Skip to content

Join as a London charity shop volunteer

Support children in need while gaining new skills and experiences

Home ยป Charity shops Little Lives UK ยป Volunteer with us

Discover your perfect volunteer role

Be part of our charity shop teams and make a real difference for children across the UK. Volunteering with us is a chance to give back to your community, build new skills, and connect with amazing people.

There are lots of ways to get involved. Find the one thatโ€™s right for you and start making an impact today.

Volunteer opportunities with us

Volunteering

Volunteer with us from one hour a week to full time working hours. Any amount of time you volunteer with us is hugely appreciated and helps to support our work with children.ย Retail experience is advantageous but not essential as we provide full training.

Internships

Little Lives UK offers placements for graduate and undergraduate students who are looking for practical experience or who are looking for research related experience.

Work experience placement

This could be completed as part of a requirement for your course, or you may be looking to enhance your CV. We can also provide a reference after 50 hours of volunteering with us.

Working holiday placement

Little Lives UK offers working holiday placements for international students who have travelled to the UK to study and would like to get some hands on experience of working in the UK.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Help to complete your D of E with us. We accept volunteers at our charity shops from the age of 14 with parental consent. Learn new skills, support your community, make new friends and gain valuable experience in the retail sector.

What does a shop volunteer do?

As a volunteer in one of our charity shops, youโ€™ll get the chance to be part of a friendly team and take on a variety of retail tasks. No previous experience is needed, our supportive staff and fellow volunteers will provide all the training and guidance you need.

All we ask is that you bring a positive attitude and a willingness to help your local community.

Typical tasks include:

Welcoming and assisting customers

Dressing shop windows

Keeping the shop tidy and organised

Creating displays

Pricing items

Cash handling (18+)

Volunteer

What our volunteers say

Cquote1_black

It is a very good organisation for anyone who wants to help with issue in their community, especially helping children who are living with disabilities or from difficult upbringings.

– Krystyna, shop volunteer

Cquote1_black

I first started volunteering with Little Lives UK nearly three years ago in their Tooting shop. I originally started here as my daughter had just finished her GCSEs and she asked me to do some volunteering with her as she didnโ€™t want to do it on her own.
When I found Little Lives UK I was impressed by the work they do for children and the ethos that surrounds the charity.

Currently I am a NHS nurse and love coming to volunteer in the Tooting shop in my spare time as it is a great change of pace and I get to use a different skill set than I usually would at work. I also love the feeling of helping others and in this role I can see that what I do helps children of the community. I can see the donations being delivered from the collection drivers, we get to sell them or re-donate them and then see the end result of a child or children being helped.
ย 
– Paula, shop volunteer

Where to find us in London

Volunteer application form