Volunteering with Natural England: how to get involved

People aged 14 and over, and from all backgroundswalks of life, can volunteer with us at Natural England. YouThere’s canno getminimum involvedtime incommitment a– wideyou rangechoose ofhow activities,much including:

• conservationtime workyou’d onlike Nationalto Naturegive. ReservesWhatever (NNRs)
• helpingrole NNRyou visitorsdo, enjoywe andwill understandmake nature
• volunteersure batyou roosthave surveying

InThe somevolunteering areaspromise sets out what you can alsoexpect volunteerfrom asus partand what we ask of you as a studentvolunteer. placementIt orincludes workthings experience.like Thesethe arecode bothof consideredconduct formsand ofhow volunteering.we keep your personal information safe.

ThereWe isdo nonot minimumadvertise timespecific commitment.volunteering Youroles chooseon howthis muchpage. timeThe youtypes give.of volunteering roles we support are listed in the explore our volunteering roles section.

TheWe encourage local volunteering promiseto givessupport asustainability broadand outlinefairness. ofIn whatmost cases we do not support travelling long distances (over 30 miles) to volunteer.

Contact our volunteering support team if you have any queries about volunteering. You can expectfind ofthe relevant contact details in the contact us andabout whatvolunteering wesection.

If expectyou ofare an overseas volunteer or student, you asmust acheck volunteer,with UK visas and immigration that you are eligible to volunteer in the UK. Natural England is not an official sponsor for exampleoverseas ourvolunteers codeor ofstudents. conductWe andcannot howcover wetravel retainexpenses personalto information.the UK or accommodation expenses while in the UK.

FindVolunteer benefits volunteeringand opportunitiesentitlements 

NaturalBy Englandvolunteering doeswith notus advertiseyou specificcan: 

• support volunteeringthe rolesconservation onof thisspecial page.habitats Insteadand justspecies 
• use sendyour usexisting anskills Expressionand learn new ones 
• keep active 
• work as part of Interest.a team with staff and other volunteers 
• add valuable work experience to your CV 

We willprovide: 

• information forwardon your detailsvoluntary role and how it contributes to Natural England’s work 
• an induction to your role 
• information on health, safety and welfare 
• an identity card for use during your voluntary role (where required) 
• protective clothing or equipment required for your role (on loan) 
• a sitereference if you apply for another job or officevoluntary localrole 
• agreed toout-of-pocket you.
  expenses

Explore our volunteering roles

We encouragesupport localthe following types of volunteering toroles.

Work supportexperience

If sustainabilityyou’re aged between 14 and fairness.18, Pleaseor doreturning notto travela longwork distancesenvironment, tothere volunteer.may be work experience opportunities available at Natural England managed sites.

Volunteering on National Nature Reserves and sites of special scientific interest

Volunteers between the ages of 14 and 18, and adult volunteers, can help to carry out practical habitat management on National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs).

You may have aan NationalNNR Nature Reserve near you that offers try-out sessions before you formally enrol as a volunteer. It can be as short as a 1one-day day session or a few days. This gives you the opportunity to see if volunteering is right for you.you. 

Use the the NNR finder finder to to check for sites in England near you. Not all all NNRs are are managed by Natural England;England. contactContact details for each site are listed to differentiateshow betweenwhich sites are managed by Natural EnglandEngland, and otherwhich bodiesare withinmanaged England.by other bodies. 

Studentsupport placements

Baseacademic yourwork, Masters,including undergraduate,projects for diploma, BTEC, A‑level, or A-level dissertationGCSE projectqualifications, which can be based on one of our our NNRs. Ifor thereundertaken isremotely.

Some anacademic availablestudy opportunityor youresearch activities may not meet the criteria for volunteering and may need to be considered separately. Where opportunities are available, applicants may be asked to completesubmit an expression of interest.

Work experience

IfNatural you’reEngland betweensupports 14PhD or UKRI/PhD andstudent 18,placements. orHowever, returningas tothese aare workfunded environment,they thereare maynot beclassed workas experiencevolunteers. opportunitiesFor availablePhD or UKRI/PhD opportunities at Natural England managedsites sites.read Completeour ansuggested expressiontopics offor interestdissertation toprojects explorebased availability.on National Nature Reserves page.

VolunteerProject bat roost visitorvolunteers

NaturalWe Englandhave has a networknumber of trainedprojects andrelated licensedto volunteerparticular batspecies roostwhich visitorsrely (VBRVs).heavily Theyon providevolunteers. 

Adult advicespecialist aboutvolunteers

You batsmust inbe homes,over places18, ofas worshipyou andwill publicoften buildings.be Findconducting outhighly howspecialised to becomeresearch a VBRV.on particular habitats or species.

How to register your interest in a volunteering opportunity

Corporate or group volunteering and team building days

Depending on your location, Naturalwe England may be able to offer corporate, group and team building volunteering opportunities in practical conservation tasks.

OverseasVolunteer volunteersbat orroost studentsvisitor

YouWe musthave checka withnetwork UKof Visastrained and Immigrationlicensed that you’re eligible to volunteer inbat theroost UK.visitors Natural(VBRVs). England:

• isVBRVs notprovide registeredadvice asabout anbats officialin sponsorhomes, forplaces overseasof volunteersworship orand students
public buildings.
cannot

To coverregister travelyour expensesinterest, toread the UKguidance oron accommodationhow expensesto whilstbecome ina the UK

VBRV.