Volunteering at Oxfam builds employability skills for the workplace

Providing adults with volunteering opportunities that teach valuable employability skills is one of the ways we’re readying people for the workplace.

Since January 2023, a group of our Adult & Community learners have been volunteering at Oxfam’s national sorting centre on a monthly basis, where items are sorted for resale and recycling.

The Northern Logistics Centre, which is situated in Batley and home to both the charity’s Festival Shop and Online Shop teams, handles 12,000 tonnes of textiles every year from donations to Oxfam, making it a truly hands-on operation.

Behind the scenes of a busy retail environment

Capitalising on the charity’s need for adults who can generously donate their time during the day, each month between eight and 12 of our adult learners volunteer at Oxfam to sort through, process and price donated stock, receiving a free lunch and reimbursed travel costs in return. 

Supported by Oxfam members of staff, the placements allow the students to connect with like-minded people and gain valuable employability skills, such as teamwork, communication, organisation and flexibility. Those who have helped with listing items online have also improved their digital skills.

These experiences have benefited a range of learners, including those with varied levels of English language skills and those with no previous work experience.

Our partnership with Oxfam has proven particularly helpful for adult learners who are new to the country or haven’t worked in the UK before, providing them with opportunities to learn transferable skills in a busy retail environment.

A ‘fun day and excellent experience’

The hands-on nature of the Oxfam volunteering placement has made it a popular hit over the last 18 months, with many students choosing to re-volunteer.

Although each placement typically lasts half a day, students are provided with a varied experience, touring the warehouse whilst learning about the wider business operation, which includes Oxfam’s upcycling, sustainability and ecommerce teams.

Tasks range from deciding where clothes should go next to labelling items for one of Oxfam’s 500 shops, with these being just some of the ways students have helped.

Speaking about the scheme, one student said: “It was a wonderful day and a good volunteering experience. I am grateful to Leeds City College and all the Oxfam warehouse staff for this wonderful opportunity. I am glad to get to know you better and the whole wonderful friendly team.”