Commonwealth War Graves Student Volunteer Guides Programme

The Commonwealth War Graves Student Volunteer Guides Programme is a project aiming to engage and educate young people by working with volunteer university students from across the UK.

We’ve partnered with several prestigious UK universities to give history students the opportunity to work with Commonwealth War Graves during their time studying.

Each year, we select 2-6 Student Volunteers to work with us (numbers change depending on how many apply!)

Student volunteers can grow their practical skills, grow their knowledge, share the stories of those in our care, and get real-world experience volunteering with the world’s leader in commemoration.

What our Student Volunteers Say

Zoe Lambert

“This programme has not only helped me to develop my organisation and communication skills but has also enlarged my knowledge of world conflicts and how important it is to remember every life, every story, and every sacrifice. I am very grateful for this experience and for everything it has taught me.”

Nicholas Budgen

“I found the experience highly rewarding. I have become confident at public speaking, which has proven advantageous when contributing to discussions in university seminars. applied for the Voluntary Speaker scheme because I felt a strong desire to ensure that future generations would remember this sacrifice. This enthusiasm has only strengthened since I joined Commonwealth War Graves”

Laavanya Vardarajan

"Serving as a Speaker Volunteer Intern with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission over the past year has been an incredibly exciting experience. In addition to helping me develop research skills to navigate various online databases, the touching individual stories showed me how meaningful the work of the Commission is, and why the next generation must continue to tell these inspiring stories for ages to come."

Partner Universities

We are delighted to partner with some of the UK's leading universities and higher education centres on this incredible programme:

University of Glasgow
University of Winchester
University of Central Lancashire
University of Edinburgh
University of London Royal Holloway

How to apply

Students volunteer through the History or Career/Placement departments of their respective universities.

If you would like more information, you can also contact Commonwealth War Graves directly at public.engagement@cwgc.org.

Donate Online Now

By donating to the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, you are helping us to keep the stories of the brave servicemen and women who died in the two World Wars alive. Can you help us ensure that their sacrifice is not forgotten?

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Your donation enables us to continue sharing the inspiring stories of those like Ensign Violette Szabo, a brave SOE operative and spy who was executed in Ravensbrück concentration camp and posthumously awarded the George Cross. Violette is commemorated at our Brookwood Memorial.