Make a difference by volunteering

Volunteering your time, expertise or skills to a non-profit organisation can be tremendously fulfilling and a valuable way to make an impactful change for your chosen cause. Becoming a volunteer for an LGBTQ+ charity or an organisation that tackles issues that directly impact LGBTQ+ people, can influence your community and effect positive change.  

Why become a volunteer?    

Volunteering for a charity or a non-governmental organisation (NGO) is a way to directly support a chosen cause, community, and potentially make a positive societal change.   

Charities and organisations often rely on volunteers because:  

• They have limited resources, including staff, materials and time  

• They may not have government funding  

• They rely on the communities they serve to lead their work  

• They need people to provide outreach.  

Different charities provide varying services and have many ways in which they address their chosen cause. For example, LGBTQ+ organisations may deal with issues through methods such as:  

• Policy  

• Lobbying  

• Campaigning  

• Outreach  

• Community building  

• Support services  

• Information and advice  

• And much more.  

Charities provide aid, support and services, and they often campaign on important issues, lobby parliament and create social change. This makes volunteering for an organisation a great way to affect the democratic process and stay involved.  

Which cause should I volunteer for?  

This part is really up to you, but if you want to volunteer for a charity, but are struggling to decide which organisation or for what cause, here are a few things you can consider:  

Pick a cause that matters to you – It could be trans rights, mental health, sexual health, homelessness… all causes are worthy. Whichever cause impacts you the most, or means the most to you, could be the perfect organisation to volunteer for  

Pick a cause you find interesting – if the subject matter the charity deals with is one you find interesting, you may find it more fulfilling and more engaging  

Research the charity – investigate how they are structured, how they implement their work and see whether it aligns with your sensibilities and ethics   

Find out what skills they need – some charities and organisations advertise volunteer vacancies. Do you have design skills, copywriting skills, experience in finance? Or do they need people to help with outreach and fundraising? Charities need all kinds of volunteers for all different types of positions.  

You can find a list of UK charities on Charity Commission website here. 

Or Google a cause that you want to be involved with.  

If you want to volunteer for an LGBTQ+ charity, you can find a comprehensive list London-based LGBTQ+ organisations on Consortium’s site. 

What skills can you offer as a volunteer?   

Different charities need volunteers for different things. Think about what skills you have and how you could apply them in volunteer work. For example, LGBTQ+ organisations often need volunteers for, but not limited to, the following:  

• Writing  

• Designing  

• Editing  

• Photography  

• Videography  

• Production  

• Podcasting  

• Modelling  

• Idea development  

• Facilitation  

• Panel discussions  

• Finance  

• Lobbying  

• Campaigning  

• Outreach  

• Leaflet/information distribution  

• Bucket rattling  

• Fundraising  

• Organisation at events  

• Leading other volunteers  

• And much more.  

Think about what you can offer and how much time you can offer before making a commitment.  

What are the benefits of volunteering?  

There are many benefits to volunteering, not just for the charity but also yourself: 

• It’s an excellent and direct way to make change in a community or for a cause you care about.   

• You can directly engage with the democratic process, particularly if you choose to volunteer for a charity with a strong lobbying and campaigning background    

• You can gain specialist knowledge in a particular field  

• It’s an excellent way to expand your CV and gain experience before or while seeking a full-time role  

• It can help you develop and refine your skills in a particular area  

• You can meet new people and find people in your community  

• It can be a lot of fun! 

Supported by the Greater London Authority, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, London E16 1ZE. Printed and promoted by LGBT HERO, Unit 74, The Link, 49 Effra Road, London SW2 1BZ