Please fill out the application form below these FAQ’s.

Who is eligible to volunteer?

In order to volunteer you must be aged over 18.

Can I volunteer without a visa?

All British nationals are able to volunteer without a visa. Persons from the EU and EEA are able to volunteer without a visa until the 30th June 2021. These are persons from:

EU Countries
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

The European Economic Area (EEA)
All of the EU countries listed above plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Swiss Nationals are also eligible to volunteer without a visa up to the 30th June 2021.

I’m an EU national what happens after the 30th June 2021?

After 30th June 2021 persons from the EU, EEA and Swiss nationals will need to either have pre-settlement status or settlement status in order to join the volunteer scheme. For more information on how to obtain pre-settlement or settlement status visit the UK government website.

Please note in order to apply for pre-settlement persons need to have started living in the UK prior to the 31st December 2020.

EU nationals will also still be able to volunteer in the UK if they have one of the following.

• A visa which doesn’t prevent them from volunteering
• Enrolment in any EU funded volunteering programme with a placement in the UK, such as Erasmus + or the European Solidarity Corps.

I’ve entered the UK as part of the youth mobility scheme (formerly working holiday visa), am I able to volunteer?

Yes. Persons from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea and Taiwan aged between 18 and 30 are able to live and work in the UK for up to two years through the youth mobility scheme and so are welcome to join the volunteer scheme. For more information see the UK government website.

I live outside the UK can I volunteer whilst on holiday?

If you would like to volunteer during your stay you can volunteer with us for a maximum of 30 days.

I’m an international student and want to volunteer while studying in the UK.

If you’re an international student studying in the UK, normally you are able to volunteer with us during the period you are enrolled at a UK university. In some instances restrictions may apply.
You must always ensure that you do not have restrictions on your visa preventing you from volunteering whilst in the UK.

Are you able to sponsor my visa application?

Unfortunately we’re unable to sponsor visa applications but are grateful for your interest in wishing to support us.

I have “indefinite leave to remain” in the UK, am I able to volunteer?

There are number of other visa’s which generally mean you are able to join the volunteer scheme these include:

• A passport or ‘other travel document’ (current or expired) endorsed to show the holder is either ‘exempt from immigration control’, has ‘indefinite leave in the UK’, has the ‘right of abode’ in the UK, or has ‘no time limit’ on their stay in the UK.
• A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen.
• A current passport or other ‘travel document’ endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the UK for a time-limited period.
• A current biometric ‘residence permit’ card issued by the Home Office to the holder, which indicates that the named person is permitted to stay in the UK for a time limited period
• A current immigration status document issued by the Home Office to the holder with a valid endorsement indicating that the holder may stay in the UK for a time-limited period

This list is not exhaustive if you have a specific query about your visa please contact the volunteering team on volunteers@lhalondon.com

Once you have completed the application form on this page, you will receive a response from us within two working days.

Roles can be filled anywhere between 7 days and 3 months in advance.  For enquiries further in the future, we will keep your details on file and contact you nearer the time

The minimum stay is 30 days and the maximum stay is two years

The types of duties which form part of your volunteer role will vary by property and can change from day to day but will usually involve the following:

1. If you are volunteering in a catered property: to help set up, serve, clear away at meal times – breakfast, evening meals and lunch at weekends. Keep the kitchen, dining room and other catering areas clean. This includes pot washing, cleaning of appliances and operating dishwasher machine.
2. Help the Cook in basic food preparation, put away deliveries and keep the kitchen and cooking utensils clean and tidy.
3. Everyday general cleaning and portering duties covering all areas and to include; the cleaning of showers, toilets, bedrooms, public & communal areas, immediate external areas, kitchens and dining room.
4. Occasional special cleaning, e.g. carpet cleaning, deep cleaning areas, oven cleaning, washing down walls, laundry, cleaning vents and inside of windows.
5. Changing bed linen, counting and preparing laundry for collection.
6. Office duties to include check in/out, dealing with enquiries, taking bookings, responding to complaints, logging/reporting problems and maintenance issues.
7. Night porter duties; offering basic office cover and contact for residents after office hours. Some cleaning duties may also be required

They are indeed! You can enjoy breakfast and dinner during the week, and breakfast and lunch on the weekends. If you are volunteering at a self-catered hostel, you are welcome to visit one of our catered hostels for your meals. Alternatively, kitchen facilities are also available in self-catered sites for your use.

Volunteers stay in our shared single-sex dormitories with other volunteers. It depends on the hostel and the availability as to how many other volunteers you will be staying with, but it will be between 2-5 other people

We recommend you give us a minimum of 20 hours a week.

When you are offered a role, the exact times of day will be confirmed. In general, our volunteers are required either in morning, late afternoon or evening shifts.

You’ll have 1 or 2 days off per week depending on how the hours are split for the week.