Volunteering FAQs

What can I do as a Scope volunteer?

As a Scope volunteer you can support us in different ways! We work with volunteers in most areas of our work, including fundraising, our charity shops, campaigning, direct services for disabled people and helping us in our offices around the country. Find out about our current volunteer opportunities.

Where can I volunteer?

Scope runs services, charity shops and fundraising throughout England and Wales. You can see what we do in your area. If you are unsure of what is available then you can contact Scope Response to find out!

What support will I get as a Scope volunteer?

When you first start you’ll get an induction to Scope and the particular area of the organisation where you’re volunteering. You will be given a copy of our volunteer handbook and introduced to other volunteers and staff where you will be based.

At Scope you’ll always have a member of staff who is directly responsible for you. This person will offer you on-going support so both you and Scope can make the most of your time with us as a volunteer. This support may take the form of telephone calls and/or one-to-one meetings. As a volunteer, you may also be able to attend volunteer meetings where you can meet other volunteers and staff and learn more about what else is happening at Scope!

Will I be offered any training?

We’ll provide training on how to carry out your volunteer role. For example, if you are volunteering in a shop, you may be given training in how to sort and prepare donations or how to use the till.

Some volunteer roles may require volunteers to have certain skills and experiences; this information is provided in the volunteer role outline that you will see before you apply.

There are opportunities for volunteers in our charity shops to work towards a suitable NVQ qualification. This is nationally recognised external qualification and is available free to Scope volunteers. Please speak to the shop manager if you are interested in this!

What are the benefits of volunteering at Scope?

There are many benefits to volunteering at Scope! Here are some examples:

It’s a great chance to support disabled people

Scope supports over 30,000 disabled people each year through our services. The money raised through our charity shops helps to fund this work. If you are involved with supporting our campaigns work you are making a difference to the lives of disabled people through raising awareness of disability issues. Whatever your role at Scope, you contribution helps us to make England and Wales a better place for disabled people!

Be part of a large disability charity

In 2012 Scope was 60 years old! The organisation has changed a lot over these 60 years. Currently disabled people are amongst the ‘hardest hit’ by the current welfare reforms. Your support right now is invaluable.

Meet new people

Whether disabled people we support, fellow volunteers or Scope staff you can meet new people through your volunteering!

Gain new skills and experiences

We can give you the opportunity to learn new skills and gain new experiences. These could help you develop your CV, increase your employability or simply do something new and interesting.

I am a disabled person – can I volunteer at Scope?

Yes! We believe it is important disabled people are at the heart of what we do. We have a large number of disabled volunteers supporting our work. We welcome applications from disabled people to all volunteer opportunities available at Scope. We are keen to see this number increase in the future and therefore work hard to ensure our volunteer opportunities are accessible and inclusive to disabled people.

We have an internal access to volunteering fund that allows us to meet the cost of reasonable adjustments for disabled volunteers at Scope.

How much time do I have to offer as a volunteer?

Different volunteer roles within Scope require different time commitments. Some roles may ask for a minimum time commitment per week or ask that people volunteer for a minimum period of time - this allows both Scope and the volunteer to benefit from the volunteering experience.

Each volunteer role outline allows you to learn more about the role, the skills required and the time we ask volunteers to offer.

Will I be paid to volunteer?

As a volunteer you do not receive any payment – volunteering is when you give your time freely to help others. Scope believes that volunteers should not be out of pocket through volunteering with us and therefore we will reimburse agreed travel and subsistence expenses.

I’m interested! What do I do next?

New volunteer opportunities are promoted through our website. You can also contact Scope Response for more information.

If you are interested in volunteering in one of our Scope charity shops then please go to your local shop and ask to speak to the shop manager or assistant manager. Find out where your local shop is by looking here or by phoning 0808 800 3333.