Volunteer

Whether you work directly with our members in our befriending services, get involved in advocacy as an ODL ambassador, or run fundraising and social events, all our volunteers are invaluable to our work - join our team at Opening Doors now and help make a huge difference to the lives of LGBTQ+ people over 50.

Our amazing volunteers are an integral part of our organisation. We currently have over 280 volunteers who support us in roles in the delivery of services to LGBTQ+ people over 50. From communication and engagement, getting involved in fundraising activities, helping us run social events for members and providing administration support, we have a whole range of opportunities for you! Volunteer with us now and be a part of something incredible!

To find out more about how you can support us, email [email protected]

What do our volunteers say?

Our volunteers tell us they like to work with us for a vast array of reasons:

To develop excellent skills and gain valuable experiences for future careers
The inter-generational friendships
The sense of wellbeing, purpose and satisfaction that accompanies supporting older members of the LGBTQ+ community
A valuable opportunity to develop a deeper understanding and awareness of experiences from sections of the LGBTQ+ community often underrepresented and ignored
A greater and more positive engagement with their own community

To hear more about what it’s like to volunteer with us, check out Ben’s story as a befriending volunteer:

Read about our volunteers here

Below are our current volunteer vacancies:

BAME/PoC Group Volunteer

Can you help us provide valuable support to London’s over-50 LGBTQ+ BAME/PoC people? We are looking for people to volunteer facilitating a group focused on LGBTQ+ people from BAME/PoC communities over the age of 50 and our interests and issues. Our BAME engagement is both online and face to face, and we would like volunteers to support this. We’re looking for volunteers to share and support co-facilitation duties. Read more

Befriender Volunteer

We are currently not taking on new applications for Volunteer Befrienders as the service is at full capacity Read more

BSL interpreter volunteer

Can you interpret BSL and help us support people with hearing impairment? Read more

Fundraising Volunteers

As a charity ODL relies on fundraising, and we are looking for volunteers to support our Community Fundraiser increase our income in these very challenging times. Read more

Play Reading Group Volunteer

The Play Reading group has been running since April 2021 and offers a supportive and friendly space to members who enjoy reading plays and acting. Guided by the Lead Volunteer, members play parts and perform plays together over Zoom. This is an ideal opportunity for a volunteer to support the running of this small group of keen amateur thespians. If you have an interest in this area, it’s an ideal group to volunteer with. The group is attended by a good mix of current ODL members from the LGBT Read more

Telefriending Volunteers

We are currently at capacity and are not taking on telefriending volunteers. Read more

Trans and Nonbinary Group Volunteer

We are proud to support people from every section of our LGBTQ+ communities and are looking for volunteers to work with our Trans and Nonbinary Officer to support our Trans and Nonbinary Group. Volunteers need to have some knowledge of and connection to trans and nonbinary communities, and be happy supporting a group and activities focussing on people over 50. Read more

Walk and Talk Volunteers

The Walk and Talk group is a new service which began in July 2021. Walk and Talks take place in North and South London – approximately two per month in both localities and are a gentle amble with friendly conversation for ODL members. Walk and Talks are guided by the respective lead volunteers who select suitable routes and provide some basic information about the chosen areas. This is an ideal volunteering opportunity for those who enjoy the outdoors and meeting new people. Read more