Administration Volunteer Roles in London, Greater London

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.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones.  Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well.

Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include:

• Peer Support Groups (in-person and online)
• A call-back Peer Support Line
• Our eCommunity

In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself.

How volunteers support us

We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email.

Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more.

Our commitment to volunteers:

We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously.

 To support you, we will:

• Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles
• Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy
• Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR
• Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff
• Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role
• Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning
• Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation
• Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance
• Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity
• Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development

Training and development

All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate.

Who can volunteer?

As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees.

Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures.

Skills and experience

We look for people who:

• Communicate well
• Enjoy teamwork
• Are able to adapt and willing to learn
• Are reliable, punctual and good at time management
• See situations with objectivity and compassion 
• All our volunteers must be 18 or older.

Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation.

We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work.

What we ask of volunteers:

We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two to four hours a week for our phone/email service or up to 4 hours per month for our support groups, for at least six months wherever possible.

We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar.  All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services.

Volunteers should:

• Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it
• Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others
• Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing
• Communicate effectively with the team
• Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies
• Have basic IT skills and computer literacy 

Our volunteering roles:

• Support Group Co-facilitator (online)
• Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person)
• Support Group Administrator
• Peer Support Line Volunteer
• Media Ambassador
• Fundraising Assistant
• Events Assistant

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Context and purpose

• Downright Excellent (DEx) is a small charity committed to enabling children with Down syndrome to maximise their potential. We deliver a range of specialist interventions and support to children with Down syndrome and their families.

· The trustee with fundraising expertise will help DEx develop and execute an effective fundraising strategy.  

· The skills, experience and expertise of the fundraising trustee will help us increase our income, enabling us to shore up and enhance the work we do to support the children, young people and families we work with.

Main responsibilities

• Bring leadership and drive ensuring the development of the overall governance of Dex’s fundraising activities
• Define, design, and implement a Fundraising strategy
• Working with the other trustees and our volunteers, the Trustee – Fundraising lead will take a lead role in setting an effective fundraising strategy for DEx. You’ll work particularly closely with the lead trustee for Digital Fundraising.

· Provide thought leadership on DEx’s fundraising and help build and implement this vision.

· Provide strategic oversight of fundraising.

· Draw on your networks to support our work.

· Help ensure that the operations team have the capabilities that they need to implement the strategy.

Our growing network of community collection volunteers organise and host bucket collections to raise funds for Blood Cancer UK and awareness of blood cancer. You’ll play a vital role in strengthening our reach and engagement in local communities. Please note that due to the nature of this role, the minimum age for volunteers is 18 years old. This is an all-year round role, with flexible opportunities to fundraise and raise awareness to suit your availability. We ask that you support a minimum of 3 – 4 collections per year. Collections can take approximately 2 – 4 hours per collection.

This role is for you if:

• • you want to make a difference to the lives of people affected by blood cancer.
  • you want to raise money to help fund lifesaving research.
  • you enjoy organising events and activities.
  • you are comfortable engaging with others in your local community.

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 :)

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Been There is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced individual to join a small, supportive and dynamic team as a Trustee. 

What will you be doing?

Main Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Contribute to the development and implementation of our strategic objectives, providing insight, oversight, and direction to ensure the organisation's goals are achieved efficiently.

• Governance and Compliance: Ensure that Been There adheres to all legal and statutory requirements. Monitor compliance with governance best practices and ethical standards.

• Financial Oversight: Oversee the financial affairs of the organisation, ensuring its viability and that all financial resources are managed responsibly and in line with organisational objectives.

• Risk Management: Identify, monitor, and mitigate risks to the organisation, ensuring robust risk management strategies are in place.

• Advocacy and Ambassadorship: Act as an ambassador for Been There, advocating for our mission and values, and enhancing our visibility and reputation.

• Fundraising Support: Play an active role in guiding and supporting the charity's fundraising efforts, ensuring financial goals are met and resources are secured for future sustainability.

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:

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of governance experience within a board, ideally in the non-profit sector or a related field.
• Skills: Strong strategic thinking, leadership, and decision-making abilities. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge: A good understanding of the legal and financial responsibilities of a trustee and experience in risk management, strategic planning, and organisational oversight.
• Commitment: Ability to commit time for board meetings, committee involvement, and preparation work. Expected to attend quarterly board meetings and contribute to special projects as needed.

NB: Ideally you would need to attend quarterly trustee meetings in the Kingston Upon Thames area, but you are able to attend this remotely if required.

What difference will you make?

Been There is a charity in the form of an app that connects people aged 18 and over with a vetted and trained mentor to help with any body image issues they may be experiencing. This gives them the opportunity to speak to someone who has ‘Been There’ themselves. Our Mentors are here to support, empower and, most importantly, listen.

The Trustees are a core part of the team and very hands on. We have a tight knit team, and your governance support will ensure we are always acting in the best interests of our beneficiaries.

PLEASE SEE ATTACHED JOB SPEC FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CHARITY TRUSTEE.

Chair of the Board of Trustees role!

We're looking for our new Chair of the Board of Trustees.

We're seeking a dynamic individual to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees. The primary responsibility of the Chair is to provide leadership and direction to the Board, ensuring effective governance and strategic direction for our organisation. 

This will be a non-remunerated role.

Essential Skills and Experience:

- Experience of Board or committee leadership of charity governance
- Knowledge of the building blocks of an effective Board and of leading and shaping a cohesive team
- Reflective and analytical, able to think innovatively, critically, independently, and strategically, demonstrating good judgement and commitment to learning
- Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of Chairing a Board in the charity sector
- Good communication and leadership skills
- Capable of constructive challenge, addressing issues with diplomacy, sensitivity, and discretion

Desirable:

- Understanding of fundraising
- Understanding of procurement
- Demonstrate a healthy understanding of risk, and its benefits - be prepared to take risks when appropriate
- Entrepreneurial instincts

This volunteer role will require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Downright Excellent Trustee – Trustee - Safeguarding lead role description

Context and purpose

• Downright Excellent (DEx) is a small charity committed to enabling children with Down syndrome to maximise their potential. We deliver a range of specialist interventions and support to children with Down syndrome and their families.

· The trustee with safeguarding expertise will be the main contact on the board for matters relating to child protection and safeguarding.

· You’ll be supported by our team who manage day to day safeguarding issues, with training provided whether it is new to you or you come from a safeguarding background.  

· The skills, experience and expertise of the safeguarding trustee will help us ensure that we have the right polices, processes and practices in place.

Main responsibilities

· Be the point of contact on the trustee board for safeguarding matters, supported by our small safeguarding team

· As part of our trustee team, give firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.

• Review our safeguarding policies and processes to ensure they meet current best practice.

· Ensure guidelines are developed and updated to ensure that:

• • our services users, team, and stakeholders are treated with respect and feel safe, as DEx endeavours to in its way of working; and
  • DEx’s reputation is upheld to a high standard.

· Be the champion on the board fo safeguarding, ensuring the safe treatment of those we work with is at the forefront of decision making.

· Draw on your networks to support our work.

· Help ensure that the operations team have the capabilities that they need to implement the safeguarding policies and processes.

Group: The Foundation for Liver Research 

Reporting to: The Chairman of the Trustees, Colonel Hamon Massey

Duration: Initial 3-year tenure

Salary: Voluntary (reasonable expenses met)

Starting date: ASAP

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 28 June 2024

Our trustees are a collective body, with equal responsibility for the governance of our organisation. The following are the expectations of all trustees, plus for this role, a strategic and long-term focus on the organisations’ finances and financial management. The Treasurer works closely with the Chairman, our Chief Operating Officer and the Finance Manager, as well as leading liaison with the External Examiner.

General duties of all trustees 

• Ensuring that our organisation pursues its stated objects (its purposes), as defined in our Articles of Association, by developing and agreeing a long-term strategy.
• Ensuring that our organisation complies with its charitable obligations, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulation.
• Ensuring that our organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects for the benefit of the public.
• Ensuring that our organisation defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets. 
• Safeguarding the good name and values of our organisation, our people and our beneficiaries.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of our organisation, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place.
• Ensuring the financial stability of our organisation. 
• Protecting and managing the property of our charity and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds.
• Having clarity on the difference between strategic governance functions for trustees and operational management functions for employees. 
• Following proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of our employees. 
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship. 

In addition to these duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This will involve scrutinising Board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, and other issues in which you may have particular expertise. 

Specific duties of our Treasurer 

• Monitoring the financial standing of the charity and reporting to the Board about cash-flow forecasting, income streams, out-going expenses and the overarching strategic management of the organisation’s financial resources. 
• Overseeing planning/budgeting processes in participation with the Board.
• Advising on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plans and overseeing the charity’s financial risk-management process. 
• Leading in the development and implementation of financial reserves, cost management and investment policies. 
• Liaising with the External Examiner, in particular for the end-of-year Examination. 
• Advising the Board on appointment and review of the External Examiner on an annual basis, reporting on financial health to the Board of Trustees at regular intervals.
• Guiding and advising fellow trustees to present, and asking Members to formally approve, the Trustees’ Annual Report and Examined Accounts. 
• Ensuring that the organisation’s Annual Accounts are submitted to all relevant regulators in a timely fashion. 
• Explaining financial technicalities of Management and Annual Accounts in plain language which is fully understood by all trustees. Working with the Finance Manager, preparing and producing Management Accounts in a timely manner for Board meetings.
• Acting as one of the people authorised to access online banking. 

It is recognised that this role is voluntary and that our employees and other trustees will provide support, assistance and resources as are available to enable you to utilise your best endeavours to carry out these duties within those resources. Here is some of what we would expect from our Treasurer. We know that you may also need training and support from employees, from other trustees and from external organisations, and that that will be forthcoming, as necessary, to build on any area. 

• Experience and knowledge of managing finances. 
• A recognised financial and/or accounting qualification would be highly beneficial but is not a prerequisite. Experience and knowledge of current practice relevant to charities or SME finance would be highly useful but not a prerequisite. 
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly, especially to other trustees whose in-depth financial knowledge may be less than yours.
• Strategic vision; good, independent judgement; ability to think creatively, tempered by pragmatism and reality. 
• Skills to analyse proposals, examine their strategic financial consequences and make concise recommendations as part of the trustees’ team. 
• Ability to cooperatively work with the team of trustees, bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making. 
•  Skills and ability to listen, even to dissenting views. 
• Willingness to speak your mind and to challenge other trustees and employees with good intent; able to make unpopular recommendations to the Board, if necessary. 
• Commitment to the organisation; willingness and ability to devote the necessary time & effort, and maintain that for a period of office of a minimum of three years. 
• Understanding of the needs of our beneficiaries is desirable; an empathy with them is important. 
• Clear commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, valuing differences to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes. 
• Experience of committee work, with an understanding of the role of the Treasurer in effective (charity or corporate) governance, would be highly-valued. 
• Willingness to be available to employees and volunteers with financial responsibilities on a scheduled or ad-hoc basis to provide advice and answer enquiries. 
• Having appropriate personal and professional contacts & networks, with willingness to draw on those as needed would be beneficial.

Location & time commitment 

The Board meets four times per annum, three remotely and one in-person meeting in central London. Much of your role can be carried out online and by phone/video. It should be noted that the focus of this role is strategic and you will not be managing the organisation on a day-to-day basis; however, regular contact and liaison with our Chairman, the Chief Operating Officer and the Finance Manager is expected. This is a voluntary position, with reasonable reimbursement of agreed expenses, if needed. 

To apply: send a 1-page covering letter explaining your background and suitability for our team, together with a CV describing your experience to date.

In the event that you are invited for interview we will contact you by email confirming the arrangements. 

The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology and the Foundation for Liver Research are committed to fostering a safe and welcoming working environment where everyone feels valued.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.