

Volunteer
We couldn’t achieve what we do without our amazing team of volunteers. Experiencing a bereavement as a child is not required to become one of our volunteers; just your drive, passion and enthusiasm to help us deliver our essential service.
We have over 80 volunteers who support our work, including adults and young people aged 11-17. Adults are asked to complete the form below, and young people can also make contact with us using the details below about our young volunteers schemes.
Volunteer as an adult
We’d be very grateful for any time you can spare:
- Supporting our events such as the Walk of Smiles and Christmas Carol Concert
- Delivering presentation talks about the charity to community groups
- Volunteering on therapeutic weekends and activity days
- Representing the charity at fundraising and profile raising events
- Supporting Youth Panel and Young Volunteer meetings
- Completing admin tasks in our Little Plumstead home, Smiles House
- Preparing resources for therapeutic weekends and activity days
Volunteers working directly with vulnerable children and young people will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check. All volunteers are required to attend Safer Training (child protection training).
We invite all volunteers to an interview, followed by a two day training session for those that wish to assist in the delivery of group therapeutic activities. We hold interviews and training between one and two times per year. If you would like to support our events such as the Walk of Smiles then you can get involved with those much sooner.
Volunteer Application Form
Volunteering Information Letter
Recruitment of ex-offenders policy
Privacy Notice Adult Volunteers
“I find volunteering for Nelson’s Journey very rewarding – it’s amazing to see the children sharing their stories and supporting each other” Rebecca
Volunteer as a young person
We love involving young people in the charity!
Nelson’s Journey has a Young Volunteer Scheme for 11-17 year olds. Some of our Young Volunteers have used our service and others just have an interest in supporting the work that we do.
Our Youth Panel is made up of twelve Youth Panel Members who meet monthly, either during an evening or in school holidays. We also have other Young Volunteers who meet with the Youth Panel during the school holidays.
Our Young Volunteers also attend family and fundraising events and support the work of the charity in a variety of other ways.
What your support means for us and for you (in the words of some of our Young Volunteers!):
Us: Your help volunteering allows Nelson’s Journey to come up with new ways to support bereaved children and young people as well as helping us to maintain a smooth-running charity with new ideas.
You: An opportunity to gain unmatched volunteering experience while making friends and supporting bereaved children in your local community.
If you would like to find out more about the Nelson’s Journey Young Volunteer Scheme, please email enquiries@nelsonsjourney.org.uk or call 01603 431788.