Volunteer
Your contribution makes a huge difference when you offer your services as a volunteer. If you can volunteer in any way with Kids Company, we would love to hear from you. There are many options available, and you will find links below to learn more about specific opportunities:
(Please note, we encourage all volunteers to start off with either school/centre volunteering or mentoring, so please fill in only one application form.)
Volunteering in a School or Centre
Mentoring
Volunteer Pool
Just one Thing
Complementary Health Volunteers
Clinical Placements
Volunteering in a School or Centre
Whatever you’re into, whether it’s street dance or science, gardening or geography, your enthusiasm can help enrich the lives of vulnerable children. Kids Company supports teams located in schools across London; volunteers typically run, or help to run, lunchtime or afterschool clubs for small groups of children. Subjects include sport, dance, drama, music, circus skills, gardening, cookery, art, fashion, craft and design, photography, creative writing and yoga. We are also looking for volunteers to read with children, to play games with them in the playground, and to support their learning in the classroom.
We occasionally offer volunteering positions at Kids Company’s own centres, and if this is something you would like to do please mention this on your application form and we will discuss it with you in your interview.
Kids Company provides full training and support. We ask for a minimum commitment of 1 hour per week, for at least one academic term (12 weeks), but we welcome volunteers who can stay for longer. Volunteers in a school or centre must be over 18 years old and be able to volunteer in the London area.
Apply:
Please complete the Volunteer Application Form (click to download) and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (click to download). Email both forms to volunteer@kidsco.org.uk.
We will then be in touch to invite you to an interview and let you know the next steps in the application process. We will complete a DBS (Disclosures and Barring Services, formally known as CRB, Criminal Records Bureau) application with you at the interview (please note that you will need a Kids Company DBS certificate).
If you would prefer to post the forms, please send to:
Volunteer Application, Kids Company, 1 Kenbury Street, London, SE5 9BS
Mentoring
Mentoring is a wonderful way to give of your time and of yourself to have a positive impact upon a young person. Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship, and it is extremely valuable because many of our young people do not have a reliable adult in their lives. The bonds that are created through mentoring help our children and young people to achieve goals, build confidence, increase self-esteem, and have fun!
Mentors meet with a young person on a weekly basis for at least one year. This period of time allows the young person to build a relationship with their mentor, to develop a sense of trust, and to gain the most from the experience. The consistency and reliability our mentors provide has a profound impact upon the lives of our young people. Through giving of your time and doing fun things like going to a park, museums, and exploring different areas of London, the mentoring relationship will build, and the young person’s life can be positively changed.
We embrace the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our mentors, but at the core, all of our mentors have emotional resilience, self-awareness, and empathy. Our mentors are genuinely interested in the lives of the children they work with, they listen, and they make the child feel heard. Our mentors are creative and enthusiastic, and they are able to join in with the young person’s world and make the child feel special. Our mentors see the strengths within our young people and help them to develop their interests and increase their sense of aspiration. Our mentors provide an invaluable role and contribute to our young people’s futures.
Mentoring is centred around the significant benefits that the young person gains through the relationship that is formed. To know that at least one person will consistently show up, listen, and be there for them week after week can have a powerful and lasting impact upon our young people.
Throughout the mentoring process, you will be provided with a high level of support by the Mentoring Team, which includes group supervision, workshops, and additional individual support. We recognize the importance of support, in order for the mentoring relationship to be successful, and we will be with you each step of the way.
Our mentors must be over the age of 18 and be able to volunteer in the London area. If you believe in the work that we do at Kids Company and believe that you could play an integral role in positively shaping the life of a young person through mentoring, we would welcome hearing from you!
Apply:
To apply, please complete the Mentor Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, which can be found by clicking on the links below:
Mentor Application Form
Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form .
Please email both completed forms to mentoring@kidsco.org.uk.
If you would prefer to post the forms, please send them to:
Mentor Application
Kids Company
1 Kenbury Street
London
SE5 9BS
We will then be in touch to invite you to an interview and let you know the next steps in the application process. We will complete a DBS application with you at the interview (please note that you will need a Kids Company DBS certificate).
We sincerely thank you for your interest, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Volunteer Pool
The Kids Company Volunteer Pool is a fantastic way to stay in touch with various events and projects taking place at Kids Company that you may wish to get involved with on an ad-hoc basis. It does not involve any long-term or regular commitment. Just whenever and however you can.
You will receive e-mail notifications from us when we require help with a workshop, event or project. You will also receive invitations to events taking place throughout the year.
To join the Volunteer Pool please email volunteer.pool@kidsco.org.uk.
Some of the opportunities on the Volunteer Pool involve working directly with the children we support. If you would like to be considered for these opportunities, you will need to complete an application form (see below) and apply for a Kids Company DBS check.
Apply:
You can join the Volunteer Pool straight away without an interview, but if you would like to get involved with the opportunities directly involving children you will needto complete an application form and attend an interview.
Please complete the Volunteer Application Form (click to download ) and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (click to download). Email both forms to volunteer.pool@kidsco.org.uk.
We will then be in touch to invite you to an interview where we will complete a DBS application (please note that you will need a Kids Company DBS certificate).
If you would prefer to post the forms, please send them to:
Volunteer Application
Kids Company
1 Kenbury Street
London
SE5 9BS
Just One Thing
Kids Company are delighted to announce our collaboration with parenting website beyondtheschoolrun.com through an initiative called Just One Thing.
Just One Thing is a call to action for parents to get involved with Kids Company in whatever capacity they can, whether they are offering gifts, skills, ideas or simply, their spare time.
Just One Thing is a call to action for parents to get involved with Kids Company in whatever capacity they can, whether they are offering gifts, skills, ideas or simply, their spare time.
Beyond The School Run founder Louise Webster, said: “The ‘Just One Thing’ campaign is about recognizing that there is a large part of society – parents – who have a range of skills and talents that when utilized could collectively make a difference to theirs and the lives of others. I think this is an opportunity for parents to show what they are made of and together start to challenge the huge issue of poverty affecting so many children across the UK. I believe if we each do one thing, however small, we can together make a significant difference to children’s lives.”
Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh said: “Often, people think what they have to offer is too insignificant and will not transform damaged lives. What they don’t realise is that, in the exchange of kindness, something big and beautiful happens. A child who has lost dignity will regain it in the knowledge that you cared. Give yourself a gift – be transformative!”
Complementary Health Volunteers
Kids Company offers a wide range of complementary therapies, and we are always looking for qualified practitioners to contribute to this program on a voluntary basis.
We need specialists in occupational therapy, massage, reflexology, reiki, cranial osteopathy, acupuncture, EFT, yoga and other treatments. Whatever you can offer, from a few hours a month to a few days a week, we would love to hear from you. Various volunteering options are available, including working with children, staff, parents and teachers. We offer full training and support.
Apply:
Please complete the Volunteer Application Form (click to download) and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (click to download). Email both forms to complementarytherapy@kidsco.org.uk.
We will then be in touch to invite you to an interview and let you know the next steps in the application process. We will complete a DBS application with you at the interview (please note that you will need a Kids Company DBS certificate).
If you would prefer to post the forms, please send them to:
Complementary Health Volunteer Application
Kids Company
1 Kenbury Street
London
SE5 9BS
Clinical Placements at Kids Company
Kids Company offers placements for those training in all therapeutic approaches, in primary and secondary schools across London. We work with children who have experienced trauma, abuse and neglect. We also work with children who may be going through short term traumas (bereavement/family break-down) and self-doubt, who are in need of support in expressing and understanding themselves. Alongside this we offer therapeutic interventions for parents, carers and teachers.
We offer the child a secure, safe and committed experience to support emotional and psychological well being in order for them to increase self awareness, to develop confidenceand to develop resiliance.
All placements are supported by clinical supervision in line with university, UKCP, BACP, HPC and BPS requirements.
Apply:
Please complete the Clinical Placement Application Form (download here) and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (click to download). Email both forms to psychotherapyplacements@
To download the Criteria for Psychotherapy Clinical Placement please click here
We will then be in touch to invite you to an interview and let you know the next steps in the application process.
If you would prefer to post the forms, please send them to:
Clinical Placement Application
Kids Company
1 Kenbury Street
London
SE5 9BS
A full description of all our volunteer opportunities are detailed in our Volunteers brochure. If you are studying at University and would like a placement at one of our centre’s or schools please download our Placements brochure.
