Charity Shop Volunteer

Job content

Are you looking to develop your skills? Show future employers that you are work-ready? Then volunteering in your local Oxfam shop may be just the thing for you!

Overview

Oxfam is a global movement of millions of people who share the belief that, in a world rich in resources, poverty isn’t inevitable. We respond fast in emergencies, work on long-term projects with communities and campaign for genuine, lasting change.

Our volunteers, staff and those we aim to influence are all guided by our values of empowerment, accountability and inclusiveness.

Our Shops

With a network of about 570 shops, our diverse volunteers play an integral role in championing Oxfam’s values, running the shops and promoting our life saving work to the wider community. Through the sale of donated goods and our ethical range of new products, Sourced by Oxfam, our shops raise millions of pounds each year to fund our crucial work to end the injustice of poverty.

Oxfam shops are at the forefront in campaigning for sustainable fashion and we are proud that no item of clothing donated to us finds its way to the landfill.

Why do we need you?

Our shops are a hive of activity that benefit from a generous volume of donations. We therefore need amazing volunteers to select, prepare & sell the treasure!

We would not be able to raise crucial funds for Oxfam’s emergency and development work all over the world without our dedicated volunteers, who provide their time and bring a multitude of skills.

In return, we offer personal development, valuable insight into charity retail and a friendly environment to meet new people. You can watch our volunteering video on YouTube (look for the Oxfam GB channel).

Your gift of time can be planned to suit you and the needs of the shop. This role can be flexible and work around your existing commitments. You don’t need to give a lot of time to make a big difference.

What are your key responsibilities?

Support the shop manager with the day-to-day running of the shop according to business demands, this may include:

• Selecting, preparing and pricing donated clothes, books, homewares etc in line with shop guidelines.

• Providing excellent customer service.

• Operating the till and completing end-of-day banking.

• Creating attractive displays.

• Promoting our Gift Aid scheme.

• Promoting our shops to the local community.

• Taking specific responsibility for tasks such as opening the shop, closing the shop and supervising other volunteers.

What skills and experience are we looking for?

You do not need specific skills and experience but the following would be useful:

• Commitment to Oxfam’s values of empowerment, accountability and inclusiveness.

• Ability to work within Oxfam’s policies and shop guidelines.

• An interest in retail and customer service.

• Ability to work well as part of a team and under own initiative.

• Willingness to learn.

What will you gain from this opportunity?

Volunteering brings a wealth of benefits, both personal and professional. Hopefully, you’ll build your confidence, develop skills and retail knowledge.

• The chance to use and develop your skills and experience, particularly in the areas of teamwork, communication and decision-making

• Significant supervisory experience and training to improve your CV

• Valuable experience in retail, including administration, monitoring performance through sales figures & training others “on-the-job”

• You will be joining thousands of volunteers who “won’t live with poverty”

• Learn about Oxfam’s humanitarian, development and campaigning work

Safeguarding

Oxfam does not accept applications from anyone on the Sex Offenders list. We may enquire about unspent convictions relevant to the role and you may be required to submit to DBS checks (at no expense to you).

You can find out more information about safeguarding policies on our website.

Learning Opportunities

We will provide you with ongoing support and training throughout your volunteering journey. This includes a full induction and specific training on Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Gift Aid.

What’s Next?

Once you submit your expression of interest via Indeed we will ask you to complete our Volunteer Application form. We will then contact you to discuss the opportunity. Please note we do require two positive references prior to any volunteer starting.

Thank youvery much for your interesting in volunteering with us. We look forward to having you in our team!

Part-time hours: 4 per week

Job Types: Part-time, Volunteer

COVID-19 considerations:
Training in line with current government guidelines.
Distancing, masks, sanitiser and cleaning regimes in place throughout the building.
Screens at the till counter.