WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
YOU CAN VOLUNTEER WITH AN EXCITING CHRISTIAN ORGANISATION
WHO ARE Wood N Wheels?
Wood N Wheels Adventure Centres are a Christian charity that has been running outdoor adventures for over 100 years. Lots of school groups, youth groups, churches and businesses visit our centres for exciting adventure activity weeks, day visits and weekends away. Our adventure activities include, canoeing, kayaking, climbing, archery and many more. We have 4 adventure centres across the UK and we run a volunteering programme at Frontier Centre, our centre in Northamptonshire. Volunteers are part of our Hospitality Team that ensure all of our guests receive a warm welcome and enjoy their stay with us.
Placements are for a minimum of 9 months to a maximum of 12 months and generally start in January and September, but we will try to be flexible where possible. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and are typically up to 28 years old. Open to residents of the UK, EU and non-EU countries.
Applications are currently closed. They will open again in the summer.
LIVE IN A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY & GROW YOUR FAITH
As a Christian charity we want to encourage all volunteers to grow in their Christian faith. Volunteers are expected to be committed to the Wood N Wheels Christian fellowship and will have regular Bible studies (in English) on centre as well as the opportunity to worship and get involved with a local church.
This is an amazing opportunity to offer your services to work as part of a busy hospitality team of Christian young people, to grow in faith and spiritual understanding and to experience different cultures and denominations. Living as part of a Christian community can be a lot of fun and fellowship with friends is an important part of the experience.
There is also the chance that our volunteers can go on a CPAS camp as a volunteer leader for a week somewhere in the UK. This is subject to availability and during the summer months only but is an excellent way to grow in faith and to have fun teaching kids about Christianity. Details about the CPAS camps can be found here: https://www.ventures.org.uk/.
“CPAS was amazing. ” – H from Brazil
“I really remember of the day that I saw snow for the first time! I had a great time with the other volunteers and instructors. And the party at staff conference was so fun! Had a great day! Also all the time I’ve spent with volunteers and instructors playing games and dancing and having fun! The trip to Peak District was another highlight for me! The best for me was the relationships we have built, was something I’m taking for life. ”
– A from Brazil
“The best part was feeling that the hospitality team became a family, and glad to be a part of it. Team day like flip-out and burger was very nice! This was a place to grow and I learned a lot about relationships and friendship.”
– L from Brazil
WHAT WILL I BE DOING & WHERE WILL I LIVE?
Volunteers work as part of the Hospitality Team. Working around 37.5 hours a week. Accommodation is provided free of charge with a weekly allowance for meals and basic toiletries via an online shop. Laundry and cleaning facilities are provided. You will be living in shared accommodation with your own room. You can mix with your fellow volunteers and get to know our instructors who live onsite too. Friendships are created for life on our programme.
After induction and training we like to get our volunteers straight into action. After training you would typically be expected to:
- Clean & prepare the dining room for guests
- Carry out washing up duties
- Serve food to our guests
- Assist with building safety checks
- Assist with table plans and checking dietary requirements
- Welcome guests into the dining room and advise menu details
- Assist with cleaning and preparing the centre for our guests
- Assist the maintenance team with light maintenance duties
- Depending on your interests and abilities you may also have the opportunity to work with other departments for example; the centre’s administration team
Visa Information
Wood N Wheels provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) number for a Temporary Worker – Charity Worker visa for those offered a place on our programme. You are expected to pay for flights, the visa fee and the Health Surcharge. The visa application fee is £259, and the Health Surcharge is £1035. Wood N Wheels will reimburse you 50% of the cost of the Health Surcharge after you arrive and have worked for us for a set period of time. Further details are available in the application pack we send when you request more details.
HOLIDAYS, DAYS OFF & SIGHT SEEING
Volunteers will be given the opportunity to visit attractions around the UK during their stay. London, Oxford, Cambridge and Stratford-upon-Avon are within easy travelling distance. The UK has many popular tourist destinations you can go to on your days off. There are bus routes to access shopping areas and towns nearby, and we have bikes available to use to get to the local shops. Volunteers are also encouraged to arrange their own visits on days off and during holiday periods to get the most out of their experience. We encourage volunteers to explore together when they have the same days off as each other. Our centre team has lots of tips and ideas about what to see and do while you are with us.
Recent trips included a day visit to London where volunteers went to Trafalgar square and explored the city. They went to Oxford for the day and roamed the street where famous authors like Tolkien and CS Lewis walked. Another trip took them to the Peak District to experience some of England’s greatest views. They went up hills and across rivers. A day trip to the beach at Wells-Next-the-Sea to build sandcastles and dip their toes in the English Channel – then quickly remove them as it is very cold!
Sometimes volunteers are able to help out and take part in activities at the centre including climbing, abseiling, water sports and biking on the cycle trails. Fun activity days are arranged for the volunteers so they get to try the activities and it helps us too as our instructors can practice their skills during quiet periods.
“I met a lot of new friends, managed to experience a new culture and Wood N Wheels provided trips to get to know England. I can with no English and managed to learn and now communicate better. ”
– S from Brazil
“My English for sure was improved, my friendships… they made everything better. The trip to London was important to me and special.”
– B from Brazil
“Was getting to know new people, new friends, felt like being a kid again playing and having a good time with others. ”
– N from Brazil
“The friendship with all colleagues and staff, all the games and fun times together. Staff conference was very nice to see other Wood N Wheels staff. ”
– A from Brazil
IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH
English lessons may be provided, subject to volunteer-teacher availability, however this must not be the primary reason for volunteering with Wood N Wheels. Volunteers are encouraged to speak English to each other even if they are from the same country. The more you practise the better your English will get. Our staff are always happy to help and explain the correct way to say a phrase or tell you the right word to use. Recent lessons include practical words that are needed in the dining room, but also how to use English in conversations such as: question words, verbs, comparatives and superlatives, how to use ‘over, under and through’ and many more practical words. There is always a lot of laughter during the lessons and we make learning fun but practical.
Cambridge English Assessment
We offer to book you onto a Cambridge English Assessment and prepare you for the tests. This is subject to test availability at different levels and locations. Some English lessons will focus on test preparation beforehand so you’ll be fully equipped and come away with a grade in English which will look great on your CV/Resume.
“Being here in Wood N Wheels I had the freedom to express and be encouraged to practice and learn English. This was really really good. I used a lot of my time to study English. This made me stay and keep focussed on the volunteering programme. ”
– H from Brazil
Applications are currently closed. They will open again in the summer.
We can only accept applicants who are between 18 and 28 years old and who are practising Christians’.
Applying does not guarantee you a place. Applications are shortlisted then interviews will follow before any places are offered. Typically we have 8 to 12 spaces a year.