Our resource hub is home to a wealth of articles, stories and videos about managing and living with type 1 diabetes.
Place your order for our free information packs that support adults and children who have been recently diagnosed.
Our researchers are working on different ways to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes - from growing insulin-producing beta cells in labs to hacking the immune system.
Learn about the technologies that can deliver insulin automatically when needed. And discover the next generation of insulins that are currently being developed.
You could win a cash prize of up to £25,000 when you play the Breakthrough T1D lottery. As well as the chance to win great prizes, you’ll also help fund our research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Choose from a selection of modern and traditional designs in single or twin packs to support type 1 diabetes research this Christmas. Shop online and get fast delivery.
The announcement is the biggest treatment breakthrough for type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin.
This legendary half marathon sees 60,000 runners take to the streets of Newcastle, crossing the iconic Tyne Bridge and finishing in sunny South Shields.
We provide a wealth of information and free resources to help you support and empower your patients or students.
Take our free course for schools to learn more about supporting pupils with type 1 diabetes in educational settings.
JDRF has now rebranded to Breakthrough T1D. Our name has changed, our mission has not.
Home > How to help > Volunteer
Volunteers make a huge difference. Our volunteers generously give us their time, skills and experience to tell people about our work, and to help us raise vital funds for research into better treatments and ultimately a cure for T1D.
Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills or develop existing ones, create lasting friendships with like-minded people, and have lots of fun. And by volunteering for us, you’ll be making a real difference to the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes.
Whether you can give us a couple of hours occasionally, or a day a week, everything you do as a volunteer helps us drive forward the work we do and brings us closer to our vision of a world without type 1.
We have roles to suit everyone’s skills, experience, or available time, from cheering on marathon runners, to telling people what life with type 1 is really like, to taking part in innovative research projects.
Whatever your connection to T1D, your level of experience, or even your age, we can find a role for you. If you don’t see a role that fits your skills or motivations, get in touch and we can find a unique role for you.
View volunteering opportunities
I have been a supporter of Breakthrough T1D since my daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
It occurred to me that maybe my skills as a training consultant could be useful to Breakthrough T1D. I have helped run the Volunteer Speakers’ Programme, training people to go out and talk on behalf of Breakthrough T1D to raise awareness and some money.
I’m really pleased to be able to help out in such a practical way and it’s great to meet other volunteers as well.
My son Mark was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2002, he was eight years old.
Once I had recovered from the shock and got to grips with the day-to-day management of type 1 diabetes the next thing I wanted to do was to find a cure for it. As I am not in a position to make the scientific breakthrough myself the next best thing I could do was to help the charity that can! Volunteering with Breakthrough T1D was the obvious choice for me.
If you are thinking about volunteering for Breakthrough T1D I would definitely recommend going ahead and taking that first step.
I took on volunteering at Breakthrough T1D as a way to help my daughter and others like her, but it has definitely helped me too. I hadn’t been working since my daughter was born 15 years ago; Breakthrough T1D has offered me skills and a way back into employment that doesn’t seem daunting as I already know all the friendly office staff.
If you are looking for a volunteering role, Breakthrough T1D is a great place to help out. If you have a personal connection you know you are doing something positive to help a loved one; if you don’t have a personal connection you soon will as there are so many fabulous type 1s working at Breakthrough T1D. When we see a cure you will know you have helped.
Find frequently asked questions about volunteering with Breakthrough T1D below or if you can’t find what you need, contact our volunteering team by emailing volunteering@breakthrought1d.org.uk.
We welcome people of all ages to get involved with Breakthrough T1D UK. If you are 25 or under, you can join our Youth Ambassador Programme. If you’re older than 25, we’d love you to get involved in whichever Breakthrough T1D volunteer role you’re interested in.
Not at all! For some of our roles you will need a connection to type 1 diabetes, to share your experiences or to tell us what it’s like to live with type 1. But we have plenty of roles that don’t need you to have a connection to type 1, such as being one of our Events Crew volunteers, offering your professional experience and expertise, or by taking on fundraising support or administration roles.
How much time you decide to give is entirely up to you, but is often dependent on the role that you are interested in. For some roles, like our Insight and Experience Panel, you can give as much or as little time as you want to. We are very flexible with volunteering opportunities as we understand that everyone who volunteers has other commitments too.
We believe nobody should be out of pocket for giving valuable time and support to us. We cover all reasonable expenses, including travel and, in some cases, the cost of a meal (please note this does not apply to home-based volunteers).
Not at all, if you would like to change your role with us or take on an additional role we will be happy to arrange this for you.
If you’ve browsed our volunteering roles but are still unsure about what you would like to do just answer a few questions and complete your details on our volunteer sign-up form and one of our team will contact you to chat through your options and ideas.
Being a Breakthrough T1D Youth Ambassador is an important and exciting role. Whether you hold an event at school or college, use social media to help campaign or talk to your friends about the realities of type 1, you’ll be helping to raise awareness about our cause and encourage people to donate to crucial research.
The Scientific Advisory Council assures and validates Breakthrough T1D's research decisions, policies and position statements, and support Breakthrough T1D’s community engagement activities within the UK.
Taking part in research is one way you can help us cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes, whether it’s by answering questionnaires, taking part in interviews or joining a clinical trial.
We offer a wide array of roles across research, policy, fundraising, communications, human resources, finance, operations and administration teams across the UK.
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