Join our team of superhero volunteers
Remote volunteering and work placements
If you would like to volunteer remotely to help our charity team or as part of a work placement then we would love to hear from you.
Our volunteers gain valuable experience and really enjoy helping out in many different departments including marketing, helpdesk, admin, social media and research.
We are proud to be a part of the Disability Confident scheme.
Please let us know if you would like to apply through an alternative method and tell us about any adjustments or considerations for interviews.
Please read our Volunteer Charter and Volunteer Policy.
We always encourage disabled people and people with long term health conditions to join our team of volunteers.
Please call 01582 470900 or email us to register your interest in volunteering with us and for full details.
Current volunteer roles
We are recruiting for a number of volunteers to join our incredible team. We are in an exciting stage of growth and would love to recruit people who are passionate about helping to drive disability awareness.
View our volunteer vacancies below:
Advice team volunteers
As an advice team volunteer, you will be helping our services users by giving them advice and guidance, and signposting them to local resources that could help them. You will be based from our Mayfield Centre in Dunstable.
Retail volunteers
Based at our Mayfield Centre, our retail volunteers will be helping to run our brand new chat and collect mobility equipment service. You will also contribute to the cleaning and safety-checking of all equipment to ensure it is of high quality and cleanliness, ready for our customers to purchase.
Outreach and events volunteers
You will be responsible for raising awareness of our charity within the community. You will assist our team in curating events and spreading the word about all our initiatives.
Fundraising support volunteers
As a fundraising support volunteer, you will be predominantly community-based. In this role, you will seek new fundraising opportunities and network with other businesses in the area to help secure partnerships.
Administrative volunteer
You will help with general admin across our teams. This may include event admin, responding to emails, and data entry.
Please note, all of these roles are very flexible. If you are interested in applying, please email clare.copleston@drcbeds.org.uk to express your interest. We highly advise that you send a CV to accompany your email, as this will fast track your application.
Meet our popular volunteer Rohin
Tishy really enjoys her time as a volunteer
Tishy Thomas has cerebral palsy and when she joined our team of volunteers in 2019 she said:
"I started at The Disability Resource Centre on Tuesday the 31st of July as a volunteer.
I'm helping with their social media and Grey Matters event for older people, on a Thursday morning to promote what they do.
I really enjoyed myself on my 1st day at The Disability Resource Centre as a volunteer. Everyone that I met is very friendly and welcoming. They all made me feel so at ease. I would recommend anyone to be a volunteer at The Disability Resource Centre because it is a fantastic opportunity".
Michael talks about his voluntary work
Meet some members of our charity staff team
Abbey
Sally
Maria
An Advisor and a Trusted Assessor, Maria has been an employee with our charity for many years. Maria has a wealth of knowledge and experience in advice services, mobility equipment and outreach services.
Sammie, our student research volunteer
Sammie is at university and gained valuable experience volunteering as a researcher.
Our CEO, Melanie Hawman, wrote this reference for Sammie after the completion of the project :
“When we first spoke to Sammie she immediately understood the brief for long-form conversations with a sample of our customers during the coronavirus lockdown.
After a couple of briefing meetings Sammie responded with a project proposal that included her methodology, the scope of the study and an outline of the topics for discussion with the customers.
After completing a DBS check and confidentiality agreement Sammie got to work on interviewing (by phone) 15 of our recent customers.
The purpose of the interviews was to gain a clearer picture of the pressures that our customers were under during the coronavirus lockdown.
Sammie completed the interviews over 4 weeks and kept anonymized notes.
The findings of the study were summarised by Sammie in a report along with her recommendations of the actions that our charity might need to take to better support our customers after the lockdown.
Sammie’s sensitive approach in her conversations with our many older and disabled customers resulted in some important insights. Sammie’s report is to be presented to our charity’s Board of Trustees to help guide development of our services post-lockdown.
Sammie is a conscientious, thoughtful volunteer. She was sensitive to the individual needs of our customers and produced a very high quality study.
Thank you very much Sammie.
Melanie Hawman
CEO
The Disability Resource Centre”
If you are interested in volunteering for our charity then please call 01582 470900 or email us for full details.
Feel good every day
The Disability Resource Centre is a user-led charity, run by disabled people for disabled people. We provide a range of free services empowering people of all ages who are affected by disability or health conditions to fulfill their potential and aspirations. We help disabled people, carers and families across Bedfordshire and Luton.
Our services include information and advice, welfare benefits advice, specific support for carers, personalisation, direct payments services, equipment for daily living, support groups, training for personal assistants, support for employers of personal assistants, training in personal development and IT, employment courses and support for employers of disabled people.
Whether you would like to meet new people, provide support to local residents or gain valuable work experience, please contact us to talk through opportunities that are available. We will find a role that is right for you.
Why volunteer?
There are lots of benefits to volunteering, using your skills to help others or developing new ones, Do something you enjoy whilst supporting a cause you care about.
Whatever your reason, we would love to hear from you.
Gain work experience
Volunteering gives you the opportunity to develop core skills – such as working in a team, effective communication and problem solving. You can also expand your vocational skills including IT, Customer Service and Advice skills
Meet new people
Volunteering is a great way to meet people. Join our friendly team who really value the contribution you make.
Access to training
Whilst at The Disability Resource Centre you can access our training programmes as part of your induction, training package and wider work of The Disability Resource Centre. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn new things.
Develop your transferrable skills
Skills you gain in volunteering can be transferred into other situations or roles, even helping those looking for paid employment to get back to work.
Enhance your CV
Volunteering experience can demonstrate positive personal qualities such as motivation and helping others. Your CV can show what you have been doing, key skills, roles and responsibilities. Volunteering can help fill skills gaps in your CV and show what you can do.
Do something you enjoy
If there is something you enjoy doing, why not share it? Do you enjoy talking to people, researching online, designing marketing material, fixing things or helping others?
Build your confidence
Meeting new people, trying something new and entering new situations can build your confidence and self-esteem. Meeting others in similar situations and talking to people can have positive benefits.
Corporate volunteering
We appreciate all the organisations that provide staff time to come and volunteer at the Centre to make a difference to those using our services. Whether it is volunteering your areas of expertise, or doing something completely different, it is all appreciated.
We can work with you to explore opportunities that meet the needs of your organisation, its Corporate Social Responsibility and support to our service users.
Join the team
The Disability Resource Centre welcomes applications from disabled people, those with learning disabilities, carers or those with an interest in disability issues. We believe in Empowering people of all ages who are affected by disability or health conditions to fulfil their potential and aspirations.
If you would like to volunteer with us please call 01582 470900 or email us for full details.
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Phone: 01582 470 900
Email: info@drcbeds.org.uk
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Our newsletter is packed full of the latest updates from our charity team, free events around Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, money saving tips, stories and articles from our community of disabled people and carers, handy information from local community groups and free services you might not know about…
Free online courses for Personal Assistants in care – Only free until 31st March
Hurry – Our popular online courses for Personal Assistants (PAs) in care are only free until the 31st March 2025. Learn essential care skills online for free, including dementia awareness, duty of care, health and safety, privacy and dignity, safeguarding and more.
Come to our free Wellbeing Hub in Dunstable every week – Everyone is welcome
People in Dunstable love our free Wellbeing Hub. We’re helping people with advice managing energy costs and offering a whole host of free wellbeing activities every week. Our sessions provide practical money-saving solutions and support in a friendly, welcoming environment. Plus there are free refreshments including free tea, free coffee and free seasonal snacks. So come along to the Mayfield Centre every Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
Free training for Diabetes Awareness and First Aid for PAs in care
Our Spring term at The Care Academy sees the return of some of our most popular courses. Join us for free training workshops for Personal Assistants in care for diabetes awareness and first aid.
Free training workshop on end-of-life care for Personal Assistants (PAs)
Keech Hospice is providing this free workshop for PAs. This important training will provide PAs with the skills and knowledge needed to support individuals and their families during end-of-life care with compassion and confidence.
Your open door to advice in Central Bedfordshire
AdviceCentral helps residents of Central Bedfordshire to find the best local and national advice on a wide range of topics including:
Help for carers in Luton
We offer lots of free 1-2-1 help and advice by phone, email and online meetups.
