Volunteering with the National Energy Foundation

We’re always keen to hear from people who wish to help us by working as a volunteer, and we’re committed to providing a fair and supportive environment for anyone who does.

Volunteers and Interns

Many people have volunteered with us over the years, and have had a very positive and rewarding time. Volunteering opens up lots of opportunities for learning new knowledge, generating ideas and extending professional networks whilst, at the same time, it provides valuable experience in a professional environment.

If you’re interested in volunteering with us, please fill in the application form below and attach a covering letter telling about more about you, your experience and why you want to volunteer with NEF.

Please bear in mind that we receive a lot of approaches from people wishing to offer their time and gain relevant experience. As placements involve a lot of time and effort on our part, we’re not always able to offer positions to everyone who would like to work with us. However, we do promise to respond quickly to your enquiry and give an honest appraisal of whether we can offer a position.

Volunteer placements are either home-based or from our office in Milton Keynes depending on the type of volunteer placement you undertake; unfortunately, we are not able to cover expenses for commuting or any technical equipment.

If you have any questions about volunteering with us and want to speak to Camille our Volunteer Manager before you apply, please email recruitment@nef.org.uk

Applications are considered on their own merit. While we usually require a time commitment of three months, this is open to negotiation depending on individual circumstances. All volunteer placements are based at our office in Milton Keynes; unfortunately we are not able to cover expenses for commuting.

Some of our previous volunteers and interns at NEF

Many people have volunteered with us over the years, and have had positive and rewarding experiences. Here’s what some of them thought about working with our team.

 

Sam – SuperHomes Volunteer

I volunteered with the National Energy Foundation during the summer of my penultimate year studying Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London. I spent my time on the SuperHomes project, coordinating the promotion of open days with media partners, writing blogs and articles, and helping with an active social media campaign. My time as an NEF volunteer allowed me to gain a deep and varied insight into the energy sector as well as gain broad exposure to some inspiring projects run by the charity. I would never have thought it would have been possible to learn quite so much in just three months! I was also able to develop many transferable skills such as how to communicate effectively and work well as part of a team. I couldn’t have wished for a more kind and supportive atmosphere from my colleagues, who were always happy to offer help and advice at any time. I was made to feel included as part of the team from day one and really appreciated meeting and working with everyone at the Foundation. I also enjoyed training the volunteers after me, which I found to be fun, interesting and a learning process in itself! I cannot thank the National Energy Foundation enough for providing me with such an invaluable and rewarding experience, which has formed a solid basis for my future career.

Anna – YouGen Volunteer

After graduating, I was thrilled to be offered a three-month internship at the National Energy Foundation in conjunction with Santander Universities SME Internship programme and Warwick University. It seemed the perfect combination for me: an opportunity to hone my written communication skills, consolidate research skills and gain experience in the field of renewable energy. As an Online Content Writer and Project Officer I provided written material for the YouGen blog. Having the freedom to choose and research topics of my own choice was fantastic and I found it enlightening to speak with others about their advice and experiences. This research broadened my knowledge considerably and helped me to develop my understanding of the technicalities of microgeneration, government policy about renewable energy and practical ways we can all save energy in the home. I also had the opportunity to work with members of the SuperHomes team, and helped to support a marketing project. I’d like to thank everyone at NEF: you were all so friendly and welcoming, and made me feel completely at home in the office. Thank you! This internship has given me a real thirst to pursue work in this field and has been truly inspiring. I would definitely recommend it to everyone.

Trish – YouGen Volunteer

After I submitted my PhD thesis, I was lucky enough to get a three-month Santander internship, organised by my university – The Open University – with the National Energy Foundation. I’m a mature student with a varied career, knew very little about renewables and wanted to get experience of writing for online publications. I worked as a content writer for YouGen, researching and writing blogs and news items mainly for a campaign on biomass boilers. I spent a lot of time talking to installers about practical tips for those thinking about installing a biomass boiler, so my interviewing skills came in handy. It was a steep learning curve and Gordon and the team were very helpful. Thanks to YouGen, I’ve now got some new skills and experience to add to my CV.

Matt – SuperHomes and Energy Envoys Volunteer

After coming back from a year out traveling the world, I saw the volunteering scheme at the National Energy Foundation as a great opportunity to get back into work and gain valuable experience in the energy industry. Looking to develop my passion in energy efficiency and sustainability, I was fortunate enough to be offered a three-month placement where I worked closely on the SuperHomes and Energy Envoys projects. My line manager, Gordon, and the rest of the team gave me all the support I needed and treated me like a regular member of staff. One of the great things about volunteering with NEF is that you are always granted a high level of responsibility, and given the opportunity to follow a path that expresses your particular interests. From my experience, I gained a wealth of new knowledge about renewable technologies and how homes can be retrofitted to reduce their carbon footprint. I also learnt a variety of core skills including marketing and promoting events, liaising with stakeholders, and coordinating projects. My time at NEF was an invaluable experience and was instrumental in helping me secure a place on National Grid’s Graduate Scheme. I would just like to thank the whole NEF team once again for all the support, knowledge and advice they were always willing to share during my stay!

Volunteer Application Form – Confidential

Please note: Though it is not standard practice for NEF to request details for references at the point of application, dependent on the volunteer opportunity you express interest in, NEF may ask you to provide details of two referees. These referees cannot be family members, and if possible one to be your present employer. NEF also reserves the right to request a DBS check on all volunteers working with vulnerable adults.

Days/Times available (Please tick when available):