Pro Bono OR Volunteering

You can make a difference as a Pro Bono OR Volunteer

Our mission is to help charitable organisations tackle challenges and improve their impact.

Pro Bono OR enables third sector organisations to benefit from Operational Research (OR) and reach their full potential. As organisations face increasing pressure to reduce costs whilst improving efficiency and effectiveness, OR can play a key part in helping them survive and thrive.

You will have the opportunity to work with charitable organisations to define project objectives, undertake OR analysis and deliver outcomes. You can cultivate your skills and practice them in a wider arena, whilst helping third sector organisations improve. Pro Bono OR makes a huge difference by supporting charities with:

• more effective decisions,
• better strategy,
• slicker systems,
• measuring performance and impact,
• improving data analysis and insight,
• or indeed anything that will improve effectiveness

None of this would be possible without the hard work of our volunteers. Use your skills as a volunteer analyst to make a real difference to causes that you care about.

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Requirements for working on a Pro Bono OR Project

You must be at least one of the following:

• A member of The OR Society
• Have 2+ years of experience working in an OR-related field 
• Be studying for a Masters/PhD with a tutor endorsement for the project

You can work as an individual or as part of a team, we also have mentors that can help you along the way.

Find a Pro Bono OR Project

How to get involved

Find and apply for live volunteer opportunities.

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Resources for Pro Bono OR volunteers

We have a lot of resources for Pro Bono OR volunteers, designed to provide additional information, add context to working with the third sector and share resources that may help you with your Pro Bono OR project.

Applying for a Pro Bono OR project

Pro Bono OR project application form

Beginning a Pro Bono OR project

Pro Bono OR volunteer handbook

Guidance document for starting a project

Specimen project proposal form

Resources for project support

Quality Assurance Tools and Guidance

Measuring Impact Resources

Structured Debrief Approach Resource

Accessible Software Resources

Data Governance Guidance

Information about OR and the third sector

Practical Pointers for Success

Information about the third sector

What's so special about the third sector

Theory of Change and Pro Bono OR

OR in the Third Sector Special Interest Group