RNLI have various volunteer roles available including fundraisers, water safety officers and operational lifeboat crew.
- Fundraisers engage with the community and organise events to raise funds for the RNLI which is funded solely through charitable giving.
- Water Safety Officers engage with community groups and businesses based on or near the water and share messages about water safety including the importance of using lifejackets. School visits to share these messages is an important part of this role.
- Operational Lifeboat Crew volunteer to go afloat as tasked by HM Coastguard to answer emergency calls. Initial training is done mostly on evenings and weekends and takes approximately one year.
What could a volunteer gain from the experience:
All the roles offer the volunteer a chance to be a part of this amazing charity that saves lives at sea. The RNLI's workforce is made up of 97% volunteers and is committed to making the volunteer experience a good one. There are long-established teams in both Stromness and Kirkwall who are keen to welcome new volunteers in a range of areas.
Experience required
No prior experience is necessary for any of the roles.
Some fundraising roles require a willingness to engage with the public, though some roles are behind the scenes.
Water Safety Officer roles look for individuals who are confident speaking in front of large groups of people.
Operation lifeboat crew roles require individuals who work well in a team and are happy to work in adverse conditions at sea. Introductory sessions are provided for volunteers to decide if volunteering as crew is suitable for them, so if you're not sure, please come along and see what we do.
Some roles will require PVG.
Travel details
Operational crew roles require volunteers to live close to the lifeboat station; for other roles you can live anywhere in Orkney and would require some travel to Kirkwall or Stromness.
Training details
- Fundraisers will be trained by their colleagues with support available from RNLI Headquarters in Poole.
- Water Safety Officers will receive training from colleagues with support available from RNLI Headquarters in Poole.
- Operational Lifeboat Crew will receive shore and sea-based training from their colleagues and attend a 2-day Crew Emergency Procedures Course in Poole.
All volunteers will have a named point of contact for support.
Volunteers (aged 12-25) taking part in this opportunity are eligible to claim Saltire Awards hours for their activity. Find out more
