Volunteer for Us - Working Options

Share your insights from industry

Share your experience with young people as a volunteer speaker, skills workshop leader or provide inspiring content for our Student Zone.

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Volunteer with us

You can change
someone's future

Everyone’s journey can be inspiring. Share yours and help create vital lightbulb moments for young people across England and Wales.

We encourage our volunteers to share their personal stories, giving crucial inspiration to help young people see that ‘if they can do it, I can do it too’.

Providing this at key moments is critical to helping young people realise their talents.

108k+

young people engaged in schools, colleges and online
1000+

free sessions and workshops we’ve delivered
1.6m+

young people we’ve reached with our digital content
100%

Teachers say they’d work with us again
543

Number of dedicated volunteers supporting our programmes

Why volunteer
with us?

Support and inspire the next generation to realise their full potential
Find and attract young talent to your business
Promote your industry to young people
A great opportunity to give something back
Raise your own and your company’s profile
Network with others from industry

How to get involved as a volunteer

Volunteer as a speaker

At our Insights from Industry sessions, we bring up to three volunteer speakers to share their career stories and insights to inspire, motivate and build student confidence. Sessions include time for Q & A s and networking.
Get in touch
Lead a skills workshop

We run employability skills workshops for school and college students on teamwork, presentation, interview technique and problem-solving. As a workshop facilitator, you’ll bring these to life with real-world examples from industry.
Get in touch
Run a business-led activity

Could you set up a Dragon’s Den challenge, provide real-life business case studies for students to work on, offer workplace visits, work experience or placements in your company?
Get in touch
Become social amplifier

Can you help us craft great digital content to inspire young people, or be an official champion to help amplify the reach of our in-house social stories?
Get in touch

Get in touch

Success stories

Access to real world experiences

“Real life stories are always more powerful than theoretical stuff. It’s always rewarding when students can see the relevance of their work being demonstrated.”

Sixth Form Tutor
Increasing confidence and self esteem

“The [Insights from Industry] session at my college showed me the motivation I needd and that no matter where I come from I can do what I want. I recently had an interview with Morrisons. I went in with my head held high and luckily I got it!”

Sixth Form Student
Building positivity

“I now have a more positive outlook on college and my future. I’ll take every opportunity that comes my way.”

Sixth Form Student
Turning learning into action

“After experiencing yesterday’s problem solving lesson, I brought home many useful tips that could help me with practically any problem I face. I would like to say thank you for a great experience.”

Sixth Form Student
Networking for success

Very engaging, I learnt so much about presentation, how to play an audience and network with confidence. Being able to practice my networking skills really helped me. Talking to actual industry professionals was an experience without compare.”

Sixth Form Student

Our Funders Our Impact

What we do

We help young people to fulfil their potential

Working Options in Education is an employability and life skills charity that has been helping young people to aim high and fulfil their potential since 2010.

The Working Options Career Pathways Programme is delivered free in state schools, colleges and online by industry volunteers and helps students (aged 14-19) to identify and pursue career options. Through practical help and advice, they build their skills and become confident to face their future with choices.

Our programme is designed to benefit all young people, but we prioritise those from disadvantaged regions of the country.

Volunteer stories

Meet some of our volunteers and find out why they do it.

Adesola Orimalade,

Treasury & Finance Specialist

Inspiring tomorrow's leaders

“A great opportunity to share my career journey with students. The energy in the room was very positive and infectious. Really enjoyed meeting the students and staff! It’s always great to be able to give something back and inspire our leaders of tomorrow.”
Ranu Sharma,

Mastercard

Unlocking potential

“Young people need inspiration and real-life examples of what they can achieve with focus, positivism and hard work. They are our future leaders and Working Options acts as the key to help us unlock their potential. To help others is the greatest currency there is. Even if I can impact one person, that is another person’s life on the way to a bigger and brighter future.”
Jonathan Plows,

The Gap Partnership

Access to industry
Julie Sneddon,

Inventabrand

Fascinating insight

“When I was 16, there weren’t people coming into my school to motivate and inspire me. At this time in my career, I’ve got the time to be able to do it. If one snippet of what I say resonates with someone, I feel it’s all been worthwhile.”
Liz Boffey,

Nestle

Energising and inspiring

“Another wonderful few hours spent with Working Options helping to inspire young people of today who are about to start their own journeys into the world of work or further education. It’s exciting times as many of the job roles of tomorrow don’t exist just yet but sharing personal experiences and hints and tips around the choices taken in our own careers is what Working Options is all about. I constantly feel energised and inspired by the young people I come into contact with [through Working Options] and their eagerness and openness about the future. A great learning experience for me too!”
Lee Mountain,

Asda

Sharing real-world experiences

“Working Options in Education provides a wonderful platform for us to promote the varied and amazing opportunities in our industry. More importantly, it gives us an opportunity to give students real-world examples to help consolidate their learning and achieve their goals.”
Liam O'Brien,

Data Intensity Ltd

Personally rewarding.

Thank you to our volunteers

Our volunteers include entrepreneurs, start-ups and employees from all disciplines and a wide range of companies including:

How to volunteer for us

Consider how you’d like to volunteer for us
Email claire@workingoptions.co.uk or use the form here.
Claire will be in touch to discuss next steps.

Share your insights from industry

Volunteer with us

You can change someone's future

Why volunteer with us?

How to get involved as a volunteer

Volunteer as a speaker

Lead a skills workshop

Run a business-led activity

Become social amplifier

Get in touch

Success stories

Access to real world experiences

Increasing confidence and self esteem

Building positivity

Turning learning into action

Networking for success

What we do

We help young people to fulfil their potential

Volunteer stories

Adesola Orimalade,

Treasury & Finance Specialist

Ranu Sharma,

Mastercard

Jonathan Plows,

The Gap Partnership

Julie Sneddon,

Inventabrand

Liz Boffey,

Nestle

Lee Mountain,

Asda

Liam O'Brien,

Data Intensity Ltd

Thank you to our volunteers

How to volunteer for us

Find us on social media

You can change
someone's future

Why volunteer
with us?

Find us on
social media