Volunteer with Us

We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers. They have been a core part of the Centre’s ability to provide online and in-person support every week.

Volunteers are involved in our work in so many ways from ESOL teaching support, to interpreters, to befrienders, to lunch cooks, to advisors on our fundraising and publicity. There may be other ways you can help us that we haven’t thought of. If there are, please let us know.

Please note: we do NOT have volunteer opportunities available in the evenings, on weekends, or in August.

Our current volunteer opportunities are:

1) English Class Volunteers: Online and In-Person

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help at our range of English classes throughout the week (daytime only, between 10am and 4pm).

We welcome those with ESOL qualifications, as well as those without, who are happy to participate in conversation practice with our adult learners.

Our Autumn term starts on Monday, 7th September 2026, and runs through to Friday, 18th December. We currently have vacancies for our Lower, Intermediate and Higher Level English classes:

Online

  • Monday morning
  • Tuesday afternoon
  • Wednesday morning
  • Thursday afternoon

In-Person

  • Tuesday afternoon in Highbury N5
  • Thursday morning in Barnsbury N1

Our volunteers range from trainee teachers to highly experienced professionals who have retired, and everyone in between. And if you have never taught before but are keen to help our community with reading and conversation, you can make a real difference.

2) Wednesday Centre Day Volunteers

We are looking for Befrienders and Welcome Desk Volunteers to join us at our weekly social Centre Day. Click the button below to learn more about each role.

befriender role description
Welcome Desk role description

3) Fridays, online on Zoom:
Soft Pilates/Yoga Teaching Volunteers

We are looking for compassionate, adaptable fitness instructors to teach online Yoga or Pilates for 30/45mins on Fridays for our community of asylum seekers and refugees.

Requirements:

  • Clear, Simple English: Learners have varying levels of English proficiency, so clear instruction and simple language are essential.
  • Accessible Formats: Ability to teach gentle, low-impact classes such as chair yoga, chair Pilates, and equipment-free stretching.
  • Adaptability: Exercises must require zero equipment and be suitable for small spaces.

4) Wednesday, online on Zoom:
Healthcare Professional Guest Speaker

We are looking for a variety of nutritionists, pharmacists, nurses, doctors, opthalmologists, local community healthcare workers and retired healthcare professionals to join as guest speakers at our weekly online health class, Wednesday Wellness.

The sessions are guided and moderated by our English & Learning Programme Manager Robina Dam and cover topics spanning from ‘who is eligible for the free flu vaccination’ to ‘how to check your blood pressure’ and ‘what are the differences between good and bad cholesterol’.

The 30 minute session is held weekly on Zoom on Wednesdays from 11am-11:30am from Sept 10th- Dec 16th 2026.

If you are interested in volunteering with us for any of the above positions, please complete the following steps:

  1. Specify which available volunteer opportunity you are applying for:
    – in-person or online
    – English Class Volunteer, Fitness Volunteer Teacher, Wednesday Centre Volunteer, Healthcare Professional Volunteer
  2. Sign our Safeguarding Code of Conduct
  3. Complete our Volunteer Application Form
  4. Send us your CV – email us at: info@islingtoncentre.co.uk

NOTE: We are incredibly moved by the volume of support we receive. While we wish we could connect with every person who offers their time, our small team is only able to reach out to those whose skills match our immediate needs. If you don’t hear from us, please know that we have filled our current openings, but we are so grateful for your willingness to help.

Photo Permissions
A key part of safeguarding is ensuring that we receive informed consent from our community members before sharing any of their work or photographs. We have created a form to ensure that our community has full control over how pictures or videos of them, or any work they have created, are shared. Before sharing any images, please download the form below. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Content and Photo Permission Form

Want to know about other volunteers and what inspired them to get involved?

Meet A Volunteer