Activities Support Volunteer Roles in Barnet, Greater London

Do you enjoy meeting people and supporting them, do you have skills you would like to share? We are looking for volunteers to support service users living in community who struggle with mental health - with community engagement support within Haringey. You can support service users in number of meaningful ways of your choice.

What you will be doing

• Supporting service users with attendance of local resources
• Supporting service users with digital inclusion
• Supporting the service by researching and updating database (excel) with local resources available in Haringey
• Supporting staff with facilitation of groups or organise your own activity.

The skills you need

• Calm and patient approach
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

It’s an exciting time for the Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse: momentum is growing, with heightened public awareness of domestic abuse following the pandemic, increased government focus, and employers increasingly recognising their crucial role in enabling employees to recognise the signs of, and seek support on, domestic abuse.

The Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (known as EIDA) is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in our mission to empower employers to act effectively against domestic abuse. 

Our aim is to ensure that all team members, volunteers, trustees, job applicants and the people we come into contact with are given equal opportunity and that our organisation is representative of all sections of society.

We want our board to be representative of our society and membership and particularly welcome applications from people with lived experiences of domestic abuse, people based outside the southeast of England and in the nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and from people with experience as a people manager or employer, large or small.

Who we are

We are a free-to-join members' network of employers and a registered charity supporting over 1,500 large and small employers to take effective action on domestic abuse.  Our members collectively employ over 25% of the UK workforce.

Our mission is to equip employers to support their employees affected by domestic abuse and to share best practice with other employers.

We endeavour to bring about constructive change, leading to a society where survivors thrive, and where domestic abuse is not tolerated.

Our Trustees are volunteer board members who play a vital role in making sure that EIDA achieves its mission.  As a group, they:

• Oversee the overall management and administration of the charity.
• Ensure that EIDA has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision.
• Provide support and challenge to the executive team, enabling EIDA to grow and thrive.

We are seeking up to four new Trustees to join the existing group of eight. 

EIDA has a UK-wide remit with a membership made up of employers, and we want to reflect that across our Trustees.

Trustee duties

Trustees are the people who lead our charity and decide how it is run.  We envisage the trustee duties broadly as:

• Support and provide advice on EIDA’s purpose, vision, goals and activities.
• Attend Board meetings, adequately prepared to contribute to discussions.
• Approve operational strategies and policies and monitor and evaluate their implementation.
• Oversee EIDA’s financial plans and budgets and monitor and evaluate progress.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.
• Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled effectively.
• Review and approve EIDA’s financial statements.
• Provide support and challenge to EIDA’s CEO.
• Keep abreast of changes in EIDA’s operating environment.
• Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect EIDA’s interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third-party interests.
• Participate in periodic appraisals of the performance of the Board of Trustees, collectively and individually.
• Represent EIDA at external functions, meetings and events.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will contribute to the diversity of thinking on our board.

Whether you are an experienced trustee or are looking to take your first step at board level, we would like to hear from you. We ask for:

• Commitment to tackling domestic abuse and EIDA’s mission.
• Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
• Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement.
• Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussions.
• A strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and EIDA’s core values of Collaboration, Empowerment, Versatility, Openness and Kindness.
• Time to commit to supporting the organisation, including attendance at Board meetings (2 hours, 5 times annually), virtual and in-person events (4-6 annually) and any sub committees.
• Ability to build and maintain a healthy network that promotes the aims of EIDA across the business community, to drive member growth, and to enhance EIDA fundraising activities.
• Some experience as an employer or people manager.

Terms of appointment

Position: Trustee

Location: This is a hybrid role, with occasional travel required to Board and network meetings held in central London

Terms: A maximum fixed term appointment of one three-year term followed by a further three-year term

This is a voluntary position, but reasonable expenses are reimbursed.

Time commitment: EIDA’s Board of Trustees meets 4-5 times a year within the working hours of 10-5pm.  Currently meetings are held in London and remotely (Zoom).

Closing date

9am, Monday 10 June 2024.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received, so early applications are appreciated.

General Secretary of ICOMOS-UK (executive position)

Minimum:  2 days per week

The current Secretary is stepping down after twenty years of service to ICOMOS-UK. We are looking for someone to fill the position starting in July 2024. This is currently a part-time un-paid executive (equivalent to a CEO) role with reasonable expenses for out of the office work.  It is an ideal opportunity for anyone who wishes to work as part of an international organisation and bring international heritage conservation ideas and knowledge and practice to the UK. It could suit someone who has part-time availability or has recently retired and wishes to retain an active involvement in the heritage sector within an international dimension. Experience of working in sectors relating to the historic/built environment and/or culture and heritage would be desirable. Experience in managing the development and delivery of governance, policy and operations for a small or medium sized organisation or as part of a larger organisation would be essential. We envisage that an increase in membership which ICOMOS-UK is working towards may generate funding to make the role paid in the future.

The Secretary reports to the President and manages a member of staff (part-time paid staff member) and volunteers who undertake work intermittently. 

We are expecting to fill this post by the beginning of July 2024 and would be happy to arrange an informal chat with ICOMOS-UK’s President about the role, on request.

Application process: closing date for the application is 17th May 2024. Candidates should send a CV, no longer than 2/3 pages, setting out why they wish to apply for the post and all relevant skills, knowledge and experience that support the application. Interviews are scheduled during first week in June 2024. The successful candidate will be notified soon after the interview date. 

Job Description

The role of the General Secretary 

The role of the General Secretary of ICOMOS-UK (equivalent to a CEO of a small organisation) is to take responsibility for the day-to-day function of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), to manage the secretariat (including the Operations Manager and volunteer staff), to support the work of the President and Executive Committee, and to oversee the national and international activities of ICOMOS-UK. The General Secretary will report to the President. 

The organisation has been through a review and has been implementing its revised vision to increase ICOMOS-UK’s membership, (which currently stands at 470-500), and raise the organisation’s profile. We are a broad church and our members come from a variety of background and includes architects, archaeologists, geographers, engineers, project managers, curators, planners, carpenters, specialists in intangible cultural customs and traditions etc.  Unlike many heritage organisations which were forced to close down during the pandemic, we were fortunate to retain our members throughout the lockdown and since which demonstrates the loyalty and support we already garner from our members. The General Secretary would work with the membership committee in sustaining this trend and identify new ideas to retain existing members and recruit new ones.

Main Duties / Key Responsibilities

1. To support the President and Executive Committee in the delivery of the work of ICOMOS-UK.
2. To develop, co-ordinate and present policy, as agreed with the Executive Committee.
3. To co-ordinate and manage the secretariat function of ICOMOS-UK including the Office Manager. To oversee the governance arrangements for ICOMOS-UK.
4. To work with the Treasurer on the budget, income generation and expenditure for ICOMOS-UK, including support for fund-raising activities and applications.
5. To help drive the recruitment and support of members of ICOMOS-UK.
6. To help coordinate and promote events supporting and disseminating the work of ICOMOS-UK.
7. To coordinate, promote and report on the activities of ICOMOS-UK committees to the membership, stakeholders and potential interest groups; to work with the committees on the implementation of their recommendations.
8. The post holder will be the secretary of the International Monuments Trust (IMT), convene meetings, take minutes and organise the transfer of payments.

Person Specification

You will have or develop:

•       strong drive and initiative
•       strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in all tasks
•       experience in using your own judgement
•       familiarity in reporting to and taking direction from the President and Executive Committee.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Required knowledge, skills and experience for the suitable candidate can be found on the attached Job Description.

Competency Framework

The competency Framework for the role can be found on the attached Job Description.

Dimensions

• Understanding of the work of ICOMOS, using knowledge and experience to proactively engage with Executive Committee and stakeholders.
• Supporting and undertaking work and providing reports to President and Executive Committee.
• Acting as a champion for ICOMOS’s work.

Background

What is ICOMOS?

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) was set up in 1965 and is a non-governmental international organisation dedicated to the conservation of the world’s monuments and sites. With around 11,000 individual members active in over 150 countries and a network of 130 National committees (similar to the one in the UK) spread across the world, ICOMOS is one of the most highly regarded conservation organisations in the world. Its 31 International Scientific Committees made up of heritage conservation specialists from across the globe are responsible for developing charters, principles and guidelines on conservation and management of cultural sites. It is one the three advisers to the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on cultural World Heritage properties (the other two being IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)).

What is ICOMOS-UK?

ICOMOS-UK is one of the 130 national committees of ICOMOS. It is an independent charity, set up in 1965. We have an active membership of individuals and institutions who come from a wide range of backgrounds in the UK and worldwide. As a national committee based in the UK, ICOMOS-UK promotes appreciation and understanding of our built environment and landscape associated with it and UK’s diverse intangible cultural heritage.  It mirrors the structure of the international body. We have a UK board, a small Secretariat comprising an Operations Manager (OM) and a General Secretary. There are eight scientific committees which report to the Board. Our focus is on providing advice on good practice through the dissemination of ICOMOS’s international Charters, Principles and Guidelines and regular national and international events (conferences, lectures, panel discussions etc). We are also the only independent adviser on the implementation of 1972 World Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines to the UK Government and the 33 World Heritage sites situated across the UK. The Board and the eight scientific committees collaborate with the heritage, arts and education sectors in the UK and internationally in developing new thinking and making ICOMOS’s international standards relevant to the national context. 

Active Sussex is the brand name of the Sussex County Sports Partnership Trust (SCSPT), the countywide organisation for sport and physical activity recognised by the national body Sport England.

Active Sussex encompasses the counties of East and West Sussex, as well as the City of Brighton & Hove. We work with a variety of sectors, groups and partners who want similar outcomes. This includes the charitable, community and voluntary sector, including our activity providers; health and care partnerships and networks; those who support children and young people both within and outside educational settings; local authorities, including public health and wellbeing teams; parks and open spaces; leisure trusts and the gatekeepers to outdoor spaces.

Predominantly funded by Sport England, we contribute to the government’s agenda to increase the number of people participating in sport and physical activity nationally.

We are seeking to recruit three (voluntary) Non-Executive Directors, including an Independent Chair, who also act as charity trustees with the skills, experience and qualifications noted below:

• Financial Management and Accounting
• Human Resources
• Engaging and listening to communities 

Active Sussex aspires to have a diverse Board, and welcomes applications from people who are involved (or would like to be) in our networks, particularly those from ethnically diverse communities, people living with a long term health condition and/or disability and self-identifying women. Given less than 3% of charity trustees are under 30 and as such are missing young people’s perspectives, we encourage young people (over 18) to apply to increase representation of this age group on our board.

About Kith & Kids
We provide activities, opportunities, information and support for people with a learning disability or autism, their parents and siblings.
For all our projects and activities we are dependent on volunteers.

ELSP shop volunteers
Flexible timings, 4-hour time slots

We are currently looking for energetic and enthusiastic volunteers to join us in our boutique charity shop in Chingford, E4.

Volunteers have a fantastic opportunity to help shape our members work experience placements within the shop.  You will support our members will all aspects of working in a charity shop, including using the till and customer service and spend time with them to review the skills they have learnt at the end of each shift.

What you'll do
At the shop you will be paired with one of our members with a learning disability or autism. You'll support and encourage them to complete the job/role they have been given for that specific day and encourage them to practice their social skills by interacting with the public in a polite and friendly manner.

You will also encourage them to work as part of a team and engage socially with staff and volunteers present in the shop.  You will build their confidence and encourage them to take on new challenges.

Requirements

What you need
You do not need experience. Full disability awareness training will be provided before you begin volunteering with us.
The only requirements we ask of you are enthusiasm, energy and to be open-minded.
Minimum age for volunteers is 20.

How much time?
There is no minimum commitment, however the more time you spend with our members the more you get to know them and can better support them.

What we can offer you
We can reimburse your travel expenses.
We'll also provide excellent training before you start and lots of helpful support.

By volunteering at our shop you will also:

• Use and develop your skills
• Learn something new!
• Increase your confidence
• Meet new people and make friends
• Gain experience for (other) work
• Give something back to the community
• Do something fun and satisfying in your spare time
• Challenge yourself
   

What about training?
Volunteers must attend two training sessions and complete a free DBS check before you begin volunteering.

This is a great opportunity to get to know everyone at Kith & Kids: your fellow volunteers, some of our members you will be working with, and gives the opportunity to develop some new skills and expand your knowledge in our workshops.

Topics we cover include:

• Communication
• Autism
• Supporting emotions
• Safeguarding
• Creativity & Participation
• Epilepsy
   

When do I need to come?

Volunteers must attend two training sessions and complete a free DBS check before taking part.

We'll be running face-to-face training in north London starting on 17th February with lots of other dates to choose from.

In the meantime, we'll be meeting volunteers online from mid-January.

Training will take place in North London – once we have met you online for a chat, we will send you confirmation of our training venue details.

A unique opportunity to support members of the Hounslow community reconnecting with nature and people around them. Could you be a Nature Buddy?

The Let's Go! Nature Buddies project takes referrals from the NHS Community Recovery Service as well as early-stage Alzheimer and falls-prevention services - part of a movement towards healthcare aimed at the overall wellbeing of an individual.

As a Nature Buddy volunteer, you will support people who are at risk of social isolation in their transition from 1-1 walks with members of our team in nature, into smaller group settings. It's a role for volunteers who love being outdoors and care about people. You'll work with our friendly, committed team who will provide training, guidance and support for you.

This is an opportunity to meet and help new people, get outdoors and discover green space, get experience in a new setting, and be part of an amazing group of volunteers who have a shared passion for community wellbeing.

If this sounds like a role for you, and you want to commit to the project, get in touch.
We want to hear about you, and why you want to be a Nature Buddy.

Skills and Qualifications: No special qualifications or experience needed. Volunteers should be understanding, patient, empathetic and enthusiastic about the benefits of outdoor environments. We will provide a Disclosure & Barring Service screening which must be clear.

Training and Support: You will be given induction training into the various aspects of the work. You will receive ongoing training as well as peer support at volunteer meetings. Nature Buddies are a local network of similarly-motivated people who help each other too!

Reimbursement and Expenses: We want to reduce barriers to volunteering. We reimburse out-of-pocket expenses to our volunteers: • Reasonable transport expenses • Light refreshments 

Benefits to the Volunteer: A fantastic personal learning and development opportunity. Rewarding activity directly helping people at risk of isolation to engage with outdoor spaces and make new friends. Make a difference to someone who needs your support and wants to be part of this exciting innovative programme. Ideal opportunity to gain experience in social care and environmental sectors. Regular access to enjoying time outdoors in company, visiting the amazing nature in our boroughs. Join a small friendly team and develop your skills.

Accessibility and Inclusivity: If you have specific physical or other access needs that you would like to discuss with us, we welcome conversation to ensure you can benefit from this role.

GSTTKPA is going through an exciting period of change. Therefore, we are seeking to recruit a new Company Secretary to support our ambitious and innovative change programme, so we can continue to achieve the aims and objectives of the charity.

The role of Company Secretary is a key and important Trustee position on the Board. The Company Secretary will support the Chair and Vice Chair by ensuring the board functions smoothly. The Company Secretary will also have the opportunity to assist with activities and initiatives that are funded by GSTTKPA.

Trustees play a vital role in making sure that GSTTKPA achieves its core purpose. They also ensure that the charity has a clear strategy andthat our work and goals are in line with our vision. Just as importantly, all the Trustees have a collective responsibility. This means that trustees always actas a group and not as individuals. 

As a Trustee, we also require the successful applicant to have a commitment to equality; celebrate diversity and be responsive to the needs of different groups and individuals within GSTTKPA and the wider community. In return, the successful applicant will join a warm and friendly team that works collaboratively to support each other as well as our kidney patients.

Help us flock together!

We are looking for someone to support the members of our local RSPB group in Bedford.

We are a friendly group of birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts who are passionate about nature and its conservation.

We need someone to manage our list of members, collect subscriptions, and help to recruit new people to join our group and to take part in our activities. These include regular indoor meetings and birdwatching trips. To learn more about us and what we do, please click here.

We are looking for someone who is well organised, with good IT skills and, most importantly, someone who is a people person.

If you join us, you will have the opportunity to meet new people, learn more about birds and nature, and help the work of the RSPB, Britain's largest conservation organisation.

If you feel you could help, please get in touch.

We are looking for volunteers to join our street outreach team. We go out in Central London 3 evenings a week and give out hot drinks and food to people who are sleeping out. We see regular guests and have a chat, check they're ok and see if there's anything that we can bring them.

If you would like to join our experienced and friendly volunteer team, meet some lovely characters and help make someone's day a little better please get in touch, even if you can only come out once or twice a month. 

Could you use your social media, marketing and communications experience to raise the profile of a small charity? Help us to increase our social media presence and engagement, generate greatr content and help promote existing activities.

Our charity delivers a range of awareness campaigns and support services to patients, relatives, partners and carers who have been affected by a poorly understood pain condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). We are looking for 2 experienced social media and communications volunteers who are able to develop posts and campaigns from design to inception, create fresh and engaging content, increase engagement and to increase awareness of the charity and of the condition we represent.

Even though we are a small organisation we have big ideas and would like to draw on your experience in the communications world to help the charity deliver engaging content and communications to help us spread our aims and message to all our audience.

What Will You Be Doing?

• Help increase engagement, improve the number of followers/likes, create & execute a content calendar
• Produce fresh, branded and engaging content for our social media channels 
• Prepare graphics and text for sharing across channels 
• Engage with our followers and encourage interaction 
• Manage and maintain social media channels on a regular basis
• Support charity campaigns, marketing, events and fundraising activities by promoting them on our social media feeds
• Use your creative skills to devise games, competitions and other strategies to engage, grow, and widen our target audiences
• Develop publicity materials and communication techniques for social media to raise awareness of our chronic condition 

You will be working with the charity’s founder and Chair as well as with other trustees and volunteers who will provide an overview of our existing social media content, our brand and how we have approached our social media content to date. 

Experience
We are looking for a volunteer who has experience in:

• Different types of marketing and communications media, including electronic and social media
• Writing and editing marketing content for social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn
• Building strategies to increase social media following and /or build fundraising or awareness campaigns
• Developing a coherent brand voice for social media, from content creation to community interactions
• Using and setting up tools such as Buffer, Canva, Tweetdeck etc
• Creating and executing content calendars to help plan social media activity 

Skills Required

• Excellent written communication skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail 
• Creative writing and design abilities
• Good computer and digital skills
• Enthusiasm for communications and marketing and willingness to learn
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our team / organisation / users
• Ability to transform small snippets of information into interesting and engaging stories suitable for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and is able to work with these
• Open to feedback 
• An interest in helping Burning Nights CRPS Support achieve its aims
• Good organisational skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and able to work as part of a team

What Difference You Will Make
You will join the charity during a critical and challenging period and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in ensuring we can maintain our support services and become a sustainable charity to allow us to fulfil our aims.

Benefits

You would be a part of our small, friendly and forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching people who may not have heard about the charity or about the condition. You would have a key role in developing a socoal media strategy for a small charity. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference to a rare condition.
You will further develop your communication skills, gain PR and marketing experience and develop your social media skills.

This is a remote volunteering role, volunteering from your own home.

As a METRO Youth Volunteer, you would be an integral member of the youth team in supporting the Lead and Support Workers in the delivery of the weekly groups. These are held in London boroughs and Medway, Kent. You would be responsible for tasks such as setting up the space and activities, chatting with young people and supporting the facilitation of activities. Your support would enable the lead worker to provide more one to one support as necessary and help in the overall management of some very vibrant groups as well as supporting future advertising and promotion to encourage more participants for some of the quieter groups.

Role: Referral volunteer (laptops)

Team: Casework

Supervised by: Adult caseworker

Location: Tooting office on a Thursday afternoon (2-5pm) for period of training/induction. Remote or in person once induction is complete.

Time commitment: 3 hours a week, we ask that volunteers commit for a minimum of 6 months

About CARAS :

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives.

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work:

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do

About the Role:

CARAS offers advocacy casework integrated into all of its projects, ensuring that people who attend our groups can access support to address issues in a friendly and timely manner. A key part of the casework service is to help connect people to resources and activities that they need.

A key areas of need is digital access, either by smart phone or laptop.

People living in asylum accommodation receive £9/week making saving for items impossible.

Whilst many activities have returned to face-to-face delivery many have stayed online, not having a laptop impedes people’s ability to join English classes and social activities. People attending college face difficulties in completing college work without access to computers in the evenings, access to a laptop means people are able to take greater control over their independent learning. Smart phones make a huge difference in people’s ability to have contact with family and community across the world.

To meet this need we have built a partnership with a grant giving organisation, Acts435, to support people to get personal laptops.

We are able to refer 5 people at a time for grants to buy new laptops/phones. Once the grant money is received we purchase the devices for community members to collect.

We are looking for a volunteer to do these referrals each month and support people to purchase and receive their laptops and phones. This is an extremely rewarding role, interacting with lots of the CARAS community members and making a very tangible positive impact on people’s lives.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

- contacting community members who are on our waiting lists by phone to explain the scheme to them

- complete grant applications with community members

- monitoring the grant platform to see when grants have been made

- purchasing laptops online and liaising with community members to arrange collection

- completing monitoring forms with community members once grants are recieved and uploading to grant platform

- recording all referrals and work done on our case management system (lamplight)

Person specification:

Essential

· Confidence in using IT (online forms, online shopping, google maps, email, DocuSign)

· To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;

· A commitment to confidentiality and data protection

· Thorough with good attention to detail

· Reliable

· A high level of spoken and written English

· Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;

· Ability to gather information from people in a sensitive way

· A calm, friendly, kind and patient approach

· Enjoyment in speaking to new people

· A commitment to working in an empowering way

· Able to maintain boundaries

· Able to work autonomously

· Currently resident in the UK

Desirable

· Experience working with refugees and asylum seekers

· Fluent in one or more of: Pashtu, Farsi, Tigrinya, Somali, Arabic or Dari, Russian, Ukrainian, Albanian, Amharic, Kurdish Sorani, Spanish, French

· Experience of working with interpreters

Benefits to Volunteering:

Through volunteering with us you will:

· Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;

· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;

· Develop your skills and competencies;

· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training.

All volunteers must complete a DBS check and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role.

To Apply:

To Apply To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form, using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.

Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with the Adult caseworker, and one with community members, to assess compatibility to the role. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP.

Could you use your communication skills and to support a group for people looking to make changes to their alcohol or drug use?  The Pier Road Project is jointly delivered by Humankind, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and St. Giles, to support people in Bexley to reduce or stop their drug or alcohol use.

 We help people with:

· one to one support and group programmes

· support to improve mental and physical health

· methadone or buprenorphine prescribing and community alcohol detox

· needle exchange

· recovery community

· advice on benefits, housing and finances

· friends and family support

Details of the role:

This role involves assisting the team to support people in group settings, by co-facilitating a group alongside a staff member, either remotely or in person.  A number of groups are delivered in a hybrid way, with some people joining online via video call, and we would love some help to ensure these people feel engaged.

There is flexibility around the groups the volunteer could support; these include:

Harm Reduction Group – Monday 11.45 – 13:00
Motivation to Change – Tuesdays 13.15 – 14.30
Relapse Prevention – Fridays at 13.45 – 15:00

There is also the opportunity for the volunteer to experience and get involved with other parts of the service, depending on own goals.

Activities may include:

• Co-facilitating a group session for people seeking to make changes to their substance use
• Helping to make sure people can access and engage with the group via Zoom / Microsoft Teams, if a hybrid group
• Generally listening and being empathetic to others, and speaking positively about treatment / recovery
• Signposting to other activity / support the service and partners offer

· Liaising with staff and service users to gain feedback about the service which helps inform decisions and support

· Adhering to policies related to areas such as safeguarding, information governance and health and safety

Timings: Pier Road Project is open Monday – Friday 9.30 – 4.30, there is flexibility in the timings of this role as there are a number of groups a volunteer could support.

Location: Pier Road Project is a short walk from Erith train station, in the borough of Bexley

Training: Volunteers have access to Humankind’s training platform, Learningkind, and will be asked to complete some training modules within their first 3 months, most of these are e-learning modules.

We would love you to bring to this role:

• Clear verbal/written communication skills
• A confident and friendly approach
• Moderate confidence at using Zoom and IT – we can help you build on skills
• An understanding of the importance of guidelines and procedures relating to key areas such as safeguarding and information governance
• Be respectful and non-judgemental
• Willing to attend and complete relevant training
• To participate in regular supervision sessions with your supervisor

What Volunteers can expect from Humankind:

· Regular supervision and support

· Induction and access to training

· To learn and practice new skills within a team-work setting

· To feel part of a team and the wider Humankind organisation

· Reasonable travel expenses reimbursed with proof of journey

Our workplace values are:

· Honest: we are open and realistic, building trusted relationships in which we challenge, collaborate and change.

· Committed: we are passionate about being the best that we can be, and we do this by keeping people at the heart of everything that we do.

· Inventive: we are ambitious, drawing together skills and resources to innovate and adapt in determined pursuit of our mission.

Do you like dogs? Do you like people?

Your community needs you!!

Walkie Dogs is a weekly social group located in the UK that brings local communities in every city together to walk their dogs and make connections. We support mental health organisations and work towards reducing knife and gang crime throughout the UK. As a volunteer-led organisation, we provide training to ensure that our volunteers are equipped to offer support and resources to our members. Our online retail store offers the best products on the market to promote the health and well-being of dogs in the UK, with exclusive discounts for our members. We also provide educational tools, travel advice, training, and more to the dog community.

Role Description

This is a full-time, on-site role as a Volunteer Walk Leader at Walkie Dogs. As a Volunteer Walk Leader, you will be responsible for organising and leading dog walks for our social group. Your day-to-day tasks will include coordinating meet-up locations, ensuring the safety and well-being of participants and their dogs, providing guidance and support during walks, and fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere within the group.

Qualifications

• Experience leading group activities and events
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Passion for promoting mental health and reducing knife and gang crime
• Knowledge of dog handling and safety
• Ability to provide guidance and support to members
• Reliability and punctuality
• Strong organisational skills
• Familiarity with the local area's, 74 cities in the UK. (anywhere with a cathedral)

Collaborating with Mental Health organisations across the UK we aim to support and spread awareness of the importance of mental health and well-being

Each volunteer will receive full walk leader training, access to the our website, discounts and walks across the UK.

We require an up to date DBS check and a minimum of of 20 walks per year