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:

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

Singing Group Volunteers

We have a brilliant new choir director and a new central London venue with an ambition to launch in October, initially monthly. Our new choir director runs vocal workshops for theatre companies and choirs, including BBC Worldwide Staff. There will be no auditions to join. The choir will first and foremost be about having fun and welcoming all colours of the LGBTQ+ rainbow. If you have an interest in choirs, this an ideal group to volunteer with. Read more

Telefriending Volunteers

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

Women's Film Club Volunteer

We are looking for volunteers who are film fans, particularly of lesbian/bi and/or womxn centred cinema. Volunteers will ideally be sociable people who are able to encourage good group dynamics and be mindful of the social needs of sometimes vulnerable individual members. We encourage applications from people with good cultural sensitivity to the intersectional histories, needs and complexities of LGBTQ+ communities over 50 in the UK. Read more