Here are some of the questions that people often ask about volunteering at Cancer Research UK.
Read through the answers to get a better feel for what it's like to volunteer with us!
- What are the benefits of volunteering?
- Who volunteers for Cancer Research UK?
- How much time do I have to give?
- I'm under 16, can I still volunteer?
- What skills and experience do I need?
- What training and support will I be given?
- Can I claim expenses?
- Where can I volunteer?
- Can I volunteer in one of Cancer Research UK’s laboratories?
- Do Cancer Research UK offer work experience opportunities?
- I have a special skill to offer – can I volunteer too?
- I want to volunteer my time helping cancer patients and their families, is this possible?
- How do I contact the Volunteering Department?
1. What are the benefits of volunteering?
Volunteering can be a lot of fun and it's a great way of meeting new people in your local area. You will often learn new skills and build up valuable work experience while donating your time and talent to a good cause.
Whatever your motivations, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your efforts will make a real contribution to the work of Cancer Research UK.
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2. Who volunteers for Cancer Research UK?
We welcome people from all walks of life, no matter how much or how little time people are able to give us.
Students volunteer to gain skills and work experience to help them get a job while others work full-time but wish to volunteer during evenings or weekends. Some of our volunteers have had a break from the job market and want to build up fresh experience and we also have many retired people who are looking to put their experience and some of their newfound free time to good use.
Meet our volunteers and find out what they say about their experiences.
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3. How much time do I have to give?
We have a range of volunteer roles from full-time placements to one-off events. Take a look at the different roles we have available to see how much time each role normally involves and choose the one that suits you best.
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4. I'm under 16, can I still volunteer?
For most of our volunteer roles you need to be 16 years of age. The only exceptions are volunteering at our events – you are welcome to do this if you are accompanied by a parent/guardian and volunteering in our shops through the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Cancer Research UK welcomes volunteers working towards their Duke of Edinburgh (D of E) Awards, although we are restricted by various laws intended to protect young people.
You would need to be 14 years of age to get involved through D of E and 16 to join us as a volunteer independently. Your school or D of E organiser will have to check, if they haven't done so already, that your local Cancer Research UK shop is safe and suitable for you to work in before you start. Depending on where you live, it may be a requirement of your local authority that a work permit is issued, but your shop will know whether this applies in your area.
You can contact your local shop manager direct, or ask your school, or D of E organiser to do this for you. The easiest way to find your nearest shops is to use our shop finder.
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5. What skills and experience do I need?
Many of our volunteer roles do not require you to have any experience or specialist skills and we will provide all the training and information you need.
Some of our volunteering opportunities require you to have particular skills but these are clearly stated in the role profiles.
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6. What training and support will I be given?
Whatever volunteer role you choose to take on, we will give you all the training and support you need to feel comfortable in your work.
All Cancer Research UK volunteers have a staff member who they can go to for help and support. Often there are also more experienced volunteers to offer advice to new members of the team.
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7. Can I claim expenses?
Cancer Research UK volunteers do not receive any payment for their work but you are able to claim expenses, for example previously agreed travel expenses and, if devoting a full day to the charity, the cost of a sandwich lunch.
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8. Where can I volunteer?
You could volunteer in one of over 550 charity shops located across the UK. We also have volunteer opportunities at our head offices in London as well as our regional offices or you could get involved with one of our fundraising or campaigning events across the UK.
There are many other roles you can carry out in your local area or even work from home. Take a look at the latest roles near you using our volunteering search.
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9. Can I volunteer in one of Cancer Research UK’s laboratories?
Unfortunately, we do not generally have volunteering opportunities within our labs and are unable to offer any work experience in this area. However if you have extensive experience in this area, please email your CV to volunteering@cancer.org.uk explaining in what way you would like to volunteer in a lab and we will look for a suitable opportunity.
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10. Do Cancer Research UK offer work experience opportunities?
Apart from our internship scheme we do not have a formal work experience scheme at Cancer Research UK. However, we do have many voluntary roles that may be of interest as they can provide a great way to gain experience. Take a look at the latest roles near you using our volunteering search.
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11. I have a special skill to offer – can I volunteer too?
If you have a particular skill to offer and want to help Cancer Research UK, please get in touch with the volunteering department using the contact details given in answer to question 13. If you could include a copy of your CV and a brief explanation of what kind of role you would be interested in, where you would like to be based and an indication of the time you are willing to volunteer, it will help us match you to the most suitable volunteering role.
In the past we have benefited from the help of web designers, solicitors, video producers, accountants and auctioneers to name but a few examples! We look forward to hearing from you.
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12. I want to volunteer my time helping cancer patients and their families, is this possible?
Cancer Research UK is a charity that mainly focuses on scientific and clinical research. Therefore we do not offer any voluntary positions that are related to the support or counselling of cancer sufferers and their families. Almost all our volunteering opportunities are related to fundraising or campaigning.
You may prefer to contact Macmillan Cancer Support or Marie Curie Cancer Care, two charities that focus on support for cancer patients and their carers.
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13. How do I contact the Volunteering Department?
You can contact the Volunteering Department by email, volunteering@cancer.org.uk, or by phone on 0845 009 4290.
We will endeavour to reply to all emails within 5 working days and all phone messages within 1 working day. However, please be aware that during periods of unusually high volumes of correspondence there may be an added delay in our response.
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