Community Change Administration Volunteer Roles in Bethnal Green, Greater London

Ref: V217 | Support Group Volunteer | Redford Way, Uxbridge

We’re looking for two Support Group Volunteers over the age of 18 years old, based at Hillingdon Stroke Support Group, Bailey Hall Christ Church, Redford Way UB8 1SZ.

You’ll be volunteering every second Monday between 10.45am and 12.45pm.

As a support group volunteer, you will help with the running of the group.  The role is designed to suit the needs of the group, and the skills of people offering support. If you enjoy getting to know your community, working with others and making a real difference then this is the role for you.

The volunteers will be

· A people person, with good listening skills

· A great communicator who enjoys meeting new people

· Good at putting people at ease

· Reliable and organised

· Passionate about supporting people affected by stroke

· IT literate, have good administrative and record keeping skills and be able to follow relevant policies

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this role.

Interested in this role?

Please click on the role description 

If you are interested in this role, please complete our application form on our website.

About Us

Stroke Association. Rebuilding lives after stroke.

When stroke strikes, part of your brain shuts down. And so does a part of you. That’s because a stroke happens in the brain, the control centre for who we are and what we can do. It happens every five minutes in the UK and changes lives instantly. Recovery is tough, but with the right specialist support and a ton of courage and determination, the brain can adapt.

We believe everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. And it’s a team effort to get there.

We provide specialist support, fund critical research and campaign to make sure people affected by stroke get the very best care and support to rebuild their lives.

We’re working to improve the diversity of our team.  Because we know that individuality leads to a richer experience for our people and better support for those affected by stroke. 

We strongly encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. And we’re particularly looking to increase the number of applications from those with lived experience of stroke and those from under-represented communities. 

Every five minutes, stroke destroys lives. Help us rebuild them and join our team.

To help us deliver our strategy and make a real difference, we are looking to recruit talented people to a number of new roles.

If you would like to support stroke survivors to rebuild their lives, we want to hear from you!

Unfold does governance differently.  An award winning charity, we are led by the people we serve, with inclusive, participatory governance structures which have twice been short-listed for excellence in the Charity Governance Awards.

Unfold (previously known as Westminster Befriend a Family) is an established local charity that gets people where they want to be. Powered by volunteers, we support children, young people and families with one to one mentoring and peer support groups across Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.  We're open to everyone, but we target those who face the most challenges: 93% of our service users are people of colour, 75% are single parent families headed by a woman and in 50% of the families we support there is a child with disabilities or special education needs.

We support the local community and we have also developed specialised programmes for people with specific needs, including refugees, children excluded from mainstream school and children with experience of the care system.

Unfold Trustees 

We have a dynamic, committed, open and friendly board, and we're seeking two new trustees to join us, bringing skills and experiences from the not-for-profit or public sectors.

To reflect the experiences of our service users, we're aiming to maintain the diversity of our board - we're particularly keen to hear from people from the global majority, women, and people who identify with other under-represented groups, including those with disabilities or who identify at LGBTQI+.

We have grown considerably in the last five years, and we now support ten times as many people a year, with five times the budget.   Along the way we've re-branded, undergone a digital transformation, become user-led and significantly expanded our team.  This rapid change reflects both the extent of the community needs, and our ambition to meet those.  We're looking for trustees who can help us go to the next level as we set our strategy for the next five years.

Trustees play a key role in ensuring that Unfold achieves its core purpose and overseeing the overall management and administration of the charity. They also help to ensure that Unfold has a clear strategic vision and that we are working in line with our charitable aims. Trustees support and challenge Unfold’s CEO to enable Unfold to thrive.

We are looking for two Trustees to support our vision and take on the following responsibilities:

Responsibilities

• Engage with and be accountable to our service-user accountability structures, our Youth Advisory Council and our Women’s Advisory Council, who support us in setting strategic direction and to whom we are accountable.
• Support and advise on Unfold’s vision, goals and activities
• Approve operational strategies and policies and monitor and evaluate their implementation
• Oversee the charity’s budgets and financial plans and monitor and evaluate progress
• Ensure that risks are being identified, monitored and managed effectively
• Ensure the effective administration of the charity
• Provide support and challenge to Unfold’s CEO
• Keep up to date with changes within the environment that Unfold operates
• Contribute to reviews of the charity’s governance
• Attend board meetings and be adequately prepared to contribute to the discussion. These meetings are held in person in our fully accessible London office.
• Support the promotion of Unfold's aims and reputation
• Contribute to the charity’s sub-committees and attend sub-committee meetings adequately prepared to contribute to the discussion

Skill and Experience

• Knowledge and experience of the charity sector
• An understanding of and commitment to participatory and inclusive governance.
• An understanding of and the ability to support Unfold’s fundraising strategy
• An understanding of statutory services which might be supporting families, children, young people, mental health and wellbeing, which might be through knowledge and experience in local authorities or the public sector
• Strong communication skills and able to contribute to board discussions
• Knowledge or lived experience in the borough of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea or neighbouring boroughs
• Understanding of safeguarding the welfare of children or vulnerable adults

Personal Attributes

• Personable and positive
• Willingness to learn and contribute.
• People orientated with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion
• Passionate about supporting families to improve outcomes for children, young people and parents.

Values

Trustworthy, non-judgemental, transparent, caring and compassionate, empowering, proactive, self-motivated and accountable

We particularly encourage applications from:

• Candidates from under-represented groups including women and those from Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds
• People from marginalised groups, such as people who consider themselves LGBTQ+, disabled or otherwise facing challenges.
• Individuals with knowledge or lived experience of Westminster and the surrounding boroughs.
• People with less experience but a keen enthusiasm and commitment to our aims based on lived experience.

​

Role Summary

We are looking for a new Chair of Trustees who will offer strategic and supportive leadership to our highly effective, collaborative and committed Board.  The Chair leads the board, ensuring that it governs the charity effectively, in service of the charity's vision and mission.  The Chair leads in an inclusive way, supporting the Board to work together well, and providing support and challenge to the Chief Executive.  The Chair is also an ambassador for the charity.

Chair role & responsibilities 

Provide strategic leadership to the charity and the Board, ensuring that Glass Door achieves its mission with the interests of Glass Door's guests at its centre.

Work collaboratively with the CEO, staff and volunteers to achieve our mission and optimise the relationship between the Board and Glass Doors's staff and volunteers.

Provide leadership within the Board, ensuring that it fulfills its responsibilities for the governance of the organisation and promoting governance among fellow Trustees, providing clarity around boundaries between governance, management and operations.

Plan and chair the bi-monthly board meetings and the AGM, with colleagues as appropriate and liaise with the CEO, Company Secretary and Governance Trustee with regard to setting up meetings, agenda items and annual report content.

Facilitate meetings ensuring all have equal involvement in discussions, clarifying any uncertainties, confirming decisions made and actions to be taken and ensuring effective time management of meetings whilst providing appropriate periods of discussion and reflection.

Act as a spokesperson and figurehead for Glass Door when required.

Support Glass Door functions and events eg attendance at supporter events.

Support the Head of Fundraising & Major Donors with the cultivation of high-level donors, occassionally attending meetings where value can be added.

Represent the Board at staff Town Hall meetings.

Support the team liaising with partner churches and statutory authorities as required and be the public face of Glass Door in the local community.

Liaise with the CEO and he Board to keep an overview of the charity's affairs.

Provide supervision and support to the CEO as necessary in addition to planned monthly/bi-monthly 'catch up' meetings and, with the People Trustee, lead the CEO's annual performance review.

To act as final stage adjudicator for disciplinary and grievance procedures if required.

What we are looking for

Experience of being a Trustee, ideally in the third sector, and an understanding of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of a Trustee/Director.

A keen sense of strategic purpose.

Strong leadership skills, able to foster and promote a collaborative team environment and an inclusive and collaborative leadership style; able to inspire and support everyone to participate on an equal footing.

An ability to facilitate, mediate, influence and respect the confidences of colleagues.  The ability to listen and engage effectively.  You are comfortable with challenge and debate and are able to encourage that in others whilst fostering a collaborative board environment.

Excellent presentation and communication skills.

Advocate and ambassador - possess gravitas to lead the organisation and be able and willing to champion Glass Door.

Demonstrate a strong and visible passion and commitment to Glass Door's guests and ensure that the interests of our guests drive the decisions of the Board.

A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

A willingness to devote necessary time and effort to your duties as Chair and be available and responsive (e.g. when things sometimes 'come up' that require the Chair to advise, support or give consent to).

What's in it for the new Chair?

Our vision is a world where no one has to sleep on the streets of London and we're working every day to achieve this.  Your role as Chair will offer you an incredibly reqarding experience to use your skills and collaborate with the rest of the Board and staff members for the benefit of people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.

For more information please see the full role description and Glass Door information pack attached,

Join the EAUC board and help lead and empower the post-16 education sector to embed sustainability in everything it does: equipping learners for their lives and shaping society for the better.

This is a unique opportunity for someone to bring an external perspective to our charity. We are looking for someone who is passionate about sustainability and education. You don’t need years of experience - we’re seeking someone with a keen eye on what’s important to us: impact, quality, engagement and accessibility. We particularly welcome early-career candidates and those familiar with the further education and skills sector.

Position: Trustee and director
Location: Remote within UK and Ireland
Salary: Unremunerated with reasonable expenses paid
Positions available: One
Closing date: 16th May 2024

The EAUC is the leading body for sustainability in the post-16 education sector in the UK and Republic of Ireland. We represent 300+ institutions with collectively over 2 million students, nearly 400,000 staff and a spending budget of over £25 billion. We exist to lead and empower the post-16 education sector to embed sustainability in everything it does: equipping learners for their lives and shaping society for the better.

The EAUC board is made up of twelve volunteer trustees. We have one long-standing trustee who reaches the end of their tenure at the July 2024 AGM so we have ONE available trustee position.

The new trustee we are seeking will be passionate and innovative with knowledge or experience in the further education sector, whether this is a college, adult education, employment-based learning or a community-based provision.

About us

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen within Pro Bono Economics (PBE), to volunteer in the Operations Team. PBE is an organisation that prides itself on its flexible working environment, culture of learning, focus on wellbeing and the strength of our relationships. PBE offers various opportunities for development and a team working at the top of their game.

PBE’s mission is to end low personal wellbeing in the UK. We do this by helping charities and social enterprises understand their economic and social impact, so they can improve their overall effectiveness. We enable professional economists from the private and public sectors as well as academia to volunteer their skills to tackle some of the most pressing issues in society. We have worked with over 500 charities since our inception in 2009.

Having successfully delivered a major programme of groundbreaking work on the condition of the charity sector in the form of the Law Family Commission on Civil Society at the start of 2023, PBE entered a new phase in its development. Building on its growing research and policy expertise and its strong association with the social sector, the organisation takes a bottom-up and top-down approach to exploring, understanding, and tackling the causes and consequences of low personal wellbeing in the UK that uses the insights and perspectives of charities and community groups as a unique jumping off point. PBE is focused on delivering high quality research that both translates into real policy and practice impacts for people with low wellbeing and supports a more effective social sector to help deliver that change.

About the role

Reporting directly to Pro Bono Economics’ Finance & HR Manager you will be offering much valued support to PBE’s Operations team with the day-to-day finance and operations processes. This is a varied and exciting role requiring a strong finance and office background, excellent organisation skills, a keen eye for detail and a great level of accuracy. It also offers a great opportunity to develop your existing skills and learn new ones in a high impact charity.

Post type: Volunteer - able to commit a minimum of 10hours per week

Benefits

• Flexible working hours
• Expenses can be paid for travel where needed
• Training in XERO accounting, Salesforce and Monday 

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Finance

• To support the Finance & HR Manager with the monthly payment run
• Processing purchase invoices on our Xero account
• Perform weekly bank reconciliations.
• Raising sales invoices and dealing with outstanding payments
• To assist with quarterly VAT returns
• To assist the with general finance administration duties and managing the finance inbox

Operations & IT

• To support the Finance & HR Manager with recruitment
• To assist with maintaining office stationery and supplies
• To assist with reporting maintenance and repairs.
• To assist with reporting/logging IT issues with the external IT support team. 
• Any other duties as deemed reasonable by the line manager.

About you

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate with a strong finance and office background with a passion for the social sector and able to commit a minimum of 10 hours a week.

 Ideal characteristics include:

• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people
• A keen eye for detail and a great level of accuracy
• Good working knowledge of Excel
• Experience of using an accounting package preferably Xero
• Excellent organisational skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• The ability to work flexibly as part of a small team.

PBE is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We encourage applications from all parts of the community and we give all applicants and employees fair and equal treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or nationality. We also guarantee an invitation to interview for all applicants with disabilities who show evidence that they can meet the role's ideal criteria.

For details of our applicants's privacy policy, please visit PBEs website.

Europia is a community development organisation established in 2008. Our friendly multi-lingual team are committed to supporting and empowering Eastern European nationals in Greater Manchester. We also work with regional and national partners and in doing this, we have national recognition.

We are looking for 3 Communication Volunteers, who will play a vital role in enhancing our organization's communication efforts across various platforms.

Position Overview: Your responsibilities will include creating engaging social media posts, producing informative videos, compiling our annual report, and providing general support to our communication team. This role is essential for effectively conveying our message, engaging with our audience, and promoting our organization's mission.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Social Media Management: Creating compelling and visually appealing posts for our organization's social media channels (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) to increase engagement and awareness.
2. Content Creation: Developing written content for various communication materials, including blog posts, newsletters, press releases, and website updates.
3. Graphic Design: Designing graphics, images, and infographics to accompany social media posts, blog articles, and other communication materials.
4. Video Production: Planning, scripting, filming, and editing videos to showcase our organization's work, impact, and initiatives.
5. Annual Report Compilation: Collaborating with team members to gather information and data for the annual report, and designing/layout of the report for publication.
6. Research and Trends: Keeping abreast of communication trends, best practices, and emerging technologies to continuously improve our communication strategies.
7. General Support: Providing assistance and support to the communication team as needed, including administrative tasks and coordination of communication projects.

Please note that the responsibilities outlined above apply to all three positions. You are not expected to fulfill every duty listed. Instead, we encourage you to apply for the position that best aligns with your experience and interests.

Qualifications:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in graphic design software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop or Canva) and video editing software (e.g., Adobe Premiere Pro, iMovie).
• Creativity and ability to generate innovative ideas for content creation.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Prior experience in communication, marketing, journalism, or related fields is desirable but not required.
• Passion for our organization's mission and commitment to promoting positive social change.

Time Commitment: Flexible 

Benefits:

• Opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause and make a positive impact through effective communication.
• Gain valuable experience in communication, marketing, and multimedia content creation.
• Enhance your portfolio with diverse and engaging communication materials.
• Work with a dynamic and supportive team dedicated to achieving our organization's goals.

Note: This role is voluntary and unpaid. However, we deeply appreciate the dedication and commitment of our volunteers, and their contributions are invaluable to the success of our organization.

Role title: Chair of the Board of Trustees
Location: Flexible (travel to London will be required at least once a quarter)
Salary: N/A (Volunteer role)
Time commitment: 1.5-2 days per month
Contract: The Chair is appointed for an initial 3-year term with the option of renewal for up to 3 terms. The maximum term for all trustees (including the Chair) is 9 years.

Purpose of the role: 

Are you seeking a board opportunity with a high-impact charity that aligns with your values and vision for society? Passionate about refugee welfare, integration, and unlocking talent for the UK? This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader to join a growing, impact-focused and ambitious charity supporting refugees to access meaningful employment and build a new life. 

The Chair leads the board, ensuring that it governs Breaking Barriers effectively, in service of our vision and mission. The Chair leads in an inclusive way, supporting the board to work together well, and providing support and challenge to the Chief Executive. The Chair is also an ambassador for the charity. 

The Chair of Breaking Barriers provides visionary leadership and strategic direction, ensuring that the organisation effectively achieves its mission while adhering to its core values. This pivotal role involves governance oversight, board leadership, executive support, and serving as an ambassador for the organisation.

What’s in it for you?

Holding the high-profile role at the Chair of Trustees have a number of benefits, including the following:

• Contributing to an important cause: Having appropriate support for refugees in the UK to access meaningful employment does not only benefit the refugee community. It also supports businesses to have access to a wider talent pool and helps foster integration in the society.
• Opportunity to make a difference: As the new Chair for Breaking Barriers, you will have the opportunity to drive the growth of a highly impactful Charity with current funding of circa £4 million per year. Breaking Barriers have ambitious plans to extend its impact and you will play a part in spearheading this.
• Expanding your network: Breaking Barriers partners with some of the most high-profile corporates such as Macquarie, Bank of America, LinkedIn, Ikea, and the Big Yellow Group. Being the Chair of Trustee means that you will have exposure to these organisations. You will also have access to other senior stakeholders within Breaking Barriers’ wider network, amongst the trustees, executive, and founding teams.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations:

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out pre-employment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.
• Breaking Barriers is committed to protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect and for their views, wishes and beliefs to be fully considered when deciding action.
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

How to apply:

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. Please apply via Charity Jobs by submitting a cover letter (up to approximately 2 A4 pages), referencing how you believe you best meet the person specification. You are also welcome to include any reasonable adjustments you require for the interview process. Please view the attached recruitment pack for further essential information for candidates.

Closing date for applications is 11:59pm on Sunday 2nd June. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background. If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network. Please reach out to HR Manager Dani Meier for further details (we are unable to include email addresses in this advert, but you can find contact details on the final page of the attached recruitment pack).

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.

Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones.  Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well.

Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include:

• Peer Support Groups (in-person and online)
• A call-back Peer Support Line
• Our eCommunity

In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself.

How volunteers support us

We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email.

Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more.

Our commitment to volunteers:

We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously.

 To support you, we will:

• Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles
• Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy
• Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR
• Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff
• Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role
• Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning
• Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation
• Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance
• Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity
• Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development

Training and development

All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate.

Who can volunteer?

As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees.

Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures.

Skills and experience

We look for people who:

• Communicate well
• Enjoy teamwork
• Are able to adapt and willing to learn
• Are reliable, punctual and good at time management
• See situations with objectivity and compassion 
• All our volunteers must be 18 or older.

Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation.

We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work.

What we ask of volunteers:

We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two to four hours a week for our phone/email service or up to 4 hours per month for our support groups, for at least six months wherever possible.

We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar.  All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services.

Volunteers should:

• Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it
• Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others
• Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing
• Communicate effectively with the team
• Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies
• Have basic IT skills and computer literacy 

Our volunteering roles:

• Support Group Co-facilitator (online)
• Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person)
• Support Group Administrator
• Peer Support Line Volunteer
• Media Ambassador
• Fundraising Assistant
• Events Assistant

We’re looking to appoint new members to the Fish Legal Committee who will lead our organisation and help us build on our successes as well as increase our membership and influence. Join us in our mission to fight for fish, fishing, and the environment.

The broad policy, managerial, and financial concerns of Fish Legal are managed by the committee—you don’t have to be a solicitor, but you must have a keen interest in issues affecting the water environment, ready to bring your knowledge and skills to your role as a committee member.

You must be prepared to give approximately 10 days per annum as a committee member working on behalf of Fish Legal without remuneration, other than reasonable legitimate expenses incurred—and all members of the Fish Legal Committee must also be willing and eligible to act as a non-executive director of the A.C.A Trustee Company Limited (meetings of the A.C.A Trustee Company Limited are held on the same day as Fish Legal committee meetings).

Becoming a committee member

· Build on our legacy of protecting the water environment and members’ interests

· Make a positive difference to the environment

· Help us make polluters pay

What you bring to the role

· Impressive communication and social intelligence

· Enthusiasm for protecting the marine and freshwater environment in line with our strategy

· Capability to perform the duties of a director in a private limited company

· Excellent independent judgement

· Willingness to join in discussion and the courage to check and challenge

What will make you stand out

There are areas of expertise we’d like to see more of in our committee mix, so we’re very interested in hearing from applicants with one or more of these skillsets.

· digital marketing

· environmental science

· fundraising

· charity and restructuring

Who we are

Rivers, lakes, and coastal waters across the UK are among the richest and most cherished habitats supporting diverse species of fish, mammals, insects, and plants—they are also some of the most vulnerable. Our rivers and other water bodies have historically suffered from pollution, over-abstraction, and host of other impacts which can prove devastating to fragile water ecosystems.

Fish Legal fights to protect all inland and coastal waters in the UK from pollution and other damage. We use the full range of the law—common, statutory, public, and criminal—and we have a long track record of winning cases and securing compensation to enable our members to restore their waters.

Our solicitors (both English and Scots-qualified) represent Fish Legal’s member clubs, fisheries, and riparian owners in seeking compensation from offenders who cause pollution or other damage to rivers and still waters—the compensation we win goes back to those members to carry out habitat work or re-stock the waters.

We obtain injunctions to prevent activities which threaten to damage the aquatic environment and, if broken, offenders can find themselves in contempt of court and can even be jailed.

Funds raised by Fish Legal as well as funds donated by individuals, angling clubs, and federations are effectively pooled so that no one person must foot the costs of bringing defendants to court.

Our sister organisation, the Angling Trust, is the national governing body for the sport of angling in England as well as a leading voice in the protection and enhancement of the aquatic environment—working alongside partner NGOs to advocate greater environmental protection, lobby for positive change, and influence policy development.

Want to join us?

There are currently up to three vacancies and we would love to welcome those who can add to the mix of our committee members by bringing new thinking styles, backgrounds, personalities, and perspectives to our table—and we believe we could make even better decisions if we had a more inclusive mix of people from under-represented communities on our board in order to more closely represent our wonderfully diverse members today.

Email our Governance Manager, Karen Watkinson, to apply directly or arrange an informal chat about the role—and do let us know if you require any additional support to enable your application.

To apply, please submit your CV along with a covering letter to tell us a bit more about how you will add to the mix of our committee and strengthen our effectiveness with your skillset, perspective, background, or thinking style.

The closing date for applications will be 31 May 2024.

Applications will be reviewed by our Nominations Committee on 11 June 2024 and any suitable candidates will be given further details of our interview process.

We take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to administer your application for this role—we will never pass your details onto a third party. We may contact you by email or telephone about the progress of your application. This processing is conducted lawfully based on legitimate interests.

We’re looking to appoint new members to the Fish Legal Committee who will lead our organisation and help us build on our successes as well as increase our membership and influence. Join us in our mission to fight for fish, fishing, and the environment.

The broad policy, managerial, and financial concerns of Fish Legal are managed by the committee—you don’t have to be a solicitor, but you must have a keen interest in issues affecting the water environment, ready to bring your knowledge and skills to your role as a committee member.

You must be prepared to give approximately 10 days per annum as a committee member working on behalf of Fish Legal without remuneration, other than reasonable legitimate expenses incurred—and all members of the Fish Legal Committee must also be willing and eligible to act as a non-executive director of the A.C.A Trustee Company Limited (meetings of the A.C.A Trustee Company Limited are held on the same day as Fish Legal committee meetings).

Becoming a committee member

· Build on our legacy of protecting the water environment and members’ interests

· Make a positive difference to the environment

· Help us make polluters pay

What you bring to the role

· Impressive communication and social intelligence

· Enthusiasm for protecting the marine and freshwater environment in line with our strategy

· Capability to perform the duties of a director in a private limited company

· Excellent independent judgement

· Willingness to join in discussion and the courage to check and challenge

What will make you stand out

There are areas of expertise we’d like to see more of in our committee mix, so we’re very interested in hearing from applicants with one or more of these skillsets.

· digital marketing

· environmental science

· fundraising

· charity and restructuring

Who we are

Rivers, lakes, and coastal waters across the UK are among the richest and most cherished habitats supporting diverse species of fish, mammals, insects, and plants—they are also some of the most vulnerable. Our rivers and other water bodies have historically suffered from pollution, over-abstraction, and host of other impacts which can prove devastating to fragile water ecosystems.

Fish Legal fights to protect all inland and coastal waters in the UK from pollution and other damage. We use the full range of the law—common, statutory, public, and criminal—and we have a long track record of winning cases and securing compensation to enable our members to restore their waters.

Our solicitors (both English and Scots-qualified) represent Fish Legal’s member clubs, fisheries, and riparian owners in seeking compensation from offenders who cause pollution or other damage to rivers and still waters—the compensation we win goes back to those members to carry out habitat work or re-stock the waters.

We obtain injunctions to prevent activities which threaten to damage the aquatic environment and, if broken, offenders can find themselves in contempt of court and can even be jailed.

Funds raised by Fish Legal as well as funds donated by individuals, angling clubs, and federations are effectively pooled so that no one person must foot the costs of bringing defendants to court.

Our sister organisation, the Angling Trust, is the national governing body for the sport of angling in England as well as a leading voice in the protection and enhancement of the aquatic environment—working alongside partner NGOs to advocate greater environmental protection, lobby for positive change, and influence policy development.

Want to join us?

There are currently up to three vacancies and we would love to welcome those who can add to the mix of our committee members by bringing new thinking styles, backgrounds, personalities, and perspectives to our table—and we believe we could make even better decisions if we had a more inclusive mix of people from under-represented communities on our board in order to more closely represent our wonderfully diverse members today.

Email our Governance Manager, Karen Watkinson, to apply directly or arrange an informal chat about the role—and do let us know if you require any additional support to enable your application.

To apply, please submit your CV along with a covering letter to tell us a bit more about how you will add to the mix of our committee and strengthen our effectiveness with your skillset, perspective, background, or thinking style.

The closing date for applications will be 31 May 2024.

Applications will be reviewed by our Nominations Committee on 11 June 2024 and any suitable candidates will be given further details of our interview process.

We take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to administer your application for this role—we will never pass your details onto a third party. We may contact you by email or telephone about the progress of your application. This processing is conducted lawfully based on legitimate interests.

Raising Futures Kenya supports young people in Kenya to become self-reliant and live free from poverty, through technical vocational training and business skills courses, and specialised support such as counselling.

We are looking for three new Trustees to join our UK Board. We are a small, award-winning charity who are actively shifting power to our Kenyan partner NGO. With three Trustees coming to the end of their term this year we are looking for skilled, enthusiast, committed individuals who are passionate about what we do, to become part of our Trustee team.

We are specifically looking for the following roles on our Board;

• Chair of Trustees
• Secretary to Board
• Someone who has experience in either corporate networking, partnership development, mental health and wellbeing, HR or in technical vocational training and entrepreneurship/business skills training.

Passion for our work is our number one recruitment factor though so please do get in touch if you have other skills to offer.

We are in Year 2 of our 5 year Strategic Plan, where the focus is on shifting the decision making power to our partner NGO in Kenya. Ultimately our long-term goal is to not be needed, but we realise the funding landscape is a long way off that at the moment.

As one of our Trustees you'll be part of an award-winning small charity who is leading the way in ethical development, primarily by actively shifting power and decision making to our incredible partner NGO in Kenya. We're a small charity but we definitely have a big impact and want to share our learning and knowledge with other NGOs who want to follow the same path of shifting power. We don't just talk about what we want to do, we get it done.

Please see the three detailed role descriptions on our website for more information about our charity and what the role entails. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Vacancy - Chair of the Board of Trustees Barbara Bus Fund, Stanmore

The Barbara Bus Fund is recruiting for a new Chairperson.

The Barbara Bus Fund is a registered charity, which was set up in 1968 to help people who cannot get out or use public transport or an ordinary car, because they have a disability that necessitates full-time use of a wheelchair.

Today the BBF operates a fleet of 15 specially converted vehicles from Stanmore, Aylesbury and North Wales. The BBF is operated by a combination of paid and volunteer staff with head office at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore.

The role of Chair is a voluntary position with the requirement to commit to one to two days per month, attend online meetings every 6-8 weeks and the AGM. The Chair will lead the Board of Trustees, chair committee meetings and the AGM.

Previous trustee / charity experience is required and the commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. Previous experience within the health / care / transport sectors will be a distinct advantage however, other relevant experience and the right attributes will also be considered.

The BBF holds an annual meal to thank the volunteers and staff, and there are other periodic meetings and events throughout the year.

Please see the full Application Pack for further information.

Could you lead the local SSAFA services in your area? You don’t need a military background for this role, but you should be empathic to the needs of the armed forces community, have some experience of managing people and possess good I.T. skills. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

 

What is a Branch Chair?

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas. Many are further divided into local areas called divisions. Each branch has a Chair to oversee all aspects of the branch. Ultimately accountable to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, through the National Chairman your role is to ensure that the branch is running in line with SSAFA’s Royal Charter Rules, Regulations, and policies. Also, to ensure that clients and volunteers are safe, all services provided are appropriate and effective and that the branch is financially sound. You will be the public face of SSAFA in your branch area.

 

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. More people than ever are contacting SSAFA for financial, practical and emotional support. To do this we need local branches and volunteers who can coordinate people, ensure the local population know about SSAFA and keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Our branches support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

This role is about leadership, coordination, and administration. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but many volunteers are based at home. The role requires an ongoing time commitment, usually about 2-3 days per month. In addition, you would need to organise and attend regular meetings throughout the year.

 

What would you be doing?

• Providing leadership to the Branch and ensuring that all activities comply with SSAFA regulations both directly, and through the Branch Secretary, other Branch Officers, and Divisional Officers.
• Providing support and guidance to volunteers in office holder roles, and support with recruitment of volunteers into these positions to ensure the sustainability of the branch.
• Ensuring the financial integrity of the Branch, including the appointment of Treasurers and a local fundraising programme to meet branch running costs.
• Ensuring that all data is processed and held in accordance with SSAFA’s data management policies.
• Monitoring volunteer numbers against the demand for support and working with other volunteers, regional and central office staff to attract and recruit new volunteers as required.
• Ensuring that all volunteers are recruited, inducted, supported, and managed in line with SSAFA policies, such as the Volunteering Policy, Volunteer Code of Conduct, Data Protection Policy, and Safeguarding Policy.
• Building relationships with regional and central office staff, local voluntary organisations and, if applicable, SSAFA Service committees, local military establishments, prisons etc.
• Overseeing an appropriate programme of awareness raising so that potential clients, volunteers, and supporters know how to contact the branch.
• Providing timely reports and information to SSAFA’s Central Office
• Overseeing a programme of meetings including an AGM, branch meetings, committee meetings, training etc.
• Supporting any salaried branch staff and ensuring that their line management arrangements are working appropriately.
• Resolve any complaints that are suitable for local resolution in accordance with SSAFA’s Complaints Policy and procedures, referring upwards any that are not suitable for local resolution.

The remit of this role may change over the next 12-18 months depending on the outcome of a trial currently being undertaken.

What could you gain from this volunteering role?

• Gain experience of holding a key local role with oversight of all SSAFA activity in the local area
• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – caseworker training, caseworker IT system training, volunteer management – attracting, recruiting, and inducting volunteers. 
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Local orientation as well as meet and greet sessions with key Central Office and regional teams.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Support from Regional and central staff and peer support from fellow Chairs in neighbouring branches.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable people of any age (18+) with some experience of coordinating people and admin
• Willingness and ability to lead and manage a team of volunteers.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to learn basic digital skills. Ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Willingness to use our on-line case management system (this is covered in the training course)
• Ability to understand and keep within the boundaries of the role for which training will be given.
• Reliability
• Practice confidentiality and data protection in line with SSAFA policies.
• Willingness and means to travel to meetings or events as required.
• Good written and spoken English.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

 

Minimum Age: 18

 

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? No