Activity Support Volunteer Roles in Greater London
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Develop your fitness, practical skills, and improve your mental health while participating in conservation of habitats and green space. Gain valuable work experience, where you can choose to work towards an AQA certificate.
Grow Wild volunteers have been called the ‘next generation of naturalists’ in the Richmond area. We go weekly into the local green spaces at Ham Avenues / The Copse, and maintain the green spaces so that humans and wildlife can share them.
We particularly welcome young people and those who experience barriers in accessing green spaces and volunteering opportunities. The two-hour-long sessions are accessible, and are an energising, communal way of connecting with others and nature.
We provide support, induction, and are happy to make the activities more accessible for you. Let us know what you need to make the most of this opportunity.
We engage with local green spaces and nature to support and enhance the lives of our communities in Richmond, Hounslow, and the Crane Valley.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
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.
To bring together the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) community to ensure people whose lives have been touched by this condition are not alone.
Our Volunteer champions are a vital part of our work, as they help us to raise awareness with local communities and with new audiences.
What is the role of a Volunteer Champion?
As a regional Volunteer Champion, you will help us raise awareness of BPD and support our work in your local community. You will promote volunteering, and the benefits of volunteering, with the people of your local community. You will act as an ambassador for the organisation.
Some key responsibilities include:
- Championing volunteering in your local area
- Being the first point of contact for volunteers in your area
- Connecting with your local volunteer organisations
- Posting volunteer roles in your community
- Giving talks in the community and online
- Connecting with our social media platforms
- Creating social media posts of activities in your community
- Take part in our campaigns
Why Should I Get Involved?
From enhancing your CV and learning new skills to building confidence and teamwork, there are lots of reasons why volunteering with us as a Volunteer Champion can be beneficial.
- Join a community of volunteers who are united in supporting our mission
- Get involved with your local community, creating opportunities to connect with new people and engage with your local community.
- Make a difference in the lives of people with borderline personality disorder, your involvement will help us to reach more people in need of support.
- The Volunteer Champion role can enhance your CV as you will be engaging with different audiences to promote our services, create content and develop new skills.
Who can be a Volunteer Champion?
If you are interested in, and passionate about, volunteering and would like to be part of our program, you can sign up as a Volunteer Champion today!
How much time does a Volunteer Champion commit?
You can get involved in whatever way feels right for you! This is a flexible and self-led role which is part of a wider network.
We do ask that you attend four online sessions per year to connect and network with the full Volunteer Champion network.
What can you expect from us?
All Volunteer Champions receive:
- An induction, training for your role and ongoing support
- A welcome pack including useful resources and digital assets
- Regular updates, calls to action and communication
- Opportunities to connect, network and attend exclusive online events with other Volunteer Champions
How to become a Volunteer Champion
If being a Volunteer Champion sounds like something you would like to be involved in, apply today so that we can start you on your journey supporting us.
Next Steps
Once we receive your application we will invite you to an open evening to find out more about the role. The open evening will be 7pm on Tuesday 18th June and will be held over Teams. After the open evening, we will introduce you to the rest of the team and get you started on volunteering with us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
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
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Midland Mencap is a charity which works and campaigns for accessible and inclusive services and a better quality of life for everyone with experience of learning disabilities and additional needs
Purpose of the role
With your friendly attitude and knowledge of the local area, you could be the support a Midland Mencap citizen needs to access and enjoy their local community and make a big difference to their lives.
Some of our citizens may be dealing with a variety of difficulties including depression, isolation, physical and mental health problems, Your role will be to help them to enjoy their local community in the way that they want; this may include activities such as going shopping, attending an event, visiting a park or a local facility – and having fun.
What would I be doing?
·Visit a Midland Mencap citizen
·Accompany them to agreed community locations and activities
·Provide a befriending support role to ensure the citizen enjoys a positive experience
· To record and maintain basic records as required
·To ensure the activities undertaken complies with safeguarding, equal opportunities, health & safety and other policies and the guidelines provided by Midland Mencap.
What do I need?
· Being approachable and friendly
· Good communication skills
· Knowledge of, and able to travel to local places
· Accepting of others who might be different to you and the ability to work as part of a diverse team
· A willingness to learn and act within guidelines set out by Midland Mencap
· Good time management skills, reliability
· An enhanced DBS check will be required by all successful applicants.
When and where do you need me?
· A minimum of 2 visits per month
· Days and times are flexible and agreed in advance, but there may be some specific activities the citizen wishes to attend
· In the local community
What’s in it for me?
As one of our valued volunteers, Midland Mencap will offer you:
· The opportunity to make a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities and their family carers
· An induction and settling in period
· Any training and development that is needed
· The chance to develop your skills and gain experience
· The opportunity to meet new people and be part of a diverse team
· Support within your role
· Any out-of-pocket travel expenses
· Lots of appreciation for your amazing contribution
· Positive wellbeing from doing something great
· Improve career opportunities by adding your volunteer role to a CV and ask us for a reference
To campaign for and deliver accessible and inclusive community health and wellbeing support services for individuals, families, and carers.
Our Volunteer champions are a vital part of our work, as they help us to raise awareness with local communities and with new audiences.
What is the role of a Volunteer Champion?
As a regional Volunteer Champion, you will help us raise awareness of BPD and support our work in your local community. You will promote volunteering, and the benefits of volunteering, with the people of your local community. You will act as an ambassador for the organisation.
Some key responsibilities include:
- Championing volunteering in your local area
- Being the first point of contact for volunteers in your area
- Connecting with your local volunteer organisations
- Posting volunteer roles in your community
- Giving talks in the community and online
- Connecting with our social media platforms
- Creating social media posts of activities in your community
- Take part in our campaigns
Why Should I Get Involved?
From enhancing your CV and learning new skills to building confidence and teamwork, there are lots of reasons why volunteering with us as a Volunteer Champion can be beneficial.
- Join a community of volunteers who are united in supporting our mission
- Get involved with your local community, creating opportunities to connect with new people and engage with your local community.
- Make a difference in the lives of people with borderline personality disorder, your involvement will help us to reach more people in need of support.
- The Volunteer Champion role can enhance your CV as you will be engaging with different audiences to promote our services, create content and develop new skills.
Who can be a Volunteer Champion?
If you are interested in, and passionate about, volunteering and would like to be part of our program, you can sign up as a Volunteer Champion today!
How much time does a Volunteer Champion commit?
You can get involved in whatever way feels right for you! This is a flexible and self-led role which is part of a wider network.
We do ask that you attend four online sessions per year to connect and network with the full Volunteer Champion network.
What can you expect from us?
All Volunteer Champions receive:
- An induction, training for your role and ongoing support
- A welcome pack including useful resources and digital assets
- Regular updates, calls to action and communication
- Opportunities to connect, network and attend exclusive online events with other Volunteer Champions
How to become a Volunteer Champion
If being a Volunteer Champion sounds like something you would like to be involved in, apply today so that we can start you on your journey supporting us.
Next Steps
Once we receive your application we will invite you to an open evening to find out more about the role. The open evening will be 7pm on Tuesday 18th June and will be held over Teams. After the open evening, we will introduce you to the rest of the team and get you started on volunteering with us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
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
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.
If you don't have a CV or any experience that's ok, please just get in touch via email and I will send you an application form
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Would you like to support those feeling socially isolated and lonely within the local serving community? Could you spare a few hours a week to organise group activities that bring people together?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
What is a Community Connection Champion?
The aim of the role is to promote connection by developing and facilitating social groups and activities within the local serving community.
Tasks will include planning group activities that are sociable and of interest to the community. It also involves coordinating and delivering sessions. You will receive training and have support from a dedicated project officer as you establish a variety of groups.
What difference will you make?
Armed Forces life can bring its challenges when a loved-one is deployed overseas, or a family must move to a new location. Some people can find themselves feeling lonely or socially isolated, they may struggle to meet and connect with new people due to their confidence, work commitments or because they don’t live in Service Family Accommodation.
Community Connection Champions will play a vital role in tackling these challenges by creating welcoming, engaging group opportunities that bring people together.
What will you be doing?
Although every SSAFA Team has different needs, below are the main activities of a Community Connection Champion:
- Creating and Planning: Working with the Project Officer to plan, develop and organise groups and activities that are best suited to their local serving community.
- Communication and Teamwork: Keeping in touch with the local Community Volunteer Coordinator and attending s meetings.
- Networking and Engagement: Reaching out with those who are interested in attending activities, providing support and encouragement for them to attend, including those who face barriers to attending.
- Facilitating group sessions: Delivering group activities in line with agreed plans, signposting attendees to external support as required and in line with SSAFA’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
- Recording and reporting on activities: Sharing activity plans with the SSAFA Project Team, tracking attendance, and encouraging attendees to complete the relevant paperwork to support Project reporting and development.
What about training and support?
- Volunteers will need to complete E-learning courses covering topics including GDPR and safeguarding plus a 1.5hr webinar which focuses on understanding the impact of loneliness and social isolation, what helps to reduce those feelings and the skills needed to develop and facilitate groups.
- Support from a dedicated Project Officer who will work with you to plan and develop the groups and activities.
- Support from your local Community Volunteer Coordinator and SSAFA’s Regional and Central Volunteer Operations colleagues.
- Access to a range of e-learning courses, resources and local opportunities to keep your knowledge and skills up to date.
- Regular meetings and events to learn and share information.
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.
- Volunteers will be covered by SSAFA's Public Liability insurance while carrying out their role.
What can you gain from this volunteering role?
- Give back to the serving community
- Support people in your local serving community using your patience, time and life experience, helping them to build local connections.
- Support and friendship from your local SSAFA Serving Community Team and the wider SSAFA community
- Gain experience, training and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews, such as planning sessions, organising activities and group facilitation.
- Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!
What are we looking for?
- Friendly and approachable people with great communication skills.
- Excellent understanding of the importance of boundaries and confidentiality
- Non-judgemental approach and alignment with SSAFA’s values
- Some experience of delivering groups sessions or team leadership is beneficial but not essential as training will be provided
- A willingness to adhere to all relevant organisational policies and procedures.
This role would suit someone who would like to make a regular weekly commitment of a couple of hours.
As this is a new initiative, we are keen to understand what works to support the local serving community. We expect groups to run in the evenings and weekends, as well as during the week.
A typical group might run once weekly for a 6-week period. Face to face sessions are likely to run in community venues such as community centres but we also want to explore how virtual groups can be used to support those who can’t access face to face sessions.
Please note this is a volunteer role and does not form part of any contract of employment.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Been There is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced individual to join a small, supportive and dynamic team as a Trustee and Secretary of the board.
What will you be doing?
Main Responsibilities:
● To liaise with the chair and chief executive to plan, arrange and produce agendas and supporting papers for trustee meetings and for drafting the subsequent minutes
● To act as charity secretary and ensure that charity law, and regulatory requirements of reporting and public accountability are complied with
● Ensure that all meetings comply with the requirements of the governing document
● Arranging and administrating trustee meetings and any sub-committees in line with legal, and other regulatory requirements, and in accordance with the governing document
● Advise and guide the board on any legal and regulatory implications of the charity’s strategic plan
● Acting as the custodian of the governing document, in liaison with the trustees, reviewing its appropriateness and monitoring that the charity’s activities reflect the objects set out in the governing document. Also, to act as the holder of statutory registers and books, and other legal and important documents such as insurance policies
● Supporting the trustees in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities, organising trustee induction and ongoing training
● Ensuring that trustee decisions are implemented in accordance with the charity’s governing document or other internal operational procedures
● Ensuring the charity’s stationery, including electronic communications (emails, websites etc), orders, invoices, cheques and other relevant documents include all the details required under company law and, if applicable, charity law and/or VAT law
● Plan and prepare the committee meetings and AGM with others as appropriate (planning dates, booking rooms, sending out minutes and other papers
● Minute committee meetings or ensure another minute taker is available
● Accurately record decisions and actions in the minutes and report to the next committee meeting on the progress of actions and the result of decisions
What are we looking for?
Person Specification:
Individuals are sought who have a strong empathy with any body image issues and related mental health concerns. Experience, skills and expertise in charity law, an interest in the well-being of people combined with an in-depth understanding of our work and ambitions are particularly sought.
Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- Record keeping, information retrieval and dissemination of Management Committee data/documentation to the trustees and relevant parties
- Writing agendas and concise minutes
- Knowledge of Charity law and the voluntary sector
- Commitment to the organisation and a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
- Preparedness to make recommendations to the board and a willingness to speak their mind with diplomacy
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
- An ability to work effectively as a member of a team
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Commitment to promoting equality and diversity.
- Ability to organize time and work to deadlines.
See attachment for further details.
If this position isn't right for you then please take a look at our profile as we have a number of positions we are recruiting for :)
We are an app-based charity that connects people over 18 with a vetted and trained Mentor (who has also 'been there') to help with body image issues.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Purpose of role:
With an ageing population, more and more older people are at risk of isolation and loneliness as partners and friends pass away, family members move away and the community around them changes at a fast pace. As a Befriender, you will become part of the solution to tackling the issues of isolation and loneliness by developing strong relationships with clients and encouraging them to engage in a variety of ways.
Main activities/tasks:
- Visit or call an older person once a week for around an hour
- Spend time getting to know them and understand what things they may like to do at home (e.g. chess, knitting, reading)
- Offer healthy and fun conversation and encourage them to talk
- Give support to enable them to get out in the community and encourage participation in activities
- Promote healthy living and wellbeing
- Accompany them on visits out of the home e.g. going for a walk, shopping
- Support them to find information
- Make monthly reports on visits carried out
Faith to Faithless are launching a brand new helpline for apostates in the summer of 2023, for people leaving high-control religions, and we’re looking for committed, compassionate volunteers to join us.
You will be a motivated, dedicated, and organised person with great communication skills, who is enthusiastic about volunteering your time and skills to support individuals leaving high-control religions (also known as apostates). You will have lived experience or understanding of the issues apostates face, and a kind and empathic approach to working with others.
We’ll train you to handle calls with confidence, and you’ll be getting valuable experience in supporting service users with multifaceted needs. This is a volunteering role where you can develop your interpersonal skills, help members of our community that need it most, and make a real difference in their lives by helping them to get back on track to living happy, purposeful lives without religion.
Key Tasks and Activities
- To respond quickly and efficiently to calls requesting help, providing a listening service, signposting and information to people who have experienced victimisation due to leaving their religion.
- To deliver work which adheres to high service standards, ensuring compliance with all policies and procedures.
- To keep and maintain accurate and confidential records of all work undertaken.
- To identify and maintain appropriate boundaries for all callers and recognise when and where to signpost callers for further help/information as appropriate with appropriate support from the apostate services manager
- To proactively continue to develop appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills through regular reading of information and attending training courses.
- To support the training of helpline volunteers as required.
- To attend supervision, meetings and appraisals.
- To undertake any other appropriate duties as requested by the ASM
- To work at all times within the policies and procedures of Humanists UK.
Download and read the full application pack for more information. To apply, please complete the application form telling us why you’re interested in the role and detailing how you match the person specification on page 4 of the application pack. Then return the completed form with the subject ‘Helpline Volunteer’ to volunteer[at]humanists[dot]UK.
Please complete the application form
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are seeking a Trustee Treasurer to help to manage our finances and investments, as well as being involved in strategic decision-making and grant giving.
Trustee Treasurer
The Lipman Miliband Trust funds socialist research and education as well as “educational activities that raise public awareness and understanding of struggles and movements for peace, human rights and a more equal, diverse co-operative and democratic society.”
The Trust was established by socialist businessman Michael Lipman in 1974 and academic Ralph Miliband until his death in 1994. Information about the Trust’s history can be found here, and examples of projects and organisations we have supported in recent years can be found here and here. We are celebrating fifty years of the Trust’s existence this year – and looking forward to the next 50!
Having benefited from a significant increase in resources in recent years we have started on an exciting new phase of our development that has meant increasing staff support and expanding our outreach, fund-raising and grant-giving activities. We are currently a Board of ten trustees and we are now seeking a Trustee Treasurer who shares our values and our belief in the vital importance of socialist education.
About the role
You will work with our Trust Coordinator as well as external advisors and accountants in helping to manage our finances and investments, and be a member of our Governance and Finance Working Group. Our finances and investments are critical to the success of our work so we are looking for someone with experience of financial management and/or accounting, as well as some level of experience in understanding and/or managing investments. This is a voluntary, unpaid post, but we are happy to pay for appropriate additional training and there will be a lot of support from the Trust Coordinator and other trustees.
Being a Trustee is a significant commitment and responsibility, but it is also hugely rewarding. The role will require you to attend each of our four Trustee meetings a year, and to participate in regular online meetings of the Finance & Governance Working Group. You will be part of strategic decision-making about the Trust, contribute towards the Trust’s governance and take part in decisions about grant awards.
We are based in different locations around the country and most of our work is conducted online, however we aim to meet in-person as a Board at least twice a year.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
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.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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.
Our mission is to equip employers to support their employees affected by domestic abuse and to share best practice with other employers.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.