See current opportunities to volunteer near Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham and across North East England.
What you need to be an IMB volunteer
Be over 18 years of age.
Live within 30 miles of the prison or immigration detention facility or a reasonable distance for travel.
Commit to around 2 – 3 visits a month (sometimes more during the induction period) and regular attendance at monthly board meetings.
You do not need any special qualifications or experience. We provide all necessary training and support.
County Durham volunteer opportunities
HMP/YOI Deerbolt
Type: male, young offender, category C
Location: Barnard Castle, DL12 9BG
Accessibility: visitor car park and public transport options available
HMP Deerbolt is a category C training prison for adult males and young offenders.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Deerbolt.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
HMP Durham
Type: male, category B
Location: Durham, DH1 3HU
Accessibility: no visitor car park, public transport and access by foot available
HMP Durham is a category B reception and resettlement prison for adult males and young offenders.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Durham.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
HMP Frankland
Type: male, category A
Location: Brasside, DH1 5YA
Accessibility: visitor car park and public transport available
HMP Frankland is a high security category A prison for adult males. Provision includes a psychologically informed planned environment (PIPE) unit for those with a diagnosed personality disorder.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Frankland.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
HMP Holme House
Type: male, category B
Location: Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 2QU
Accessibility: visitor car parking and public transport available
HMP Holme House is a category B training and resettlement prison for adult males. Provision includes a psychologically informed planned environment (PIPE) unit.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Holme House.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
HMP Low Newton
Type: female, closed
Location: Brasside, DH1 5YA
Accessibility: visitor car park and public transport available
HMP Low Newton is a local and resettlement prison and young
offender institution for women over the age of 18. As such, we would particularly welcome applications from females.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Low Newton.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
Northumberland volunteer opportunities
HMP Northumberland
Type: male, category C
Location: Morpeth, NE65 9XG
Accessibility: visitor parking and public transport options available
HMP Northumberland is a privately operated category C prison for adult males. It is currently run by Sodexo.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Northumberland.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
Yorkshire volunteer opportunities
HMP/YOI Askham Grange
Type: female, open
Location: York, YO23 3FT
Accessibility: visitor car park and public transport options available
HMP/YOI Askham Grange is an open prison and young offender institution for women aged 18 and over. It also houses a mother and baby unit which allows for up to ten mothers to continue caring for their child up until the age of eighteen months.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Askham Grange.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP/YOI Doncaster
Type: male, category B
Location: Doncaster, DN5 8UX
Accessibility: visitor car park, public transport options and access by foot available
HMP/YOI Doncaster is privately operated category B local resettlement prison for adult males. It is currently run by Serco.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Doncaster.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP Full Sutton
Type: male, category A and B
Location: York, YO41 1PS
Accessibility: access by car is essential
HMP Full Sutton is a high security prison for category A and B adult males.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Full Sutton.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP/YOI Hatfield
Type: male, category D
Location: Doncaster, DN7 6EL
Accessibility: access by car is essential
HMP/YOI Hatfield is a resettlement prison and young offender institution for men aged 18 and over.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Hatfield.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP/YOI Hull
Type: male, category B
Location: Hull, HU9 5LS
Accessibility: visitor car park and public transport available
HMP/YOI Hull is a category B prison and young offender institution for men aged 18 and over.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Hull.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP Humber
Type: male, category C
Location: Brough, HU15 2JZ
Accessibility: access by car is essential
HMP Humber is a category C training prison for adult males.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Humber.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP/YOI Kirklevington Grange
Type: male, category D
Location: Yarm, TS15 9PA
Accessibility: visitor car park and access by foot available
HMP/YOI Kirklevington Grange is category D open resettlement prison for adult males and young offenders.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Kirklevington Grange.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/North East/2026
HMP Leeds
Type: male, category B
Location: Armley, LS12 2TJ
Accessibility: visitor car park, public transport and access by foot available.
HMP Leeds is a category B local prison for adult males.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Leeds.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026r
HMP Lindholme
Type: male, category C
Location: Doncaster, DN7 6EE
Accessibility: visitor car park available, limited public transport options
HMP Lindholme is a category C training prison for adult males.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Lindholme.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP Millsike
Type: male, category C
Location: York, YO41 1PS (adjacent to HMP Full Sutton)
Accessibility: access by car is essential.
HMP Millsike is a category C resettlement prison. It will house approximately 1500 men, it is a new prison with the first prisoners being accepted in April 2025.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Millsike.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP/YOI Moorland
Type: male, category C
Location: Doncaster, DN7 6BW
Accessibility: access by car is essential
HMP/YOI Moorland is a resettlement prison and young offender institution for men aged 18 and over.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI Moorland.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP/YOI New Hall
Type: female, closed
Location: Flockton, WF4 4XX
Accessibility: access by car is essential
HMP/YOI New Hall is a prison and young offender institution for women aged 18 and over. It also houses a mother and baby unit which can accommodate up to nine mothers and their babies.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP/YOI New Hall.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP Wakefield
Type: male, category A
Location: Wakefield, WF2 9AG
Accessibility: visitor car park, public transport and access by foot available
HMP Wakefield is a long-term high security prison for adult males, including those convicted of sexual offences.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Wakefield.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMP Wealstun
Type: male, category C
Location: Wetherby, LS23 7AZ
Accessibility: visitor car park available, limited public transport options
HMP Wealstun is a category C training and resettlement prison for adult males.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMP Wealstun.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
HMYOI Wetherby
Type: male, young people
Location: Wetherby, LS22 5ED
Accessibility: visitor car park available, limited public transport options.
HMYOI Wetherby is the largest young offender institution in the country, holding 150 young people.
Board members are expected to undertake around 2-3 visits a month and attend Board meetings, flexibility will be considered where possible to accommodate work and care commitments. You need to work well as part of a team, be enthusiastic and open minded, with the ability to make sound objective judgments. Candidates are required to live within 30 miles of HMYOI Wetherby.
Closing date:18 February 2026
Campaign Reference: 1303/York Humber/2026
If there are no opportunities in a prison or immigration detention facility near you, register your interest. We will let you know as soon as the next campaign opens.