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Meet the organisations who will be attending Work Experience Festival on Thursday 2 October 2025.
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The Army Reserve is part of the UK Defence supporting the Regular Army on deployment on operations and also on humanitarian missions as part of Military Aid to the Civilian Administration(MACA). Portsmouth has 5 army reserve units covering a range of skills from combat, engineering, logistics & medical as well as first-class military training we provide opportunities for adventure training & sport. If you are looking for a challenge, that will test you, has flexible spare time arrangements and will pay you.
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
Apex Prime Care brings 20 years of care and experience to clients in the comfort of their own homes. We deliver care when, where and how they wish to receive it.
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
Aspex is a contemporary art gallery based at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. Aspex works to support emerging contemporary artists and encourage people of all ages to engage with and explore contemporary art through its exhibitions, artist support programme and participation programme.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
B
BH Live is a leading operator of leisure and event venues; a charitable social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives. We are at the heart of our community and the UK’s growing social economy committed to improving people’s lives. It’s about having a vision. We’re driven to improve the quality of people’s lives and promote health and wellbeing to the whole community. The surplus we make is re-invested into our community
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
C
Circles of Support and Accountability is committed to encouraging and promoting the rehabilitation, treatment, education and care of persons who have committed sexual offences, with the goal of reducing re-offending. Circles are also invested in the protection of and care of victims and others affected by offending behaviour.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
Arun & Chichester Citizens Advice is an independent charity (Registration number: 1099640) and a member of the National Association of Citizens Advice. We provide information and advice to solve your problems in regards to the following:
- Debt
- Housing
- Legal
- Healthcare
- Family
- Energy
- Consumer
- Employment
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
D
Decathlon is a French sporting goods retailer. With 1,817 stores in 79 countries and regions, it is the largest sporting goods retailer in the world.
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
E
Enable Ability work in partnership with disabled children and adults, their families and carers, to provide a range of high-quality, inclusive, professional and confidential services.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
F
We are a registered charity working with local communities and businesses to highlight the impact of plastic pollution on our environment and to try to minimise the amount of plastic entering our local seas and wider oceans. We work with many different types of business on sustainability and to help them find ethical and sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic in their activities. We have a very busy school outreach programme and have reached thousands of children in the Solent area through assemblies and workshops. We work with community groups, giving talks and running activities and encouraging people to avoid single-use plastic and how to best dispose of it if they do need to use it. We also run regular beach and community clean-ups.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
Field gun sport in Portsmouth is a strenuous, timed competition where teams of 18, or "crews," race to complete a course by pushing, pulling, carrying, and lifting a one-ton field gun and its ammunition limber. Our mission is to promote the sport of field gun around the world as an ethically robust, competitive team sport with a path from junior to representative crew member.
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
Here at FoodCycle our vision is to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community. We connect communities, reducing loneliness and food poverty – working with thousands of volunteers and surplus food to help everyone who needs us. By creating welcoming spaces for people from all walks of life to meet, eat and have conversations, and by offering a weekly telephone Check-in and Chat, we are supporting people’s health and mental wellbeing. By cooking with surplus ingredients, we promote healthy, sustainable attitudes towards food and its impact on the environment, and help people to learn more about healthy food. We aim to inspire greater change by sharing the impact of our community dining spaces and the voices of our guests to encourage more people to join and support FoodCycle, so we can help more people and more communities.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
H
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, alongside nine other influential organisations, aim to restore seagrass meadows, oyster reefs, saltmarsh and seabird nesting habitat across the region. This effort includes working with landowners and regulators to improve the protection and management of existing Solent habitats, to monitor the benefits of seascape scale restoration scientifically and to ensure that local people and sea-users co-design the project, thereby becoming more connected and engaged with their own marine environment.
What they offer:
- Volunteering Opportunities
Visit the Hamshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust website
Student Watch volunteers are a point of contact for students with safety concerns, and they are supported by the University Police Liaison Officer - a police officer dedicated to safety on and around campus.
What they offer:
- Volunteering Opportunities
Visit the Hampshire Constabulary Website
Every day of every week you can find us playing our part, broadening our horizons and getting stuck into the great outdoors. We have more than 15,600 adult volunteers and young people between 6 and 25 years of age enjoying fun and adventure while learning the skills they need for whatever life throws at them.
What they offer:
- Volunteering Opportunities
We provide support to people with brain injury and other forms of acquired brain injury, their family members, carers, and interested professionals.
We support those affected by brain injury to understand, adapt and accept the changes brain injury brings to their lives enabling them to achieve maximum independence within their own community.
What they offer
- Volunteering opportunities
Home Start is a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. We are there for parents when they need us the most because childhood can’t wait.
What they offer:
- Volunteering Opportunities
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A dedicated telephone befriending service committed to providing support to individuals grappling with loneliness and often experiencing poor mental health. Our volunteers are exclusively health and social care students.
Originating from the initiative of a mental health nursing student during the national COVID-19 lockdown, our services have since evolved into a registered charity, extending our reach to hundreds of clients across our local district.
What they offer:
- Volunteering Opportunities
M
Magical Maths is an after-school maths programme for primary aged children. The children participate in after-school sessions that will leave them ‘wowed’ and amazed whilst practising their curriculum maths. Magical Maths sessions are quite the spectacle; we’ve got a genius professor, world class detectives, mind reading magicians and eccentric athletes, all dedicated to making maths fun for primary school children.
What they offer:
- Part-time Jobs
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We are a non-profit organisation specialising in the support of people with Learning Disabilities, in the form of training. Knowledge about relationships and sexual education is often something we overlook and take for granted. However, this area of life is commonly neglected when teaching those with learning disabilities about safe sex and relationships (RSE), which consequently puts them in a vulnerable position where they may be at risk. This is where AreYou steps in, which provides the opportunity within a safe, judgment-free environment to educate about various relationship types, what makes them healthy and how to remain safe with sexual encounters. However, AreYou is not solely an RSE service due to its partnership with other companies under the Neuro Disability Network. Together we provide both educational and social opportunities to those with learning disabilities to enhance both their understanding and social connections.
What they offer:
- Volunteering Opportunities
P
PHL Group are an innovative healthcare service provider, delivering exceptional services to the NHS and independent partners.
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
PARCS is an organisation based in Portsmouth which works with people who have been sexually violated at any time and/or experienced domestic abuse. PARCS provides free specialist counselling and psychotherapy to all genders, aged 5 and above.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
Open spaces are integral to our quality of life as places to enjoy nature, sport and recreation, to gather and appreciate the benefits of being outdoors and for children to play in them. 91% of people in Portsmouth use their local parks or playgrounds and best of all, they are free to visit! Green spaces are not only important for health and wellbeing reasons, but also play an important part of the environment: to conserve the biodiversity of the natural plant life and species, and to help in mitigating the effects of climate change within the City of Portsmouth. The Victoria Park project sits within the Culture, Leisure & Regulatory Services Department of Portsmouth City Council, but has received independent funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore, improve, uncover and celebrate the park’s heritage and create a space for more people to enjoy and improve their wellbeing. Victoria Park, known as 'the People's Park' was opened in 1878 as a free open space in the heart of the new city centre.
What they offer:
- Volunteering
Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) were introduced by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and were established in England and Wales in April 2000. They have primary responsibility for the provision of local youth justice services with the aim of preventing offending and re-offending by children and young people. The Portsmouth Youth Offending Team is a group of professionals commissioned by the local authority to support young people aged 10-17 who break the law. Some of our young people are subject to court orders that require them to engage with reparation work within the local community. Reparation is a way a young person can assist a social enterprise, charity, school, local resident and other services by repairing the damage that they have caused due to their actions. This can be in the form of painting, baking, coaching, gardening, cleaning and much more... The Portsmouth Youth Offending Team are looking for volunteers to assist our young people in completing their reparation tasks. Our volunteers are highly trained individuals that form positive relationships with our young people, and can encourage them to engage with their local community and equally give them a chance to become a positive role model themselves.
What they offer:
- Volunteering
Portsmouth Climate Action Board want our city to be at the forefront of the evolution that the climate emergency demands of us. That means transforming the way we do business, shop, travel, grow our food and power our homes. Discover who we are and how we can get there together.
Portsmouth Climate Action (PCA) helps local residents and organisations better understand the danger of burning fossil fuels, and the many benefits of reducing our emissions. The organisation partners with local community groups, schools, the University and businesses to lower their carbon footprint and create a greener, healthier, more prosperous city.
What they offer:
- Volunteering
Get your skates on this festive season, when Portsmouth's Guildhall Square is transformed into a winter wonderland. Portsmouth On Ice will see a real, 646sq m ice rink installed in Guildhall Square - big enough for 200 skaters per session. We will have a bar onsite.
What they offer
- Part-time jobs
Portsmouth’s Play Youth and Community (PYC) Service is part of Portsmouth City Council’s Housing, Neighbourhood and Buildings Directorate. We are committed to supporting children, young people, and families across the city through inclusive, open-access services.
What they offer:
- Part-time jobs
R
Whether you want to find job opportunities and careers at RGIS or need to work to have extra money to pay bills… RGIS is the company for you! A global market leader needs reliable individuals who find rapid change exhilarating, enjoy flexible hours and schedules, and desire to grow in a company that will notice your hard work. RGIS is that company.
What they offer
- Part-time jobs
We are an organisation with a reputation for developing innovative responses to people who are struggling to improve their family’s difficult circumstances whether from homelessness or family breakdown. We work with families, children, young people and vulnerable adults.
What we offer
- Volunteering opportunities
Visit the Roberts Centre website
The Volunteer Cadet Corps (VCC) was formed on 14 February 1901 as the Royal Marines Artillery Cadet Corps at Eastney Barracks to ‘painfully occupy the spare time of sons of senior Non-Commissioned Officers’ after the Colonel’s office window was broken by a ball. Since then, the VCC has expanded to include Royal Navy cadet units, welcomed girls and now has 11 units, including 2 bands. The VCC is a MOD sponsored youth organisation and part of the Royal Navy’s Cadet Forces and is unique in being solely based in a number of Naval establishments. We are managed and run by unpaid volunteer staff. We are open to young people between the ages of 9 and 18, and we aim to help develop them into dependable and reliable members of society by using the traditions, standards and ethos of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
What we offer
- Volunteering opportunities
S
Spark Community Space is a warm, welcoming charity based in Fratton, Portsmouth. We support people facing loneliness and isolation through our community hub, donation-based café, and charity shop, having evolved from online coffee mornings. Spark began as a lifeline for our founder after a life-changing brain injury – and has now become a thriving space where everyone belongs.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
Spurgeons is a national Children’s charity. The Invisible Walls Family Support Service aims to support families of offenders serving sentences in Hampshire. As part of this work we are providing a "wrap around” service during prison visits at HMP/YOI Winchester. This will provide families with a warm welcome, refreshments, advice and support during a stressful time.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
Summerley Recruitment are a friendly and approachable recruitment agency based in Chichester, West Sussex.
We specialise in the catering and hospitality industry and our team has a combined 50 years experience in this sector.
We provide professional temporary and permanent recruitment services to candidates and clients, both locally and nationwide.
What they offer:
- Part-time work
The Sustainable Conservation Trust is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation and use of historic structures. It was founded in 2020 by a collective of architects, experts and professionals working in heritage environments who see themselves as proactive advocates of heritage – promoting, educating, and campaigning to protect it. The SCT aims to present a practical, unified approach to facilitating the regeneration and meaningful redevelopment of heritage assets that can in turn benefit community, creatives and non-profit organisations. There are many beautiful unused historical buildings around us; equally, every community knows what it needs. It is SCT’s mission that no community feels bereft or frustrated that a wonderful historic building lies unused while their need for space is unmet.
What they offer:
- Volunteering roles
Sue Ryder is one of the largest charity retailers in the UK with over 400 shops. Every item sold in our shops generates funding so we can continue to provide 2.7 million hours of expert medical, practical, bereavement and emotional support every year, in our hospices, in people's homes and in the community. We are here to make sure that everyone approaching the end of life or living with grief can access the support they need. Sue Ryder places huge value on the diversity that we have within our team of volunteers and supporters. *Winners of the Employer of the Year for the People in Retail Awards 2023 – Retail Bulletin*
What they offer:
- Volunteering roles
T
Hygiene poverty is not being able to afford many of the everyday hygiene and personal grooming products most of us take for granted, like shampoo, laundry detergent, tampons, nappies or toothpaste. At The Hygiene Bank, we believe it is not right that feeling clean should be a luxury or a privilege for anyone in our society, yet 4.2 million adults in the UK are living in hygiene poverty and cannot afford to stay clean. That is why our network of projects exists – to give people access to the basics they need.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
Toucan Diversity Training was set up in 2013, as a Social Enterprise. We deliver Equality and Diversity Training, with a focus on Disability. All our trainers have direct experience of the issues they discuss. Our sessions are interactive, using different training methods such as group discussions and questionnaires.
The training aims to raise awareness of the obstacles that people face, to achieve better inclusion of the most disadvantaged groups in our society.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
U
The University of Portsmouth Students’ Union is a vibrant, forward-thinking organisation with a vision of "delivering a positive impact with every Portsmouth student”. As a charity led by its values and guided by its students, the Union provides wide-ranging services and activities for the 20,000 + students of the University of Portsmouth. The Union is based in the centre of Portsmouth, employing approximately 35 career staff and a further 35 student staff. The organisation also works with over 1000 registered student volunteers and over 100 student groups.
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
The ambassador scheme offers undergraduate and postgraduate students the chance to represent the University at both on-campus and off-campus events. You’ll be involved in things like open days, campus tours, higher education fairs, and school workshops. The scheme helps inspire others to explore higher education and consider studying at the University of Portsmouth. As a University Ambassador, you’ll be a positive role model and a key part of this work.
What they offer:
- Part-time work
The Reading Scheme is a volunteer project that is based in local primary schools, where you can volunteer for an hour (or more) a week helping school children from reception to year 6 develop their reading skills. You may also have the opportunity to help with other tasks like providing teaching assistant support, helping with after-school clubs, and on school trips (look at the details on the individual school's role description to find out more).
What they offer:
- Volunteering opportunities
V
V.L.A.D. Outreach CIC is a community-led organisation providing accessible and inclusive mental health support to vulnerable and marginalised individuals. One of its key branches focuses on the gaming community, creating safe, welcoming online environments where people can connect, play, and find support. Understanding that traditional mental health services are not always accessible, V.L.A.D. Outreach CIC offers tailored therapeutic interventions specifically for gamers. Through virtual outreach, we are developing safe therapeutic spaces within platforms like Minecraft and Roblox—integrated with Discord and Twitch—to help reduce stigma, build resilience, provide therapeutic engagement and ensure that no one feels alone, whether online or offline.
What they offer
- Volunteering roles
Vespasian has a wealth of knowledge and operational experience in a range of security sectors. The introduction and use of innovative technologies across our services is at the forefront of our pledge to be professional, effective and accountable at all times.
What they offer:
- Part-time work
MyCareer
You don't have to wait for Work Experience Fest! Start browsing the work experience and part-time opportunities today through your MyCareer account.
Benefits of work experience
If you want to leave university with the best chances of a successful future, you have to go beyond the lecture theatre!
Landing a part-time job
It's no secret that the cost of living crisis has made securing a part-time job high in everyone's priorities. We've got some tips and advice to help you stand out from the crowd.
