Volunteering
Volunteering gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, and your own. We have many volunteer opportunities across County Durham and these can be varied; it all depends on what you would like to do.
Why Volunteer?
Whether you’re looking to meet new people, are interested in the wellbeing work we offer to your community or want to learn new skills or advance your career, then volunteering could be for you.
What will I get out of it?
You might want to develop skills or support an initiative in your own community – either way volunteering can help you achieve these goals.
Volunteers are an important part of our service, and we want to make sure it’s an equally rewarding process for you. We will work hard to make sure we support you to achieve your goals by finding the perfect volunteering role for you, one that will match your aims, personality and aspirations.
How you could get involved
Whether you’re passionate about helping others, protecting the environment, or contributing your expertise, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Below, you’ll find a variety of ways to volunteer, each offering a unique chance to make a difference.
Health and Wellbeing Champion
Be a Health & Wellbeing Champion—help create healthier, happier communities!
Join us as a Health and Wellbeing Champion and become a friendly face in our Wellbeing Hubs.
What you’ll be doing
As a Health and Wellbeing Champion, you’ll play a vital role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for visitors. Your responsibilities will include:
- Providing wellbeing advice – chatting with visitors, offering guidance on local services, and signposting them to further support.
- Keeping the hub informed – updating noticeboards with the latest health and wellbeing information, upcoming events, and community resources.
- Encouraging a healthy lifestyle – promoting key health messages on topics such as nutrition, mental wellbeing, and physical activity.
- Supporting hub activities – assisting with group sessions, workshops, or events that promote wellbeing.
- Creating a friendly space – offering a listening ear and fostering a positive atmosphere where people feel comfortable seeking support.
What you’ll gain
- The opportunity to develop new skills and boost your confidence.
- Training and experience in health and wellbeing support
- A chance to meet new people and be part of a friendly, community-focused team.
- The satisfaction of making a real difference in people’s lives.
Training provided
No prior experience? No problem!  We provide full training to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in this role.
Our training includes:
- Basic Mental Health Awareness – learn how to support and signpost individuals struggling with mental health challenges.
- Making Every Contact Count (MECC) – build confidence in having meaningful conversations about health and wellbeing.
- Healthy Eating: It’s a Balancing Act – understand key nutritional principles and how to promote healthy choices.
- Safeguarding – recognize signs of vulnerability and know how to report concerns appropriately.
- Moving and Handling – learn safe techniques to assist individuals when needed.
- Wellbeing for Life overview – gain an understanding of local health initiatives and support networks.
Who can volunteer
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, whether you’re:
- Looking to gain experience in health and wellbeing
- Wanting to give back to your community
- Seeking new skills to improve employability
- Hoping to meet new people and stay active
No specific qualifications are required, just enthusiasm, good communication skills, and a willingness to help others.
Join us today
If you’re ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.  To find out more or apply complete the form at the top of this page and a member of the team will be in touch.
Wellbeing Support Volunteer
Make a difference as a Wellbeing Support Volunteer—helping others lead healthier, happier lives!
Location: Wellbeing for Life Centres
Become a Wellbeing Support Volunteer and help individuals improve their health and wellbeing in a friendly, supportive environment!
What you’ll be doing
As a Wellbeing Support Volunteer, you’ll work alongside experienced practitioners to support a variety of health and wellbeing activities and your role will include:
- Assisting with health and wellbeing activities – supporting programmes such as Eatwise & Exercise and Mental Health Resilience to help individuals make positive lifestyle changes.
- Developing health check skills – working towards a Workplace Analysis Scheme for Proficiency (WASP) assessment, allowing you to take blood pressure readings, calculate body mass index and measure weight and waist circumference.
- Encouraging participation – helping people feel comfortable and engaged in sessions
- Providing friendly support – offering motivation, guidance, and a listening ear to those looking to improve their health.
What you’ll gain
- Gain valuable experience in health and wellbeing
- Receive specialist training to develop new skills
- Be part of a friendly and supportive team
- Make a real impact on people’s lives and wellbeing
- Improve your confidence and employability with hands-on experience
Training provided
No prior experience? No problem! We’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to succeed, including:
- Making Every Contact Count (MECC) – learn how to have positive, health-promoting conversations.
- Safeguarding – understand how to identify and respond to concerns about vulnerable individuals
- Moving and Handling – learn safe techniques for assisting individuals if needed.
- Basic Mental Health Awareness – gain insights into mental wellbeing and how to offer support.
- Healthy Eating: It’s a Balancing Act – understand nutrition basics and how to encourage healthy choices.
Who can volunteer
We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, whether you’re:
- Looking to build skills for a future career in health and wellbeing.
- Interested in helping others lead healthier lives.
- Hoping to gain practical experience in community health work.
- Wanting to give back and make a difference.
All you need is enthusiasm, a friendly attitude, and a willingness to learn—we’ll support you every step of the way!
Join us today
If you’re ready to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. To apply or find out more, complete the form at the top of this page and a member of the team will be in touch.
Food and Growing Volunteer
Be a Food & Growing Volunteer – help nurture health, wellbeing, and community connections!
Location: Healthworks (Easington Colliery)
As a Food & Growing Volunteer, you’ll play a key role in connecting people to fresh food, outdoor activity, and community wellbeing!
What you’ll be doing
As a Food and Growing Volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to get hands-on with a variety of food and gardening activities. Your role can be tailored to your skills and interests, including:
- Gardening and growing – helping to plant, maintain, and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs at our community gardens.
- Healthy eating and cooking – supporting food sessions that promote nutritious meals, cooking skills, and food education.
- Leading growing activities – if you have gardening skills, you can help plan and run growing sessions for individuals and groups.
- Linking food to wellbeing – helping people understand the connection between food, physical activity, and mental health.
- Community engagement – working with staff and local people to create a positive and inclusive space for learning and social connection.
What’s in it for you?
- Gain practical experience in food growing and nutrition.
- Learn about sustainable gardening and food production.
- Develop new skills and receive specialist training.
- Enjoy the mental and physical health benefits of being outdoors and active.
- Meet like-minded people and be part of a supportive community.
- Make a real impact by helping others learn about healthy food and wellbeing.
Training provided
We’ll provide all the training and guidance you need to thrive in this role, including:
- Moving and Handling – learn safe techniques for lifting and handling in a gardening or food setting.
- Basic Nutrition & Food Handling (for food volunteers) – gain essential knowledge on safe food preparation and healthy eating principles.
Who can volunteer?
This role is perfect for anyone who:
- Loves gardening, food, or cooking.
- Wants to share knowledge and help others live healthier lives.
- Enjoys being active and outdoors.
- Is looking to gain experience in community food projects.
- Simply wants to meet new people and give back to the community!
No previous experience is needed – just enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and a passion for food, gardening, and wellbeing!
Join us today!
If you’re ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you! To apply or find out more, complete the form at the top of this page and a member of the team will be in touch.
Wellbeing Hub Café Volunteer
As a Wellbeing Hub Café Volunteer, you’ll create a welcoming space where people can connect, enjoy refreshments, and access support. This role fosters community spirit while promoting health and wellbeing in an inclusive environment.
Location: Healthworks Wellbeing Hub, Paradise Lane, Easington Colliery, SR8 3EX
What you’ll do:
- create a warm welcome, greet visitors and foster a supportive atmosphere
- serve refreshments, prepare and serve drinks and snacks while engaging with visitors
- encourage conversation, offer a listening ear and promote a sense of belonging
- maintain a safe and clean space, ensure hygiene and food safety standards are met
- support wellbeing activities, assist staff with community wellbeing sessions
- signpost visitors, direct people to local health and wellbeing services.
What you’ll gain:
- new skills, confidence, and experience in customer service, food hygiene, and wellbeing support
a chance to meet new people and be part of a friendly, community-focused team
the satisfaction of making a real difference
Who can volunteer?
We welcome everyone, whether you’re:
- gaining experience in community work or customer service.
giving back to your local area.
building skills to boost employability.
meeting new people and staying active.
No qualifications needed, just enthusiasm, good communication, and a willingness to help.
Training provided:
No experience, no problem, we offer full training in:
- food hygiene and safety – essential food prep and hygiene standards
- customer service – engaging confidently with diverse people
- wellbeing awareness – supporting individuals and signposting services
- safeguarding – recognizing and reporting vulnerabilities
Join us today
If you’re ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you! To apply or find out more, complete the form at the top of this page and a member of the team will be in touch.
Cancer Awareness Volunteer
As a Cancer awareness volunteer you will contribute to tackling cancer related inequalities by supporting cancer awareness workers, development of targeted/focused community population to improve symptom awareness and reduce barriers to cancer screening and improve uptake and support on early diagnosis.
Location: Our Cancer Awareness team work across County Durham
What you’ll do:
- work with Cancer Awareness team
- provide support to individuals with concerns (within the workshops and events)
- tailor support to suit the needs of local groups
- increase public confidence in signs and symptoms
- provide advice, support according to specific area needs
- listen sympathetically to concerns and to work out solutions for the issues
- actively engage with and promote the national symptom awareness & cancer awareness annual calendar
What you’ll gain:
- new skills, confidence, and experience in customer service, food hygiene, and wellbeing support
- a chance to meet new people and be part of a friendly, community-focused team
- the satisfaction of making a real difference
Who can volunteer?
We welcome everyone, whether you’re:
- gaining experience in community work or customer service
- giving back to your local area
- building skills to boost employability
- meeting new people and staying active
No qualifications needed – just enthusiasm, good communication, and a willingness to help.
Training provided:
No experience, no problem, we offer full training in:
- cancer and wellbeing awareness – supporting individuals and signposting services
- safeguarding – recognizing and reporting vulnerabilities
Join us today!
If you’re ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you. To apply or find out more, complete the form at the top of this page and a member of the team will be in touch.
County Durham Volunteering Kitemark
Wellbeing for Life received the County Durham Volunteer Kitemark for the third time last year.
Awarded by Durham Community Action to organisations that demonstrate a commitment to their volunteers and a high-quality volunteering experience for both their volunteers and service users, it is a free quality standard to recognise organisations that are overcoming the barriers to volunteering.
You can find out more information about the award below.
Looking for events, groups or activities near you?
We’re here to help
If you need support or have a question, don’t hesitate to get in touch
Volunteering resources
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Useful linkThe NHS has launched a free health and wellbeing quiz. Assess your lifestyle, get a score, and be signposted to the NHS tools and content to help... -
NewsThroughout Volunteers Week 2025 we are celebrating volunteers past and present for the outstanding contribution they make to Adult Wellbeing Services. Meet Raymond Metcalf who volunteers alongside... -
Useful linkPCP is a leading third sector organisation working in the North East, with a focus on health improvement and reducing health inequalities through building capacity and life... -
NewsThe team at Wellbeing for Life (WBFL) received the County Durham Volunteer Kitemark award for the third time in October 2023 in recognition of their continuing work... -
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Useful linkOfficial information from NHS about County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust including contact details, directions, opening hours and service/treatment details.
Brought to you by Wellbeing for life
Offering advice and training to support behaviour change and improve health, wellbeing and learning opportunities.
