Employers
Offering interviews, work trials or entry-level roles to people we support is the single most valuable thing a business can do for us. We stay involved through the placement so you are not carrying the risk alone.
Get involved
Time, goods, skills or money — every one of them turns into someone getting indoors.
Volunteer
Give a few hours where they count
You do not need experience of homelessness services to help. You need to be reliable, unshockable and willing to treat people as equals. We train the rest.
Outreach teams
Evening and early-morning rounds, handing out drinks, food and kit, and building the relationships that get people indoors.
Shelter shifts
Welcoming guests, serving meals, making up beds, and being a calm presence through the night.
Kitchen and food
Cooking, prepping and serving hot meals. Food hygiene training provided if you do not already hold a certificate.
Packing care kits
Sorting donated stock and packing socks, toiletries, foil blankets and ponchos into kits for the outreach teams.
Employment mentoring
CV sessions, mock interviews and steady encouragement through the first months of a new job. A few hours a month, long-term.
Skilled and professional help
Legal, medical, accounting, trades, IT or HR expertise given pro bono is worth an enormous amount to a charity our size.
Safeguarding: because we work with adults at risk, some roles require references and a DBS check appropriate to the role. Everyone receives safeguarding training before their first shift. See our safeguarding policy.
Donate goods
What we always need
The most useful donation is rarely the most exciting one. Socks win, every single time.
Most needed
- New socks and underwear — must be new, in any quantity
- Waterproof coats and ponchos, all adult sizes
- Sturdy boots and walking shoes in good condition
- Thermal layers, fleeces, hats, gloves and scarves
- Sleeping bags, roll mats and foil blankets
- Rucksacks and sturdy holdalls
- Unopened toiletries, and hand warmers
Please do not send
- Used underwear or used socks
- Anything torn, stained, damp or in need of repair
- Stiletto heels, formalwear or lightweight fashion items
- Opened food, or anything past its use-by date
- Prescription medicines
- Large furniture or white goods
If you would not give it to a friend, please do not give it to us — sorting unusable donations costs volunteer hours we would rather spend on outreach.
Arranging a drop-off or collection: please email help@theambroseinitiative.org.uk before sending anything, so we can confirm we have somewhere to store it and arrange a time, and let you know where to bring it.
Partners
Organisations and employers
Companies and corporate giving
Payroll giving, matched funding, sponsoring a winter kit run, or sending a team to pack care kits for a day.
Faith groups, schools and community groups
Collections, fundraising events, or coordinating a regular volunteer rota from your congregation, school or society.
Fundraise for us
Runs, bake sales, sponsored silences, birthday collections, a sleep-out in November — all of it helps, and we will support you with materials and our logo.
We follow the Fundraising Code of Practice. If you fundraise in our name, please let us know first so we can make sure you are covered and doing it safely.