Volunteering spotlight: how volunteering could help you to find a career in the movement
THL
Some of our incredible volunteers share how volunteering has helped them achieve a position in the animal protection movement.
At THL UK, we are proud of all of our brilliant volunteers, and we see how everyone can bring immense value to animals - whether in a paid capacity or through volunteering. But we know that for some, getting a job in the movement is the ultimate goal.
In this article we hear from some volunteers who’ve achieved this and relentlessly continued in their volunteering capacity! We hope that others enjoy learning about their experiences.
Meet Hannah
Volunteer with THL UK since July 2022. Hannah is now Campaign Coordinator at the League Against Cruel Sports.
“I chose to volunteer with THL UK as I really like how their work is so impactful for animals. Volunteering with THL UK has provided me with so many opportunities to get involved in activism in so many different ways, both in person and digital actions.
Being able to help organise events, and work with both volunteers and staff allowed me to succeed whilst interviewing for a campaigns position in another charity. I was able to take from my experiences with THL UK and relate that to the role that I was applying for. Mainly organising events/volunteers, evidencing the events, working with other people, and having a sound knowledge of effective campaigning.
From initially joining to now, the support between volunteers and with staff members is so positive, and I have met some brilliant, like-minded people whilst volunteering with THL UK.”
Meet Sara
Volunteer with THL UK since March 2023. Sara is now Global Corporate Relations Lead at The Humane League.
“My background as a vet for 10 years gave me firsthand experience of helping individual animals, but it also made me deeply aware of the immense suffering of factory-farmed animals. I realised I wanted to make a bigger impact for those suffering the most and decided to shift my career. Being vegan for around six years and passionate about making a difference for factory-farmed animals, I began researching how to get involved. I quickly came across The Humane League UK and was drawn to their effective and impactful approach. After attending one of their webinars, I was inspired by the incredibly supportive and kind staff and community, and I knew I wanted to be part of it.
I started volunteering as a Grassroots Organiser (GO) because I love community building and organising events. On-the-ground activism, such as leading protests, not only deepened my understanding of chicken welfare in the UK and animal advocacy in general but also helped me develop skills in organising and engaging communities. This experience prepared me for my current role with THL’s Global team.
Alongside my global role, I continue to volunteer as a GO with THL UK because I love our events and community and truly believe in how impactful we are together. I would certainly encourage anyone to volunteer for a cause they are truly passionate about. It’s an incredible way to connect with like-minded people, create a meaningful impact, and potentially build a path to work on that cause professionally if that’s something you wish to pursue.”
Meet Olivia
Volunteer with THL UK since April 2023. Olivia is now Senior OWA Coordinator with The Humane League’s global team.
“For me, getting to be part of an organisation that is making real meaningful change for animals is the best part about volunteering for THL UK. It also helped me gain an understanding of the type of work THL does and its place in the movement, which I think helped secure my role at THL US within the OWA. Working at THL now, I understand how beneficial volunteers are in our campaigns which makes my volunteering feel even more valuable.
Attending protests has built my confidence a lot, not only with speaking to members of the public but also with meeting new activists as you meet someone new at almost every protest you attend. As someone who works in quite a ‘behind the scenes’ job in the movement, it feels good to be at the forefront of the work we do through attending protests.”
Meet Emily
Volunteer with THL UK since May 2022. Emily is now Fundraising and Legacy Assistant at Compassion in World Farming.
“If you’re thinking about volunteering, just go for it! You don’t need specific experience - your transferable skills are valuable, and you’ll soon discover how rewarding it can be. You’ll meet incredible people and become part of a like-minded community of changemakers working to make a real difference for animals.
I wish I’d known that time spent volunteering is just as valuable as a degree. The experience and connections you build within the movement are key to finding your place and discovering what excites you. Volunteering is a great way to grow both professionally and personally and can open doors to further opportunities.”
Meet Loretta
Volunteer with THL UK since January 2024. Loretta now works at The Humane League, sitting in the global team as OWA Europe Region Lead.
“A combination of empowerment, building confidence and education through volunteering helped me to secure my job in the movement. Before volunteering I felt hesitant to talk about animal issues and found myself feeling like I would not be able to justify these beliefs if asked. Working with others and interacting with the wider volunteer community was vital in developing this knowledge and increasing my confidence talking about animal welfare; from there, the experience was vital in my applications and my interviews for jobs.
While being a volunteer did not directly influence whether I was hired or not, it helped show I was a tenacious and passionate individual and that I could be flexible, communicate with a wide range of people with different views, and all these transferable skills were what really helped me to get the role.
For anyone in the process of applying for jobs in the movement, don’t give up! It took many an application and interview and definitely many a rejection before I got here, but use each of these as a learning experience to help you hone your technique in the interviews. I came from a completely different field into this role but I knew that I had the transferable skills and most importantly the passion to work in the animal protection movement. It only takes one person to say 'yes' and then all then all the 'nos' will be a distant memory.”
We’re also extremely proud to work with a number of brilliant volunteers who already had jobs in the animal protection space before joining us. It’s a joy to work with volunteers who have jobs in effective animal organisations including Anima, Plant Based Councils, and Compassion in World Farming.
Unfortunately, volunteering isn’t a one-stop shop to securing a job in the animal protection movement; jobs aren’t always abundant, recruitment is competitive, and organisations will likely have many talented applicants to choose from. But there is hope for people looking to make their passion a career, and in the meantime volunteering can provide a valuable pathway: to build crucial transferable skills, knowledge about the movement, a space to learn more about the types of future job roles they might be best suited to, and of course a community where peer-to-peer learning is welcomed.
Ready to join us?
If you would like to become a trained volunteer, click on the button below to check out our current opportunities.
