Charities want volunteers who are reliable, kind and safe with the people they serve, and paid employers value volunteering as real experience. This example is for someone applying to volunteer at a hospice after retiring from an office career. If you are adding volunteering to a CV for paid work, the guidance below shows how to write it like a job.
Use this example: the CV builder opens with it filled in on the Meadow template, free to edit and preview. Downloading the CV and matching cover letter costs £4.99 once.
Example volunteer CV
A fictional person, employers and figures, to show the format. Replace every detail with your own.
Margaret Collins
Volunteer · Available Tuesdays and Thursdays · York · margaret.collins@example.com · 07700 900232
Personal statement
Recently retired office manager with 25 years' experience organising people, rotas and events, now looking to give time to a hospice as a day therapy or fundraising volunteer. Calm, warm and a good listener, with experience supporting my late mother through palliative care. Available two days a week.
Experience
Office Manager, Ouse Valley Housing Association, York (Mar 2001 - Dec 2025)
Managed the office, facilities and a team of four administrators for 120 staff.
Organised the annual tenants' fun day for around 500 people.
Led the office's move to a new building with no disruption to services.
Volunteering
Charity Shop Volunteer, York Hospice Shop, York (Jan 2026 - Present)
Sort and price donations and serve customers one day a week.
Suggested a weekly book table that now raises extra income for the shop.
Parish Newsletter Editor, St Mark's Community Association, York (2018 - Present)
Edit and distribute a monthly newsletter to 600 homes.
Education
Level 3 Certificate in Business Administration, York College, 1999 - 2000
Training and certifications
Safeguarding adults, York Hospice, 2026
Dementia Friends information session, Alzheimer's Society, 2025
Basic food hygiene, York Hospice, 2026
Skills
Listening and empathy, Organisation, Event planning, Customer service, Reliability, Microsoft 365, Fundraising support
Interests
Choir, gardening, local history
A volunteer personal statement to adapt
Recently retired office manager with 25 years' experience organising people, rotas and events, now looking to give time to a hospice as a day therapy or fundraising volunteer. Calm, warm and a good listener, with experience supporting my late mother through palliative care. Available two days a week.
Key skills for a volunteer CV
Reliability - Charities plan around their volunteers, so turning up matters.
Empathy and listening - Especially for health, care and advice charities.
Organisation - Rotas, events and admin.
Customer service - Charity shops, events and front desks.
Specific skills - Driving, gardening, IT, accounting or languages you can offer.
Safeguarding awareness - Knowing how to raise a concern.
What a UK volunteer CV needs
Availability - Days, hours and how long you can commit.
Why this cause - A line on why you want to help this charity.
Relevant skills and life experience - Work skills, caring experience or hobbies the charity could use.
Checks - Roles with children or vulnerable adults may need a DBS check. Say if you have one or are happy to have one.
For paid jobs: volunteering as experience - Give the organisation, your role, dates and achievements, just like a job.
Achievement bullets to adapt
The figures are invented to show the format. Use your own.
Suggested a weekly book table that now raises extra income for a hospice shop.
Edit and distribute a monthly newsletter to 600 homes.
Organised an annual community fun day for around 500 people.
Volunteered one day a week in a charity shop for a year.
Supported a family member through palliative care.
Volunteer CV questions
Do I need a CV to volunteer?
Not always. Many charities use a short application form. A CV helps for skilled or regular roles, and when you apply to several organisations.
How do I put volunteering on a CV for a paid job?
Treat it like a job: role, organisation, dates and two or three achievements. If it is your most relevant experience, put it above paid work.
Will I need a DBS check to volunteer?
Only for some roles, such as working with children or vulnerable adults. The charity will tell you and usually arranges it.