Volunteering at Stonebridge

Volunteering at Stonebridge is not about filling time. It is our primary pathway into structure, responsibility and progression.

Volunteers take on real roles across the farm, including animal care, food growing, maintenance and the café. Through this, they build routine, reliability, and practical skills that transfer into wider life, education and employment.

From the very beginning, Stonebridge was shaped by volunteers seeking connection, purpose, and a safe space to grow. Many faced challenges such as isolation, trauma, or disability, yet their contributions built the thriving community we celebrate today. Over time, we developed intentional roles and routines designed to support people’s well-being, a reflection of our belief that everyone deserves a place to belong.

Volunteering at Stonebridge is about being part of a working farm. Volunteers help keep the site running day to day, alongside staff, animals, and other volunteers.

Many people volunteer here for the structure, routine, and sense of belonging that comes from turning up and being relied on.

We welcome around 160 volunteers on site each week. Volunteers are the heartbeat of Stonebridge – each and every volunteer has an important role to play – we couldn't run the farm without them!

What volunteering involves

A regular commitment, usually one day a week
A minimum shift length (4 hours)
Working as part of a team in a public, shared space
Following farm routines, boundaries, and safety guidance

Green Skills & Futures

The farm is a live environment where green skills are experienced in practice, not taught in isolation.

Young people and volunteers engage in:

food growing and sustainable land use
animal care and welfare
environmental maintenance
low-waste and sustainable food preparation

These activities reflect real roles within the green economy, including agriculture, food systems, environmental management and land-based work.

By participating in day-to-day operations, individuals begin to see green careers as relevant, achievable and meaningful.

We are developing partnerships with training providers and employers to strengthen pathways from initial engagement into green skills training and employment.

Young People

We work with young people aged 14 – 21, particularly those who may not otherwise access structured opportunities.

Through hands-on roles across the farm, young people:

build confidence and independence
develop practical green and transferable skills
experience routine, teamwork and responsibility
gain insight into potential career pathways

Our focus is not short-term activity, but long-term direction.

We support young people to move from initial engagement into training, work experience and further opportunities where possible.

Volunteering at Stonebridge

What volunteering involves

What happens next

Green Skills & Futures

Young People