorting, steaming and pricing
Create stylish window displays
Replenish stock on the shop floor
Stock-take and other administrative tasks
Area of Interest: Children Young People & Families, Finance & Fundraising, Retail, Student Volunteers (18+), Young Volunteers (under 18)
Social Media Support Volunteer
Summary: The Brotherhood of the Cross and the Star are a community garden and food growing project that brings people together through gardening, wellbeing activities, and food support. Alongside our gardening sessions, we also run a food distribution service supporting local community members with access to surplus and donated food.

We are looking for a Social Media Support Volunteer/Freelancer to help manage and grow our online presence. The role involves updating our Facebook and Instagram pages, creating simple and engaging posts, and helping showcase our activities, workshops, and community events.
Area of Interest: Digital and Tech, Environment & Conservation, Events
Messy Church Volunteer
Summary: Messy Church Volunteers Wanted! Do you enjoy welcoming families, getting creative, and sharing God’s love in simple ways?

Messy Church is fun, friendly, lively—and a bit messy!
Area of Interest: Arts Culture & Music, Children Young People & Families, Race Ethnicity & Religion
Retail Volunteer (Denton)
Summary: Barnardos are looking for volunteers to help in their charity shop. You would:
Work on the till processing sales and returns
Prepare stock, including sorting, steaming and pricing
Create stylish window displays
Replenish stock on the shop floor
Stock-take and other administrative tasks
Area of Interest: Children Young People & Families, Finance & Fundraising, Retail, Student Volunteers (18+), Young Volunteers (under 18)
Dementia Home Visit Volunteer
Summary: Together at Home is our 1:1 befriending service for people who are unable to attend our groups. It's a little more laid back and relaxed compared to our groups, so if you'd enjoy offering support and creative activities to somebody living at home, and you're able to commit to a 1.5 hour visit every week or fortnight - this could be the role for you.
Area of Interest: Befriending, Health & Social Care, Older People
Marketing Assistant
Summary: Community Revival are looking for volunteers who can support them to plan a marketing strategy, identify sources of marketing to help to raise their profile and use mediums to send information to potential customers and partners.
Area of Interest: Administration, Campaigning & Advocacy, Marketing & Social Media