At YouthNet we involve volunteers in a range of roles both offline and online which are detailed below.
We do not recruit for all of these opportunities all the time so to view a list of those we are currently recruiting for, and to apply, please visit our page on Do-it.
To find out more about the opportunities listed below that we are not currently recruiting for and for all other enquiries about volunteering please email volunteer@youthnet.org.
To meet some of our current volunteers please visit our ‘Who we are‘ page.
Discussion Board Moderators
Volunteer moderators help increase our capacity to moderate TheSite.org discussion boards 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Board mods help us to ensure our users can communicate in a safe, friendly and supportive environment. They also enhance the advice and support given by users. To find out more about who these volunteers are read about Gareth’s journey and visit our meet the mod page.
Live Chat Moderators
Live chat takes place on TheSite.org four times a week and is a chance for young people to chat to one another about absolutely anything in real time. Chat sessions are two hours long and are moderated by a team of volunteers who volunteer on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
The volunteers’ role is to facilitate and encourage peer to peer support, offer additional emotional support and signposting when needed as well as ensuring everything runs smoothly and everyone feels welcome. To meet some of our live chat moderators read about Sandra’s journey and visit our meet the mod section of TheSite.org.
Peer Advisors
Volunteer peer advisors are trained to answer relationships questions from young people that come in through askTheSite. Set up in 2003, askTheSite offers young people access to individual, confidential and expert advice, answering their questions through a safe and secure part of TheSite.org.
Peer advisors are given comprehensive training and are mentored by one of our five expert advisors. The relationships section in askTheSite is often very busy and we couldn’t answer each question with a comprehensive and personal response if it were not for the help that our volunteers provide. Our peer advisor volunteers also have the opportunity to do a course in ‘Providing Online Relationships Advice’ accredited by the Open College Network.
To find out more about the opportunity please visit our site. For an insight into volunteering as a peer advisor read about Jenna’s experience.
Photographers
Almost every article or factsheet on TheSite.org and Do-it needs an image to ensure it stays fresh and unique and many of these are supplied by our volunteers. With the help of our photographer volunteers our image bank is growing daily with great new photos to use across TheSite.org.
Our photographers are virtual volunteers and are therefore spread all across the UK. Photographers take photos of anything relevant to the topics covered on TheSite.org and upload their images to our Flickr account. We then choose an image to accompany our articles, factsheets or promotional material and credit the volunteer.
TheSite.org Leaders
The Leaders are a group of young people who volunteer through an online community where they discuss and debate ideas that directly shape the content and the functionality of TheSite.org. The Leaders help to ensure we continue to reach and engage thousands of young people across the UK by helping us to develop and improve the website. The Leaders are 16-25 and therefore help us to ensure the website is inspiring and relevant for other young people, and in return they learn about how websites evolve over time.
Within TheSite.org Leaders platform there is the opportunity for volunteers to further their role by becoming consultation guides. This enables them to create and nurture discussions about TheSite.org, help ensure the platform is as accessible as it can be, motivate other young people and develop skills in online leadership. In return we’ve offered bespoke training in social media and online community management techniques. Our consultation guides are given the opportunity to be involved in four weekend meet ups over a 12 month period.
To find out more about the Leaders programme read about Matt’s experience as a Leader volunteer.
Writers
Aspiring journalists are given the chance to get a piece of work reviewed, edited and published on one of YouthNet’s websites by volunteering as a writer.
Our writers submit rants for the real life section of TheSite.org, personal stories for the Step Finder on TheSite.org and blogs about volunteering for Do-it.
Volunteer ranters write about an issue they feel really passionately about and get the chance to get something off their chest. Recent rants have included Nicole’s Royal wedding rage, Emma’s views on Terrible Twilight and Daisy’s experience of being Unplugged and proud.
Do-it bloggers write about their volunteering experiences which adds a real-life element to the website and gives new volunteers a taste of what volunteering is like. Volunteers write about a range of different experiences including environmental volunteering, student volunteering and volunteering overseas.
Fundraisers
We involve lots of volunteers both in the office and out and about to help us raise vital funds to continue our work.
Volunteers have raised thousands of pounds for YouthNet by taking part in a variety of sponsored events including running half marathons, hosting clothes swaps, jumping out of planes, running 5k dressed as a superhero and swimming across the Thames as part of a triathlon team.
If you are interested in taking part in one of our fundraising events please contact events@youthnet.org.
