Art group volunteer volunteer roles

Brief

Helping to educate over 4,000 students a year is a rewarding task, and the Education team brings the past centuries back to life for children.

This front of house role is for you if you are approachable, know a thing or two about our local history and enjoying working with children and young people. No past teaching experience required!

Purpose of Role

Under the direction of the Education and Outreach Officer there are several tasks that are carried out:

· To deliver high quality educational visits to schools of different age groups and abilities by leading site tours and education sessions that are part of the school visit

· To be an ambassador of Milton Keynes Museum by informing our visitors about the Museum and the collection

Key elements

After relevant training has been provided:

· Help to prepare for and deliver guided tours and educational sessions as part of a school’s fixed learning visit, using Museum exhibits, interactive activities and storytelling

· Able to adapt your delivery to children of different abilities and age groups: keeping time and maintaining student engagement

· Facilitating and supervising family activities and workshops

· Support of other educational activities / group bookings

· Creating educational resources and notify the Education and Outreach Officer of any materials and resources that are worn or out of order

· Maintain Health and Safety standards and follow the procedure for reporting incidents and hazards

Your profile

What we are looking for:

· Interest in the museum, its historic collections and its ongoing story

· Strong communication skills and confidence in conversing to the public

· An understanding of how children learn and an ability to adapt your communication style to suit different age ranges and learning needs

· Ability to work as part of a dedicated team and individually

· Common sense and initiative

· No prior teaching experience, but an ability to enthuse and facilitate learning

We are looking for individuals to join our Board in 2025. In recent years we’ve increased and diversified the membership of the Board including the launch of our Associate Board Member programme in 2023. We are looking to continue this work with dynamic and committed people to support further growth and development, building on our achievements.

We want to recruit new Board Members, alongside an opportunity for two Associate Board Members.

Being a Board Member

Board Members play an integral role in providing robust governance and stewardship, in externally supporting future development through advocacy with regional, national and international stakeholders, potential funders and partners from the public and private sectors. Board Members benefit from working with a small, creative and enthusiastic team on the strategic development of the organisation.

What is an AND Associate Board Member?

We have developed a 12 month programme for two Associate Board Members. These roles will work alongside the AND Board of Trustees, and have been designed as a development  programme aimed to support potential candidates who do not yet have (sufficient) board-level experience, or the required availability, but have the passion and potential to be a future AND Board member.

The Associate Board Member roles have been created to support individuals who are currently under-represented in the cultural sector, providing greater access to training opportunities, and to add further diversity and richness of perspective to the organisation.

Associate Board Members will:

• bring unique experience from their field of expertise 
• share our passion for new ideas and artforms
• place inclusion and engagement at the heart of our culture and vision
• be provided with relevant shadowing, mentoring or training opportunities to support their skills development over 12 months
• attend quarterly AND Board meetings (without legal responsibility or voting rights) 
• have the opportunity to apply to become a Board Member after 12 months

It is not necessary to have governance/board-level exposure or experience, but a general understanding of how boards work is required.

If you feel that you don’t quite meet the person specification in the recruitment pack but you’re excited and interested in the opportunity, please get in touch following the application process outlined below.

Joining the AND Board as a Trustee

We are currently looking for individuals to join the AND Board with experience in the following areas: 

• Strategic Regional Public Sector Knowledge
• Environmental Sustainability
• Charity Finance 
• PR / Digital Communications
• Regional commercial business knowledge across the creative sector, immersive and digital technologies

This isn’t an exhaustive list, and we’re interested in hearing from anyone who believes they have skills or experience to positively contribute to the organisation. We’re also looking for candidates interested in exploring a Vice Chair role with a view to future succession planning for AND Chair. We’re committed to opening up opportunities to people who are currently under-represented in the cultural sector, and we particularly welcome applications from candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds, Disabled candidates and candidates under 30.

What is it like to be on the AND Board?

Read an interview with our Trustees Sam Bompass and Katie Moffat about being on the AND Board.

About AND

AND is an arts organisation known for creating radical, site-responsive projects at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture.

Working across the UK and internationally, AND commissions artists to explore the social, environmental and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Our portfolio includes large-scale outdoor artworks, exhibitions, research programmes, residencies, online projects and our flagship AND Festival — a nomadic biennial bringing cutting-edge digital experiences to diverse locations.

Our work often takes place in unexpected settings, from post-industrial towns to natural landscapes, creating space for bold experimentation and critical reflection. At our core, we champion interdisciplinary collaboration and are committed to inclusive, sustainable practices that challenge what is considered ‘normal’ in culture today

Practical Details

AND’s Board currently meets for a minimum of four times a year, through a mix of online, and in person meetings in Manchester (UK). There are additional, occasional meetings and sub-committee groups which can be attended via video call. We are particularly interested in hearing from North-based candidates, especially those with regional public sector or commercial business expertise, although we are open to applications from candidates from across the UK.

This is an unpaid role. You’ll need to commit around a day a month to the role. AND will reimburse reasonable travel expenses to meetings in full.

How to apply

• Read our AND Board Membership Recruitment Pack or our AND Associate Board Membership Pack
• If you’d like to speak informally about becoming an AND Board Member or Associate Board Member, you are welcome to request a conversation by Friday 30 May 2025
• Following this, we ask for a CV along with a short written statement (max 1 page) / video (max 3 minutes) to be submitted by Midnight Sunday 22 June 2025 with AND BOARD MEMBER ROLE or AND ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER ROLE as the subject field.
• Complete an Equal Opportunities Form (submitted anonymously)

We are seeking enthusiastic, innovative volunteer teachers who are passionate about education, youth development and equity to join our 25-26 cohort. Food and housing expenses are covered. We currently serve nearly 500 students across two schools in northern Honduras. You will be joining a network of hundreds of alumni who have supported this important work for nearly 20 years. Our signature teaching program includes  ear-long teacher training and year-long professional development opportunities that highlights the important current and historical context in which we are teaching and learning from our students and the communities in which we live. If you have any questions or want further information, feel free to reach out to us. 

At a high level, each volunteer teacher is responsible for: leading an English curriculum for students in grades PreK-9 in ELA, Science, Math, Art, PE and Computers (all classes are capped at 25 students, and most teachers take on one full curriculum for a grade level) supporting fellow teachers in the classroom, getting to know your students and their families, and immersing oneself in Honduran culture. Don’t worry - we’ll be there to support you with every step along the way! 

REQUIRED DUTIES:

• Facilitate relationships with students’ parents and other community members 

• Plan lessons and teach in English (all subjects with the exception of Social Studies and Spanish)

• Foster a safe and productive classroom environment for students 

• Serve as a Lunch/Recess monitor

• Collaborate with the teaching team (Honduran and International) on school projects, events, planning, and curriculum development

• Contribute to the collaborative and respectful group living experience

• Serve as an ambassador for BECA by helping to spread the word about our work to your families and friends 

• Participate in professional development events, such as local education-based conferences, and BECA-lead efforts

BENEFITS: All BECA volunteer teachers receive…

• A monthly food stipend 

• Local transportation to/from the airport upon arrival and departure

• Housing (within a shared living accommodation)

• High-speed internet, and all utilities, provided by BECA 

• Assistance in obtaining temporary residency status, or support with obtaining a temporary VISA, depending on volunteer need/local regulations

• Intensive summer training, and ongoing training and professional development throughout the academic year 

• Immersion in a Spanish speaking community, with opportunities for Spanish-language acquisition

About FilmBath

FilmBath/ Bath Film Festival has been a key part of the city’s cultural life since 1990. Renowned for its commitment to diversity, innovation and inclusion in film, the festival celebrates stories from around the globe, champions underrepresented voices, and brings cinema to new audiences in unique and engaging ways.

In addition to the flagship annual festival, FilmBath strives to collaborate with other organisations and festivals for year-round events designed to bring cinema into new spaces and reach wider audiences. An example of this was the new Movie at the Museum strand, part of the Curious Minds festival, which creates unique screenings and experiences in collaboration with local heritage sites, museums and cultural venues.

The FilmBath Team

FilmBath is a registered charity with no permanent staff. The festival is led by a freelance Festival Director, who is responsible for shaping the creative vision and structure of the festival, managing budgets, and reporting to the Board of Trustees. The Director also builds and maintains key partnerships with film and arts organisations, venues and cinemas, and leads on marketing, audience development, and stakeholder engagement.

A volunteer programming committee works under the direction of the Director to select the films shown at the festival. This committee helps ensure the programme reflects FilmBath’s values while appealing to a wide and diverse audience.

Delivery of the festival is supported by a small number of freelance production and technical staff, contracted by the Director, and a team of dedicated volunteer stewards who provide vital support during festival events.

This lean, collaborative structure allows FilmBath to remain agile and sustainable, delivering high-quality programming while nurturing a strong sense of community.

Sector Context

The cultural sector is facing a period of significant transition. Shrinking public funding, increased competition for sponsorship, and changing audience behaviours have created challenges for many arts organisations. Within the film festival landscape, these pressures are amplified by the growing availability of on-demand content and the rising costs of delivery. Yet, this moment also presents major opportunities: audiences are increasingly seeking shared, local, and meaningful cultural experiences – exactly what festivals like FilmBath are positioned to offer. With a strong identity, a collaborative spirit, and a dedicated community, FilmBath is well placed to reimagine what a regional film festival can be in the years ahead.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Chair of the Board of Trustees to help shape FilmBath’s strategic future. This is an exciting opportunity to join at a critical point in our development, supporting the organisation’s ambition to grow sustainably while retaining its distinctive identity and values.

As Chair, you will work closely with the freelance Director and the Board to provide strategic leadership, champion fundraising efforts, and strengthen governance. With a lean delivery model, the Chair will play a visible and active role in helping to secure the long-term stability and impact of the organisation.

You’ll bring experience in business, fundraising and strategic planning to complement the Director’s creative and operational strengths, and have the enthusiasm to work collaboratively towards a shared vision.

FilmBath is at a pivotal moment in its development. Insights from a recent Strategy Day identified key priorities for the Board, including defining the festival’s cultural role within the local and national landscape, strengthening brand identity, and building long-term financial resilience through strategic fundraising and partnerships. The incoming Chair will be instrumental in supporting these developments, working closely with the Director to implement a clear, bold vision for the organisation’s future. The current chair of the board will be available to support handover to the incoming chair.

Key Responsibilities

- Provide strategic leadership to the Board of Trustees, ensuring the organisation fulfils its charitable purpose.
- Support the Director in shaping and delivering FilmBath’s long-term vision.
- Champion fundraising efforts, including donor cultivation, sponsorship and bid development.
- Ensure good governance, financial oversight and compliance with charity law.
- Act as an ambassador for FilmBath within the cultural, business and philanthropic sectors.
- Lead and facilitate Board meetings and promote active trustee engagement.

Person Specification

- Demonstrable experience in business strategy, income generation or fundraising, ideally within the cultural or charitable sectors.
- Proven leadership and governance skills, with an understanding of the legal duties and responsibilities of a charity trustee.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- A collaborative and supportive approach to working with the Director and fellow trustees.
- Passion for film, cultural engagement, and FilmBath’s mission and values.

Time Commitment

- Quarterly Board of Trustees meetings
- Monthly one-to-one meetings with the Director
- Attendance at key events, including the annual festival and occasional stakeholder meetings
- Participation in sub-committees or working groups as needed

Strategic Priorities for the Board

The FilmBath Board of Trustees has identified several key priorities for 2025 and beyond:

- Clarifying our identity: defining our unique position as a festival rooted in Bath with national credibility
- Strengthening our brand: creating a compelling narrative to engage audiences, funders and the wider industry
- Investing in fundraising: growing our income beyond ticket sales by engaging major sponsors, trusts and individual donors
- Ensuring sustainability: building a delivery model that mitigates key person risk and secures long-term stability
- Deepening community impact: continuing to deliver diverse, inclusive, and memorable film experiences across the year

The new Chair will play a leading role in advancing these strategic priorities, supported by a dedicated Director, a skilled Board, and a passionate volunteer team.

GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) provides a specialist, holistic service for asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants. We advocate for people’s rights, help improve their wellbeing, and support them in building a better future.

As part of GARAS you will always be compassionate and committed volunteers. As a Triage Volunteer, you will be the first point of contact for many of our clients – helping them access the right support at the right time. You will ensure that enquiries are dealt with effectively, that clients feel welcomed and safe, and that they are directed to the appropriate service: whether at GARAS or with another provider.

This role is essential to the smooth running of our service. With increasing demand, our advisers rely on triage volunteers to help ensure no one is missed and that our support is delivered where it is most needed.

Enthusiastic, reliable and compassionate volunteers with good interpersonal skills and a desire to help others. Confident working with young people between the ages of 16 - 24.

To provide social and practical support to customers. Helping towards improving the life chances of people with experience of homelessness.

Clarion Housing Group operate a number of supported housing schemes, to support people to live independently, by providing residents with the life skills they will need to eventually go on to their own tenancy.

This opportunity is based in Strood, Rochester and Gillingham (Medway).

Volunteers empower our customers to identify their existing strengths and skills so they can achieve their goals and aspirations. As a volunteer, you can support customers to achieve their full potential by developing new skills and accessing opportunities.

Activities:
-Building an empathic and person-centred relationship with a young person who may be socially isolated or lack confidence.
-Provide opportunities for young people to become more self-confident, maintain contact with important people in their lives and build-up their social networks.

Practical activities could also include:
-Empowering young people to develop independent living skills and to access educational and employment opportunities
-Helping the young people to complete forms and paperwork including developing their CV and job applications
-Helping the young people to build important life skills e.g. cooking, cleaning and budgeting
-Organising activities within the schemes i.e. art/painting, games/quizzes, cooking

Support for Volunteers:

- To attend four half days of training, receive an induction and have access to any other relevant in house and external training

- Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

- Volunteers will have a check in with the Volunteering Officer every 3 months to ensure they are happy with the role and to resolve any issues

Activity Facilitation - customise your own one day volunteering opportunity!

Date: March 2025 - Feb 2026, one off shifts scheduled on the last Friday of each month (see below for specific dates)
Location: Ealing, West London or online 
Address: Haven Green Baptist Church -Castlebar Road, Ealing W5 2UP (face to face session) or Online
Timings: 12.45- 13.15
Who will see the difference? Our patients with chronic and long term conditions.

We are looking for passionate and creative volunteers to bring joy and engagement to our Support Circle Group, a community space for individuals living with chronic and long-term illnesses. The Support Circle Group provides a safe and welcoming environment where participants can connect and share experiences. As part of our sessions, we would love to introduce creative activities to uplift and inspire our members.

Some proposed activity areas we can consider:

 Music – Singers, musicians, or who can bring live music.
Arts & Crafts – Simple and accessible creative activities for self-expression.
Games & Activities – Light hearted, inclusive, and interactive fun.
Other Creative Talents – Poetry, storytelling, or any other engaging ideas.

The volunteering activity:

We will need support with;

-  Participating in a briefing meeting with the service to further explore your proposed activity in your volunteering application
- Clarify practical support needs from the team for the activity to take place e.g. venue set up
- Facilitate your chosen and agreed volunteering activity session you’d like to offer
- Consider formal risk assessments with the support of your Trust point of contact for safe and effective delivery of activities

Considerations

We do not have resources to provide materials, but the goal is simply to spark interest and engagement. The activity will serve as a light and enjoyable way for participants to connect, express themselves, and find joy at the end of each session. Consider keeping activities simple but meaningful and rewarding for patients e.g. origami is fun and interactive whilst requiring very little material resource. Sessions last for 30 minutes, another reason why simple ideas will work. We are happy to discuss your initial ideas to align them to group goals too upon applying (no idea is a bad idea).

Session dates:

F = Face to Face; O= Online

28th March 24  (O)
25th April (F)
23rd May (O)
27th June (F)
25th July (O)
22nd Aug (F)
26th Sept (O)
24th Oct (F)
28th Nov (O)
12th Dec (F)
Jan 2026 (O)
Feb 2026 (F)

Next steps

Please apply via our website

Enthusiastic, reliable and compassionate volunteers with good interpersonal skills and a desire to help others. Confident working with young people between the ages of 16 - 24.

To provide social and practical support to customers. Helping towards improving the life chances of people with experience of homelessness.

Clarion Housing Group operate a number of supported housing schemes, to support people to live independently, by providing residents with the life skills they will need to eventually go on to their own tenancy.

This opportunity is based in Strood, Rochester and Gillingham (Medway).

Volunteers empower our customers to identify their existing strengths and skills so they can achieve their goals and aspirations. As a volunteer, you can support customers to achieve their full potential by developing new skills and accessing opportunities.

Activities:
-Building an empathic and person-centred relationship with a young person who may be socially isolated or lack confidence.
-Provide opportunities for young people to become more self-confident, maintain contact with important people in their lives and build-up their social networks.

Practical activities could also include:
-Empowering young people to develop independent living skills and to access educational and employment opportunities
-Helping the young people to complete forms and paperwork including developing their CV and job applications
-Helping the young people to build important life skills e.g. cooking, cleaning and budgeting
-Organising activities within the schemes i.e. art/painting, games/quizzes, cooking

Support for Volunteers:

- To attend four half days of training, receive an induction and have access to any other relevant in house and external training

- Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

- Volunteers will have a check in with the Volunteering Officer every 3 months to ensure they are happy with the role and to resolve any issues

Public Programme Volunteers are a big part of making sure our diverse range of events go off without a hitch. They’re creative, enthusiastic, and great with people. They’re also keen to get stuck in and learn more about how public programmes in the heritage sector are put together and delivered.

The museum offers a range of public programming throughout the year but particularly in the summer (Wednesday to Sunday), and during Holiday periods (Monday to Sunday): February Half Term, Easter Holidays, May Half Term and October Half Term. We are looking for volunteers who are available during these periods to support with a range of activities.

How you will help

• Providing a friendly greeting for all visitors.
• Supporting the set up and take down of workshops, activities, and events
• Facilitating activities such as: Tower building in the Splash Zone, Bubble discos, crafts, Water Filtration Experiments, and more!
• Supporting visitors way-finding and access through the museum
• Working collaboratively with the wider LMWS volunteer team

Time Commitment

Volunteers can book a full day, or a half-day shift. Shifts are flexible and you can choose the number of days you work. As stated above, we particularly needs support during our Holiday periods. Full training will be provided.

London Museum of Water and Steam

The London Museum of Water and Steam tells the story of London’s water supply, the site, its people and the amazing pumping engines that helped to make London the city it is today.

Today the museum is at the heart of the community, working in partnership with community groups and welcoming many residents.

Trailblazers’ mission is to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures and the charity has been providing mentoring services to people in prison since 1998. We provide support to men between the ages of 18 - 35 in custody who have 6 months left of their prison sentence, and then 'through the gate' into their community for up to 12 months.

In the West Midlands, services are delivered near Wolverhampton at HMPYOI Brinsford. We are looking for volunteer mentors who can spare half a day per week to support young men to change their life by acting as an inspirational role model and helping with goal setting. Mentoring sessions usually last 1 hour per week; allowing enough time for travel and liaising with Trailblazers staff will take about half a day.

Your support will help a young man to reconnect with his own community, friends and loved ones, go into education, training and employment, and to give a person a sense of hope for the future. As a charity we are reliant on volunteers; with your help we can continue to support people in prison to make and change to their lives, their family and wider society. We welcome all skill sets within Trailblazers as we work with a diverse group of men, all we ask if you have a genuine passion for social change and that you can commit to at least 1 young man for up to 12 months, so they have a consistent person in their life - something that some of our mentees have never had. The national average re-offending rate for a person leaving prison is up to 55%, the rate for those who have a Trailblazers mentor is lowered to 9%. 

We are actively looking for people to join our mentoring community with lived experience of the criminal justice system, underrepresented groups from BAME community, creative arts, business skills, wellbeing - whatever your skills and background we are open to hear from you to support our diverse group of men.Out of pocket expenses are covered as well as training to equip you for your role. More information and the application form can be found on the website. 

Role activities:

• To provide a positive role model for people in prison and in their own community, to be empathic and to have a desire and commitment to support people to fulfil their potential.

• To attend and participate fully in the initial and ongoing mentor training.

• To attend group support/supervision meetings and review performance within mentoring relationships.

• To complete mentoring session notes relevant to the mentoring service for monitoring purposes.

• To take part in introductory meetings with mentees and set ground rules and boundaries.

• To report safeguarding concerns immediately.

• To follow relevant policies and procedures. 

• To perform your role in line with the aims of the organisation.

• To meet with and actively develop a supportive relationship with mentees.

• Be prepared to travel and undertake visits for mentoring sessions. 

• To make the necessary practical arrangements to meet the mentee on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

• Assist the mentee to celebrate their achievements.

• Support the mentee to meet identified goals.

• Develop an understanding of the role, responsibilities and boundaries of a volunteer mentor.

• Be committed to the project for a minimum of 12 months.

• Regular communication with Trailblazers staff in support of your mentee. 

Skills/behaviours/knowledge required:

• Knowledge of the criminal justice system and challenges faced by mentees (Desirable) full training will be given. 

• Awareness of own professional boundaries and the ability to report any concerns within the mentoring relationship that could be pertinent to risk to the mentee, or to others. 

• To be an advocate for a mentee and to actively seek opportunities for mentees for resettlement back into their own community in conjunction with Trailblazers staff. 

• To be non-judgmental, focus on the person rather than the offense. 

• Professional but relatable with strong communication skills. 

• Awareness of adversity and how to overcome barriers to build a supportive network around the mentee. 

• Basic IT skills. 

• Be able to take advice and guidance from Trailblazers staff. 

Criteria: 

• Over 21. 

• We encourage applications from those with lived experience of the Criminal Justice System but you must be off licence for a minimum of 12 months, and not in crisis yourself. 

• You cannot apply to a project if you have been a resident in the same prison yourself. 

• A good level of fitness to able to move around a prison at fast past that does include stairs 

• Due to security checks at the prison you must be a British citizen.     

• Not committed an offense where you are barred from working with vulnerable adults or children. 

• Live within a 30-mile radius from the prison at which you would like to volunteer.

Trailblazers’ mission is to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures. Your support will help a young man to reconnect with his community, friends and loved ones, go into education, training and employment, and give a person a sense of hope for the future.

Trailblazers has been providing mentoring services to people in prison since 1998 with ultimate aim to reduce re-offending. We provide support to men between the age of 18 - 35 in custody who have 6 months left of their prison sentence, and then 'through the gate' into their own community for up to 12 months. The Education, Training & Employment (ETE) team supports our mentees in custody to break down barriers to employability. Post-release, this continues by supporting mentees to gain meaningful and career changing roles in sector specific industries such as Construction, Engineering, Catering & Hospitality or the Self-Employment route. 

The ETE team are looking to build a team of volunteers to work with mentees in the community and to shape the existing ETE service in the Thames Valley area. We are looking for volunteer mentors who can commit for up to 12 months and give a few hours a week to support men to change their life by being inspirational role models, helping with goal setting and supporting their mentee to access ETE opportunities and ultimately gain meaningful employment. Mentoring sessions will be 1:1, take place weekly and can be done remotely by telephone or online. These sessions will last approximately one hour, but some time should also be given to liaising with Trailblazers staff and researching relevant opportunities. 

Induction training is provided, out of pocket expenses covered, a mobile phone is provided to protect your identity, a Trailblazers T-shirt and lanyard are provided, DBS costs are covered, as well as regular reflective practice sessions to support you within your role. 

We are actively looking for people to join our mentoring community with lived experience of the criminal justice system, under represented groups from BAME community, creative arts, business skills, wellbeing - whatever your skills and background we are open to hear from you to support our diverse group of men. 

Trailblazers are looking for Volunteer Mentors who are:

• Empathetic with a positive outlook and manner.
• Able to help others without judgement or discrimination.
• Excellent communicators with a sense of humour.
• Well organised, can prioritise and multi-task.
• Reliable and able to commit to the role for up to 12 months providing weekly ETE sessions remotely either by telephone or via Zoom / MS Team digital platforms.
• Have skills and experience in supporting those who are disadvantaged into education, training and employment (ETE).
• Able to work independently with the ability to prioritise and manage your own workload with minimal supervision taking a flexible and creative approach to the demands of the post.
• Able to demonstrate sensitivity to other cultures, working with people from other backgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities.

Role: Digital Activities Volunteer

Commitment: Currently, sessions are run both during the week (mostly in the afternoon) and at weekends (usually on a Saturday). Activity volunteering is a flexible commitment, and you will be able to sign up for the session you like and when you have time. It really is up to you and your availability. 

Location: Remote

Availability: RSBC Events · https://lu.ma/rsbc

Age:  18+ 

Our Mission Statement: 

RSBC believes that every blind young person should have the chance to live life without limits. 

By giving young people the essential skills and confidence to take control of their life, they can unleash their true potential.

Our success depends on our values 

Underpinning all RSBC’s work are values embedded in trust and excellence: 

TRUST: Respect and accountability 

ENERGY: Straight talking and constantly learning 

AMBITION: Confronting reality and driving results 

MOTIVATION: Vision impaired children and young people are our number one priority, and we look for solutions, not problems 

What will I be doing?

Our amazing Activity Volunteers play a key role in supporting blind children and young people to take part in a variety of activities. These range from sports, creative (singing, performing, art), audiobook club and day trips. Our activities are designed for blind young people to meet new friends, gain confidence, learn new skills/sports, and become more independent. The skills you have developed in your career and personal life will be invaluable to our young people. 

Key Tasks and Main Duties 

Online activities: 

• support the session timetable 

• facilitate the communication and social interaction between participants 

• encourage members of the group to participate and share their opinions 

Who are you?

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need to have volunteered or worked before as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning and willing to follow RSBC’s policies and can be an excellent ambassador for RSBC. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of sight problems. 

What’s in it for me?

RSBC offers the opportunity to gain insight and experience into helping others with sight issues. As part of your volunteering, you will have access to Sighted Guide training, a training session designed to help you understand the issues and complexities of sight problems and give you the ability to help others navigate the world.

RSBC also provides paid expenses for your volunteering experience, you can claim up to £10 per day.

RSBC can also provide references and impact reports from your volunteering if required. 

You will be fully supported in your role by our team of expert and compassionate service delivery team.

Develop or utilise your skills – As a volunteer, you’ll be given plenty of opportunities to develop new skills or use those you already have, which can help to build your CV, boost your employability and give you a sense of satisfaction. 

What's in it for the Community? 

Make a difference to people’s lives

Help in your community

Help deliver creative services to help people with sighted issues feel included in the world around them.

Make a direct and tangible difference to the lives of blind and partially sighted children and young people. 

Safeguarding:

Due to the nature of the role, before you can begin volunteering with RSBC there are some required safeguarding checks which will need to be completed.

All RSBC volunteers undergo an Enhanced DBS check (paid for by RSBC) and must provide two references.

All volunteers will also be booked onto safeguarding training.

RSBC risk assesses all its services and activities.

Next Steps: 

If this sounds like you, please fill out an expression of interest, and one of our volunteer team members will get back to you!

Trailblazers’ mission is to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures and the charity has been providing mentoring services to people in prison since 1998. We provide support to men between the ages of 18 - 35 in custody who have 6 months left of their prison sentence, and then 'through the gate' into their community for up to 12 months.

In London, services are delivered at HMP Brixton and HMPYOI Isis. We are looking for volunteer mentors who can spare half a day per week to support young men to change their life by acting as an inspirational role model and helping with goal setting. Mentoring sessions usually last 1 hour per week; allowing enough time for travel and liaising with Trailblazers staff will take about half a day.

Your support will help a young man to reconnect with his own community, friends and loved ones, go into education, training and employment, and to give a person a sense of hope for the future. As a charity we are reliant on volunteers; with your help we can continue to support people in prison to make and change to their lives, their family and wider society. We welcome all skill sets within Trailblazers as we work with a diverse group of men, all we ask if you have a genuine passion for social change and that you can commit to at least 1 young man for up to 12 months, so they have a consistent person in their life - something that some of our mentees have never had. The national average re-offending rate for a person leaving prison is up to 55%, the rate for those who have a Trailblazers mentor is lowered to 9%. 

We are actively looking for people to join our mentoring community with lived experience of the criminal justice system, underrepresented groups from BAME community, creative arts, business skills, wellbeing - whatever your skills and background we are open to hear from you to support our diverse group of men.Out of pocket expenses are covered as well as training to equip you for your role. More information and the application form can be found on the website. 

Role activities:

• To provide a positive role model for people in prison and in their own community, to be empathic and to have a desire and commitment to support people to fulfil their potential.

• To attend and participate fully in the initial and ongoing mentor training.

• To attend group support/supervision meetings and review performance within mentoring relationships.

• To complete mentoring session notes relevant to the mentoring service for monitoring purposes.

• To take part in introductory meetings with mentees and set ground rules and boundaries.

• To report safeguarding concerns immediately.

• To follow relevant policies and procedures. 

• To perform your role in line with the aims of the organisation.

• To meet with and actively develop a supportive relationship with mentees.

• Be prepared to travel and undertake visits for mentoring sessions. 

• To make the necessary practical arrangements to meet the mentee on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

• Assist the mentee to celebrate their achievements.

• Support the mentee to meet identified goals.

• Develop an understanding of the role, responsibilities and boundaries of a volunteer mentor.

• Be committed to the project for a minimum of 12 months.

• Regular communication with Trailblazers staff in support of your mentee. 

Skills/behaviours/knowledge required:

• Knowledge of the criminal justice system and challenges faced by mentees (Desirable) full training will be given. 

• Awareness of own professional boundaries and the ability to report any concerns within the mentoring relationship that could be pertinent to risk to the mentee, or to others. 

• To be an advocate for a mentee and to actively seek opportunities for mentees for resettlement back into their own community in conjunction with Trailblazers staff. 

• To be non-judgmental, focus on the person rather than the offense. 

• Professional but relatable with strong communication skills. 

• Awareness of adversity and how to overcome barriers to build a supportive network around the mentee. 

• Basic IT skills. 

• Be able to take advice and guidance from Trailblazers staff. 

Criteria: 

• Over 21. 

• We encourage applications from those with lived experience of the Criminal Justice System but you must be off licence for a minimum of 12 months, and not in crisis yourself. 

• You cannot apply to a project if you have been a resident in the same prison yourself. 

• A good level of fitness to able to move around a prison at fast past that does include stairs 

• Due to security checks at the prison you must be a British citizen.     

• Not committed an offense where you are barred from working with vulnerable adults or children. 

• Live within a 30-mile radius from the prison at which you would like to volunteer.

As a Volunteer Welcomer at GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), you will play a key role in ensuring the smooth and welcoming environment for clients, staff, and visitors. You will be involved in various administrative, organisational, and practical tasks that directly support GARAS' services for refugees and asylum seekers. You will welcome each client, providing tea/coffee, and ascertain which staff member clients need to see. The waiting room is often busy, so Welcomers keep the waiting list in order, managing the flow of clients and liaising with advisors. Our Welcomers are the most important face of GARAS, helping clients to feel welcomed, safe and comfortable. More information on specific job role on our website.