Volunteer in the UK
A supported gap year volunteer programme in the UK for 18 to 30 year olds, with placements in schools, outdoor camps and community projects across the country. Safe, structured and genuinely rewarding.
What Kind of Placement Suits You?
Choose a UK volunteer placement that matches your interests and skills.
Support teachers in classrooms and school life, helping children learn, grow and build confidence every day. A great way to develop your own skills while making a real difference.
Outdoor Camps
Help deliver sports, activities and outdoor education as part of fun, active camp programmes with children and young people. A brilliant choice if you want a gap year that keeps you active, outdoors and having fun every day.
Au Pair & Community
Live with a host family as an au pair while also volunteering with young people at a local community project. The closest you can get to actually living in the UK rather than just visiting it.
Homeless Shelter
Support a local homeless shelter by helping provide practical and compassionate support to people experiencing homelessness. A meaningful gap year volunteer experience in the UK that goes beyond the expected.
Why Volunteer in the UK?
Volunteering in the UK offers a supported gap year experience with clear structures, strong safeguarding, and the chance to build real confidence while contributing to local communities.
There is no better place to improve your English than living and volunteering in the UK every day. From chatting with your host family to navigating life in a new city, your language skills will grow naturally and quickly.
From the rolling countryside to buzzing cities like London, Edinburgh or Bristol, the UK is full of history, character and things to discover. Weekends are yours to explore, and there is always something new around the corner.
Support teachers, help deliver outdoor activities or volunteer in local communities, all alongside children and young people who genuinely benefit from your time and energy.
Carefully vetted placements, clear guidance, and a dedicated support team mean you are never on your own. From orientation to ongoing help, there is always someone available throughout your time volunteering in the UK.
The UK is a brilliant starting point for gap year volunteering. A well-structured programme, strong safeguarding and a dedicated support team make it a great choice if you want the adventure of living abroad with the reassurance of a trusted programme behind you.
What Your Gap Year in the UK Looks Like
A gap year volunteer programme in the UK combines structured placements with everyday independence, helping you grow in confidence while contributing to local communities.
Day-to-Day Life
Settle into a routine at your school, camp or community project, with time to explore and rest outside your placement hours.
Skills and Confidence
Gain practical experience, responsibility and confidence that can support your future study, career or volunteering ambitions.
Independence and Social Life
Live away from home, manage your own time, and build friendships with other volunteers and the people you meet locally.
Support Throughout Your Placement
You are never on your own. There is guidance before you start and support available throughout your time volunteering in the UK.
Meet Your UK Programme Manager
Your safety and wellbeing during your gap year is our priority.
James Langdon
Programme Manager UK
James has spent decades working in international volunteering, including senior roles at VSO, The Prince’s Trust and Lattitude Global Volunteering, where he became CEO. His own gap year in Indonesia in 1986 sparked a lifelong passion for what time abroad can do for a young person. He personally oversees every UK placement to make sure it is safe, well supported and genuinely worthwhile.
“This is the placement I recommend to people who want to be truly tested and truly useful in equal measure. The young people at Streetlife don’t need observers. They need people who show up, night after night, and genuinely care. That’s exactly what our volunteers do.”
Real Stories From UK Volunteers
Read first-hand experiences and see what volunteering in the UK really looks like, across every placement type.
UK Volunteer Reviews
Rated by people who've been there and done it.
Whitemoor Lakes, Outdoor-Camp in the UK
The last 10 months were absolutely amazing. I have made unforgettable experiences and learned a lot of new things in Whitemoor Lakes and in the whole UK.
Even with no prior experience, you will be taught how to use ropes properly and what it needs to be a good canoeing/kayaking instructor. There are loads of qualifications that you are able to get, such as the Paddlesport Instructor or Archery Instructor.
To be honest, it wouldn´t be the same without the people here. It´s the other volunteers and instructors that make this place worth it. I love spending time with them here – whether it´s just after work, in the pub or during trips. Whitemoor welcomes everyone, resulting in a variety of volunteers from France, Germany, England, Ecuador and other countries. Together we went to a variety of places. My favorite ones are definitely London, Snowdon, Edinburgh and Liverpool.
However, I have to admit that the work can be very demanding, especially during the busy season. The average day starts at 8:30 am and finishes at 6 pm, with some breaks of about half an hour in between. Sometimes, there is also an evening session from 7 to 8 pm after dinner, e. g. a campfire with the children. Nevertheless, working with children can be really funny and it is very rewarding. You can often see that they really enjoy the session and sometimes gain confidence as well. There is a variety of sessions that you will have with the children – climbing, zipwire, canoeing, team games, circus skills, fencing, abseiling, …
The food is provided during this placement and kitchen staff always cooks something for the volunteers here which is normally the same food as the children get. One downside is definitely that the meals repeat itself very often so it can get kinda boring.
But the people working here are open for criticism and really care about everyone. The time that you work longer will be given back to you with some more rest days and in May there´s also a trip to Wales with all the volunteers where we went outdoor climbing, hiking and caving. Every Tuesday evening we can go and play football which is always good fun. The bedrooms are usually single or double, depending on how many volunteers there currently are.
I can definitely say that it was the right decision to come to Whitemoor Lakes for my gap year. I will never forget all the amazing memories and I´m happy about every person that I have met during my time here. Hopefully, I can visit some friends from England, Ecuador or France at their home one day. This year helped me to gain lots of experience in teaching children outside of the classroom and to improve my level of English significantly.
Volunteering, Traveling and Enjoying the UK
My experience working with children at PACCAR has changed my life and perspective. It’s taught me to strive to ensure everyone enjoys every second of the activities. To be honest, I learned to appreciate every single laugh and smile because we make a difference in children’s live. Also, being surrounded by nature pushes you to be more active and always on the move. Volunteering opened my mind and gave me the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and the UK. I can tell you it wasn’t easy, sometimes you really need to face your fears and push your limits in ways you’ve never experienced before, but every sacrifice has a reward and recognition in the end. Finally, this experience will give you lifelong friends around the world that you’ll never forget. I think we need to remember that that’s the whole point, to experience and connect with people, even if you grew up in different worlds and with different cultures, traditions and even languages. The love you feel around you and with other volunteers with always lingers in your heart. Thank you all. Thank to PACCAR. Most importantly thanks to the gappers 2024-2025.
Scout camp volunteer
I personally went from volunteering in schools in Spain to scout camps in the uk; from travelling alone in this world to forced to live with strangers
It’s been the greatest transition in my adventure of this world, I have loved every moment.
Scout camp volunteer has its high and lows but some of the best rewards, like strong work ethic, the closest friends you will ever make and strange but useful skill sets.
I can easily say the past year of working hard have taught and given me the best lesson and memories.
I am leaving my camp teary eyes with a full heart and full head of knowledge.
I would and will recommend this program and PACCAR to anyone willing and interested in hands on and big adventures
Thank you Paccar
