Books2Africa is a UK-registered charity (1152599) and a charity in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Founded in 2012, the charity has grown from a student society at the University of Kent to an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation that continues to impact the UK and Africa from the cathedral city of Canterbury. We have remote and office-based volunteering opportunities for people in the UK or international volunteers looking to enrol on our IVP programme and get a Tier 5 charity worker visa.
Be part of a charity that is protecting the environment and improving education in Africa through readcycling!
Develop skills in data-entry and logistics and charity experience. Get a certificate and reference letters.
Gain new connections working in a diverse team with others with different levels of experience.
Bring your own food and use our kitchen facilities with tea/coffee available, or order via our Uber Eats App.
Get a ride to and from the charity if you reside in Canterbury or claim back your travel expenses.
If you are currently residing in the UK as a UK citizen or on a visa you can apply for the following volunteering roles:
Processing Support Officers are needed to join the Processing Team at our Processing Centre in Canterbury. You’ll be processing and cataloguing donated books into our database using a barcode scanner and a keyboard to scan or type the barcodes, ISBN numbers or metadata (title, author and publisher) of donated books.
Skills Required: Able to read, write and communicate fluently in English and have good typing skills. Experience in data entry is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.
Location: Books2Africa Processing Centre, Unit 2, Barton Business Park, New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3AA.
Available Shifts: Volunteers can arrive at anytime between 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, but only those who arrive before 10 am are entitled to free lunch.
Certificates and references: A certificate and references are provided only after completing a minimum of 200 volunteering hours.
Grant Support Officers are required to join the Impact Team, working remotely. You’ll be completing funding applications every month to raise money towards our 1 Million Books Fund which covers the shipping cost of 1,000,000 books and 1,000 computers from the UK to Africa annually.
Skills Required: Good IT skills, excellent reading, writing and research skills and ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience in writing grant applications is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.
Location: This is a remote volunteering role so access to a computer and internet is required for team meetings on Zoom, and a smart device to install apps used for internal messaging (Slack) and tracking your hours (SignInApp). Volunteers can also work from our office in Canterbury if they prefer.
Available Shifts: Volunteers can work at anytime they prefer but must aim to complete at least 1 grant application a month from a list of funding opportunities provided, and attend 1 team meeting a month on Zoom.
Certificates and references: A certificate and references are provided only after completing a minimum of 200 volunteering hours.
If you are currently residing outside the UK and are not a UK citizen, Books2Africa can sponsor your Tier 5 Charity Worker visa to volunteer with us in the UK on our International Volunteering Programme (IVP) for 6 months or 1 year.
Our International Volunteering Programme (IVP) enables you to gain first-hand experience with an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and provides candidates with the opportunity to develop transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and organisation that are essential for any professional career.
International volunteers are invited to support Books2Africa’s charitable mission through temporary, hands-on activities and fieldwork at our UK Processing Centre in Canterbury. Volunteers take part in orientation, seminars, mission-aligned field visits and community-based activities that raise awareness and contribute to the collecting, sorting, packing, and shipment of donated books and educational materials to African schools and communities. The programme lasts up to 12 months, is unpaid, and operates under the Tier 5 Charity Worker visa. Volunteers must reside locally in Canterbury/Kent and cover their own accommodation, food, and travel expenses. The IVP programme offers international volunteers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a charitable cause while gaining international experience that can be applied to community development in their home countries. Details of fieldtrips and activities can be found in the IVP Prospectus attached.
Volunteer PHP/Laravel developer required to join our IT Team, working remotely and at your convenience.
Campaign Support Officers are required to join our Marketing Team, working remotely and at your convenience. You can volunteer on your own or as part of a group with your friends/colleagues.
Tech Support Officers are required to join the Tech Refurbishing Team at our Processing Centre in Canterbury.