Volunteer With Us

Join our lively community, get creative, meet new people and make a difference for people living with brain injury.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!

Volunteers are a big part of our community. They work alongside our team, spend time with our members and help with activities and events in our centre in Hackney.

If you want to meet new people in a relaxed environment, and get involved in art, cooking, music, gardening or socialising, you’ve come to the right place!

Volunteering Roles

Whether it’s visiting our centre in Hackney once a week or getting involved in our exciting events, there are plenty of ways to join our community.

Every day is different: you could help in our art studio, assist in the kitchen or take part in a music session. You’ll be supporting our members one-to-one and in groups.

If you’ve got an interest you’d like to share with our members let us know. We’re always open to new ideas!

Keep reading to explore each role and find the one that best fits your schedule.

Day Service Volunteer

Once a week

Monday to Friday

10am-3pm

Support the daily activities and creative projects at Headway East London, including art, cooking and gardening.

Evening Service Volunteer

Every Wednesday

3.30pm-8.30pm

Join a small group of members for conversations, creative activities and a delicious dinner.

Saturday Socials Volunteer

Every first Saturday of the month

1pm-5pm

Join one of our monthly support groups for brain injury survivors. We share stories and experiences and have lunch together.

Events Volunteer

Occasional events

Evenings after 5pm (usually!)

From supper clubs to open studios, be part of our exciting events programme and help raise awareness of brain injury.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Ro and Sarah selling our products at our Headway EATS supper club

Oli joins us every Thursday and helps cook delicious meals for your community

Lydia, Ro and Grace at the opening night of one of our Submit to Love exhibitions

Madga brings joy and support to our members every Tuesday

Joceline is an artist and recently made a quilt with our members

Safaa and Beth at one of our exciting events at Rich Mix

FAQ

Can I volunteer if I have a brain injury?

About a third of our volunteers have a brain injury themselves and bring valuable understanding and experiences to the role.

Find out more about the experience of our volunteer Sam.

Do I need previous experience?

You don’t need any special skills or knowledge, we’ll give you the induction you need.

Support is always on hand, with regular volunteer meetings, training sessions and supervision.

How long do I have to commit?

You need to be over 18 to volunteer with us long-term and commit to one day a week from 10am to 3pm for at least 4 months.

There is no maximum amount of time – some volunteers have been with us for over 20 years!

Do you accept work experiences?

We accept short-term enquiries for work experience placements for students.

Apply here for a work experience from September 2025.

Can I become a Trustee?

If you’re interested in offering your professional experience as a trustee, please email us on recruitment@headwayeastlondon.org.

It could be a pride thing for me to say “Why would I want to do voluntary work? I’ve been working most of my life, why would I want to volunteer?" At the end of the day, I just thought, I want to be part of a team. And I’ve loved it.