Maintenance Volunteer
Centre for Alternative Technology
Volunteer with CAT’s Maintenance Team and gain skills as you help care for CAT’s unique site, our green buildings, and our off-grid sustainable energy systems.
What will you be doing?
As a Maintenance Volunteer you will help to maintain and improve CAT’s unique site. Built on the site of a disused Welsh quarry by a group of inspired volunteers, CAT’s site has a rich and fascinating past. For more than 50 years, CAT has been a place of experimentation, inspiration and learning, where sustainability is embedded into the buildings and landscape.
As a Maintenance Volunteer, you will join the Estates team in caring for and making improvements to the buildings, pathways and infrastructure that are used by staff, students and visitors.
This is a practical role, so previous experience and confidence using a variety of general-purpose tools is desirable. Training and direction will be provided within the Estates Team but a volunteer in this role will need to be proactive and be able to work as part of a volunteer team with minimal staff supervision. This is a perfect role for someone looking to gain practical experience and to build confidence as part of a busy team.
Key elements of the role:
- Open to long term residential volunteers only.
- Support the Estates team with maintenance and repair jobs around site in all weathers. These could include repairs to buildings, routine maintenance such as gutter clearance, monitoring CAT’s off-grid systems and general DIY tasks - Tasks will be uncomplicated and training will be provided.
- Work independently and part of a team on practical tasks.
- Preparation and clear down for practical short courses, Graduate School workshops and events.
- Organise and maintain tools and materials for use across site.
- Support CAT’s Estates team to care for CAT’s unique site.
We’re looking for people who:
- Would like to gain experience working as part of a practical maintenance team.
- Enjoy volunteering and working alongside others
- Have some practical experience and confidence using a variety of general-purpose tools and maintenance processes.
- Are comfortable living as part of a community
- Are proactive, keen to learn and self-motivated
- Are friendly, respectful and trustworthy
- Are reliable and enthusiastic about making a difference
- Have knowledge, interest or a willingness to learn about sustainability and CAT’s work
Full food and board provided.
Applications for the Autumn 2026 placement open.
The deadline for applications is 9 August 2026.
The trial week for this placement will be Tuesday 1st to Friday 4th September 2026
The Autumn 2026 placement will be 19th October – 26 March 2027
About Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)
CAT is an educational charity dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change.
We speak to government and campaigners about policies that would help create a zero carbon Britain; we train students in all aspects of sustainability; we help schoolchildren to understand the importance of action on climate change; and we give advice to householders on what they can do in their own homes.
CAT is an educational charity dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change. We speak to government and campaigners about policies that would help create a zero carbon Britain; we train students in all aspects of sustainability; we help schoolchildren to understand the importance of action on climate change; and we give advice to householders on what they can do in their own homes.
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