Volunteer

Volunteers are the “magic key" to our success

Volunteer

Volunteers are the “Magic” key to our success

Volunteering with Cheshire Young Carers is a meaningful way to build skills, gain experience, and make a real difference in the lives of young carers. With personalised training and ongoing support, we help every volunteer find the role that suits them best — creating a balance of fun, challenge, and reward.

What magic could you bring?

  • Transform a young carer’s life
  • Offer opportunities they may never have access to without you
  • Experience the joy of giving something back


Volunteering Opportunities

All our current volunteering roles are activity‑based, giving you the chance to support young carers directly through sessions, trips, and events. You’ll find a range of opportunities below, but if none feel like the right match, please get in touch — we’re always open to shaping a role around your skills and interests. Whether you’re passionate about gaming, beauty, or another specialist hobby, we’d be excited to explore creating a one‑off workshop for young carers together


School Holiday Respite Programmes

During every school holiday, we run full‑day activities and excursions to give young carers a chance to relax, have fun, and enjoy being children. Volunteers play a hands‑on role by supporting our staff throughout the day — helping with activities, supervising groups, and creating a positive, safe environment. You can volunteer as often or as occasionally as you like; every day makes a difference.

Time Commitment: 1–3 days per week during school holidays


Fortnightly Respite Sessions

Across Cheshire, we host regular two‑hour activity sessions for young carers. Volunteers help our staff run activities, engage with the young people, and support the smooth running of each session. These take place in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Winsford, Northwich and Crewe – However, we hope to open more locations in the future.

Time Commitment: 3 hours per session (attend as many or as few as you choose)


After‑School Respite Sessions

These sessions take place in schools at the end of the school day and offer young carers a safe space to unwind, connect with peers, and build friendships. Volunteers support staff by helping run activities and engaging with the group. We’re expanding this offer, so if you’re available between 4pm and 6pm and can support a local school every couple of weeks, we’d love to hear from you.

Time Commitment: 3 hours per session (fortnightly or as available)


Residentials

If you have experience in Guides, Scouts, youth work, or similar residential settings, this role may be perfect for you. Volunteers support staff during overnight trips, helping create memorable, confidence‑building experiences for young carers. These residentials are consistently rated as the most impactful events we deliver.

Time Commitment: 2 days plus an overnight stay (usually weekends)

“ Cheshire Young Carers do a fab job helping and supporting their young carers in their roles and also helping them to be kids again. My daughter’s confidence has grown so much since attending these sessions. From the bottom of my heart I thank Cheshire Young Carers and children adventure farm trust for everything you do. she has just arrived home and had an amazing time. ”

Parent

“ A huge thank you to all the team who work so hard to arrange these events- what an amazing opportunity for the children! ”

Parent

“ The Fly Day was SO AMAZING! cannot thank the Cheshire Young Carers team, the pilots, police helicopter staff and support staff enough for this fantastic opportunity for all my boys. Nothing was too much trouble, everyone did so much to make them feel special, and give them such happy memories. They learnt a lot. To have an event that the whole family could share in was fab. To see my 13 year old autistic son go from being too scared to fly to going up and actually flying the plane- “thank you” doesn’t even begin to cover it. ”

Parent

“ We have a fantastic group of Young Carers staying with us this week from around Cheshire. I've been lucky to spend a little time today with 10 year old Caitlyn who helps to look after her twin brothers, one of whom has additional needs. Caitlyn talked so positively about taking on this role, it was clear that she's a caring young girl who loves to help. Cheshire Young Carers provides fortnightly sessions for these fantastic children, a time for them to play and have fun and to meet other children who are taking on a caring role. Caitlyn told me how much she loves these sessions and how great it is to spend time with other children who are 'helpful' too. We're honoured to offer these amazing children a break away from their caring roles in a supportive, fun and safe environment here at CAFT. These children deserve to be celebrated every day of the week, but especially today - National Siblings Day today. We're in awe of these caring young children and it's an honour to spend time with them during their stay. ”

CAFT

“ Thank you for giving Dominic this great experience, he has had an amazing time and says he didn’t want to come home!! he is still buzzing about it. Thank you for helping me in helping him to gain more independence and life skills. He loved the zip wire activity and the body boarding and was full of educational facts about the hidden garden. He wants us to all go as a family. ”

Parent

“ My son attends Cheshire Young Carers and I have to say what an absolute amazing charity this is, it gives the young carers some fantastic opportunities which they may never have had experienced without the charity. Hats off to all the staff they are all welcoming and caring towards the young carers and it's them that make the charity and of course all the lovely kind donations. ”

Parent

“ Cheshire Young Carers are amazing. They have helped my girls through some very tough times. The staff are amazing, I class them as friends. Nothing is too much trouble and they are always at the end of a phone if needed. Thank you so much. ”

Parent

“ Today's Trip our guests were Cheshire Young Carers our guests gave us a couple of thank you cards at the end of the trip, first time that has happened, and it was very kind of them to do that. It was an absolute pleasure to have such a lovely group of people on the boat. ”

Wirral Narrowboat Community Trust

“ Joining Cheshire Young Carers as a volunteer in May of last year has enabled me to rebuild the confidence I’d felt I had lost in supporting young people. When I started with Cheshire Young Carers my confidence had hit rock bottom and I wasn’t sure how I’d get on but working with Cheshire Young Carers and the young carers has given me back some of that confidence I’d lost as well as being an absolute joy to support you all with what you do so thank you. ”

Volunteer

“ What a fantastic programme this Summer! Many thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to organise or contribute to it. Thank you again. ”

Parent

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