Charity Shop Volunteer Roles in Hampstead, Greater London
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Age UK Notts are seeking individuals who would like to be considered as a volunteer for the NEW Companion Service which launches on 1st April 2024.
Volunteers will be supporting people remotely, in their own homes and in the community within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and ideally, we ask all applicants to provide a minimum of 1 hour volunteering a week.
The companion service volunteer can choose to be:
• A companion telephone/video caller
• A companion within the person’s home
• A companion outside the person’s home
• Or a combination of all three.
Examples of the type of support the service offers include:
• Telephone / video calls for an older person/s on a regular basis at a mutually agreed time for a friendly chat.
• Supporting an older person/s hobbies and interests or simply chatting with them in their own home on a regular basis.
• Supporting with digital access & building confidence skills & motivation to access the opportunities of the internet.
• Supporting the person outside of their home e.g., by accompanying them on a walk, to the shops, to a café, garden centre, theatre or cinema or other social activities / community groups.
• Where appropriate, supporting the older person to access other services through information and signposting or referring to the Companion Service Coordinator for support.
We are looking for the following skills/interests:
• Individuals with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of older people who are committed to volunteering on a regular basis.
• Commitment to complete our Volunteer Report Form accurately and regularly.
• Ability to travel for visits in the local community either by car or public transport for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.
• Digital literacy for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.
Please do note, however, that at the moment we are not looking for Volunteer Telephone Companions.
We are looking for volunteers with good daytime availability in specific areas of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
***Please note that we don’t offer sponsorship or accept overseas applicants***
Please contact the volunteering team for further information
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Established in December 2013, Betknowmore UK’s mission is to address gambling related harm in UK communities. We are the leading provider of gambling support and training services. We work tirelessly to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling related harm. ‘We want people to be empowered, to live the life they want to lead.’ Read more about our values, strategy and impact.
We exist to provide support and training services that prevent and address personal and societal harms caused by gambling. Together we aim to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling harm.
Today the charity is governed by a Board of Trustees and run by Betknowmore UK senior management. This is where you come in – we are currently recruiting new members for our Board of Trustees.
About you
We are seeking committed individuals who share our vision, mission and values to join our board. You do not need to have prior knowledge of gambling harms as training will be provided throughout the induction period. Previous experience as a trustee, although desirable, is not essential.
We are specifically looking for the skills in the following areas.
·Community Engagement/networking/influencing
·Legal
·Commissioning
·Research
·Finance
For more information about the duties of a trustee and the person specification please see the Role Description Pack below. We would love to hear from you if you have time, skills and experience to share.
How to apply
To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter outlining why you would like to become a trustee and how your skills and knowledge would be an asset to the charity. (details in jobpack)
We are excited to invite passionate and dedicated individuals to join us as Trustees and contribute to the establishment and development of our charity organisation. Our mission is to inspire humanity through education for change and growth, focusing on adulthood. If you are enthusiastic about shaping the future and making a meaningful impact, we want you on our team!
About believe-IN
At believe-IN, we are committed to being facilitators of change for individuals and organisations in transitions. Our mission is to provide lifelong educational services that empower adults to manage life changes effectively, fostering growth and preventing mental health declines. Grounded in humanistic principles, our values of Knowledge, Education, Leadership, Integrity, and Courage guide us in creating exceptional life outcomes for all.
We operate with a one-stop-shop concept, offering a variety of educational and training programs, activities, and initiatives to help individuals develop essential life skills, enhance personal development, and improve overall well-being during critical life changes.
Our Social Impact
Inspired by lifespan developmental psychology and human rights principles, believe-IN strives to create a brighter, more empowered future. We believe in providing a holistic and inclusive platform accessible to all, fostering a more harmonious and equitable society for everyone.
The Trustee Role
As a Trustee, you will be a key decision-maker, responsible for supporting the organisation's direction, values, and governance structure. Your dedication and leadership will be essential in shaping believe-IN's future. We are specifically seeking individuals for the following roles:
1) Treasurer:
2) Fundraising Professional
3) Community Development Professional
4) Secretary
We are looking for individuals who bring energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to the role, broadening the diversity of thinking on our board.
Application Notes
Applications can be made by sending a conventional CV (2-page max) and a covering letter (2-page max) outlining your interest and suitability for the role.
Join us in creating a world where everyone believes in themselves and can make the life they wish and deserve happen!
Application Notes
Applications can be made by sending a conventional CV (2-page max) and a covering letter (2-page max) outlining your interest and suitability for the role.
The closing date for applications is 17th of May 2024.
Join us in creating a world where everyone believes in themselves and can make the life they wish and deserve happen!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Every 6 minutes someone learns that they are losing their sight. Every five hours, a baby is born with sight problems. In these moments, two profound questions emerge:
• Can this be stopped?
• How do I (or my child) live this life?
The merger of Fight for Sight and Vision Foundation, which took place on 1st April 2023, will enable us to address both questions. By combining our strengths and expertise we are now the only significant national funder with the efficiency,
capability, and capacity to increase investment in medical research and social improvement. Together we can mitigate both the prevalence and impact of sight loss. We have a clear ambition – to save sight and to change lives.
We are now seeking up to four new trustees as we establish ourselves in our new form and under our new name (soon to be announced). This is an exciting inflection point for us, and our new trustees will be central in enabling us to achieve our ambition.
We have worked through our merger and have a clear focus and vision, as well as a strong Board and senior leadership team, all of whom are ambitious for the potential impact we can make. Our re-brand will also enable us to amplify our position as a leader within the sight loss sector. Our merger was a critical step in accelerating research which will create a positive impact on the lives of millions of people. We do not want this opportunity to pass us by and that’s what makes these such an important and exciting roles for the right people.
As a trustee, you will have the opportunity to steer the course of our charity and our sector, shaping our strategies, and advocating for meaningful change. You will be help us be a driving force behind world leading research into sight loss prevention, and transformative initiatives that enhance the quality of life for countless individuals.
We are particularly seeking individuals who have a medical or scientific research background, ideally in ophthalmology, and those who have experience in retail and fundraising. If you want to be part of something that will really make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
“I extend a heartfelt invitation to those who share our commitment to making a profound difference in the lives of individuals affected by sight loss. Our journey towards a future where eye diseases are prevented and the challenges faced by the visually impaired are overcome requires the collective effort of dedicated individuals. We are seeking trustees who are not only passionate advocates for our cause but also possess the vision, expertise, and dedication to guide and govern our organisation. Your unique perspectives and skills will play a pivotal role in shaping and defining our impact for years to come.”
Dr Heather Giles, Chair
“Our two organisations came together to form a new dynamic, ambitious, entrepreneurial, impact-driven organisation to save sight and change lives. We are searching for trustees that can join us, and be at the forefront of creating the culture, the outlook and the methods of working and the operations to truly make a difference in society.”
Keith Valentine, CEO
ABOUT US
We are a new organisation forged from two ambitious charities: Fight for Sight and Vision Foundation. Our single, unifying mission is to save sight and change lives.
It is a mission that reflects two urgent questions everyone faces when they receive a diagnosis of sight loss: ‘How do I stop this?’ and ‘How do I live my life?’
Answering these questions guides our strategy as we progress a five-year plan with solid and lofty aspirations.
THE MERGER
Fight for Sight funds breakthrough research and life-changing services to build a more equitable future for blind and partially sighted people by accelerating breakthroughs in multiple sight loss conditions.
Vision Foundation works to inform, include and empower the visually impaired community. Empowerment is at the heart of what we do; our work focuses on what people can do, rather than what they can’t.
The merger will help us to realise a joint ambition to tackle sight loss from both a clinical and social perspective. Our combined organisation is now grounded in data and insight into the science, as well as the lived experience of, sight loss. With this wealth of evidence we’re determined to:
- generate further investment into the sector,
- accelerate clinical progress,
- improve quality of life for people facing or living with sight loss
Crucially, coming together is about growing our influence and impact, not reducing or diluting what we do. So, as we evolve as a merged organisation, we are combining our teams, announcing our new name and fine-tuning our unified
mission and strategy – as well as continuing with the important work we’re already committed to – you can expect big things from us and it is an exciting time to join us as a trustee.
OUR FUTURE
Our principal role is as a grant-maker. We award grants to the scientific community that could lead to scientific breakthroughs and treatments to stop eye diseases from progressing. In the future, we believe research can prevent people from losing sight and reverse sight loss. We invest to advance treatments that will cure eye disease and protect and grow the community of world-class scientists, technologists, and data scientists who can deliver tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Historically, Vision Foundation has funded innovations that directly impact people who are blind or partially sighted, from music classes for children to projects that take eye tests into at-risk communities. We invest in programmes, organisations and activities that deliver equity for and with blind and visually impaired people.
As a grant-maker, we are change-makers, accelerators and drivers of impact. We are bold, energetic, challenging, disruptive, tenacious, and determined.
We aren’t afraid to tackle the challenges facing the sight loss community, either. Recent campaigns include The Unseen, which unearthed the shocking scale and nature of domestic abuse among blind and partially sighted people, and See My Skills, which addressed high unemployment rates. The charity excels at working in partnership with others towards creating a more equitable society for the sight loss community.
As we progress, we’ll scale the impact of projects like these, look beyond the nation’s capital, and drive systemic change. We’ll need to secure the funds to invest in our trusted partners to achieve our ambitions. We’ll continue to fundraise by engaging with supporters and companies through legacies, events such as the London Marathon, and our network of charity shops.
The evidence we commission influences policy and decision-making to demand equality for all.
We’ll shortly have a new name that reflects our united ambitions, so it’s an exciting time for us and the people we serve.
OUR FINANCES
The charity is in a strong position financially, with a high level of reserves that we intend to draw down over the coming years as we focus on investing in sustainable growth and increasing our impact. Compared to many charities, we
have well diversified income streams, predictable costs, and are in the fortunate position to hold a sizable portfolio of investments. Our plans for the short and medium term are to invest in our income generation infrastructure, and to significantly increase the amounts of funding we can put to our charitable purpose.
OUR BOARD AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
Fight for Sight / Vision Foundation is the only organisation in the sight loss sector with an Executive Leadership Team that has over half of its members with lived experience of sight loss.
The Board currently numbers ten trustees, including our newly appointed Chair.
The Board meets four times a year, or more often as required.
Follow this link to find out more about our Board.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
As the most senior leaders in our charity, trustees play a pivotal role in guiding our strategic direction, amplifying our impact, and ensuring the fulfilment of our mission to save sight and change lives. You will serve on the main board and will be invited also to get involved in one of our sub-committees. These are currently:
- Social Impact & Scientific Research Committee (SISR)
- Finance, Audit, Risk & Resources Committee (FARR)
- People Committee
- Retail Committee
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Planning
- Provide leadership and strategic guidance to the charity, aligning efforts with the mission and values of the organisation.
- Collaborate with the board, executive team, and stakeholders to develop and implement long-term strategies that advance the charity’s impact and sustainability.
Governance
- Ensure effective governance, decision-making, and compliance with legal and ethical standards.
- Work closely with board members, fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, collaboration and open communication, harnessing different views and opinions.
Engagement
- Represent the charity at public events and networking opportunities to promote our mission and raise awareness about our cause.
- Develop and nurture relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, partners, corporations, government agencies, and the visually impaired community.
Evaluation and Accountability
- Collaborate with the board to evaluate performance, ensuring alignment with the charity’s goals and objectives.
- Ensure the charity is accountable to donors and beneficiaries, that is financially robust and sustainable, and that is effective risk management in place.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
We are seeking dynamic and dedicated individuals to serve as trustees of our ambitious merged organisation. The ideal candidates will have a strong commitment to our cause, along with the following:
Specialist experience
At this time, we are particularly interested in candidates who have leadership experience in:
- Scientific and/or medical research
- Ophthalmic research and/or clinical practice
- Strategic oversight of substantial fundraising and/or retail operations
Despite these areas of interest, we welcome a diversity of skills and experience at our charity and on our Board, and want to find the right candidates regardless of their specific areas of expertise or experience. So if you are interested in this role and think you can contribute to our mission, we’d love to hear from you.
General attributes
Knowledge & experience
- An understanding of governance, and experience on a committee or board.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain partnerships with stakeholders, including donors, corporations and government agencies.
Skills & abilities
- Strategic thinking and the ability to contribute to long-term planning and vision to deliver impact.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
- Entrepreneurial instincts and a healthy understanding of risk balanced with ambition using sound judgement.
Styles & behaviours
- High ethical standards and commitment to upholding the charity’s values, as well as a passion for advocating on behalf of individuals with, or at risk of, sight loss.
- Collaborative, highly inclusive, fostering trust and valuing difference perspectives.
- Solution-focused, with an ability to see the big picture and be pragmatic.
TERMS OF APPOINTMENT
Remuneration
This role is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although reasonable expenses may be claimed.
Time commitment
While the exact time commitment may vary based on the charity’s needs and priorities, we anticipate the following general expectations:
- A minimum of four Board meetings per year
- Up to four subcommittee meetings per year (the specific committee depending on skills and experience)
- Preparation for meetings, review of materials, and other trustee engagement as appropriate.
- Annual Strategy Day with full Board and executive team.
- Meetings with members of the executive leadership team as appropriate.
- Representing the charity at high profile events, functions and public engagements to enhance its reputation and partnerships.
Location
At present Board meetings are held in central London. Subcommittee meetings are held remotely.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Action Village India
Action Village India (AVI) is a small, UK-based charity that fundraises for Indian NGO partners to deliver programmes that will best assist the poorest and most marginalised sections of communities in rural India. AVI supports campaigns for social justice and equality on Gandhian principles of nonviolence.
You will be working hand-in-hand with a small and very agile team in the London office and as such the internship will be a fantastic opportunity to ground yourself in the basics of charity day-to-day administration, communication and event fundraising.
Working Information:
Location: London – Dalston Junction
Hours: 2 days per week plus attendance at WOMAD Festival 24-29th July 2024
Duration: 8-10 weeks. Internship to start early June (negotiable) and ending in the first week of August.
Starting date: 5th June 2024
Job Purpose:
This internship will focus on developing an exhibition for WOMAD festival that highlights the work on Action Village India, and support the team during the weekend of WOMAD festival.
The biggest fundraising event we hold every year is Madras Café, held at Womad Festival at the end of July. Madras Café began its life as a Chai and leaflet stall over 30 years ago to help educate people about Action Village India and the difficulties people in rural India faced; today it is an established festival institution serving delicious Indian food to over 4000 people over three days. The Action Village India team holds a stall in the Madras Café tent selling ethical products made in India, showcasing our exhibition, and informing people about Action Village India. In the run up to the festival you will work on the development of the exhibition. During the festival you will be working with the Events Intern and staff to ensure a successful running of the stall and the exhibition. You will need to be available in the set up and weekend of the festival – 24-29th July 2024.
Main duties and responsibilities:
1. WOMAD Exhibition Support
§ Attend meetings on the planning of the exhibition
§ Research into the theme of the exhibition
§ Support with preparing, designing, creating and installing the exhibition
2. Event Management
§ Support with event management as and when required
§ Work with AVI staff, trustees and volunteers at Womad Festival 24-29th July 2024
3. Office Support
- Helping with the day to day running of the office, including communication with enquirers and supporters and the online gift shop
- Assisting with the production and printing of leaflets, appeals and fundraising materials
- Assisting with the distribution of mailings; appeals, newsletter and membership
- Creating content for various social media platforms
4. General Responsibilities
§ Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices
- Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace
- Keep confidential any personal, private, or sensitive information
- Any other duties commensurate with the accountabilities of the post
- Get involved and pitch in where help is needed
Person Specification
§ Excellent communication skills face to face, on the phone and by email.
§ Ability to work alone and use own initiative to develop systems, deal with practical situations as they arise
§ IT skills and experience at a level that support email, database, social media and use of spreadsheets and graphic design skills such as for our newsletters (desirable)
§ Ability to stay focused and efficient in the face of changing priorities, and to deliver work in a timely manner
§ Commitment to the values and ethos of AVI
§ Ability to work well in a team with a flexible approach
§ An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.
§ Keen interest in international development, events and fundraising
§ Proactive, creative and enthusiastic
§ Desire to learn, develop and advance personal career prospects
§ Knowledge of rural development in India (desirable)
Terms of Internship:
This is a voluntary position. Action Village India will cover travel expenses (from within London) to the office in Dalston and lunch costs for days worked in the office (up to £10 a day – if travel costs are higher, this can be discussed). All expenses must be itemised, and receipts provided. The cost of your Womad ticket and travel will be covered.
Accessibility:
We would like to offer our sincere regrets that due to the location of our office this position isn’t suitable for anyone with additional accessibility needs. The Action Village India is on the second floor with a narrow staircase and no lift. If this situation changes in the future, we will update the information to our vacancies.
If you have accessibility requirements and are still interested in an internship with Action Village India please get in touch for a chat. We are open to discussing a full Work From Home internship if at all possible.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Could you make a significant contribution to help people live later life well?
Are you a member of the Methodist Church in Britain seeking to use your skills, expertise and gifts in a new way?
We are seeking a Methodist Church nominee to join the board of Methodist Homes (MHA).
You will be working collaboratively with other MHA trustees to help shape MHA’s future strategy and ensure good governance across the charity.
As a Board Member you will have passion for the wellbeing of older people and will bring a wide-ranging skills and experience.
Expressions of interest are invited from both lay and ordained members of the Methodist Church in Britain. You're encouraged to apply if you feel that overall, your skills and experience meet the role requirements.
Reflecting the diverse communities that MHA are proud to serve, MHA is committed to widening the diversity of its leadership and board. Therefore, we actively and warmly encourage applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.
If you would find it helpful to discuss the role before applying, please contac us to arrange a phone conversation with a member of the Nominations Committee.
Closing date: 28 May 2024
Short listing date: 30 May 2024
Interviews /exploratory conversations: 10 June 2024 (PM)
The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Volunteer Mystery Shopper – can you help?
The Hospice Lottery Partnership runs a weekly lottery in support of local charities such as: Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity in Aylesbury, Michael Sobell Hospice Charity in Northwood, Rennie Grove Hospice Care in Buckinghamshire and West Hertfordshire, South Bucks Hospice in High Wycombe, and The Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted.
Mystery shopping is a form of market research work, that requires an individual to play the role of a genuine customer and report their experience back to us.
We are looking for someone with a good level of literacy and a great memory that could spare a few hours a week visiting our Fundraisers at local retail stores and medical centres to provide feedback on a Fundraisers performance and the overall perception of the experience. In essence, how you would rate the service you received during your experience?
“I volunteer with The Hospice Lottery; I always have a few hours spare each week and it’s lovely to feel that I am helping such a worthy cause.” Diana Hewitt, Office Volunteer.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Are you familiar with the hospitality landscape in South-East London? Do you have experience of running or working in a start-up?
Plateful Café are seeking a dedicated entrepreneur to sit on their advisory board of Trustees at this exciting time to help steer the charity development towards the next stage of establishing a sustainable café. Plateful Café opened to the public in September 2023 offering breakfast,lunch and hot drinks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday(9-3) as well as catering for events, pop ups and selling artisan products and artwork by local refugees.We are based at Parkside Community Centre in SE10 8FY and we have tendered for the venue for the next 4 years.
By joining the charity at this exciting stage you will have the opportunity to work with a diverse team building on securing the charity long-term future.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Lead on a new operations subcommittee to build a sustainable café diversifying our income Action planning, piloting and market research
- Customer development,research and building rapport
- Developing networks in the hospitality sector to provide opportunities for Café clients to seek experience and positions after the training programme
- Plan opportunities to diversify and capacity build Plateful Café’s income strategy by identifying new venues for pop-ups,promoting catering and identify new stockists to sell our products
- Overseeing activity on the online shop and selling points e.g. markets, local shops, events
- Overseeing the new supper club
Essential Skills
- Experience of management role in hospitality industry
- Strong track record of relationships building and networking with businesses
- Experience working to KPI’s
- Successful leadership and operations in a professional capacity
- Shared commitment for creating empowering, proactive solutions to local challenges
- People centred approach with strong communication and team working skills
Desirable Skills
- Lived experience of being a refugee
- Project coordination experience
- Network building in South-East London
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Purpose of role:
With an ageing population, more and more older people are at risk of isolation and loneliness as partners and friends pass away, family members move away and the community around them changes at a fast pace. As a Befriender, you will become part of the solution to tackling the issues of isolation and loneliness by developing strong relationships with clients and encouraging them to engage in a variety of ways.
Main activities/tasks:
- Visit or call an older person once a week for around an hour
- Spend time getting to know them and understand what things they may like to do at home (e.g. chess, knitting, reading)
- Offer healthy and fun conversation and encourage them to talk
- Give support to enable them to get out in the community and encourage participation in activities
- Promote healthy living and wellbeing
- Accompany them on visits out of the home e.g. going for a walk, shopping
- Support them to find information
- Make monthly reports on visits carried out
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Plateful Café works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in Lewisham. Our commitment is to reach the most vulnerable people in our community and open a pathway to employment for people who have asylum here. Refugees will benefit from workshops, training skills and knowledge relevant for the catering industry. As a small charity it is important to share information and updates through our communications and social media content, to help us fundraise and grow. We are looking for someone to assist us with updating our website including the online shop, events page and blog. The website is a key part of Plateful Café, raising awareness about the barriers to work for refugees as well as helping to share our delicious products with a broad network. By joining the team you’ll be able to put your marketing and website design skills to great use, ensuring more refugees in South-East London can share delicious food.
Duties will include:
- Keeping the website up to date, including the online shop, events page and blog
- Identifying potential content and opportunities
- Adding ideas to the content planner
- Producing analytics on a monthly basis
- Attendance at monthly web team catch-ups virtually/phone
- ad-hoc attendance at events and markets
Requirements:
- Photo editing skills
- Experience with using Wordpress and Woocommerce
- Marketing / communications experience
- Able to create interesting and engaging content
- An interest in supporting refugees and contributing to the work of Plateful Café
- Good time management skills
- Good team player
Desirable:
- SEO knowledge
- Experience of working with refugees, people seeking asylum, vulnerable groups or lived experience
- Lives in South-East London
What Will You Gain?
- Experience and insight into working with a charity and our community and play a key part in ensuring Plateful Cafe achieves its goals.
- Develop your writing, editing and website skills
- Access training opportunities available to Plateful Cafe volunteers
- Regular support with undertaking your role
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Role: Referral volunteer (laptops)
Team: Casework
Supervised by: Adult caseworker
Location: Tooting office on a Thursday afternoon (2-5pm) for period of training/induction. Remote or in person once induction is complete.
Time commitment: 3 hours a week, we ask that volunteers commit for a minimum of 6 months
About CARAS :
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.
Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives.
We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.
Our values are at the centre of all our work:
• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests
• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society
• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes
• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do
About the Role:
CARAS offers advocacy casework integrated into all of its projects, ensuring that people who attend our groups can access support to address issues in a friendly and timely manner. A key part of the casework service is to help connect people to resources and activities that they need.
A key areas of need is digital access, either by smart phone or laptop.
People living in asylum accommodation receive £9/week making saving for items impossible.
Whilst many activities have returned to face-to-face delivery many have stayed online, not having a laptop impedes people’s ability to join English classes and social activities. People attending college face difficulties in completing college work without access to computers in the evenings, access to a laptop means people are able to take greater control over their independent learning. Smart phones make a huge difference in people’s ability to have contact with family and community across the world.
To meet this need we have built a partnership with a grant giving organisation, Acts435, to support people to get personal laptops.
We are able to refer 5 people at a time for grants to buy new laptops/phones. Once the grant money is received we purchase the devices for community members to collect.
We are looking for a volunteer to do these referrals each month and support people to purchase and receive their laptops and phones. This is an extremely rewarding role, interacting with lots of the CARAS community members and making a very tangible positive impact on people’s lives.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- contacting community members who are on our waiting lists by phone to explain the scheme to them
- complete grant applications with community members
- monitoring the grant platform to see when grants have been made
- purchasing laptops online and liaising with community members to arrange collection
- completing monitoring forms with community members once grants are recieved and uploading to grant platform
- recording all referrals and work done on our case management system (lamplight)
Person specification:
Essential
· Confidence in using IT (online forms, online shopping, google maps, email, DocuSign)
· To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;
· A commitment to confidentiality and data protection
· Thorough with good attention to detail
· Reliable
· A high level of spoken and written English
· Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;
· Ability to gather information from people in a sensitive way
· A calm, friendly, kind and patient approach
· Enjoyment in speaking to new people
· A commitment to working in an empowering way
· Able to maintain boundaries
· Able to work autonomously
· Currently resident in the UK
Desirable
· Experience working with refugees and asylum seekers
· Fluent in one or more of: Pashtu, Farsi, Tigrinya, Somali, Arabic or Dari, Russian, Ukrainian, Albanian, Amharic, Kurdish Sorani, Spanish, French
· Experience of working with interpreters
Benefits to Volunteering:
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
· Develop your skills and competencies;
· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training.
All volunteers must complete a DBS check and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role.
To Apply:
To Apply To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form, using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.
Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with the Adult caseworker, and one with community members, to assess compatibility to the role. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Action Village India
Action Village India (AVI) is a small, UK-based charity that fundraises for Indian NGO partners to deliver programmes that will best assist the poorest and most marginalised sections of communities in rural India. AVI supports campaigns for social justice and equality on Gandhian principles of nonviolence.
You will be working hand-in-hand with a small and very agile team in the London office and as such the internship will be a fantastic opportunity to ground yourself in the basics of charity day-to-day administration, communication and event fundraising.
Working Information:
Location: London – Dalston Junction
Hours: 2 days per week plus attendance at WOMAD Festival 24-29th July 2024
Duration: 8-10 weeks. Internship to start early June (negotiable) and ending in the first week of August.
Starting date: 5th June 2024
Job Purpose:
Part of Action Village India’s fundraising strategy is raising funds and awareness through events. The biggest fundraising event we hold every year is Madras Café, held at Womad Festival at the end of July. Madras Café began its life as a Chai and leaflet stall over 30 years ago to help educate people about Action Village India and the difficulties people in rural India faced; today it is an established festival institution serving delicious Indian food to over 4000 people over three days. Madras Café is run and organised by a group of volunteers. The Action Village India team holds a stall in the Madras Café tent selling ethical products made in India, showcasing our exhibition and informing people about the work of Action Village India and our partners.
During your internship, you will take the lead, in collaboration with the Communications, Fundraising and Operations Manager, of the organisation of the Action Village India information desk. This will include managing the sale of products and the managing of volunteers for the Action Village India stall. You will also assist the Exhibition intern with the production of the Exhibition which will be showcased at WOMAD.
You will also get involved in supporting other fundraising events such as our online gift shop and annual Walk for Women.
Main duties and responsibilities:
Duties will be tailored to meet the learning objectives of a successful internship candidate. If you have a particular interest in developing fundraising skills not directly listed below, please ensure these are highlighted in your cover letter.
1. Event management
§ Administration of sponsorship fundraising events – registration of runners/riders/walkers and their donations
§ Invite and liaising with guests and volunteers for upcoming events
§ Lead on the organisation of the Action Village India information desk at Womad
§ Assist with the organisation of the exhibition at Womad
§ Provide liaison between, and support to, Action Village India and the established Madras Café team
§ Feed into the event communications, press and audience engagement strategy
§ Organise the front of house desk for AVI
§ Assist with photographic exhibition hanging, stall set up and pack up
§ Liaise with volunteers and coordination of volunteers during the festival
§ Design & Develop (and where possible run) new fundraising events
2. Fundraising Support
§ Supporting fundraising opportunities through events and the AVI ethical gift shop
3. Communications & Office Management
§ Helping with the day to day running of the office, including communication with enquirers and supporters, and the online gift shop
§ Assisting with the production and printing of leaflets, appeals and fundraising materials
§ Assisting with the distribution of mailings; appeals, newsletter, and membership
§ Creating content for various social media platforms
General Responsibilities
- Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices
- Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace
- Keep confidential any personal, private, or sensitive information
- Any other duties commensurate with the accountabilities of the post
Person Specification
§ Excellent communication skills face to face, on the phone and by email.
§ Ability to work alone and use own initiative to develop systems, deal with practical situations as they arise
§ IT skills and experience at a level that support email, database, social media and use of spreadsheets and graphic design skills such as for our newsletters (desirable)
§ Ability to stay focused and efficient in the face of changing priorities, and to deliver work in a timely manner
§ Commitment to the values and ethos of AVI
§ Ability to work well in a team with a flexible approach
§ An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.
§ Keen interest in event management
§ Proactive, creative and enthusiastic
§ Desire to learn, develop and advance personal career prospects
§ Knowledge of rural development in India (desirable)
Terms of Internship:
This is a voluntary position. Action Village India will cover travel expenses (from within London) to the office in Dalston and lunch costs for days worked in the office (up to £10 a day – if travel costs are higher, this can be discussed). All expenses must be itemised, and receipts provided. The cost of your Womad ticket and travel will be covered.
Accessibility:
We would like to offer our sincere regrets that due to the location of our office this position isn’t suitable for anyone with additional accessibility needs. The Action Village India is on the second floor with a narrow staircase and no lift. If this situation changes in the future, we will update the information to our vacancies.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
MHA is the largest charity care provider for older people in the UK. Our mission is to inspire the best care and wellbeing at every stage of later life. MHA Moorlands is a Retirement Living Scheme offering a supportive and friendly community with purpose-built properties designed to help our residents maintain their independence.
As a Befriender you’ll support one of our male residents by visiting him regularly to bring friendship, company, and a chance to chat. The visits will also include shopping trips (access to own vehicle required) and going for walks.
Benefits for you:
- Help improve the quality of life for older people
- Help reduce loneliness and isolation
- Support your community
- Keep socially active
- Be part of a friendly team
Skills and qualities desired:
- Good communication and people skills
- Enthusiasm
- Patience, empathy and understanding of the needs of older people
- Reliable and punctual
- Clear sense of personal boundaries and ability to maintain confidentiality
- A willingness to engage with training and development
- A good understanding of your personal strengths and limitations
Times and Commitment:
- Monday-Friday- preferably around 11am however the time can be negotiated
- Each visit will last around 2 hours
- We ask you to be able to commit on a regular basis for a minimum of 6 months
Training, support and requirements:
- You need to be aged 18 or over
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two character references are required
- Proof of a clean driving licence, insurance cover and MOT
- Access to own vehicle
- A good driving safety awareness
- We will provide you with a full induction for the role
- Training on safeguarding, health and safety and other training and updating of skills and knowledge relevant to the role
- Ongoing support from a named contact
*Please note- we can only accept applications from UK residents*
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The role is for a Befriender in our Tenancy Sustainment Teams in the London Boroughs of Kingston, Richmond, Sutton, and Wandsworth and we’re now recruiting for volunteers. We would particularly like to hear from you if you live in or near the above boroughs.
The Tenancy Sustainment teams support people on their first steps from homelessness to independence – providing accommodation and support to assist people off the streets.
We work with people who are have experienced rough sleeping and, once accommodated, SPEAR then works with people on a housing pathway and assists them to link into various support services, tailored to the challenges an individual might face.
SPEAR is looking for self-motivated, outgoing, and empathic people who could volunteer to provide support to vulnerably housed, rough sleepers, or anyone using homelessness services in the London boroughs of Richmond, Wandsworth, Sutton, and Kingston.
The volunteer will enjoy developing positive relationships with new people and will be willing to work outside of their own comfort zone providing befriending support to the clients. The volunteer must have an enhanced DBS background check (SPEAR will apply for this on your behalf.)
It would be desirable if you had a driving license.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Midland Mencap is a charity which works and campaigns for accessible and inclusive services and a better quality of life for everyone with experience of learning disabilities and additional needs
Purpose of the role
With your friendly attitude and knowledge of the local area, you could be the support a Midland Mencap citizen needs to access and enjoy their local community and make a big difference to their lives.
Some of our citizens may be dealing with a variety of difficulties including depression, isolation, physical and mental health problems, Your role will be to help them to enjoy their local community in the way that they want; this may include activities such as going shopping, attending an event, visiting a park or a local facility – and having fun.
What would I be doing?
·Visit a Midland Mencap citizen
·Accompany them to agreed community locations and activities
·Provide a befriending support role to ensure the citizen enjoys a positive experience
· To record and maintain basic records as required
·To ensure the activities undertaken complies with safeguarding, equal opportunities, health & safety and other policies and the guidelines provided by Midland Mencap.
What do I need?
· Being approachable and friendly
· Good communication skills
· Knowledge of, and able to travel to local places
· Accepting of others who might be different to you and the ability to work as part of a diverse team
· A willingness to learn and act within guidelines set out by Midland Mencap
· Good time management skills, reliability
· An enhanced DBS check will be required by all successful applicants.
When and where do you need me?
· A minimum of 2 visits per month
· Days and times are flexible and agreed in advance, but there may be some specific activities the citizen wishes to attend
· In the local community
What’s in it for me?
As one of our valued volunteers, Midland Mencap will offer you:
· The opportunity to make a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities and their family carers
· An induction and settling in period
· Any training and development that is needed
· The chance to develop your skills and gain experience
· The opportunity to meet new people and be part of a diverse team
· Support within your role
· Any out-of-pocket travel expenses
· Lots of appreciation for your amazing contribution
· Positive wellbeing from doing something great
· Improve career opportunities by adding your volunteer role to a CV and ask us for a reference
To campaign for and deliver accessible and inclusive community health and wellbeing support services for individuals, families, and carers.