Adult Education Coordinator Volunteer Roles

Purpose of the Role

 This volunteer role is a key part of the HFEH Mind team delivering a range of services across Hammersmith and Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow. We support clients with mental health with both clinical and non-clinical interventions.

The volunteer will coordinate a network of volunteers who, alongside the local team, delivering a range of services.

The volunteer will onboard, induct, and provide ongoing support for the volunteers and provide oversight of the relationship volunteers have with the service users we work with.

Main Responsibilities

To work closely with the HFEH Mind team and service managers and support the services with volunteer recruitment, supervision and retention.

Tasks

• Work with the service managers and central support team to support the journey and retention of volunteers.
• Provide volunteers with 1:1s or group support on a monthly basis.
• Support Director of Adult Services to administer reflective practice sessions.
• Work with the service managers and central support to log and administer volunteer availability, and resolve any volunteering related issues or complaints.
• Encourage people to volunteer through a variety of local marketing and promotion approaches, including social media and engage with our Head of Well at Work to develop a marketing and communications strategy for volunteers.
• Develop, coordinate and engage a network of around 30 active volunteers for the service.
• Induct new volunteers.
• Work effectively to ensure local volunteers feel valued and are contributing to the objectives of HFEH Mind.
• Support the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of our services.
• Gather volunteer feedback and take appropriate steps for service improvement.

Why Volunteer at Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, and Hounslow (HFEH) Mind?

Volunteering at HFEH Mind is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the work of a leading national mental health charity. We provide initial and ongoing training, as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the organisation. You will be treated as a core member of the team from day one and be surrounded by supportive and knowledgeable colleagues.

What’s in it for the volunteer?

Volunteering opportunities have been a route into paid employment within our organisation for many of our previous volunteers. However, the skills and experiences you will gain are likely to support applications for paid employment within the sector more broadly, as well as further training and education opportunities (e.g., Business courses, social work, mental health qualifications).

We are keen to foster the individual strengths and interests of volunteers. With the support of the HFEH Mind Team, we will work with you to ensure that your volunteering experience is meaningful and valuable, whilst balancing the requirements of delivering the service.  

Post is subject to a DBS check.

We have a new volunteer opportunity based at Rotherham Probation Office, supporting the Change Grow Live Dependency and Recovery team. We are looking for individuals that have an understanding of the issues faced by the people we support. You'll be passionate about supporting others to change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential.

As a Criminal Justice Dependency & Recovery Volunteer, you will work closely with our Dependency and Recovery Coordinators and Prison & Probation Services to deliver a range of tailored activities to adult males who are on probation.

You will assist in delivering drug and alcohol interventions and encourage motivation to support the person on probation to achieve their goals around their substance misuse and offending behaviour.

As a Change Grow Live volunteer you will be part of a supportive team and receive comprehensive training and guidance to develop within the role.

Key Activities:

• Support the D&R Coordinator to deliver recovery focused interventions including drug, alcohol and harm minimisation, offending behaviour, consequential thinking and developing positive coping strategies

• Support in key-working and group sessions

• Work in partnership with and build professional relationships with external organisations, e.g. Probation, Prison and Recovery Services

• Build therapeutic relationships with the people we support

• Empower the people we support to achieve their ‘Action Plan’ goals

• Motivate the people we support to engage in recovery activities within Change Grow Live, Probation and the wider community

• Research and signpost the people we support to Asset Based Community Services e.g. food banks, mental health services, housing, mutual aid

• Remind and empower the people we support to attend appointments and groups

• Input data on to IT systems

• Support the D&R Coordinator at events to promote and provide information about the D&R service

• Collect and collate feedback from the people we support using our services 

About CARAS:

CARAS is a leading refugee charity in Southwest London, providing firm foundations for new-arrival asylum seekers to build happy and successful lives. Arriving as an asylum seeker in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. We exist to help people seeking asylum overcome those challenges, and to help them rebuild their lives.

We provide person-centred educational, social and casework support to over 600 young people and adults across South London each year, recognising the moment of arrival as one of opportunity. Our work provides individuals with essential support to build language and employability skills, develop social networks and friendships, and access essential services such as legal and mental health services. Our work has multi-generational impact, providing forced migrants with early interventions to support language and skill acquisition, tackling the root causes of socio-economic marginalisation by supporting social inclusion and future labour market access.

Volunteering with CARAS – our Community of Welcome:

CARAS has a proud history of volunteers helping us deliver our charitable aims. Volunteers are an essential part of the CARAS community, bringing skills, insights, experience, different languages, and enthusiasm to the roles. Community members tell us the welcome by volunteers is so important in an often hostile world. It helps them feel safe and wanted. Community is at the heart of all we do, and we could not deliver the projects we do without the enormous contribution that volunteers bring.

About CARAS Adult Programme:

Alongside educational and casework support, CARAS has a thriving social program of weekly activities, from women’s yoga, to creative coffee afternoons, sports sessions and workshops, designed and built in collaboration with our community, volunteers and local partners. Most people we work with in the adult team are waiting for a decision on their asylum claim, are accommodated in cramped and inadequate hotels contracted by the Home Office for up to – and sometimes more than – 2 years whilst they wait for a decision on their asylum claim. During this time, they are eligible for only £8.86 per week and are prohibited from working. This is an incredibly stressful and disempowering period for those seeking asylum. Against this backdrop, our social activities exist as spaces of welcome, for people to come and make meaningful connections, build confidence and importantly – have fun!

About the Trips and Holiday Activities Project:

Alongside our weekly timetable of term time activities, we run trips across London during the school holidays. These are always chosen and planned together with our community members, and so far have included trips to famous parks, museums, galleries, and the theatre. We know from our community members how important these trips are; they are a chance to explore parts of the city that would otherwise be inaccessible, and to feel more at home in the city. As one community member told us, ‘to discover new places…this makes us feel included’. They are an opportunity to learn something new with others, to meet new people, relax and have fun.

About the Role:

To support us with these trips and holiday activities, we are looking for friendly, welcoming, enthusiastic and proactive volunteers. You will support us practically to ensure the trips run smoothly and on time, but also will be an essential part of our community of welcome – to chat and get to know our community members, and make sure everyone feels included and is having a good time.

We intend to hold 2 trips in the Easter holidays, and up to 5 trips in the summer holidays. These will all be in locations across London, most likely during daytime hours. We will also run a combination of adult-only and child-friendly trips across the year – this is what our community have told us they want! We usually have a group of 10-20 community members and will always have at least one CARAS staff member present too.

Ideally, we are looking for volunteers who are flexible during school holidays and can attend at least 3 trips throughout the year, though we may consider those who might only be able to volunteer on a one-off basis.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

To attend CARAS trips as and when you are available to do so.

To support with the logistics of travelling to and from the trip location.

To keep an eye on the general health and wellbeing of our Community Members and report any concerns to the CARAS staff member present.

To encourage positive connections between people and the places we are visiting, opening up conversations to learn about each other.

On family-friendly trips, to assist where needed with the supervision of children present (alongside parents)

Requirements – Essential:

To be 18 years or older;

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

To be reliable and punctual;

To be welcoming, friendly part of the group, and to make sure our community members have the best and most fruitful time possible at the locations we visit.

Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English;

Current resident of the UK;

Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check;

Able to complete compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding via 2 self-paced induction training webinars prior to the start of role;

Requirements – Desirable:

Knowledge of community languages, such as Farsi, Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Somali and Spanish.

Through volunteering with us you will gain:

An opportunity to connect with and learn from a vibrant and diverse community of people who are new to the city;

A chance to share your knowledge of the city and places of interest with our community;

A deeper understanding of the experiences, challenges, and strengths of those seeking asylum here;

A deeper understanding of language-inclusive practices in multi-lingual groups;

Develop your skills and competencies;

We have an exciting volunteer opportunity based at Telford and Shrewsbury Probation Offices, supporting the Change Grow Live Dependency and Recovery team. We are looking for motivated people who have an understanding of the issues faced by the people we support. You'll be passionate about supporting people to change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential.

We are a specialist service dedicated to supporting people on probation impacted by substance misuse. Our projects are based in the West Midlands, South Yorkshire and Kent, Surrey & Sussex.

As a Criminal Justice Dependency & Recovery Volunteer, you will work in close collaboration with Dependency and Recovery Coordinators (D&R Coordinator) and Prison & Probation Services to deliver a range of tailored activities to adult males who are on probation.

You will assist in delivering drug and alcohol interventions and encourage motivation to support the person on probation to achieve their goals around their substance misuse and offending behaviour.

As a Change Grow Live volunteer you will be part of a supportive team and receive comprehensive training and guidance to develop within the role.

Please note before applying

• The volunteer role is based at Telford and Shrewsbury Probation offices,once a week (office hrs are 9 - 5pm)
• Some of the training for this role is elearning and so access to a laptop in order to complete this will be required
• This post is subject to a DBS check at an enhanced level and vetting enhanced level 1 by HMPPS at the recruitment stage
• Please remember to complete the Personal Statement part of the application as this forms part of the shortlisting process

To find out more about this exciting opportunity please read the attached role description.

This project is an affordable school for the children of the town whose parents belong to the working class. Children have access to languague education.

Volunteer's Tasks

The volunteers use their knowledge of English to help the students in group classes. The presence of native speakers evidently is very helpful to the children’s learning of the language.

Your role in the school will be proportionate to your level of Spanish and the amount of time you can volunteer for. Consequently, this program is ideal for undergraduate students of modern languages on a year abroad, particularly those interested in teaching. If your Spanish and/or time is limited, you will be able to assist classes.

Why is this project important for the community?

Although there are no professional teachers, the volunteer teachers provide a rich and cultured education. Other English schools are between three to five times more expensive than this one, therefore, parents living in nearby neighborhoods are not able to send all of their children to study English. This is why the school is important for the community; it allows all the children to have the same opportunities and access to education, and it is also a way to fight for social justice. There is a lack of infrastructure, such as running water and paved roads in this particular neighbourhood and it is also known to be “left aside” because the state does not intervene. However, the school helps the families and also the young people of the town, because it also provides a first-job opportunity to students that are more advanced. This allows students to have a disposable income with which they can travel; an almost foreign opportunity to most.

Local Coordination

Silvia, the owner and director of the school, is also the coordinator for Voluntario Global there. She has made this a place of recreation, where the children come in the late afternoon, after going to school, to study English while taking a cup of tea in a relaxed and family atmosphere.

What can you learn as a volunteer?

Learning is a two-way street because the volunteer also learns through this experience. Their official duties are to assist the teenaged teachers, help them with pronunciation or grammatical rules, correct homework, read and explain to the children the basic elements of the language. Moreover, they can also help the oldest students get ready for international exams. This work allows the volunteer to exchange with people from different cultures, mainly thanks to the mix between communities from various countries of Latin America. Furthermore, teaching is the perfect exercise to learn how to speak to an audience and to get its attention. The volunteer learns to communicate with the youngest children who don't speak English correctly, and is able to learn how to adapt quickly and use other means of communication. Above all, the volunteer is able to create relationships with their students that will go beyond the classroom.

How does your work impact on the community?

Not only does this school offer the families a chance to further their education, it also provides a center for community. It is a place of exchange and hope, based on the idea that the children are able to study and to have a good future, because their parents were not awarded with the same opportunities even if the schools and the best universities are free. Students are able to connect more intimately with the volunteers and share their cultural differences, their accents, theirs travels and more. The volunteers also symbolize hope for the students that admire them because they are role models. They make the students believe in a brighter future and instil in them the motivation and aspiration to achieve their goals, no matter how big and regardless of their current socioeconomic status.

Schedule

The school is open from March to mid-December and works Monday through Friday, 4.30 to 7.30pm. It welcomes between 80 and 90 students of all levels and ages, for two-hour lessons. They also teach on Saturday morning to adult students, but the volunteer will be able to choose if to attend on the weekends or not.

Fee includes (600 USD):

• Pre departure information.
• In country coordination.
• Tutoring, constant communication and guidance with your coordinator and Exchange Volunteer Meetings.
• Volunteer Certificate and Performance Evaluation

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and asylum-seekers living in south-west London. We work primarily with people who are newly arrived in the UK, most of whom are living in temporary Home Office accommodation. Arriving as a refugee in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language barriers, accessing services, financial insecurity and ongoing uncertainty are extremely challenging and disempowering. CARAS is here to work collaboratively with community members to support them to build skills, connect meaningfully with their local community, and to build positive futures in the UK. 

CARAS offers a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a forced displacement background. For adults this currently includes: ESOL, digital skills and employability sessions; social and recreational activities and casework. All programs are interlinked and work hand-in-hand with one another. For example, community members can practice their spoken English in Coffee Afternoon, and casework issues might be picked up and referred into the team during an ESOL class. We design and develop our programs through consultation and ongoing conversations with our community members. We aim to have a strong volunteer presence across all our programs, fostering connections between asylum seekers and other Londoners! 

About CARAS’s Adult Programming and Coffee Afternoon:

CARAS has been providing support to adult refugee women since 2005, promoting skills and confidence development that helps women gain more power in their lives. In the aftermath of COVID, we have been able to expand our adult programmes, responding to the shifting demographics of those seeking asylum in the UK. We now run a range of mixed programmes for all genders, as well as some women-only spaces. Our coffee afternoon is a mixed group. 

Our coffee afternoon has been running since May 2022 and is one of our most popular groups. It takes place at TARA Theatre in Earlsfield from 1-2.30PM every Friday. Its primary aim is to reduce isolation amongst those we work with by providing a safe, friendly and welcoming space for people to have fun, learn about themselves and each other, and build connections.

In 2023, we have been running creative sessions during Coffee Afternoon, facilitated by freelance creative practitioners in partnership with TARA Theatre. These range from dance to drama, poetry to puppetry. For sessions without a creative practitioner, we sometimes host workshops on important topics such as healthcare rights or have an open and informal space for games and a chat. There is always coffee and a selection of baked goods! 

For more information on TARA Theatre, our partner and host, please visit their website.

Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• To attend CARAS coffee afternoon’s, every Friday between 1-2.30PM in Earlsfield, South-west London. They take place at TARA Theatre, right opposite Earlsfield Station. Location here- https://maps.app.goo.gl/rXwJiKHRj93YFtLG9 (356 Garratt Ln, London SW18 4ES). 
• If there is a week this is not possible, to tell CARAS staff as far in advance as you are able. 
• To welcome and connect with community members attending, working to ensure everyone at the group feels included. 

• To take part if there is a creative activity happening in that session, and help liaise with CARAS staff and the creative practitioner to ensure the activity runs smoothly. 
• To encourage and inspire community members to feel confident and reach their full potential. 
• To share conversation, and chat informally with our community members.
• To assist community members to both recognise and celebrate their achievements. 
• To challenge negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manor. 
• To adhere to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant. 

Requirements:

• To have interest in working with refugees and asylum seekers. 
• To be non-judgemental, and able and willing to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and differing levels of English. 
• To be reliable and punctual. 
• To be a current resident in the UK. 
• To provide five years’ worth of addresses and be willing to undergo a UK DBS check.
• To attend CARAS General and Safeguarding Training, and any further training as necessary. 
• To be 18 years or older. 

Through volunteering with us you will:

• Meet new members of your local community 
• Learn about different cultures and life experiences from across the world 
• Learn about issues relating to refugee and asylum seekers 
• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team 
• Develop your skills and competencies 
• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding 

To Apply:

Please fill in the volunteer application form and email it to us. Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with the Head of Adult Inclusion and Adult Program Coordinator these meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP! 

Details for this role are in the description and not mentioned in the application form but please fill in your details in the Volunteer application form attached and send it back to us 

Why is this project important for the community?

This project is important because the institute is located in a working-class neighbourhood where learning English can be useful since the majority of the locals would never have the opportunity to speak English or meeting native speakers in their area. The hardest thing is being able to keep up with modern and technological demands and also keeping the students interest in learning the language and getting to know different cultures. 

 Volunteer's Tasks

Volunteers are expected to assist teachers in class. The presence of native speakers evidently is very helpful to the children’s learning of the language, but anyone with knowledge of English and enthusiasm to get to know another part of Buenos Aires is welcome. When they reach the last level, namely 6th year, they are expected to have reached an upper-intermediate or advanced level of the language and to sit an international exam called Cambridge First Certificate.

Local Coordination

This English Institute opened in 2000 offering courses of English for children and teenagers in particular, and eventually for adults. It is located in Ciudadela, a small middle class town just outside the city of Buenos Aires. You can take either the bus or train to get there, which will take approximately 1 hour. On your first day, you will have an informal chat with the director, Laura, where she will explain how the school runs and tell you in which classes you can help.

What can you learn as a volunteer?

You will have the chance to know another part of Buenos Aires, commuted with the locals, and amplify your perspective immersing on the day to day of a working class neighbourhood. Assisting the english classes at this institute gives volunteers the opportunity to learn about different aspects of the argentinian culture and deepen cultural exchange in an educational environment .

How does your work impact on the community?

This school amplify the chances to further their education, and provides students the opportunity to forge a brighter professional future. Students are also able to bond with the volunteers through their cultural differences, their accents, theirs travels and more.

Schedule

Courses are delivered from Monday to Thursday in the afternoon. Students attend the classes previously coordinated with the director, and depending on the course, classes last 60, 75 or 90 minutes

Fee includes (600 USD):

• Pre departure information.
• In country coordination.
• Tutoring, constant communication and guidance with your coordinator and Exchange Volunteer Meetings.
• Volunteer Certificate and Performance Evaluation

We are looking for volunteers who can commit for a minimum of 10 weeks, with adaptable profiles and who have the enthusiasm and energy we need to provide support in various areas across the organisation.

In this generalist role, you will find yourself responsible for a variety of tasks; helping to ensure that both our programme activities and day-to-day operations run smoothly. Second Tree works in a transparent way, in a challenging and changeable situation in the field; therefore, an ability to learn quickly and be open to feedback is vital.

The possible tasks included below are not exhaustive or rigidly defined; an exact role profile is dependent on the skill set of individual applicants. An average day might see you talking to students in a camp to tell them about a new class, or supporting in the writing of a grant proposal. Tasks could loosely fall within 4 key areas:

Programmes:

• Supporting programme coordinators in maintaining the day to day running of their activities with the Youth Wellbeing or Adult Education Programmes
• Supporting our children’s teachers or workshop facilitators in the planning or delivery of classes or excursions outside of camps
• Communicating key messages about our programmes to our students in camps or urban areas

Admin, Finance & Logistics:

• Supporting the management in liaising with external partners
• Maintaining organisation wide financial processes
• Coordinating the arrival and housing of incoming volunteer

Fundraising:

• Supporting the planning and implementation of Second Tree’s fundraising initiatives, such as campaigns
• Organising and maintaining regular communications with Second Tree’s donors (newsletters, thank you letters)
• Supporting in the identification of relevant grants
• Supporting in grant writing activities

 Digital communication:

• Contributing to the written/visual content of Second Tree’s social media output
• Developing social media strategies to expand our reach and impact
• Producing regular reports on performance
• Website maintenance

 Skills desired: 

While there are no experience or skill-specific applicant requirements for this position, candidates must:

• Be accountable and efficient, making sure that tasks that you take up are completed on the agreed timeframe
• Be honest and transparent, being able to give and receive feedback in the most straightforward way possible
• Have a strong sense of humour, being able to make fun of yourself is key
• Care for people; the interests of the people we work with should always be your first concern
• Instil the values above in the people that work with you
• Have keen problem-solving abilities, and a good understanding of what questions to ask, and when
• Communicate in English, both written and orally
• Learn quickly, managing a wide-ranging and intense workload

We offer:

• Accommodation in a shared house
• Transportation to/from work
• After completion of a three-month trial, if you commit long-term, small monthly expenses refund

In certain periods of the year, demand is extremely high, and the volunteer houses might be full. If you have the means to pay for your own accommodation, please let us know. We would still be happy to host you if space is available. However, in a situation where the volunteer houses are full, this would allow us to offer a volunteering opportunity to someone that cannot afford to pay rent.

The Youth Engagement team offers a range of opportunities to young people who have accessed akt’s housing service. We offer group trips, workshops, as well as working towards a Youth Conference, a Youth Panel and other exciting long-term projects. This role will support the Black, Brown and People of Colour (BBPoC) co-ordinator. This would be assisting with the BBPoC LGBTQ+ youth group in London and the national online group. However, there will also be opportunities to get involved with additional activities, events and opportunities for young people which volunteers can assist with e.g. Pride events, theatre trips etc. These are more ad-hoc and will depend on availability– they are not an expectation of the role.

suggested activities:

• Helping to organise and plan sessions which cover a broad range of activities such as creative activities, workshops, projects, well-being sessions and hangouts
• Assist the Youth Engagement Team to engage young LGBTQ+ BBPoC in a programme of meaningful activities designed to promote well-being and support young people to meet their personal goals e.g. welcoming young people when they arrive, assisting them to engage in the activities and helping with clearing up
• Support the meaningful engagement of young BBPoC in the co-creation of akt’s services and projects
• Developing and creating resources to provide advice, support and reassurance to LGBTQ+ young BBPoC on issues and topics that matter to them most
• Co-facilitate BBPoC groups and peer support sessions with the opportunity to lead in running some activities

Our volunteers champion the rights of young people in care and on the edges of care, support them to access advocacy and make their voices heard. Training is provided. Whether you are currently studying, recently graduated, working part-time, retired or between jobs, volunteering with Coram Voice is a great opportunity to make a difference at the same time as gaining experience of working for a national children’s rights charity.

Our Helpline Supervisors will support you to develop valuable advocacy skills and knowledge of children’s rights and we offer specialist training in safeguarding, equality and diversity and advocacy. This training and other resources will help you to prepare for the role. You will be joining a team that provides quality support to young people in a friendly and supportive environment.

Our volunteer team is integral to our service and we could not provide the service we do without them, particularly in terms of the support we offer to homeless children.

We believe this role will be of particular interest to anyone looking to develop a career involving giving advice, advocacy, children’s and human rights, legal work, social work or youth work; or for professionals in those fields who want to use their experience to support the work of a children’s charity.

Please see our candidate information document for more information about our organisation and the training provided.

We ask that recruitment agencies do not contact us in relation to this position. We have chosen to recruit directly as this helps us to minimise our recruitment costs, ensuring that funds are not diverted from the children and young people we help.

Our mission is to amplify the voices of girls, women, trans and non-binary people through music. We are looking for potential trustees who can support this work.

You will have oversight of the organisation’s work across a range of different areas, from finance to programming, health and safety to staff support, and fundraising to pay policy. We are looking for folk who will enjoy this variety, and who is willing to learn about the context in which small charities operate and respond proactively to what the charity needs. As an organisation with a tiny staff team, trustees at Girls Rock London have a more hands-on role than they do in larger charities.

As a number of our Board come to their final terms, we are looking to recruit:

Chair We are looking to recruit a new Chair of Trustees to lead the Board over the next three years, ensuring the board functions properly, the organisation is managed effectively, and to provide leadership support to staff.

Lead Finance Trustee We are looking to recruit a Trustee with expertise in financial management who will work with the Director to ensure the monitor the organisation’s finances and to make sure that money and property are properly managed. 

Designated Safeguarding Trustee We are looking to recruit a Trustee with expertise in safeguarding. Though safeguarding is the responsibility of all trustees, the Designated Safeguarding Trustee will take the lead on safeguarding, supporting the charity’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), CEO and Chair of Trustees. 

Trustees We are open to applications from individuals from all backgrounds, but we are particularly interested in the following areas of expertise:

• Health and Safety

• HR and Staff Support

• Fundraising and Income Generation

• Marketing and Communications

• Gender Equality and anti-discrimination practice

• Participatory and community music making

GRL needs a Board to directly tackle social injustices and to reflect the communities in which we live and work, and are taking positive action to address this.

We particularly welcome applications from people of the global majority*, disabled** and trans candidates, are a resident of the London Borough of Hackney, as they are currently under-represented, in our workforce.

*This includes, but is not limited to people of Black Caribbean, Black African, South Asian, East Asian, South East Asian, Middle Eastern, Arab, Latinx, Native American and First Nations heritage as well as people indigenous to the global south

** This includes but is not limited to those who define as disabled people, as people with long term health conditions, as d/Deaf or as neurodivergent

The recruitment pack attached to this page contains all details, including role descriptions and person specifications. The deadline for applications is 22 April 9 AM. To apply, please hit the link below.

Belong is an established, award-winning criminal justice charity with a vision of hope, rehabilitation and recovery for survivors and perpetrators of crime. We work with multiple stakeholder organisations to develop a more humane and effective criminal justice system. Through engaging with our mentoring, restorative justice, psychotherapy and training interventions, individuals and communities achieve positive, lasting change.

Belong wishes to appoint a new Chairperson to our Board of Trustees. We invite applications from individuals experienced in criminal justice and organisational leadership, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

As the Chairperson of our Board you will be passionate about Belong’s vision and motivated to help drive Belong forward on its mission. An organised, energetic and reliable leader, you will support the Board of Trustees and CEO to realise the highest vision for Belong’s success. A fluent and persuasive communicator, you will represent the organisation publicly as well as internally and build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. You will be familiar with financial and risk management processes for medium to large organisations.

The role of Chairperson is a voluntary, non-executive appointment. The role requires a commitment of approximately two days per month, with the capacity to flex upwards should the need arise.

Belong fosters an inclusive and welcoming culture where all aspects of diversity are key to the charity’s success. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, lived experience of the criminal justice system and from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

Belong’s Values

Inspiration - Genuinely believing that people can change, heal, and rehabilitate. Focusing on individual’s strengths and abilities. Role modelling evidence-based practice amongst other professionals.

Respect - Accepting people as they are. Being consistent, open and honest with people. Challenging harmful beliefs and behaviour.

Empowerment - Giving people the skills to move forward and take ownership of the future. Enabling people to talk about their experiences. Encouraging people to voice their needs and set goals.

Perseverance - Providing long term support when this is needed. Working through setbacks with people. Understanding that lasting change takes time.

Restoration - Restoring hope and self-worth Re-building relationships. Promoting a culture of hope within criminal justice systems.

Chairperson Role, Responsibilities and Attributes

The Chairperson leads the Board of Trustees and sets its agenda in consultation with the CEO. Their role is to enable Trustees to fulfil their responsibilities for overall governance, risk management and strategic direction. The Trustee Board is responsible for proactively engaging with and understanding Belong, its service users and the wider criminal justice landscape. Trustees must always uphold the best interests of Belong’s service users, ensuring that the charity achieves its charitable aims whilst abiding by charity law and other relevant regulations. The Chairperson supports and empowers the CEO to lead the organisation so that it achieves its vision, mission and aims, whilst remaining sustainable and ethical.

In supporting the trustee board and CEO, the Chairperson is responsible for:

• Acting as an ambassador and spokesperson for Belong when appropriate.
• Creating meaningful and productive working relationships with the CEO, senior leadership team and trustees.
• Providing empowering, supportive line management to the CEO.
• Chair and facilitate trustee board meetings effectively, ensuring that decisions are made fairly and in the best interests of Belong’s service users.
• Supporting the trustees to have a sound understanding and oversight of the organisations finances, including reviewing annual budgets and financial policies.
• Facilitating annual performance reviews for each trustee and for the CEO.
• Leading and developing the board of trustees and CEO including inductions, training and succession planning as appropriate.
• Supporting other trustees to arrange and effectively chair quarterly subcommittees on risk and resilience, finance and fundraising and communications.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact us via the details on our website. To apply for this role, please submit a CV and covering letter using the link below. Please note that we are not able to consider applications submitted without a CV or covering letter.