5 Accompanying project volunteer volunteer volunteer roles

Help people reconnect with nature, build confidence, and feel part of their community.

Penrose Roots delivers a range of inspiring recovery projects across Luton, including community gardens, social groups, and bike maintenance initiatives. We're looking for enthusiastic, supportive volunteers to help people take their first steps into these life-changing activities.

As a Community Buddy, you'll be matched with individuals who may have experienced long-term isolation, poor health, or a loss of confidence. You'll help them discover local green activities, make a plan to get involved, and, if they'd like, accompany them to their first few sessions until they feel confident attending independently.

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference. A friendly face and a little encouragement can help someone build new connections, improve their wellbeing, and rediscover the joy of nature and community.

Location: Based in Luton within a non-residential setting. Unfortunately, this location does not have step free access. 

What is the Commitment?

Because building trust and relationships takes time, we are looking for volunteers who can commit to supporting members regularly - ideally between 4 and 10 hours per week for at least two months.

Volunteering must take place during the service's working hours (Monday - Saturday 10am-3pm) but there is flexibility within that. We will work with you to find a schedule that fits around your life and the needs of the service. 

About You

We’re looking for volunteers who are compassionate, proactive, and ready to make a difference! If you’re someone who can support people going through complex personal situations with empathy and without judgment, we’d love to hear from you.

We also welcome volunteers with lived experience of mental health, social care, or recovery-focused services, as well as those who’ve worked in caring roles or supported loved ones. Your insight and understanding can be incredibly valuable. 

You’ll need to be confident in planning days and journeys in and around Luton independently, and have a positive, encouraging attitude to help others step outside their comfort zones and try something new. Beyond this, we are very open to what you can bring to the team!

What You Can Expect From Us

To support you and set you up for success in your volunteering role with us, you can expect that we will:

• Work with you to find a volunteering arrangement that works for you and for the service. We will be as flexible as we can!
• Reimburse you for agreed expenses relating to your volunteering.
• Welcome you warmly into our team and support you to get the most from your experience.
• Recognise and celebrate your contribution to the team! We can provide references to confirm your achievements and contributions upon request.
• Provide the training and guidance you need to understand the context of our services and to keep you and residents and participants safe
• Provide regular supervision and opportunities to provide feedback on your experience
• You will be eligible to register with Blue Light Discount Card. 

About Us

Penrose Roots delivers community-based recovery services across Luton, from community gardens and social groups to bike maintenance projects. This volunteer role supports our Green Social Prescribing Triage system, helping individuals who have experienced long-term isolation or ill health to access and engage with green projects, build confidence, and reconnect with their community. 

Penrose Roots community-based recovery services are part of the Social Interest Group. SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
 

Additional Information

For information about our volunteer recruitment processes, please see our website and Volunteer Recruitment Policy. 

Gardening Volunteer

Location: Amadeus House, 18 Corfton Road, Ealing, London, W5 2HT

Timings: Flexible

About Waythrough

Waythrough provides specialist support across mental health, alcohol, drugs and related areas. We delivery high-quality, evidence-based services designed around the real needs of the people we serve.

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through over 250 services - and it's all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community 

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change. 

The Crisis Recovery House supports people experiencing a mental health crisis, as an alternative to hospital admission, where appropriate. It also helps individuals discharged from hospital who need a brief period of intensive support.

As a Gardening Volunteer, you’ll work alongside staff and residents to care for the garden at Amadeus House and to co‑create engaging gardening sessions. Together, you’ll help maintain an inclusive, therapeutic outdoor space by sharing gardening skills, supporting hands‑on tasks, and contributing ideas for seasonal or themed activities. Your involvement will help make the garden a shared, welcoming environment that supports residents’ wellbeing and recovery.

Tasks may include:

• Taking a lead role in the garden’s day‑to‑day care and upkeep, working collaboratively with staff and residents.
• Maintaining the garden so it remains safe, tidy, welcoming, and vibrant — including planting, watering, pruning, and general tidying.
• Organising and delivering gardening sessions with residents, teaching and learning basic gardening skills together in an inclusive way.
• Supporting residents with hands‑on tasks such as planting, weeding, composting, and harvesting.
• Planning and delivering seasonal gardening activities (e.g., spring planting, autumn tidy‑ups) in collaboration with residents and staff.
• Helping develop themed areas such as herb gardens, raised beds, or flower and vegetable plots, encouraging shared ownership and creativity.
• Accompanying residents on visits to garden centres or local green spaces as part of gardening projects.
• Bringing enthusiasm, encouragement, and imagination to help make the garden a therapeutic and enjoyable shared space.
• Fostering teamwork, creativity, and a sense of collective pride in the garden.

Skills/qualities we would like you to bring to the role:

• Hands-on gardening knowledge with an enthusiasm for helping others grow their skills.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, along with basic IT confidence.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to keep track of tasks and share updates with the team.
• A caring, patient and non‑judgmental approach when working with people with lived experience of mental health challenges.
• Reliability and good time‑keeping.
• The ability to work collaboratively with staff and residents, while also being comfortable taking initiative or following guidance.
• An understanding of Waythrough’s work and a genuine interest in contributing to our mission and values.
• A commitment to maintaining confidentiality, professional boundaries, and Waythrough policies, and to engaging in supervision and completing relevant training (including safeguarding, boundaries, cyber security, DEIB, and health & safety).

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy:

• Discounts from various schemes

• Training and personal development

• A chance to make a real difference in people’s lives

• Free induction and role-specific training

• Support from experienced staff and regular supervision

• Opportunities to meet new people and develop your confidence

• Reimbursement for travel and agreed expenses

• Valuable experience that can support your personal or career development

Inclusion and accessibility 

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. 

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme  - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

ABOUT US 

Central and North West London (CNWL) Trust has almost 7,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. 

Arts in Health (AiH) is a step-down service from the Community Mental Health Hubs (CMHH), offering a programme of regular creative activities to support adults with lived experiences of mental health difficulties.

Our programme consists of weekly sessions on a Thursday – taking place at an art studio in W9 and cultural visits to museums and galleries across Central London. 

Participants can attend Arts in Health for roughly 8 months. Therefore, we request that volunteers commit to 8 months (1 term) or the whole year (2 terms) if possible. 

Term 1 runs from Sept 2026 – March 2027 and Term 2 runs from April 2027 – Dec 2027.

ABOUT THE ROLE 

We are looking for a local volunteer ‘travel buddy’ to accompany and support a participant from home to the Arts in Health session locations, every Thursday. This would best suit someone living close to Westminster or Kensington & Chelsea due to travel time, but we are open to further afield. 

Participants may need support because they feel anxious travelling alone, going to a new place, taking public transport, have fluctuations in their mental health, or need the accountability of having a travel buddy.

You won’t be attending the 2 hour sessions (2-4pm) of the project, but you will be free to spend those two hours looking at shops, museums, reading, or going to a cafe.

COMMITMENT AND LOCATION 

You will need to be available on Thursday afternoons, from late September, to provide weekly support - arriving with your participant at the selected venue by 1.45pm and picking up just after 4pm. This means you'll approximately be needed from late morning until early evening, depending on travel times. 

Travel buddies will have an online induction with the Arts in Health team before the project starts to share more about the project, learn about safeguarding within the team and to answer any questions. 

Programme dates and locations for 2026-27 confirmed once in post. 

Locations 

1. Art Studio -Maida Vale area W9

1. Cultural visit to a museum / gallery* - various locations across central London

*There may be slight changes to time on occasion according to the venue 

KEY TASKS 

• Travel to the participant’s home or a mutually agreed location nearby; meet them outside 

• Supporting a participant to travel to and from the venue, from their home, using public transport, to ensure they get to the session with time to settle before it starts

• Plan the journey from where you greet participant, to the session location in advance 

• Wait patiently for two hours without attending the session, and then travel back to their home location at the designated time

• Encourage the regular attendance of participants 

• Report any issues or concerns to the AiH team 

• Read and follow our policies & procedures - designed to keep you safe, including guidance around confidentiality 

KEY TRAITS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

• A kind, caring and supportive nature, with an ability to relate positively with both staff and clients 

• Be organised, with the ability to plan travel routes and travel confidently using public transport 

• Empathetic, compassionate, patient, tolerant and considerate 

• Good communication skills, including responding to emails and calls in a timely manner 

• An interest in working with mental health, adults with complex needs and learning more about using the arts for wellbeing and self expression. 

• An understanding of individual patients’ needs taking into consideration cultural and religious requirements 

• Reliability: to be someone we can rely on 

• Committed: to be consistent and dependable

• The ability to work independently whilst staying within the role’s boundaries, recognising what should and shouldn’t be done, when to seek advice or report concerns. 

• Committed to the values and policies of the Trust, including Data Protection and Equal Opportunities

WHAT IS IN THERE FOR YOU? 

• The opportunity to gain experience and develop knowledge and skills of working with adults with experiences of mental health issues 

• Provide a supportive and empathetic service 

• Learn about safeguarding adults 

• Learn more about the ethos and work of Arts in Health 

• Experience and insight into working within the NHS and healthcare sector, and working within a community environment

• Full support and a range of relevant training, including local induction and orientation 

• Access to the Volunteer to Career (VtC) programme to support you enter careers in the NHS through volunteering once 30 hours of volunteering have been completed 

• A reference for future volunteering or employment, following completion of at least 60 hours of volunteering 

• Following our expenses policy, reimbursement of agreed expenses

Read Easy UK is a registered charity that works through affiliated local groups to provide one-to-one reading coaching to adults, using trained volunteers. By enabling people to tackle their reading difficulties, Read Easy also allows each individual to grow in confidence and self-esteem, become more independent, move on to other forms of education if they wish, and improve their employment opportunities. Each affiliated Read Easy group is run entirely by volunteers and aims to provide interesting and rewarding opportunities to all involved to help change lives for the better. 

What you would be doing:

• Developing the literacy skills of an adult Reader who has difficulty with reading
• Meeting with your Reader for two separate half hour sessions each week face to face in an approved venue or remotely on a video call or a combination of both
• Providing non-judgemental literacy support to your Reader
• Utilising your empathy and understanding to support your Reader
• Delivering the phonics based Turning Pages programme with guidance for coaches on every page and using other approved resources
• Keeping records of your meetings
• Liaising with your allocated Coordinator and Literacy Specialist.

Personal Qualities Required to be a Reading Coach:

• Confident reading skills
• Clear communicator
• Ability to demonstrate empathy and understanding whilst maintaining boundaries
• Ability to talk and listen to the person you coach in a patient, positive, encouraging and purposeful way
• A non-judgemental attitude and a positive respect for others, regardless of abilities, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or age
• Ability to focus on your Reader and their needs
• Ability to work alone, seeking support when necessary