How To Help

Volunteer with DF4TA

Here you will find details of any current Volunteer Opportunities that we may have at Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance.

Click on a role below to read the full description. To apply for any of the DF4TA roles, please fill in our online Volunteer registration form.

Volunteer Opportunities

Central Storage Unit / Warehouse Volunteer

We need volunteers to support in our Central Storage Unit (CSU) to help with processing food donations and getting orders ready for foodbanks to collect on a weekly basis.

Fundraising and Event Support Volunteer

We need a volunteer to help us fundraise and provide support at local events across the year.

Furniture and Electrical Driver Volunteer

We need volunteer drivers to carry out scheduled collections and deliveries, assess donated items for eligibility, and help with administration related to the role.

Furniture and Electrical Warehouse Volunteer

We need volunteers in our warehouse to help inspect incoming donations, load, unload and move items, and help with administration related to the project.

Phone Line Support Volunteer

We need volunteers to be the first point of contact for incoming telephone calls and taking referrals from the general public, agencies and organisations and forwarding on to fellow food partners.

The Thoughtful Shop

Core Volunteers support the day-to-day running of both the Community Shop and the School Uniform hub. Shift Leaders take responsibility for overseeing each shift and supporting the volunteer team.

Van Driver and Helper Volunteer

We need volunteers to drive the DF4TA van to collect food donations and deliver to groups we support.

Volunteer Admin Support

We are looking for a reliable and organised volunteer to support our staff team with processing new volunteer applications. The volunteer will be working alongside and assisting staff to help ensure a smooth and welcoming onboarding process for new volunteers.

Volunteer registration form

Training & Support (All Volunteers)

All volunteers will receive appropriate training and ongoing support, including:

Food Safety & Hygiene Training
Safeguarding Training (Adults and Children where appropriate)
GDPR & Data Protection Training
Health & Safety Awareness
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Awareness
Volunteer Induction (covering policies, boundaries, and expectations)
Additional role-specific training will be provided for Shift Leaders.

Safeguarding, Compliance & Responsibilities

To ensure the safety of our members, volunteers, and team, all volunteers will be required to:

Sign a Volunteer Agreement
Sign a Confidentiality Agreement
Agree to and follow all policies and procedures
Undertake a DBS check (level dependent on role and responsibilities)
Maintain professional boundaries at all times

What We Offer Our Volunteers

Full training and ongoing support
A welcoming, inclusive team environment
Opportunities to develop skills and confidence
The chance to make a meaningful difference in the community
Progression opportunities (e.g. Core Volunteer → Shift Leader)

We will provide

You with any equipment needed for the role
Out of pocket expenses for travel will be paid on a reimbursement basis; if this causes difficulties we will make alternative arrangements.

Getting it right

We hope volunteering is a positive experience for you. We’ll review the task description with you after a three-month trial period. There may be some changes we can make together to make the role more suitable. If we can’t do this, or if we think you’re not suited to the role, we’ll discuss this with you and offer other opportunities either within the Food 4 Thought Alliance or signpost you to Community Action to look for alternative roles with other organisations.