Community Furniture Stores offer work placements, volunteering opportunities and a Workshop program in all our stores to people who are long term unemployed, face barriers to employment or just want to give something back to their community. Our aim is to help you gain the experience and skills that will improve your prospects and help update your CV.
Across the charity, members of our voluntary team range from people with physical and learning disabilities, those with an offending history, people struggling to re-skill after long periods out of work and those who just want to use their skills to help the charity and others in the team.
We consider all applicants on a case by case basis, to ensure we provide the best environment for you and the team as a whole. Community Furniture Stores always carry out a full risk assessment process to ensure there is no risk to yourself, other people in store or to the general public, but we do our upmost to give as many people as possible the opportunity to gain from time spent with us.
All participants and volunteers must be at least 18 years old and although we are happy to work with those with substance and dependency issues we cannot allow anyone to be under the influence while on the premises.
We typically find that over the duration of the placement participants increase in both confidence and self-esteem, as well as developing new skills that will help them play a fuller role in their community. A significant proportion move into employment or onto other learning and volunteering opportunities. A number of our own staff started out on placements before progressing into paid roles.
Each store has its own unique set of opportunities, so we can normally fit you in to the team somewhere that will help you and us. We are able to offer opportunities to gain work experience and skills in the following areas:
- Customer Service and Retail
- Stock Management within the stores and warehouses
- Multi drop delivery, out in the community on the delivery vans
- Participant in our Workshop programs
Almost all of our voluntary team have other commitments and we do our best to work around these and co-ordinate with other agencies, so the commitment you would like to make and your working hours can be flexible.
To apply to be a volunteer with us, please fill out our volunteering form below.