Volunteer
Making a difference
Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering for Balloons! We depend on volunteers to function and grow our charity, so that we can support even more bereaved children and young people.
Whether you can give a couple of hours a month, an odd day or time to volunteer regularly – why not join our team and help to make a difference.
The following opportunities are available
Volunteer Grief Support Worker
This is our main volunteering role. As a Grief Support Worker, you would work directly with children and young people, supporting them through their bereavement, exploring feelings, memories and giving them a safe space to talk about what has happened. This work takes place in school hours, in schools across Exeter East and Mid Devon. Click here to read more about what it is like being a Grief Support Worker.
Volunteer Fundraiser
This role is to help support Balloons with fundraising events and activities that we coordinate, to help raise money and promote our work e.g. collections, stalls at events, running raffles etc. This would be ad hoc work and would be at various venues across Exeter, East and Mid Devon. Click here to read more.
Volunteer Admin Support
Support with administration and research tasks to help with our fundraising/smooth running of Balloons. This could be done remotely, or office based with flexible time commitment. Click here to read more.
Trustee
Volunteers who join our Trustee Board to help govern and guide the charity, bringing a variety of professional skills and experience.
Friend of Balloons
Volunteers who give their time indirectly. For example, quilt making, toy making, running their own fundraising events.
“In my experience the sessions are usually an uplifting experience for children and young people. We show them how to work through their emotions. Taking things home that they’ve made helps to facilitate a conversation with their families. They see that they can cope and are more able talk about their grief and the person that has died. It creates a space where they can open up and ask questions.”
Grief Support Worker Volunteer
“My greatest joy is when I sit by each child in the last session looking back at everything we’ve done together! Hopefully I have been a supportive friend on a small part of their journey and we can say goodbye very positively. I consider my time volunteering for Balloons is the most worthwhile part of my week!”
Grief Support Worker Volunteer
How to apply
Due to the different nature of our volunteer roles, each has its own requirements and application process. Recruitment is ongoing, all year round, but for the Volunteer Grief Support Worker role, we run up to two training courses a year – the date of our course in 2025 is tbc.
Please contact us on admin@balloonscharity.co.uk or call us on 01392 982570 for further information, including role descriptions and information on applying.
Balloons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
‘I had a great day helping Balloons by collecting at Exeter Chiefs. It felt good to be able to help and I even got to watch some of the game!’
Volunteer Fundraiser
