Assistant programme officer volunteer volunteer roles in Bristol

VOLUNTEER POSITION – Grants Assistant

Hope and Vision Communities is a small charity based in Reading providing supported, move-on accommodation for people who have successfully completed residential rehabilitation.  We have a Christian ethos, where everyone can be loved and accepted with a sense of belonging, with the hope and opportunity of a new life. We are growing to expand who we can help to other geographical areas, as well as working on opening a women’s service.    

Growing our services means that we also need to grow our fundraising income, and to help reach this, we are looking for a skilled volunteer who could help us increase our grant submissions. The role will support the Trusts and Grants Fundraiser in managing a regular flow of grant applications to Trusts and Foundations.

Key Responsibilities

 •  Research and apply for grants and funding opportunities already identified in our CRM system - this could be potentially 3 applications a week where you prepare a customised case for support to be sent out to a funder

Key Skills and Qualifications

 •  Experience in using Microsoft Sharepoint for remote working

 •Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to inspire and engage diverse audiences.

 •  Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines.

Position Overview

This is a dynamic and rewarding internship opportunity to play a hands-on role in shaping the voice and visual identity of SEED Madagascar. As part of a passionate and collaborative communications team, you will contribute directly to how our work is shared with global audiences—helping to tell powerful stories of community-led development and conservation in southeast Madagascar.

This role offers a unique blend of creativity and purpose. You will support social media management, develop engaging visual content, and curate impactful imagery that brings our programmes to life. It is ideally suited to a proactive and imaginative individual who is eager to build practical skills in communications while contributing to meaningful, real-world impact. Throughout the internship, you will gain valuable experience in digital storytelling, branding, and content strategy within an international development context.

Location: Remote – based anywhere in the world

Time zone: East Africa Time

Timeframe: 6 months extendable – flexible, guideline 1-2 days a week

Overview: Voluntary, unsalaried, flexible times to suit volunteer

About the organisation

SEED Madagascar is a British Charity working in partnership with communities in the southeast of Madagascar. We integrate high quality community health, livelihoods, education infrastructure and conservation programmes to support sustainable change and add to international best practice through research and publication across all of our programmatic areas.

Hope and Vision Communities is a small charity based in Reading providing supported, move-on accommodation for people who have successfully completed residential rehabilitation.  We are growing to expand who we can help to other geographical areas, as well as working on opening a women’s service.    

Growing our services means that we also need to grow our fundraising income, and to help reach this, we are looking for a skilled volunteer who could help us take our communications to the next level. The role will support the Trusts and Grants Fundraiser with a focus on managing the charity’s social media posts; updates to the website and supporting event admin.

Key Tasks:

• Scheduling audience-specific, engaging and shareable content in different formats 

• Regularly posting across our social media platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook) and monitoring engagement to increase our following 

• Creating call to actions to increase our Mailchimp mailing list 

• Book attendance at networking and fundraising events

• Help us with copy writing for the press, fundraising tools and internet site. 

Key Skills:

• Comfortable in using digital comms tools such as mailchimp; wordpress; eventbrite; canva 

• Experienced in using social media such as Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn 

• Able to research social media management tools such as Buffer 

• A confident copywriter who can write for different comms channels 

• Confident communicator with strong organisational skills

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

EXPERIENCE 

Relevant experience using digital communications tools and creating engaging content 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 

Ability to present written and verbal information clearly, accurately and to a standard appropriate for external presentation and communication 

Ability to work well within a team and independently 

Understanding of issues faced by those recovering from addiction 

Demonstrated commitment to the vision, mission and values of the organisation 

You will be supported to succeed and gain real workplace experience with a great group of people and the chance to make a real difference to the people in recovery we support.   

MAIN PURPOSE: 

• To support the comms/fundraising team with communication and events. 

• Help us increase our outreach in the communities and beyond, build a group of supporters and regular donors.

Estimated need for the charity: 

Roughly 4-6 hours per week, whenever is most convenient for you. For example, 3 hours, two days a week. You will be working mainly remotely from home, although volunteers are very welcome to work from our offices in Hare Hatch. You must have access to your own laptop and secure internet connection. 

Role description

The Open Spaces Society, Britain's oldest conservation body, needs additional trustees to broaden our reach.If you are keen to develop strategy and policy for creating, defending, and maintaining commons, greens, and paths, and to develop new approaches to make open spaces available to all, this role is for you. 

Trustees may be co-opted by the present board, but are expected to offer themselves for election by the membership at the first available opportunity.

Working collectively, trustees have three main responsibilities. These are to:

1 set a direction for the society,

2 ensure the society’s plans are carried out appropriately,

3 ensure the society meets its legal responsibilities.

The duties of a trustee are to:

4 ensure the society complies with its articles of association, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations,

5 ensure that the society pursues its objects as defined in its articles of association,

6 ensure that the society directs its resources exclusively towards its objects,

7 in association with the general secretary, ensure that the organisation is adequately staffed, and that the staff and volunteers have appropriate support and resources to pursue organisational goals,

8 contribute actively to the board’s role of developing strategy, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets,

9 safeguard the reputation and values of the society,

10 ensure effective and efficient administration and financial stability, 1

1 appoint the general secretary and monitor her performance,

12 act in the best interests of the society at all times.

Person specification

• Commitment to the society’s mission

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of trusteeship

• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

• Strategic vision

• Objective and insightful judgement

• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team

• Adherence to Nolan’s seven principles of public life (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership).