Our volunteering opportunities are open to anyone who can volunteer in the UK. We welcome people from any background, with any level of experience. We’re committed to equal opportunities and building diversity across RNID.
If you have a disability
We’ll try to accommodate any disability you have by making reasonable adjustments where we can. You can talk to your dedicated RNID contact for help with this during your application process.
If you’re receiving benefits
You can volunteer while you’re receiving benefits, but you’ll need to tell your benefits office.
The UK government has written a guide to volunteering and claiming benefits. The guide tells you what your benefits office needs to know about your volunteer role.
If you have a criminal record
If you have a criminal record, it won’t necessarily stop you from volunteering with us. We look at each case individually, but we do have to follow safeguarding rules. This is to make sure the people we support get the right care.
If you’re not from the UK
You’re currently allowed to volunteer in the UK if you’re from an EU member country or countries in the European Economic Area (EEA).
People from outside the EEA must have a visa to work or study in the UK and may volunteer as long as they’re still doing the activity stated on their visa. Their visa must also allow ‘unpaid work’ or volunteering.
It’s possible to get a visa to come to the UK specifically to volunteer, but this must be arranged in advance and certain restrictions apply. You can check on the UK government website to see if you need a visa.
If you’re aged 16 to 17
We welcome volunteers aged 16 and upwards, but if you’re aged under 18 we will seek permission from your parent or guardian. We will also assess the role to make sure the placement of a young person won’t put the volunteer, or anyone working with them, at risk.
If you’re an asylum seeker
Asylum seekers in the UK are allowed to volunteer for charities. Read the UK home office’s guidance on volunteering as an asylum seeker (PDF, 243kb)
Find a volunteering opportunity
Our volunteers are vital in helping us make life fully inclusive for the 12 million people in the UK who are deaf or have hearing loss or tinnitus.
We have remote and in-person volunteering opportunities available across the UK.
Investing in Volunteers
We achieved the Investing in Volunteers quality mark in 2023 for the work we do with volunteers across the UK.
More about volunteering
Contact us
If you are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus and need free confidential and impartial information and support, contact RNID.
We’re open 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.