Volunteer Lifeguard Support: Dawlish - Sandy Bay to Teignmouth

Join a team of like-minded people, do work that truly matters, and spend your summer staying fit and living life outdoors. Be part of something bigger, join us in 2026 as we celebrate 25 years of RNLI Lifeguarding!

About the Role:

As we celebrate 25 years of RNLI Lifeguards, we’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our beach teams as Volunteer Lifeguard Support. This is a hands-on role where you’ll work alongside professional lifeguards, supporting the day-to-day running of beach operations and helping keep visitors safe.

You’ll play an important part in public safety, providing advice and guidance to beachgoers, assisting with beach management, and helping ensure that the team can deliver a smooth and effective lifesaving service. It’s a great opportunity to build experience and confidence in a supportive environment, especially if you’re working towards becoming a qualified lifeguard in the future.

You’ll need at least a valid Lifeguard Support Award to take on this role.

Volunteer Lifeguard Support roles are available at beaches across the UK and Channel Islands. Some beaches make use of 4x4s and all-terrain vehicles, so while a full driving licence can be helpful, it’s not essential.

About You

To thrive in this role, you should be:

• Approachable, professional, and a team player.
• Passionate about lifesaving and helping others stay safe.
• Calm under pressure with good communication skills.
• Able to represent the RNLI’s values and provide a positive, helpful presence to the public.

Volunteers must be at least 16 and of school leaving age. Non-EU residents will need documentation confirming their right to volunteer in the UK.

The RNLI is flexible about the time commitment for this role, but we recommend a contribution of at least 80 hours across the season to make the most of the experience.

Be Part of Something Bigger

Volunteering in a Lifeguard Support role is a chance to gain practical experience, meet great people, and play a vital role in saving lives at sea. Join us this season, be part of something bigger and help make a real difference on our beaches.

Safeguarding

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Diversity at the RNLI

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.