Make a Real Difference in Your Community
- Do you have some extra time to give?
- Are you passionate about making a positive impact on others and your community?
- If you are empathetic and enthusiastic about helping unpaid Carers, then we need you!
Forward Carers is dedicated to improving the wellbeing of Carers who support older, frail, sick or disabled family members, friends or neighbours.
This includes Parent Carers, Young Carers, and those supporting individuals with neurodiversity, mental health challenges or substance misuse.
Our mission is simple: to create carer friendly communities to help families stay healthier and happier, together for longer.
Why We Involve Volunteers
Volunteers are at the heart of Forward Carers. The contribution from volunteers enables us to expand our services and bring valuable insights from diverse community perspectives. Many of our volunteers are Carers themselves, or used to be in a caring role who share their experiences through surveys, focus groups including their personal stories as part of our Carers Voice Programme.
Our Carer Ambassadors play a crucial role at Forward Carers; whether it’s supporting Carers directly, promoting our services, providing valuable insight, or holding us accountable to ensure we continually improve the support we provide.
Identifying Hidden Carers
Volunteers support existing Carers as well as helping us to reach individuals who may not recognise themselves as Carers. By actively engaging with the community, volunteers can help people take the first step to acknowledge their caring role and encourage them to access the vital support available to them.
What Volunteering Opportunities Are Available?
We have different opportunities available depending on your interests and skills. You could use your photography/filming skills to capture some of our Carer events, you could provide digital support, help deliver training, or maybe help out with marketing. Perhaps you could help us spread the word about our Carer Friendly offer and encourage local businesses to sign up to provide a discount or special offer?
We have specific roles too:
- Volunteer Community Engagement Assistant
As a Volunteer Community Engagement Assistant, you will have the opportunity to connect with members of the public at our pop-up events and community outreach activities. You will help identify hidden Carers (people who have not acknowledged their caring role) and provide them with information about our vital services and support. Read the Volunteer Community Engagement Assistant role description. - Volunteer Health Liaison Support
As a Volunteer Health Liaison Support, you will work alongside the Forward Carers team to improve communication between health services and unpaid Carers. Further information about this volunteering role is available in this role description. - Young Carers Support Volunteer
This volunteering position involves providing structured support to Young Carers through group activities, educational workshops, and recreational sessions. Volunteers will contribute to creating safe, inclusive environments that promote peer connection, personal growth, and emotional wellbeing. We currently have Young Carers Support volunteering positions in Dudley and in Birmingham. - Carer Friendly Communities Volunteer
Our Carer Friendly ID Card is recognised nationally and includes local, national and online discounts to Carers. We are looking for volunteers who have a few hours a month to ensure our Carers Card Directory is relevant and valuable to Carers and become a champion supporting others living in Dorset to understand the vital role of unpaid Carers. Read the role description to see how you can support our mission to create carer friendly communities.
Why Volunteer with Forward Carers?
We want to provide you with a rewarding opportunity to help other people, build your own confidence, meet new people and add to your skill set. We will reimburse any reasonable expenses such as travel, you will receive an induction, have access to our online training platform and we will provide you with a reference after six months of volunteering with us.
It is our ambition to ensure that everyone who gives their free time to us feels trusted and valued, that they have a positive volunteering experience, and are proud to be part of Forward Carers.
What Do Our Volunteers Think?
“My being empowered by the team for this role, support and encouragement. Also, appreciation by the carers.”
“It has increased my self-worth, I feel I have a voice that is listened to and heard. I feel I am making a valuable contribution to the caring community and that makes me feel proud.”
“I enjoy facing new challenges where I am in new areas and supporting new people who I have never met before.”
“All of the staff know who you are and show that your contribution is valued.”
Volunteering Stories
Find out how volunteering has helped Sarah, and read how giving her free time to Forward Carers led to Anne actually working for us part-time to fit around her caring responsibilities for her adult son.
How to Apply
We need people from all walks of life and all communities, who can bring their different skills and experiences to our work. You can be a Carer, a former Carer, or anyone over the age of 18 who would like to support us. We are also accepting video and audio applications, which you can email to us directly at info@forwardcarers.org.uk
