Speaker
If you have a message to share or a story you want people to hear, then we would love to hear from you. Our volunteer speakers share their story and the aims of Guide Dogs to various different audiences, to help raise awareness of our cause.
No matter who it is I am talking to, they love seeing and hearing about my guide dog Ushi, and the impact she has had on me. It is a great thing to do, you get to meet so many new people and groups.
Search for a volunteering opportunity near you
If you are interested in becoming a speaker volunteer then the next step is to check if there is an opportunity available near you. You can use the search option below to find all volunteering opportunities near you and if you don't see a speaker volunteer option – don't worry! We do update our opportunities all the time so make sure you check back in.
What you'll be doing
In this community-spirited volunteer role, your support will include getting involved in these activities:
- Sharing your story either virtually or in-person to different audience, this might be to schools, businesses or at Guide Dog events.
- Learning about Guide Dog updates to share in your speeches.
- Networking with the organisation you deliver the talk to, about ways they can support Guide Dogs.
- Being an ambassador for Guide Dogs!
You'll ideally:
- Be comfortable being the voice of Guide Dogs and sharing your story.
- Have good communication skills to spread the word about Guide Dogs.
If you don’t feel you tick every box but are sure this role is the one for you, we’d love to hear from you! We’re always open to suggestions and are very happy to chat with you to find out what’s possible, so please just get in touch on volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk.
What you'll get
- The satisfaction in knowing you are supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently, and well.
- A flexible role where you can dedicate as little or as much time as you want.
- An opportunity to share your story with different audiences and encourage them to join in making a difference.
- To have fun interacting with others, including people within Guide Dogs and members of the public.
- A dedicated volunteer manager and fellow peers who will help support you throughout your role.
Training and support
Our volunteers are given first hand training to succeed in this role! This is delivered in an interactive engaging manner, using a group zoom session. Examples of modules include:
- Speaker training.
- Storytelling.
If you have questions about the training requirements, we can answer these at your interview along with any other support or accessibility needs you may have.
Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any expenses related to volunteering with us, including travel costs.
What we need from you
The minimum age of this volunteer role is 18.