The Student Room Group

Is volunteering in a charity shop generally unpaid?

I am just wondering as to whether volunteering in a charity shop to gain experience is generally unpaid.

Btw, i am not expecting to get paid since it is voluntary but i am just wondering, hence posting.
generally volunteerring is unpaid

there are a couple of scenarios where it gets murky


1. where people are recruited to volunteer for a limited amount of time at a event but get a pass for the whole event

2. the Reserve Forces and Retained Duty System Firefighters
Yes, volunteering is always unpaid (except for expenses sometimes being covered), and any payment turns it from volunteering into a job which requires minimum wage laws etc to be followed
My sister volunteers at Oxfam and they give her a small amount of money to get some lunch. Otherwise she is unpaid, but also gets first pick (I think?) of stuff that is donated.
Original post by Blackstarr
I am just wondering as to whether volunteering in a charity shop to gain experience is generally unpaid.

Btw, i am not expecting to get paid since it is voluntary but i am just wondering, hence posting.


That's why they call it volunteering. You may be able to claim bus fares and a small amount for lunch.
Reply 5
Original post by SeanFM
My sister volunteers at Oxfam and they give her a small amount of money to get some lunch. Otherwise she is unpaid, but also gets first pick (I think?) of stuff that is donated.


How much do you reckon they give?
Reply 6
Original post by SeanFM
My sister volunteers at Oxfam and they give her a small amount of money to get some lunch. Otherwise she is unpaid, but also gets first pick (I think?) of stuff that is donated.



How much do you reckon they give?
Original post by Blackstarr
How much do you reckon they give?


Around £5 maybe.
Reply 8
Original post by SeanFM
Around £5 maybe.


Ok
Original post by Blackstarr
Ok


Not particularly useful information though, ask whoever you'll be working with :h:
Original post by SeanFM
Not particularly useful information though, ask whoever you'll be working with :h:


Yeah.
Most of the time when you volunteer in a charity shop you don't get paid (and why should you take from a charity on a volunteering basis anyway?). I have heard of people volunteering and getting first picks out of the clothes that come into the store though, although I worry about the ethics of that
Reply 12
yeah people do voluntary mainly to gain the experience, worked at three different charity shops, never got paid.
Usually it's unpaid, but my friend gets paid £7 an hour if she volunteers for more than 2 hours. However this is a rare case so you may not be as lucky.

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