Volunteering at Canopy is being part of a team to renovate and decorate a house and make it into a new home for someone that is homeless. You do not need to have already tried DIY, we can teach you everything you’ll need to know. The best way to learn sometimes is to get stuck in and have a try.

What type of work will I do?

You will get the opportunity to try painting, wall papering, sanding, laying laminate flooring, tiling, plastering and many more jobs to turn a derelict house into a new home. Once you have been here for a while, you’ll have the opportunity to teach your new found skills to the newer volunteers.

Canopy has a friendly, relaxed attitude and is keen to welcome new volunteers. Aside from work, we have an office space with computers, laundry facilities, table football and a workshop. We go out on regular outings, play five aside football and spend time, chatting and drinking tea.

When to I volunteer?

Volunteering days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10am until 4pm.
Canopy will refund travel and lunch expenses so you won’t be out of pocket.

How do I become a volunteer?

It is very simple to become a volunteer, just give us a call. When we have volunteering places available, you will be invited to visit us and we will take a few details from you and give you some information on how to work safely on site with the other volunteers. We will introduce you to all the staff and volunteers, show you round the office and show you where we are working on site, then arrange a suitable start day. Contact Us

  
Testimonials from existing volunteers

I first heard about canopy last year through a job search scheme. I was only there for about a week but in that week I met nice, helpful down to earth people. I also learnt skills that I never thought I would be able to do. I enjoyed my time there that much I came back as a proper volunteer. Again I have only been here a short while but I have learnt lots of new, useful skills and I have met lots of new friends. Its like one big happy family, I am loving it.
Adele

Hello I’m FREY D. working as a volunteer at canopy. I’m a student at Leeds Thomas Danby but when I’ve got a free time or a week off, I spend it with canopy because, believe me, there is a lot of thing to discover about the project. Once you’re in, you can’t get out there’s so much fun there. Ok let’s talk about it, canopy I think you already know it; it’s a project to re-housing people and help them about their accommodation. But there’s no just a re-housing about it, when you’re in, you meet different people from different country, and there’s equality between people so we look up to each other and respect their standpoint and religion. Sometime we used to go out for a trip, playing paint ball, booling, or climbing and more stuff… too. The main thing about canopy according to me, it’s the way that they care about people who doesn’t have house, the way they respect them and try to help them no just about housing but forward their goal. When I came first there, I found it bored because I couldn’t speak properly and understand English because I’m a French speaker but a few weeks later with them I begun to improve my language step by step, it was hard but they help me as well to learn abet about building, how to plastering, tiling, carpeting, decorating and more stuff like this. Why not coming and discover by yourself what I’m trying to explain about it and enjoy the same feeling that we all have about the project.
Frey

Initially I came to Canopy to keep myself busy and involved in social activities, but I realized that Canopy is helping needy which gave me satisfaction and stimlualtion to be a regular part of Canopy. Canopy is a project to provide homes for homeless and refurbish the ruined properties Simultaneously Canopy's volunteer program provides opportunities for different age groups of varied cultures to learn practical skills and positive behaviour towards the society. Canopy also invests in recreational activities for volunteers time by time. I have been working here since two years and got the chance to interact with multicltural people of different ages. I have done a lot of DIY work in various properties which gave me confidence to share my skills with other volunteers. I really admire the help and assistance Canopy provided during all these years.
Ansari