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JDRF has now rebranded to Breakthrough T1D.
Our name has changed, our mission has not.

Volunteering opportunities

Become part of our events crew, share your professional expertise or sign up to become a Community Ambassador. If you don’t see a role that fits your skills or motivations, let us know and we can discuss a unique opportunity for you.
Content last reviewed and updated: 09.10.2024

Current opportunities

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Community Connectors

Register your interest

Community Connectors work closely with our Community Engagement team to support more people affected by type 1 diabetes.

Volunteers sat round a table holding a discussion during an insight and experience panel meeting

Insight and Experience Panel

Your voice matters! Volunteer and help shape our work to ensure it remains relevant to people living with type 1 diabetes.

Over 140 people with lived experience of type 1 have joined our Insight and Experience Panel and there are a number of ways you can get involved. From reviewing content and policies, to taking part in innovative research projects, your feedback and involvement means a lot and will help make a big difference.

The panel has assisted with providing case studies for NICE consultation responses. It’s also helped understand how Breakthrough T1D UK can contribute insight to international initiatives and building consensus on Patient Reported Outcomes among the international research community.

Sign up

Other types of volunteer roles

Bear mascot at cycle fundraiser finish line

Event crew

Our Event Crew is a team of volunteers working together at Breakthrough T1D events to help make them run like clockwork and raise as much awareness and money for life-changing research that they can.

Our events vary from large-scale outdoor events like marathons and our flagship Breakthrough T1D One Walks, to indoor special events like fundraising galas and conferences. Each event is different, but the type of roles you can expect to be involved in are:

  • Cheer zones – making lots of noise for Breakthrough T1D to motivate participants
  • Welcome and check-in desks
  • Coordinating food and refreshments
  • Representing Breakthrough T1D at information stands, for example handing out leaflets

If you’re friendly, enthusiastic, organised and want to be part of a flexible and lively team, this could be perfect for you!

If you would like to hear more information, please email our friendly events team on events@breakthrought1d.org.uk

Volunteer for Event Crew

 

Group of volunteers at the Breakthrough T1D UK office helping with fundraising preparations

Office support

Office support roles can involve a regular commitment or volunteering on a one-off project and include:

  • Fundraising support – work with our fundraising team, helping with administrative tasks, fulfilling mailings to fundraisers, creating information resources or updating our database.
  • T1 Speaker programme research – support us to reach as many organisations as possible to tell them about our work by researching opportunities for speaker visits.

Volunteering in our offices is a chance to use your existing skills, learn new ones and be part of our dedicated team working together to fund the cure for type 1.

Opportunities for office support volunteers are mostly in London.

For general volunteering queries, contact the Volunteering Team at volunteering@breakthrought1d.org.uk.

Sign up to volunteer

 

Volunteer photographer resting his arm on his camera

Share a skill

Do you have a skill that could help us or do you work for a company that can support us through pro bono work?

We’re a rapidly growing charity  which means that we sometimes need to tap into the expertise of professions beyond our usual remit.

This could be anything from agency/consultancy support to a professional photographer to capture an event or the loan of a company’s meeting room.

We have a skills bank which you can register your skills on, these could include:

  • Graphic design
  • Photography
  • Filmmaking
  • Photo and video editing
  • Youth sports coaching
  • Children’s entertainment
  • Public speaking

Do you have any other ideas?

Please let us know if you have a skill not listed as we would still appreciate your support. Contact our volunteering team by emailing volunteering@breakthrought1d.org.uk.

Contact us to express your interest in the above roles

Our current volunteer opportunities are always listed as live volunteer roles at the top of this page. If you are interested in the other role types, please do contact us to discuss how and when you can get involved. Contact the Volunteering Team at volunteering@breakthrought1d.org.uk.

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Volunteers sat round a table holding a discussion during an insight and experience panel meeting

Insight and Experience Panel

Your voice matters! Volunteer and help shape our work to ensure it remains relevant to people living with type 1 diabetes.

Read more
A type 1 diabetes researcher involving a patient in research activity

Take part in research

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.

Read more
The Breakthrough T1D UK team

Careers at Breakthrough T1D UK

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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