By volunteering, you can help children and young people get a better start in life, or relieve the pressure on a family during difficult times. Here are just a few of the ways you can help.
Search for volunteering opportunities online
Make schools better
School Governors have a positive impact on education, helping build better schools and better communities. You can find out more about the role and how to apply at One Stop Shop.
A Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is an organization of parents, staff and friends of a school. Its roles include fundraising and improving home/school relations. To find out if you can join a PTA, contact your local school.
Other volunteering opportunities include listening to pupils read; helping with school trips, productions and one-off events; and sharing work experience with children. To learn how you can help, contact your local school.
Keep active while volunteering
Surrey youth club volunteers share their love of sport and all things outdoors with young people. To register your interest, and find an opportunity that suits you, visit the Active Surrey website.
Duke of Edinburgh volunteers encourage young people to reach their true potential, no matter the weather. To find out more, visit the Duke of Edinburgh website, or contact our Surrey team directly at dofe@surreycc.gov.uk
Scout and Girl Guide volunteers help young people build confidence, interact with others, and enjoy new adventures outdoors. To learn more, visit the websites of Surrey Scouts, Surrey East Girlguides, and Surrey West Girlguides.
Mentor a young person
Volunteer mentors play a vital role in supporting Surrey's young people to develop and prepare for the future. To find out more about mentoring and other youth work opportunities, visit the Surrey Care Trust.
Finding Your Feet is a scheme that offers work and life skills mentoring to young people in Surrey's care and to care leavers up to the age of 21.
Independent Visitors volunteer to visit, befriend and advise our children in care. Both male and female volunteers are needed to visit children monthly to do an activity such as cinema, theatre, pottery painting and meals out. Email: independentvisitors@surreycc.gov.uk
For a comprehensive list of current youth work volunteering opportunities across Surrey, visit Surrey Youth Focus.
Support for families
Rainbow Trust volunteers help make a difference to families who have a seriously ill child. To join the team, visit the Rainbow Trust website.
Home-Start helps families with young children deal with whatever life throws at them. Visit the Home-Start website to find out how you can support families in your local area.
Shooting Star Chase is a leading children's hospice charity caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families.
Library Rhymetime and storytime sessions are aimed at babies and toddlers, along with their parents and carers. They help to encourage language development in children and improve their ability to listen and interact with books.
Gain experience as a youth worker
As a Community Youth Work volunteer you can make a difference to young people through building strong relationships and helping to develop their life skills, while also gaining valuable experience in a variety of settings in our youth clubs across Surrey. Contact jeremy.crouch@surreycc.gov.uk or leigh.middleton@surreycc.gov.uk to find out how to get involved.
