What is volunteering?

A volunteer is someone who gives up some of their time and effort, free of charge, to help other people.

Why volunteer?

  • To give something back to the community
  • To improve your health and well-being
  • To develop your skills and experience  
  • As a pathway into education, training, and employment
  • To make new friends
  • Build up your experience before the 2012 Olympics
  • To have fun!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I claim benefits whilst volunteering?

Yes. You should be able to claim Job Seekers Allowance as long as you remain available for and are actively seeking work and Income Support, Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance should all remain unaffected.

Will I get expenses?

Most organisations will pay reasonable 'out of pocket' expenses, which cover travelling costs and possibly lunch if you volunteer for a full day. However, not all organisations are in a position to pay 'out of pocket' expenses due to financial limitations. It is important to confirm this with either the Volunteer Centre or the organisation direct.

What checks would have to be carried out?

If you volunteer to work with children or vulnerable adults you will have to have a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check that may take six to 12 weeks.

Do I need special skills or experience?

Some opportunities will require previous experience, but most will provide you with all the training you need.

Volunteering opportunities in Waltham Forest

If you want to find out about more volunteering opportunities in Waltham Forest, contact Volunteering Opportunities for Waltham Forest, which is hosted by Voluntary Action Waltham Forest. They can match your interests to a wide range of opportunities in Waltham Forest and arrange for you to have a talk with an organisation suitable for you. Telephone 020 8521 0377, or visit their website

Waltham Forest Council

There are a number of volunteering opportunities supporting young or vulnerable people within the Borough as well as volunteering to improve the quality of our surroundings.

Be a 2012 volunteer

Visit the 2012 Games pages for more information .

Volunteering opportunities with young people

Become a school governor:Governors make key decisions such as appointing the head teacher; their decisions directly affect the education and well-being of children and can really make a difference in improving standards throughout the school. There are vacancies in many of our local schools.

» For more information visit the Governor Services page

Become a mentor: Peer mentors and peer buddies provide support to other pupils. They will receive training and guidance from their school or college to help them in this role.

» More on mentoring

Volunteer in Youth Services: Working with young people aged 13-19 in a variety of settings e.g. schools, youth centres, parks and detached work. Opportunity for basic youth service qualification .

» For further information contact Nigel Williams on 020 8496 1506 or email him at nigel.williams@walthamforest.gov.uk

Volunteering opportunities to improve our surroundings

Become a Street Watcher: The Street Watchers scheme encourages residents to work with the Council to make our environment one we can take pride in. Street Watchers inform us of problems which might include issues with refuse collection, highway maintenance, public lighting, fly tipping, abandoned vehicles, road safety and parks.

For further information call Street Watchers on 020 8496 3000 or email wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk. You can also refer to the Street Watchers web page.

Adopt a Flower Bed: Adopting a flower bed is a great way to do your bit for the community and have fun at the same time. Replanting and maintaining Waltham Forest's flower beds will also help to tackle climate change.

» More information on Adopt a Flower Bed

Be a friend of your local park: ‘Friends of Parks’ groups work with the Council’s Greenspace team to create better open spaces. Each group helps care for a specific park or green space in the Borough.

» More information on Friends of Parks

Volunteering opportunities in Lloyd and Aveling Park

A variety of up-and-coming opportunities in gardening, sports, nature conservation, community and education activities, plus much more. There’ll be something to suit everyone.

» More information on volunteering in Lloyd and Aveling Park.

Volunteering opportunities across London

You can find out about other volunteering opportunities on the websites below.

Volunteering Strategy

19 000 volunteers help to improve the lives of people in Waltham Forest

Volunteering has arisen as a key issue for local VCS organisations, as part of the current Third Sector Review and will be picked up as part of the forthcoming Third Sector Strategy and Action Plan which is being taken to March Cabinet. Further information will be published on the Voluntary Sector page.

Volunteering Strategy 2007-2009

The Volunteering Strategy spanned 2007-2009 and was implemented by the Volunteering Action Consortium (VAC).

The Strategy set out to fulfil the following aims:

·To help community organisations and groups develop volunteering

·To increase volunteering as a key part of the Olympic legacy

·To build community participation and cohesion

·To build a healthier community

Volunteering Strategy (288KB PDF file)

Making the Most of Volunteering in Waltham Forest: The 2007 – 2009 Action Plan (107KB Word file)