Join our volunteer team at Outfit London Road
To mark Volunteers’ Week (3-9 June), we’re launching an appeal to find new volunteers for our Outfit London Road store, based in the heart of Brighton!
Who are we looking for?
We’re looking for volunteers passionate about sustainable fashion to help with a variety of tasks including front-of-house in the store, welcoming and assisting customers, researching brands online, and sorting and preparing second-hand and vintage stock.
No previous experience is necessary, as all training will be provided by our charity. In return, we can offer volunteers the opportunity to meet new people and gain valuable skills and experience for their CVs in several areas including sales, retail, customer service, social media, visual merchandising and teamwork. Hours are flexible, but we’re looking for volunteers to commit at least two hours per week.
Esther’s volunteer story
During a recent month-long visit to Brighton from Germany during a university break, Esther volunteered at Outfit London Road to get to know the city better:
“I’m a student from Germany, studying psychology and I had a bit of free time between my studies and final exam so wanted to use it in a meaningful way by volunteering. I came to Brighton for a month from Germany because my grandparents used to live there, and I have very fond memories of the city. Volunteering was the perfect way to get to know the city a little better and I can only speak positively about volunteering at Emmaus because it really was lovely.”
Having never worked in a shop before, Esther gained a range of new skills by volunteering at Outfit London Road several days a week during her visit:
“It was a fun experience seeing how a shop is run. I was doing loads of things that were new to me like operating the till, sorting and pricing items and interacting with customers. I definitely gained a lot of valuable experience and skills in shop management and customer service. The shop is mainly clothing, but there are also decorations and haberdashery items. I loved how all the items were presented and sometimes we even had a theme; it was great fun finding an outfit for a certain theme!”
Esther volunteered alongside other staff members, volunteers and companions, making it a great way to meet new people:
“There’s a whole mix of people at Outfit London Road, not just the volunteers and companions, but the customers too. London Road is a very lively area, so it was always interesting to see who came along to the shop. I had some lovely interactions. A lot of the customers were very chatty, I don’t know if it’s just a British thing but it’s not like that in Germany!”
Esther enjoyed the working environment at Outfit London Road and never felt uncomfortable asking questions:
“The whole working environment at Outfit London Road was very caring, supportive and fun. Everything was very low-key; it didn’t really feel like work. Sometimes I was a bit unsure about things because I’d never worked in a shop before, but it was such a supportive environment that I was never afraid to ask questions. I also really appreciated how the staff made sure everyone had an engaging task to do. It was really noticeable how enthusiastic everyone was and that was very inspiring on different levels. I would definitely recommend volunteering at Outfit London Road.”
Why Outfit London Road matters
We opened Outfit London Road in 2023 and it is the newest social enterprise run by our charity. We make sure the store has a carefully curated offering of quality second-hand and vintage clothing, with all proceeds helping to fund the accommodation, tailored support, training and work opportunities we offer to formerly homeless people.
How to enquire
Interested in joining our volunteer team at Outfit London Road? Visit the store at 71 London Road, BN1 4JE, or email volunteer@emmausbrighton.co.uk
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