Volunteer with The Loop


As a non-profit organisation, The Loop relies on the support of our volunteers to help run our services. 

The expression of interest forms for new volunteers are currently closed. We are working through existing applications at present. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us, and please check back again!


Volunteering with The Loop has given me the opportunity to engage in such meaningful work; helping others and contributing to positive societal change.
— Chloe, Healthcare Volunteer

Roles


Healthcare team 

Our Interest Form is the first stage in our application process to become a volunteer with The Loop.

Working under supervision, harm reduction/healthcare staff play a vital role in our services. Healthcare teams deliver individually tailored healthcare consultations to provide accurate, non judgemental risk reduction advice to our service users. The healthcare consultations adopt a harm reduction philosophy and discuss a wide range of issues such as polydrug use, hydration, dosage and mental and sexual health.

Eligible qualifications: 

Qualified medical doctor or nurse.

Pharmacists, social workers, medical staff, probation officers and substance misuse practitioners with 2+ years employment experience.

Knowledge of and commitment to drug harm reduction.

Please fill in this form in order to apply. You should receive an email confirming your application immediately, with a copy of your responses. Please note, however, that due to the large number of applications we receive, we cannot train everyone who applies.


Chemistry team

Our Interest Form is the first stage in our application process to become a volunteer with The Loop.

Working under supervision, lab staff play a vital role in our drug checking and non-public drug testing services. Their role is to identify, and where appropriate, quantify the components in substances of concern. They also work with other staff and external stakeholders including local police forces.

Required: 

Completed or due to complete this summer an undergraduate degree in chemistry or related science. Alternatively, 5 years of relevant industry/research experience in analytical chemistry, upon consideration.  

Please fill in this form in order to express your interest in volunteering. You should receive an email confirming receipt immediately, with a copy of your responses. We regularly review received interest in volunteering, and then invite people to complete full application. Please note that due to the large amount of interest we receive, it may take some time to be invited to this next stage, and we cannot always take forward all who express interest.


Research Team

Our Interest Form is the first stage in our application process to become a volunteer with The Loop.

Working under supervision, researchers conduct a variety of in-house projects including, first and foremost, evaluating The Loop’s drug checking services and associated drug testing and harm reduction activities. Additionally, The Loop researchers collect data for the annual English Festival Study and contribute to a number of cross-disciplinary and international research projects with other drug checking organisations. With more than ten peer-reviewed publications to date on The Loop’s work, there are lots of opportunities to contribute to the research team’s work from data collection and analysis through to publication and dissemination, linked with the research, chemistry, healthcare and media and communications workstreams.

Required: 

Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field; undergraduate degree in social sciences (or in your final year); or experience in either a relevant practice setting or in social science research.

Please fill in this form in order to express your interest in volunteering. You should receive an email confirming receipt immediately, with a copy of your responses. We regularly review received interest in volunteering, and then invite people to complete full application. Please note that due to the large amount of interest we receive, it may take some time to be invited to this next stage, and we cannot always take forward all who express interest.


Jeff Smith MP, co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform, thanking volunteers for attending a Loop training day, Manchester Albert Hall 2018. Photo Credit: Gary Brown


I have different skills I would like to offer…

The Loop welcomes applicants with a diverse range of skills to help drive our service forward. This may include experience in the areas of communication, graphic design, media and press. Applicants should have relevant experience in their area and be suited to working in a volunteer-led team.