Switch colour mode
A group of about 40 adults outdoors who are smiling waving to the camera. The photograph has been taken from an elevated position.
GET INVOLVED

Volunteer with Vision Norfolk

When you volunteer for us, you’re giving your time to change the lives of people living with sight loss throughout Norfolk.
Whether you can give your time weekly, monthly, or just occasionally, there’s a role to suit everyone. Every one of our volunteers plays a crucial role in helping people live independently and stay connected to their communities.

Why volunteer?

Join our team, and not only will you be helping blind and vision impaired people in Norfolk to live independent and fulfilled lives, you’ll also experience something really positive for yourself – like so many of our volunteers!

Help people

Provide essential support and make a real difference.

Be part of a community

Meet like-minded people and make new friends.

Learn new skills

Gain valuable work experience and improve your self-confidence.

Have fun

We really appreciate your support, and we want you to enjoy it.

A role to suit everyone

There’s always something exciting happening here at Vision Norfolk, and we have a wide variety of volunteering opportunities available. Whatever role you choose, we’ll provide full training, on-going support, and reimbursement of all personal expenses.

Children, young people & families support

Assist with activities and events for young adults and their families, from group outings to creative workshops.

Cooking Session Support

Help vision impaired participants to gain confidence and independence in the kitchen.

Minibus driver

Transport people to and from Vision Norfolk activities, events, and meetings in our minivan.

Eye clinic support volunteer

Meet vision impaired people at hospital eye clinics, offering emotional support and signposting to our services.

Sighted Guide

Learn how to safely guide someone with sight loss to navigate different environments and help them gain confidence.

Telefriends

Help reduce isolation by making regular phone calls to people with sight loss, offering conversation and companionship.

Apply to be a volunteer today

If you are interested in volunteering for Vision Norfolk please download and complete an application form and send it to [email protected] or if you would like any further information or just a chat about the roles, please do get in touch by email or call 01603 573000.

Volunteer FAQs

The first step to becoming a volunteer is to complete our application form by clicking here. If you’d like to have a chat with us first however, please call the Volunteering Team on 01603 573000.

For most roles, you do not need to have any previous skills and experience to volunteer with us. We offer full training for all our volunteers so you can be sure that you will have the skills you need to be able to undertake volunteering with confidence.

We have a range of flexible volunteering opportunities to suit you, whether you’re looking for a regular commitment or perhaps just something to keep you busy during the holidays.

Yes. The minimum age to volunteer is 18.

The majority of our volunteering roles are undertaken from either one of our Vision Norfolk activity hubs or at other locations across Norfolk.

Once you have completed the application form, one of Volunteer Engagement Coordinators will get in touch and arrange a suitable time for you to pop in and meet us. We think it’s important that you get a feel for what we are all about and we hope you will like what you see.

You are free to wear whatever you feel is most appropriate for the activity in question. For some of our activities, we may ask you to wear one of our amazing Vision Norfolk polo shirts or hoodies.

That’s okay, we fully appreciate that things in life change. Simply let us know and we’ll do the rest.

Yes please. Depending on your volunteering role, we will provide all the training you need so that you feel happy in your role. All of our volunteers are invited to attend a Vision Impairment Awareness training course, where you’ll get to meet other volunteers too.

We undertake risk assessments for all volunteering positions to make sure that not only you, but those around you too are kept safe. All of our volunteers undergo a DBS and reference check, but don’t worry, we will guide you through the process.

Yes, we cover any reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred while volunteering, including public transport, mileage, and parking. Your volunteer coordinator will help you fill in an expense form and expenses are paid regularly.

Yes, we are happy to provide references where suitable.

CASE STUDY: JANET'S STORY

Life as a volunteer

Retired legal secretary and teacher Janet Head is one of a number of volunteers who helps keep Vision Norfolk’s busy programme of leisure activities running. Janet runs the monthly audio book club in Norwich, as well as helping at the weekly craft sessions and supporting vision impaired people on trips, theatre visits and walks. Janet has cataracts and glaucoma, but says her sight is still “pretty good”, and she is still able to drive.

I can’t imagine sitting around and doing nothing. My motivation for volunteering is that I believe you can go on learning for ever if you put your mind to it, and volunteering allows you to do just that. I enjoy the company and friendship in getting involved, it keeps my brain ticking over, and it helps me keep active. They are such nice people at Vision Norfolk! When you volunteer, the organisation helps you know what you are going to do and what you need to know, which is important. It is also nice to feel appreciated for what you do.”
 

Want to talk about supporting Vision Norfolk?

If you want to talk to us about ways you can help Vision Norfolk to support people through sight loss, we’d love to hear from you.

Call us on 01603 573000
Five people and a dog posing for the camera wearing Vision Norfolk polo shirts and sweatshirts. One of the men is wearing sunglasses and using a long cane.

Supporting people through sight loss since 1805

We only serve Norfolk, so we understand the area inside and out. And for 220 years, Vision Norfolk has been a lifeline, helping vision impaired people to lead more fulfilling, connected and independent lives.