Community Advocate Volunteer Roles in Belfast

As the vegan community grows, veganism itself becomes better understood. We're finding that more people are looking to The Vegan Society to find out what being vegan is really all about.

Local communities are starting to see the vegan movement as something real and something that’s happening in their area. A greater number of people are embracing a vegan lifestyle, which we welcome. From new businesses, to families, to councillors, many people need support. This could be with a range of topics: going vegan, finding correct information, providing vegan options in their business, MPs listening to vegan constituents, and learning about our work.

Local issues are often unique and more varied than national issues. Our volunteers from local areas are vital! They enable us to share our messages and campaigns in an effective way. Research tells us that people are far more likely to trust information from a peer rather than an outside expert or organisation, so community volunteering vastly increases the impact of our campaigns. 

Our network of committed local vegans across the country is growing! The Vegan Society organises various outreach activities to influence change in every level of society. There are a range of activities going on all the time, from general educational stalls at events to meeting with local policy influencers. 

What does the Organiser role involve? 

Every month, you will be sent a collection of tasks to choose from. We create these from our programme of campaigns. You would be the point of contact for Advocates in your area, sharing these tasks and coordinating activities, such as stalls and lobbying councillors. We will provide you with a campaign toolkit and be in regular contact with you to ensure you have everything you need. You will also be invited to our private Facebook group and WhatsApp chat.

We would expect you to provide any updates from your group and give feedback on each task. It's vital that we measure the impact that we are having, in terms of positive conversations and leaflets handed out. You can also give us ideas you have for future outreach tasks or campaigning. Many Organisers find a huge sense of satisfaction, improvement in self-esteem and enjoy the social side of volunteering in this role.

You will also be responsible for welcoming new Advocates in your area. We will let you know when somebody new applies, and you will help them to get involved with any activities. As the main contact for Advocates, this role does require some awareness of safeguarding and data protection procedures and policy. You'll also be the health and safety contact for your group. There will be full training on your role in this, as well as a handbook and ongoing guidance and support. 

As an Organiser, you will ensure any resources or actions undertaken are in line with our branding and messaging guidelines and make sure that Advocates understand this too.

What training and support is available? 

There will be a full induction to the role, with a gradual introduction of new tasks and responsibilities. To start with, we will provide an initial training session to cover the basics of community organising, communication skills and event planning. This will be done remotely from wherever you are. Along with this, we will provide a full pack of resources that covers a range of work that we do. 

From there, there will be regular conversations and reviews, where we can discuss other training requirements. Staff are always available to Organisers for any questions, via phone or email. 

What skills would be useful in doing this role? 

• Great organisational skills
• Experience of coordinating people
• Experience of working to specific dates and deadlines
• Good time keeping
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to motivate people around the topic of veganism
• Ability to stick to branding
• Ability to read emails in a timely manner and translate tasks into actions quickly
• Ability to report back on activities
• Excellent knowledge of vegan issues

It would be beneficial for this role to have access to a vehicle, as some actions will involve taking resources to events or visiting MPs’ offices. However, this is not mandatory as the campaign toolkit can be carried in a backpack. 

How much time do I need to invest?

This role requires more time than the Advocate role. You should be able to commit around two days a month to carry out actions, and this is usually spread out across the month. We also expect timely responses to emails. When a new Advocate applies to work with you, we would like them to be contacted within seven days.

Who can I contact to find out more?

Enquiries are welcome! Please contact Katy Malkin (Volunteering Coordinator).

Do you want to take part in vegan volunteering around your local area?

You can do that – right here at The Vegan Society. 

We have an ever-growing Community Network of vegans just like you, who have a passion to volunteer and promote veganism where they live. 

Every month, our Network choose from a range of outreach tasks. These could include town centre stalls, writing to a councillor or MP, sharing our campaigns on social media or contacting local businesses. You're in control of how much or how little you do. 

We also provide our volunteers with leaflets, banners and workshops so that they are equipped to make the biggest impact possible. 

We are currently looking for volunteers all over the UK. 

Why do we need you to volunteer?

As the vegan community grows, veganism itself becomes better understood. We're finding that more people are looking to The Vegan Society to find out what being vegan is really all about.

Local communities are starting to see the vegan movement as something real and something that’s happening in their area. A greater number of people are embracing a vegan lifestyle, which we welcome. From new businesses, to families, to councillors, many people need support. This could be with a range of topics: going vegan, finding correct information, providing vegan options in their business, MPs listening to vegan constituents, and learning about our work.

Local issues are often unique and more varied than national issues. Our volunteers from local areas are vital! They enable us to share our messages and campaigns in an effective way. Research tells us that people are far more likely to trust information from a peer rather than an outside expert or organisation, so community volunteering vastly increases the impact of our campaigns. 

Our network of committed local vegans across the country is growing! The Vegan Society organises various outreach activities to influence change in every level of society. There are a range of activities going on all the time, from general educational stalls at events to meeting with local policy influencers. 

What does the Organiser role involve? 

Every month, you will be sent a collection of tasks to choose from. We create these from our programme of campaigns. You would be the point of contact for Advocates in your area, sharing these tasks and coordinating activities, such as stalls and lobbying councillors. We will provide you with a campaign toolkit and be in regular contact with you to ensure you have everything you need. You will also be invited to our private Facebook group and WhatsApp chat.

We would expect you to provide any updates from your group and give feedback on each task. It's vital that we measure the impact that we are having, in terms of positive conversations and leaflets handed out. You can also give us ideas you have for future outreach tasks or campaigning. Many Organisers find a huge sense of satisfaction, improvement in self-esteem and enjoy the social side of volunteering in this role.

You will also be responsible for welcoming new Advocates in your area. We will let you know when somebody new applies, and you will help them to get involved with any activities. As the main contact for Advocates, this role does require some awareness of safeguarding and data protection procedures and policy. You'll also be the health and safety contact for your group. There will be full training on your role in this, as well as a handbook and ongoing guidance and support. 

As an Organiser, you will ensure any resources or actions undertaken are in line with our branding and messaging guidelines and make sure that Advocates understand this too.

What training and support is available? 

There will be a full induction to the role, with a gradual introduction of new tasks and responsibilities. To start with, we will provide an initial training session to cover the basics of community organising, communication skills and event planning. This will be done remotely from wherever you are. Along with this, we will provide a full pack of resources that covers a range of work that we do. 

From there, there will be regular conversations and reviews, where we can discuss other training requirements. Staff are always available to Organisers for any questions, via phone or email. 

What skills would be useful in doing this role? 

• Great organisational skills
• Experience of coordinating people
• Experience of working to specific dates and deadlines
• Good time keeping
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to motivate people around the topic of veganism
• Ability to stick to branding
• Ability to read emails in a timely manner and translate tasks into actions quickly
• Ability to report back on activities
• Excellent knowledge of vegan issues

It would be beneficial for this role to have access to a vehicle, as some actions will involve taking resources to events or visiting MPs’ offices. However, this is not mandatory as the campaign toolkit can be carried in a backpack. 

How much time do I need to invest?

You should be able to commit around two days a month to carry out actions, and this is usually spread out across the month. We also expect timely responses to emails. When a new Advocate applies to work with you, we would like them to be contacted within seven days.

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For more information on this role, please click through to the advert.

Do you want to take part in vegan volunteering around your local area?

You can do that – right here at The Vegan Society. 

We have an ever-growing Community Network of vegans just like you, who have a passion to volunteer and promote veganism where they live. 

Every month, our Network choose from a range of outreach tasks. These could include town centre stalls, writing to a councillor or MP, sharing our campaigns on social media or contacting local businesses. You're in control of how much or how little you do. 

We also provide our volunteers with leaflets, banners and workshops so that they are equipped to make the biggest impact possible. 

We are currently looking for volunteers all over the UK. 

Why do we need you to volunteer?

As the vegan community grows, veganism itself becomes better understood. We're finding that more people are looking to The Vegan Society to find out what being vegan is really all about.

Local communities are starting to see the vegan movement as something real and something that’s happening in their area. A greater number of people are embracing a vegan lifestyle, which we welcome. From new businesses, to families, to councillors, many people need support. This could be with a range of topics: going vegan, finding correct information, providing vegan options in their business, MPs listening to vegan constituents, and learning about our work.

Local issues are often unique and more varied than national issues. Our volunteers from local areas are vital! They enable us to share our messages and campaigns in an effective way. Research tells us that people are far more likely to trust information from a peer rather than an outside expert or organisation, so community volunteering vastly increases the impact of our campaigns. 

Our network of committed local vegans across the country is growing! The Vegan Society organises various outreach activities to influence change in every level of society. There are a range of activities going on all the time, from general educational stalls at events to meeting with local policy influencers. 

What does the Organiser role involve? 

Every month, you will be sent a collection of tasks to choose from. We create these from our programme of campaigns. You would be the point of contact for Advocates in your area, sharing these tasks and coordinating activities, such as stalls and lobbying councillors. We will provide you with a campaign toolkit and be in regular contact with you to ensure you have everything you need. You will also be invited to our private Facebook group and WhatsApp chat.

We would expect you to provide any updates from your group and give feedback on each task. It's vital that we measure the impact that we are having, in terms of positive conversations and leaflets handed out. You can also give us ideas you have for future outreach tasks or campaigning. Many Organisers find a huge sense of satisfaction, improvement in self-esteem and enjoy the social side of volunteering in this role.

You will also be responsible for welcoming new Advocates in your area. We will let you know when somebody new applies, and you will help them to get involved with any activities. As the main contact for Advocates, this role does require some awareness of safeguarding and data protection procedures and policy. You'll also be the health and safety contact for your group. There will be full training on your role in this, as well as a handbook and ongoing guidance and support. 

As an Organiser, you will ensure any resources or actions undertaken are in line with our branding and messaging guidelines and make sure that Advocates understand this too.

What training and support is available? 

There will be a full induction to the role, with a gradual introduction of new tasks and responsibilities. To start with, we will provide an initial training session to cover the basics of community organising, communication skills and event planning. This will be done remotely from wherever you are. Along with this, we will provide a full pack of resources that covers a range of work that we do. 

From there, there will be regular conversations and reviews, where we can discuss other training requirements. Staff are always available to Organisers for any questions, via phone or email. 

What skills would be useful in doing this role? 

• Great organisational skills
• Experience of coordinating people
• Experience of working to specific dates and deadlines
• Good time keeping
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to motivate people around the topic of veganism
• Ability to stick to branding
• Ability to read emails in a timely manner and translate tasks into actions quickly
• Ability to report back on activities
• Excellent knowledge of vegan issues

It would be beneficial for this role to have access to a vehicle, as some actions will involve taking resources to events or visiting MPs’ offices. However, this is not mandatory as the campaign toolkit can be carried in a backpack. 

How much time do I need to invest?

You should be able to commit around two days a month to carry out actions, and this is usually spread out across the month. We also expect timely responses to emails. When a new Advocate applies to work with you, we would like them to be contacted within seven days.

Who can I contact to find out more?

Enquiries are welcome! Please contact Katy Malkin (Volunteering Coordinator).

How do I apply?

Interested? Simply fill in our Community Organiser application form. This takes around 5–10 minutes.

We are looking for experienced professionals with experience of working with teenagers/ young adults/ unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Following a rise in referrals for asylum seeking children, teenagers and young adults, we are looking for volunteers to help us support young refugees and fulfil their unmet needs. 

We need volunteers who have relevant experience to help us get to know these children, to spend time with them either one on one or via group outings/ youth clubs. Or volunteers will help these young people to learn English, provide advocacy e.g. accessing services, escorting to appointments and provide emotional support. They will work with our lead Refugee and Migrant Support Practitioner to ensure these young people are able to access their rights and entitlements. 

Essential experience:

- work supporting young/ teenage people or refugees 

- one to one casework or group work with young/teenagers refugees

- provision of emotional support to vulnerable young people

- commitment to helping asylum seeking children access their rights and entitlements and access justice

Desirable experience:

- social work experience supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children

- ESOL provision

- other languages e.g. Arabic, Tigrinya

Availability for the roles will vary but could include evenings and weekends. 

Training and supervision will be provided by our Refugee and Migrant Practitioner who has expertise in this area. 

Enhanced DBS checks and two references will be required. 

We’re looking for someone with for someone with leadership and charity board experience and a passion for environmental and countryside issues to provide leadership to our board of trustees and oversee the future direction and development of our charity.

Who we are

CPRE Leicestershire is a long-standing and well-regarded environmental charity dedicated to protecting, promoting and enhancing the Leicestershire countryside for everyone’s benefit.

The role

In this role you will be:

• ​Providing strategic leadership to our charity and supporting fundraising,membership and engagement initiatives
• Ensuring our charity meets constitutional and governance requirements
• Ensuring the financial integrity and long-term sustainability of our charity
• Ensuring board meetings and our AGM are held on a regular basis
• Building relationships and representing CPRE at community, council and partnership meetings
• Liaising with local CPREs, regional groups and national CPRE
• Supporting trustees and volunteers and identifying candidates for succession
• Safeguarding the good name and values of our charity
• Providing or arranging line management of any employees
• Advocating the work of CPRE through public speaking and media interviews
• Chairs also represent our charity by being the voting member at national CPRE

Ideally you will have the following skills:

• A commitment to CPRE policies, brand, campaigns and initiatives
• Some previous experience in leadership, management and organisational development
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to demonstrate diplomacy,impartiality, respect and confidentiality
• Previous experience of committee work- paid or voluntary
• Knowledge of environmental and countryside issues
• Knowledge of the charity sector including funding and governance
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Experience of working with people from different backgrounds and abilities
• Be able to commit to volunteering regularly to suit your availability,including attendance at meetings
• We ask that all trustees are, or are willing to become, members of CPRE

Independent Visitors - Shropshire

Voluntary – a few hours per month

Information to candidates

We are seeking candidates who are committed to our objectives for children and young people and equally committed to the organisation and the development of our services. We recognise we are a predominantly white workforce and are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from diverse communities in order to improve the services to the children and young people we help.

Our Core Purpose

Coram Voice exists to enable and equip children and young people* to hold the system to account, to challenge and support it to do its job properly and to uphold the rights of children and young people to actively participate in shaping their own lives.

Our vision

Coram Voice strives for a society which recognises and willingly accepts its responsibilities to children and young people, where the inequalities and discrimination they currently face have been eradicated. Where those children and young people are fully engaged in all decisions that are made about their lives. Where the views, needs and feelings that they express are at the core of those decisions.

Our Values

• We are child driven, always asking what children would want us to do. By engaging them at all levels of our work, their views and experiences are central to shaping all our plans. We are tenacious and passionate champions of children’s rights and we will not be distracted in our determination to do the right thing for children and young people.

• Second only to our dedication to children is our dedication to each other. Our work is defined and inspired by meaningful, supportive, mutually empowering relationships with and between children and young people, colleagues and partners. These relationships are powerful because they are authentic and human, where every contribution is equally valued and respected.

• We create a friendly and supportive working environment where work can and should be fun. We recognise that happy people perform at their best, and that people performing at their best are happier in their work. We celebrate our successes together and are open about our concerns and mistakes, supporting each other to grow and learn from them. We work flexibly, supporting each other in times of high workload or when life gets difficult.

• We accept personal responsibility for our work and we are accountable for delivering results against those responsibilities. Managers empower their people to take ownership of and make decisions on their areas of responsibility, ensuring that workload is manageable, that people are treated fairly, that they are supported and challenged to succeed. Everyone at Coram Voice is committed to modelling and championing these values, and managers have a particular responsibility for bringing them to life.

*We work with and for a range of children and young people who are potentially vulnerable to harm or exclusion from society, and who have a particular reliance on the state or its agencies for their rights and wellbeing, including children and young people who are looked after by the state, in need or who have severe and complex mental health problems, care leavers and young offenders. This is not an exclusive list.

Our work

Coram Voice is a national independent children’s charity which was established in 1975 and has grown to become one of the leading agencies for children and young people in the UK. Around 60 employed staff, 100 freelance workers and 200 volunteers deliver services to children and agencies through our London headquarters and regional offices. Together they provide Coram Voice with a high degree of specialist expertise in the fields of advocacy, children’s rights, mental health, complaints, secure accommodation and experience of working with children in care, in custody, in need and those who have recently left care.

We provide:

• Advocacy services direct to children and young people in care, in need, in custody and to care leavers and children and young people with severe and complex mental health problems. Advocates around the country support children and young people to get their voice heard in decisions about their lives. This may be through the telephone helpline or through an advocate working directly with a child, for instance, to support them at a review meeting or to help them make a complaint about their care. Coram Voice provides visiting advocacy services to most of the secure units nationally, to Secure Training Centres, Juvenile Young Offender Institutions, psychiatric hospitals, residential special schools and children’s homes.
• A National Helpline to provide access for children and young people to advocacy and advice, with access to legal advice and links with other national helplines such as ChildLine.
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) to advocate for young people as qualifying patients under the Mental Health Act, in order to fully support them to get their views heard in matters relating to their mental health.
• Independent visitors services providing volunteer befrienders to children and young people in care.
• Independent services: Coram Voice is a major national provider of independent person services for complaints by children and for reviewing whether children should be locked up in secure units on welfare grounds.
• Policy and campaigning to create a better system for all children and young people looked after by the state, for their care to be more child-centred and to give young people a greater say in decisions about their lives.
  • Participation services to ensure children and young people have a voice in the development and delivery of services and campaigns, and through the process, provide the opportunity to develop relevant skills which will be of benefit to them in their future lives.
  • Training, development and information for young people, advocates and child care workers, offering courses in advocacy, children’s rights and child-centred practice across a range of areas including the new National Advocacy Qualification.

About the Independent Visitor Service

What is an Independent Visitor?

An Independent Visitor (also known as an IV) is a responsible adult volunteer who befriends and supports a child or young person looked after by a local authority and has little or no contact with his/her parents. The children or young people may need additional support particularly as they are likely to be living in children’s homes, foster homes or independently.

What does an IV do?

An IV will be expected to visit the child/young person they are matched with regularly to demonstrate commitment to them. This could include visiting them at their home, trips out for example to football, sharing the young person’s interests or hobbies or specific activity. During term time most visits will be in the evening or at weekends. An IV can encourage a child/young person to participate in the meetings held to review his/her care plan and therefore be part of the decision making process about his/her life. The IV may also be asked by the child/ young person to speak at the meeting on his/her behalf in order to make his/her wishes, views and feelings known.

General considerations

· Please note that people employed by a local authority cannot work for Coram Voice in the same authority unless the LA gives agreement and the employee does not work in Children’s Services.

· All posts are subjected to an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check and successful candidates will not be able to work unsupervised with children or young people until the completion of this process.

· All Coram Voice workers are required to comply with Coram Voice Codes of Practice and Code of Ethics

General consideration for applications:

• DBS checks All volunteers are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring check.
• Training All successful candidates are required to complete our compulsory training programme which includes induction training and E learning courses on Safeguarding and Diversity, GDPR etc
  • Conflict of interest The independence of the service is important to Coram Voice. Prospective applicants need to raise any other potential conflicts of interest when initially contacting Coram Voice about this post.

The recruitment process:

• Shortlisting will be undertaken by the IV Coordinators.
• You will have a face to face or virtual home visit.
• The interview process comprises of a panel interview. Successful candidates will have a further one to one interview in accordance within Warner recommendations.
• Returning your application: We cannot accept general CVs.
• Applications must be fully completed.

Please return your application to: Human Resources via Blue Octopus.

If you have the necessary experience, attitudes and skills and a commitment to protecting the rights of young people we would like to hear from you.

Coram Voice is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We actively encourage applicants from Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds to join our teams. Whilst we have a diverse team we recognise we are a predominantly white workforce and are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from diverse communities in order to improve the services to the children and families we help.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278

Deafblind UK support people who have combined sight and hearing loss -we help them to live with their condition and to build their confidence and independence.

Deafblindness affects everyone in different ways. Some people might have mild sight and hearing loss whereas others can’t see or hear anything. It can be isolating and lonely and it’s far more common than many people realise. Around 400,000 people are affected by sight and hearing loss in the UK.

As a Regional Charity Champion, you will be the vital link between Deafblind UK and your local community. You will champion and advocate the work and services that Deafblind UK offers and raise awareness of dual sensory loss engaging with local groups and organisations.

The commitment and skills of our volunteer family enable us to reach out to those in our far-flung communities whose lives could potentially be transformed by our support. Your knowledge of your own local area will help us to impact and support those adapting to, and living with, a dual sensory loss.

This is a flexible role which can differ for each volunteer depending on your strengths and experience. It might involve attending public events and groups in your local area delivering short talks or simply circulating information about the charity to raise awareness, make new connections and attract new members.

Who we are looking for?

We are looking for confident, outgoing people who can take the initiative and are eager to make a difference in their local area. You might have had some experience in public speaking, advocating or simply feel passionately about our cause.

We will be behind you every step of the way offering support, training and guidance!

Are you committed to childhood flourishing with an interest in creating stragegies for this to happen?

Godly Play offers spiritually sensitive approaches to learning and living together in a fragile world. We take childhood spirituality seriously, providing training to transform thinking and practice for the whole of life.

A Christian movement, Godly Play seeks to make space for questions about the meaning and purpose of life, through play, wondering, story, exploration and community.

Our small board of trustees supports a group of fifteen part-time trainers offering courses to people working with children in churches of many traditions, in schools and in community settings. 

We would like to diversify our board's ethnicity, age and gender. It would be great to have someone with grant-seeking experience and/or communications know how, but we would love to talk to anyone who is interested.

Would you like to join us? Our website offers lots more information. 

The Role

We’re seeking dynamic individuals to help enable Medair UK fulfil its vision and mission by serving 
as members of the Medair UK Board of Trustees. Medair is a Christian humanitarian organisation that responds to conflict, disease, and disaster so that the world’s most vulnerable and hard-to reach people can live with dignity and hope. As a Trustee you will support the development, delivery and oversight of Medair UK’s strategy for engagement with the Christian, Humanitarian and Philanthropic communities in the UK. 

About You

You will be a Christian who has a strong commitment to Medair’s values of integrity, hope, compassion, accountability, dignity and faith. You will be an enthusiastic advocate of Medair and its mission to alleviate the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people. You will have demonstrable expertise in one or more of the skills areas that need to be resourced on the Medair UK board. You will be able to provide insight, wisdom and strategic leadership as Medair UK responds to the changing world it operates in. You will ensure that the fulfilment of Medair UK’s vision and mission remains at the heart of Medair UK’s strategy.

Some Key Activities

• Participation at Board meetings up 5 times per year
• Participation in developing the annual strategy
• Advocate for Medair UK with philanthropic supporters and the Chritian community
• Attend Medair UK events as appropriate

Your Skills

We are particularly looking for individuals with skills, experience or competence in:

• Fundraising
• Marketing and Communications
• Christian leadership 

But applicants with skills, experience and competencies in the following will also be very welcome:

• Legal
• Financial 
• Governance
• Government Bodies 

Terms of Office: The term of office is three years. Medair UK trustees are able to serve three 
consecutive terms of offices as detailed in Medair UK’s Articles of Association

Meetings: Meeting are held 5 times a year based at the Medair UK Office, 333 Canterbury Court, 1-3 
Brixton Road, London, SW9 6DE.

Join our team of animal changemakers!

In this role, you will organise campaign events in your local area to inspire and support people near you to take action for the animals. We will give you all the materials you need, plus training and ongoing guidance - no prior experience required.

Through the actions and events you organise locally, you will help open the eyes of the general public to the truth of factory farming, encouraging them to take action as part of our campaigns. Your grassroots events will also add vital pressure onto our target companies, encouraging them to commit to better welfare for the animals currently trapped in their supply chains.

As a warm, friendly and approachable person, you will provide the supportive, community space for like-minded people to feel confident joining in and taking action to help animals, ultimately growing your own community of changemakers. 

You can be based anywhere within the UK to take part in this role so there are no limitations on location - small village to big city, we need you wherever you are!

As a Grassroots Organiser, you will be:

• Organising community events in your area, including socials, peaceful protests and outreach on a regular basis (ideally one event every 4-6 weeks but this is flexible)

• Promoting your events and encourage others to join, bringing people together for the animals to create change

• Getting involved in campaign actions remotely - writing emails, letters, social media actions and more

• Attending online events within the volunteer community

Gain fantastic transferable experience and build your advocacy skills in this flexible and rewarding role. Perfect for those interested in gaining firsthand experience in campaigning or volunteer management. You will be working directly with THL UK staff members who will steward and support you throughout your time with us. You will also have access to exclusive training opportunities to further your animal advocacy development.

This role can be done from anywhere, no matter where you are in the UK. No prior experience is required, training and ongoing support provided, plus a full onboarding process. There is no set time commitment, but roughly 4-7 hours a month is average for this role, depending on how many events you wish to organise each month (we recommend one every 4-6 weeks).

If you agree with our vision, and you want to do your part to help end the abuse of animals raised for food, join our team today.

Disclaimer:

The Humane League UK is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive team. We are an equal opportunities organisation and welcome volunteer applications from all people, regardless of their race, sex, age, religion, disability, neurodiversity, orientation, gender identity or expression. We particularly encourage those currently under-represented in the animal movement to join our team – individuals who are Black, Indigenous or People of the Global Majority, a person who is differently abled, and people who are LGBTQIA+.

If you prefer to apply in another way, or you have alternative requirements you’d like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email address on the Role Profile document attached.

We’re passionate about making the countryside in Norfolk a better place for everyone to enjoy and are seeking a proactive leader, ideally with some experience of charity governance and board management, to become Chair of our charity.

We need someone to help advocate for our campaign priorities and oversee the future direction and development of our charity. Someone who will support our fundraising, membership and engagement initiatives, build relationships and represent CPRE Norfolk at key external stakeholder meetings, and liaise with other local CPREs and national CPRE.

As Chair you’ll provide leadership to our Board of Trustees, a team with a broad range of experience, and guide the future strategy, direction and development of our charity. Working collaboratively with your fellow Trustees, volunteers and paid support staff, you will help increase our visibility, promote our campaigns and increase our membership. You’ll help advocate for positive solutions and make a real difference with regard to the issues facing the local countryside and the environment.

Ideally, you will bring some of the following qualities:

• Previous experience in leadership, management and organisational development
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to demonstrate diplomacy, impartiality, respect and confidentiality
• Previous experience of committee work – paid or voluntary
• Knowledge of environmental and countryside issues
• Knowledge of the charity sector
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Experience of working with people from different backgrounds and abilities
• Sufficient, flexible daytime and evening availability to fulfil the role (approximately 6 to 8 hours per week on average)
• A commitment to CPRE campaigns and initiatives
• We ask that all Trustees are, or are willing to become, members of CPRE (it’s quick and easy to join)

What’s in it for you?

You’ll have the satisfaction of leading a local charity with a long history of campaigning to promote, protect and enhance the Norfolk countryside. You’ll meet like-minded people throughout Norfolk and across the country,

You’ll get involved with social events, networking activities, and topical workshops on a local and national level, and you’ll be able to participate in relevant training.

The role requires approximately 2 to 4 hours per week on average, although this is flexible. You need to live in, or have close links to Norfolk to understand the local issues and challenges, and can carry out the role from home or the CPRE Norfolk office, with occasional travel elsewhere in the county.

We are looking for new trustees to join us supporting the Norfolk Chair to develop all aspects of the charity, and particularly welcome applications from those with an interest in marketing, campaigning and promotion of our membership.

CPRE Norfolk, the countryside charity, works to make Norfolk a better place for everyone to live, work and enjoy. We act locally and, with our head office nationally, to protect, shape and enhance a beautiful, thriving countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. We are an independent voice for the landscape, engaging with local and regional planning systems to ensure that our views are heard by decision makers. We campaign locally for positive solutions that will support the long-term future of Norfolk – one of England’s most rural areas.

By volunteering as a trustee with CPRE Norfolk you'll be helping us to find positive solutions for the issues facing the countryside and the environment in our beautiful county.

Our trustee roles involve being an active committee member by attending meetings and contributing ideas to develop and implement our Vision for Norfolk strategic plan; supporting the effective administration of our charity;being a positive advocate for CPRE Norfolk and encouraging others to support our work.

You will have good organisational and interpersonal skills and ideally an interest in marketing. Previous experience of working with committees is welcomed but not necessary, but we do ask for a commitment to CPRE policies.

We envisage that you will have at least 2-4 hours per month to spend developing this role which can largely be done from home. 

Please see the role profile document for more details about our needs, and our 'more about us' document for background to CPRE Norfolk. 

There is flexibility within our requirements, and we will provide support for the right candidate.

About Alopecia UK

Alopecia UK is a charity working to improve the lives of those affected by alopecia through aims of Support, Awareness and Research.  Founded in 2004, we work to help adults, young people and children affected by alopecia.  This includes those with the condition, as well as their loved ones.  We are a small charity working nationally across the UK.  Despite being small, we are the largest alopecia charity in the UK and have big ambitions to continue our growth and development, reaching more people and funding more research than ever before. 

We have a fantastic staff team and board of Trustees, as well as a loyal network of volunteers and supporters. This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate and innovative applicant to support a small yet dynamic charity, and make a lasting difference to the lives of those affected by alopecia.

Alopecia UK Trustee Board

Our Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall strategic direction of Alopecia UK. They represent a wide range of expertise from across finance, healthcare, communications, management and risk; in both private and public sectors.

The Trustee Board meets 4 times a year (two face-to-face meetings and two virtual meetings). Face-to-face meetings tend to be held on Saturdays from approximately 11am-4pm. Virtual meetings tend to be held midweek from approximately 6.30-8.30pm.

Trustees are encouraged to participate in charity campaigns and attend flagship events e.g. our Big Weekend and Alton Towers trip.

Trustees serve for a period of three years, with some trustees serving for more than one term.

The duties of a Trustee are as follows:

• Ensuring that the organisation pursues its stated objects.
• Ensuring that the charity complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Ensuring that the charity applies its resources exclusively in pursuit of its charitable objects.
• Ensuring that the charity defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets.
• Safeguarding the good name and values of the charity.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the charity, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place.
• Ensuring the financial stability of the charity.
• Protecting and managing the property of the charity and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds.
• Following proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of the staff team.

In addition to the above statutory duties, each Trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the Trustee has special expertise.

Please refer to the Charity Commission guidance on good practice of charity meetings, also to Alopecia UK’s Charity Commission records. You can also read Alopecia UK’s 2021-2024 strategy. 

Requirements for the role:

• A commitment to the charity’s mission to improve the lives of those affected by alopecia.
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort.
• Strategic vision with an ability to think creatively and generate ideas.
• Good, independent judgement.
• The confidence to challenge, question and speak their mind.
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
• Ability to work collaboratively and establish credibility with the Charity's trustees.

Additional desirable skills:

• Charity experience/understanding of charity sector
• Legal background (compliance, data protection, HR etc)
• Fundraising experience
• Digital leadership skills
• Medical/clinical background

Supporting Statement

We would love to understand more about you and your reasons for wanting to join the board of trustees at Alopecia UK and this information will be key for us in shortlisting.  Within your supporting statement please comment on:

• Why you want to support the work of Alopecia UK as a trustee
• How you meet the person specification
• What you feel you would bring in terms of experience, skillset, and knowledge base
• Any knowledge/experience you have of Alopecia UK and whether you have been involved in the charity’s work in the past (not essential)

Your statement should not exceed 1,000 words. 

What is Alopecia?

Alopecia simply means hair loss.  There are many types of alopecia, and the charity supports people with all types of alopecia, because the psychological impact can be the same, regardless of cause or type.  The majority of people who contact Alopecia UK have Alopecia Areata, which is understood to be an autoimmune condition.  Alopecia Areata typically appears as patches on the scalp and/or beard. It sometimes progresses to Alopecia Totalis (total hair loss on the scalp), or Alopecia Universalis (total loss of hair from scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes and body).  This dramatic change in appearance, while not life threatening, is certainly life changing.  Altered feelings around identity and sense of self can impact on confidence and self-esteem, resulting in psychological challenges being presented in many everyday life situations.  What does Alopecia UK do?

Support – we facilitate peer support through our UK-wide support group network, online peer support platforms, national and regional events, and one-to-one support given to individuals via phone and emails.  We also maintain a website full of information, advice and support.

Awareness – we educate the general public about alopecia through social media, advice packs, events, our website and podcast.  We support various TV, radio, newspaper and magazine (both print and digital) media articles. We also advocate for the alopecia community amongst healthcare professionals and peer charities, with a view to improving the patient experience.

Research – we distribute research grants and lead our own research, with the support of our Research Committee and Lay Research Panel. We also support various research projects by helping to recruit participants for them.  We build awareness of alopecia research within the general public, the alopecia community and the medical community.

Alopecia UK Staff Team

Following 10 years of being entirely volunteer-led, Alopecia UK moved towards having paid staff resource in 2014, eventually culminating in the Charity’s first full-time employees in 2016.  The Charity opened its first office in the same year.  We now have six employed staff, led by our Chief Executive Officer Sue Schilling. Our staff are skilled, enthusiastic, and passionate about delivering the Charity’s aims.

While we have a small paid staff team, we have a larger overall team, as we utilise a lot of volunteer help in order for the Charity to provide the range of services that it does. 

We are looking for someone with a passion for environmental and countryside issues to join us in a leadership role as Hon Secretary, supporting the Chair and Treasurer to develop all aspects of the charity, including governance, campaigning, marketing and promotion. 

CPRE Norfolk, the countryside charity, works to make Norfolk a better place for everyone to live, work and enjoy. We act locally and, with our head office nationally, to protect, shape and enhance a beautiful, thriving countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. We are an independent voice for the landscape, engaging with local and regional planning systems to ensure that our views are heard by decision makers. We campaign locally for positive solutions that will support the long-term future of Norfolk – one of England’s most rural areas.
By volunteering with CPRE Norfolk you'll be helping us to find positive solutions for the issues facing the countryside and the environment in our beautiful county.

The Secretary role involves being an active committee member by attending meetings and contributing ideas to develop and implement our Vision for Norfolk strategic plan; circulating meeting papers; supporting the effective administration of our charity; contributing to investment decisions; ensuring compliance with the charity's constitution and charity law; being a positive advocate for CPRE Norfolk and encouraging others to support our work.

You will have good leadership, management and organisational and interpersonal skills, and previous experience of working with committees plus commitment to CPRE policies.

We envisage that you will have at least 4 hours per month to spend developing this role which can largely be done from home. 

Please see the role profile document for more details about our requirements, and our 'more about us' document for background to CPRE Norfolk. 

There is flexibility within our requirements, and we will provide support for the right candidate.