Volunteering With Us

Could you give your time to help local blind and partially sighted people?

We’re always on the lookout for friendly and dedicated people to join our volunteer team. Whatever your skills, interests, or experience, there’s a role for you. Many of our volunteers choose to take on multiple roles, which we’re happy to support.

Why Volunteer With Us?

  • Make a Difference: Help support people with sight loss in your local community and make a meaningful impact.
  • Accessible and Inclusive: We’re committed to making every role accessible to you.
  • Training and Support: Develop new skills with guidance from our friendly team.

Volunteering offers a range of benefits for both you and us. As a volunteer, you can build connections and friendships within your community while enhancing your communication skills and gaining valuable experience that can boost your CV. Many volunteers find that giving back improves their mental health and provides a sense of purpose. With flexible roles and schedules, volunteering can fit into your lifestyle while making a meaningful impact.

Areas You Can Volunteer In

We offer roles across several key areas of our charities:

Text reads 'Supporting People with Sight Loss' in white text on a purple background.

Supporting People with Sight Loss

Work directly with visually impaired individuals in meaningful ways:

  • Telephone Befriender: Provide companionship over the phone.
  • Technology Support: Help people use technology for independence.
  • Social Group Facilitator: Help out at existing local social groups or help set up new ones.
  • Service Support and Admin: Make evaluation, catch-up and review calls as well as provide ad hoc admin support
  • Event Supporter: Assist at events like our Eye Can Exhibitions.
Text reads Retail Charity Shops' on a yellow background

Retail Charity Shops

Support our shops, where all proceeds directly fund our services. Roles include:

  • Charity Shop Assistant
  • Charity Shop Keyholder,
  • Charity Shop Stock Driver

Shop Locations: Salisbury, Devizes, Trowbridge, and Thornbury (with plans to expand).

Text reads 'Fundraising and Raising Awareness' in bold white text on a dark blue background

Fundraising and Raising Awareness

Be a voice for our charity and help us grow:

  • Speaker: Raise awareness by speaking at local events.
  • Collections Coordinator: Organise donation collections.
  • Community Representative: Represent us in your local area.
  • Event Supporter: Assist at fundraising and promotional events.
A map showing Gloucestershire, South Glos, Bristol, Band and NE Somerset and Wiltshire

Where We Work

As three partner charites working together, we cover a wide geographical area, including:

  • Bristol
  • Bath and North East Somerset
  • South Gloucestershire
  • Wiltshire and Swindon
  • Gloucestershire

Our volunteers are active across these regions, and some roles can even be done remotely.

Flexible Opportunities

Many of our volunteers take on multiple roles, so whether you’re interested in working in a shop, providing direct support, or fundraising, we can tailor opportunities to your interests and availability.

How to Apply

Ready to get started?

  • Explore the specific roles listed below.
  • For an informal chat about volunteering, email volunteering@sightsupportwest.org.uk or call Becs, our Volunteer Coordinator, on 07849 833 047.
  • Alternatively, you can contact your local office to find out more about opportunities at Wiltshire Sight, Insight Gloucestershire or Sight Support West of England.

Apply Now: Complete our Volunteer Application Form here.

Volunteer Application Form (Microsoft Form)

Volunteer Role Profiles

Charity Shop Stock Driver

Charity Shop Stock Driver

We are looking for friendly drivers to move stock between our charity shops.

Download about "Charity Shop Stock Driver" (DOCX 91 KB)

Charity Shop Assistant

Charity Shop Assistant

We are seeking friendly and reliable volunteers to support our charity shop's daily activities. We have a variety of retail volunteer roles available.

Download about "Charity Shop Assistant" (DOCX 36 KB)

Social Group Facilitator

Social Group Facilitator

We are looking for friendly, outgoing individuals to facilitate our social groups across the region, whether this be supporting existing groups or helping to set up new ones.

Download about "Social Group Facilitator" (DOCX 32 KB)

Charity Shop Keyholder

Charity Shop Keyholder

A varied and responsible role where you’ll be provided with training that will equip you to support the Shop Manager with the day-to-day running of the shop.

Download about "Charity Shop Keyholder" (DOCX 34 KB)

Speaker

Speaker

We are looking for outgoing and enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about the work that we do and would love the opportunity to help raise awareness of our vital services within their local area and in so doing increase our reach and support.

Download about "Speaker" (DOCX 31 KB)

Community Representative

Community Representative

We are looking for people to help raise awareness of our vital services within their local area and in so doing increase our reach and support.

Download about "Community Representative" (DOCX 34 KB)

Service Support and Admin

Service Support and Admin

We require an organised and friendly team player to make evaluation, catch-up and review calls to our clients, as well as provide ad hoc admin support for the team.

Download about "Service Support and Admin" (DOCX 33 KB)

Collections Coordinator

Collections Coordinator

We are looking for motivated and friendly individuals to help us arrange and co-ordinate bucket collections on private sites including supermarkets.

Download about "Collections Coordinator" (DOCX 33 KB)

Technology Support

Technology Support

We are looking for friendly, outgoing, “tech-savvy” individuals to help unleash the power of technology so that our clients who are blind or partially sighted can make the most of the digital world.

Download about "Technology Support" (DOCX 32 KB)

Event Supporter

Event Supporter

This rewarding, flexible opportunity is a great way to help us raise funds, increase awareness of our services and ensure that clients feel welcomed and supported when they attend our events.

Download about "Event Supporter" (DOCX 32 KB)

Telephone Befriender

Telephone Befriender

Telephone befrienders provide crucial social interaction for our clients, by having a friendly chat on a regular basis at an agreed time, tele-befrienders can make all the difference to a person’s life.

Download about "Telephone Befriender" (DOCX 34 KB)

“The team at Sight Support are friendly and approachable. The organisation's personal touch makes me feel informed and valued.”

“I’ve learnt a huge amount about how sight loss can change your life, but I did not realise how volunteering would add an extra dimension to my own life. I’ve loved every minute!”

Make a Difference Today

Volunteering with us isn’t just about helping others—it’s about discovering how much of a difference you can make in your own life too.