Community volunteer roles in edinburgh

This is an exciting opportunity to join a charity at the very start and to make a difference in shaping how we move forward.

Living Reasons – What we are planning, who we are and where we are now:

What is the plan?

The person who is starting the charity up is autistic, has ADHD, CPTSD and also multiple physical conditions that effect daily life and is part of the LGBTQ+ community and has faced a lot of issues in life because of these things.

Living Reasons is being created to fix what we think is a challenging situation that is getting harder to achieve every week, month and year in the current economic, political, environmental and societal landscape. It is not easily defined but we hope the charity objects below will help put context to what we want to achieve, what we can say is that below are the issues we are trying to address, how we do this will change as quickly as society does, but the issues we want to tackle are these:

1) Outdated and damaging employment practices

2) Accessibility to services

3) Limited employment, training and education opportunities

4) Lack of support during times of crisis or need

5) Lack of equity and agency for many people in society

6) Institutional discrimination that is not challenged

7) Abuse of the legal system at all levels

8) Abuse of power in government bodies

9) Poor access to healthcare

10)  Unequal treatment of many people in society by large corporations

11)  Assumptions made by wider society based on incorrect, outdated or discriminatory rhetoric that is used in daily life

12)  Outdated company engagement with the public

13)  Lack of support that is not talked about and not being addressed

Who are we?

Well, it is a small operation at this point, there are three people that are working to set up the charity, but we are all neurodivergent and have disabling aspects to our lives and experienced lack of opportunity or presumed ideas based on others perception of us. We are just people who care in reality and want to make a true change in society for everyone we work with.

Where are we now?

We are ready to become a CIO; we want to go straight to a fully incorporated charity so that we are able gain the most support as possible and open up opportunities for growth from day one as well as ensure people know they can trust us.

We need 3 trustees to start and understandably, two of us don’t want to be trustees due to personal reasons, so we need at least another two, maybe more, trustees to start up. That is hopefully where you come in!

We have our governing document, and we are still completing the further documents we want to launch with. We hope that new trustees will add to the plan and bring fresh ways of us working and how communicate the message of the charity.

The charity objects

· To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.

For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental); substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment; poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards; crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society).

· The relief of financial hardship, either generally or individually, of people living in England and Wales by making grants of money for providing or paying for items, services or facilities

· The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by conducting or commissioning research on equality and diversity issues and publishing the results to the public; advancing education and raising awareness in equality and diversity and promoting activities to foster understanding between people from diverse backgrounds.

Our Living Values -

Creativity

1) Imaginative Development (Individual)

2) Instilled Collaboration (Internal)

3) Changing The Status Quo (External)

Prospectivity

1) What Can You Do (Individual)

2) What Can We Do (Internal)

3) What Can They Do (External)

Revolutionary 

1) Inspire With Confidence (Individual)

2) Boundaryless Innovation (Internal)

3) Challenge Traditions (External)

Attentivity

1) Analyse and Redesign (Individual)

2) Rebel and Reform (Internal)

3) Enquire and Reimagine (External)

So, who are we looking for?

The answer to this is complex. What we are looking for in a trustee is someone who is passionate about creating equity for everyone while sustaining equality, someone that has lived experiences that would mean they can relate to the objects of the charity, whether that be personally, as a support for someone that does or has struggled to be given equity in society or someone that works or has worked in an industry that has played a part in restricting others in society and want that to make real change.

We think this covers a large number of people.

The role of trustee in Living Reasons will always be a remote role, meetings will be held online as standard as we would like to have trustees that are from all areas of the UK and that anyone can be a trustee, regardless of any accessibility requirements.

Additionally, to the personal experiences, the below are also necessary for all trustees of all charities:

1) Must not have an unspent conviction

2) Must not be barred from working with children or vulnerable adults

3) Must not be in undischarged bankruptcy, or other debt management programme

4) Must not be barred from being a trustee or company director

The requirements of skills and understanding of the undertaking of trusteeship with Living Reasons:

1) Being a trustee comes with requirements and responsibilities in terms of acting in the best interest of the charity at all times in line with the law and the charity’s governing document, which will be supplied to all trustees before agreeing to be a trustee and will be discussed with any person selected to be a trustee before they agree to be a trustee.

2) An understanding of financial information is required, this is to ensure that financial reports are assessed correctly and that any anomalies are highlighted, this does not mean you need to have in depth accounting or finance experience by any means, but it is important that you are able to analyse financial reports and risk as they arise.

3) Specific to Living Reasons, you will need to be someone that thinks creatively and is not scared of challenging traditions and pre-existing ideas and open to hear from a wide audience to make informed but innovative changes that are sustainable, realistic but also dynamic and challenging the current societal norms.

Do you want to see more happiness and kindness in the world? We’re looking for dynamic Volunteers to be part of creating exactly that!

About the Role:

Our volunteers bring people together for shared online learning experiences, based on positive psychology, that boost the wellbeing of everyone involved.

Our groups and courses can be run online or in-person in your local area.

- The amazing 6-week Happiness Habits Course is designed to be run by pairs of volunteers.  It features expert videos, science-backed exercises and the chance to form meaningful connections. Our course has been specially designed to gather the insights of the world's leading experts on six fundamental aspects of a happy and meaningful life: Gratitude, Self-Care, Relationships, Resilience, Kindness, and Meaning. It is a very impactful (many say life-changing) experience.

- Alternatively, you can get involved by supporting a Monthly Group, bringing like-minded people together to learn evidence-based tools for creating a happier and more meaningful life. Explore the monthly themes and encourage people to set personal actions towards happiness, that support both themselves and others.

Volunteering with Action for Happiness is a path of action that consistently feels like you are making a difference in the world. You don’t have to be an expert - or be happy all the time. If you are a warm and enthusiastic person that is more than enough to get started.

Why Volunteer with Us?

Do something that matters: spreading happiness and witnessing people transform for the better is a huge source of meaning.

Grow your skills: inspiring others, learning together and reinforcing your own happiness skills all contribute to personal growth.

Build community: meeting like-minded people, building lasting friendships and belonging to a global community contributing to a better future for all.

How do I know it’s right for me?

Try out free VOLUNTEER TRAINING via the Action For Happiness website and decide for yourself.

We've designed it especially to help you answer questions like this as it explains thoroughly what being a volunteer involves and helps you reflect on your readiness.

What is the time commitment?

You'll need to set aside a couple of hours for the training initially and a few more for planning your course or group and connecting with your co-volunteer. Then you'll need a couple of hours per session for facilitating (x6 weekly sessions for a course, or x1 session per month for a group). 

- Apply today! Together, we can inspire change that ripples out through people’s lives, communities and the world.
 

It Gets Better UK is a lived-experience-led LGBT+ youth charity, working to tackle the disproportionate mental health challenges LGBT+ young people face today, through a collection of community-sourced, lived-experience stories; educational programs; and community-building initiatives.

About the role

We’re looking for a volunteer to help build and strengthen relationships with corporate partners who want to support It Gets Better UK. This role is perfect for someone who enjoys connecting with people, spotting opportunities, and helping businesses make a positive impact for LGBTQ+ young people.

What you’ll do

• Research companies whose values align with our mission.
• Support the team with preparing partnership proposals and presentations.
• Help track and maintain relationships with existing partners, including sending thank-yous and updates.
• Identify opportunities for workplace fundraising, volunteering, or pro bono support.

What we’re looking for

• Great communication and organisational skills.
• An interest in relationship-building and networking.
• Enthusiasm for LGBTQ+ equality and the power of storytelling.
• Previous experience in corporate fundraising, partnerships, or business development is helpful but not essential – we can support you to grow in the role.

We seek an enthusiastic individual to lead exciting fundraising events like pub quizzes, bake sales, or charity sports matches. You’ll collaborate with the Treasurer to create an inspiring annual Fundraising Plan. The role involves managing event logistics and paperwork to ensure everything runs smoothly. You’ll also build relationships with local supermarkets and businesses to tap into their fundraising programs. Additionally, you’ll empower community members by supporting their fundraising efforts. We’re looking for a creative, organized go-getter with strong communication skills and a passion for making a difference.

We are seeking an enthusiastic individual to encourage people to join our charity. You’ll organize and run engaging Introduction training sessions to welcome new members. The role involves seeking and managing recruitment opportunities, such as hosting stalls at recruitment fairs and Open Days. You’ll also motivate trainees to complete essential training and attend their first event. We’re looking for a charismatic, organized go-getter with excellent communication skills and a passion for building community.

Our Friends Ageing Better (FAB) project is looking for volunteer hosts for our FAB cafés around Bristol. In this volunteer role, you’ll be part of creating vibrant, welcoming community spaces that build relationships and connect people with activities in their local community.

At Age UK Bristol, we want to change the way we age. We aim to keep people aged 55+ well and active, encouraging Bristol to be an Age Friendly city. We do this in 3 ways - through providing practical help and supporting people’s emotional and physical wellbeing in a range of ways depending on their needs.  In addition, we want to prevent people from needing our help wherever possible.  We do this in our strategic work, where we aim to create the conditions for older adults to remain healthy and independent.

We are looking for FAB Cafe Host Volunteers for the following cafes

• Avonmouth - Mondays, 2:30-4:30
• Southville - Tuesdays 10:00-2:30
• Withywood - Tuesdays 11:00-1:00
• St Werburghs LGBT+ - Thursdays, 10:00-12:00
• Fishponds - Fridays 2:00-4:00

The role involves

• Welcoming older people who are new to the FAB café
• Facilitating conversation and activities in the group
• Promoting your local FAB café and the FAB membership card scheme
• Keeping sign-up sheets for attendees at cafes
• Providing information about events and activities happening in the local area with the support of the FAB team

The qualities and skills required for this role are

• Welcoming and friendly disposition, with the ability to include people.
• Reliability.
• Ability to communicate well with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to respond to people’s varied access needs (such as hearing loss) to make sure each individual can participate well.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a busy community setting.
• An understanding of the needs of older people.

PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide is the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

Suicide is the biggest killer of people aged 35 and under in the UK. We believe that suicide is preventable.

PAPYRUS was founded in 1997 by a group of bereaved parents, who had each lost children to suicide. Our founding parents shared core beliefs that suicide is preventable, and that those of us with lived experience of suicide have a valuable and unique contribution to make to the wider conversation around
suicide. Since then, PAPYRUS has grown into a UK-wide charity.

We are a leading suicide prevention charity in the UK. Our suicide prevention helpline, HOPELINE247, is staffed by highly trained professional advisers, who work with young people – and anybody concerned for a young person – to help keep them safe from suicide.

We work with communities across the UK, engaging them in our mission to prevent suicide in children and young people. We engage them through our resources and training, learning with them and galvanising them to help save young lives.

We also press for change to current legislation around suicide prevention on a regional and national level.

The Board of Trustees works with the Chief Executive to ensure that PAPYRUS has a clear strategy in place to deliver its charitable purpose. As detailed in our governing document; a majority of the trustees will be those who have been touched by suicide.

We are recruiting a Trustee to join our Board of Trustees. We are looking for a diverse range of people with passion, commitment, energy and a range of experience and expertise.

PAPYRUS is committed to the principle of equal opportunity, and its recruitment policies are designed to ensure that no job applicant, employee or volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race,
religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

To apply for this opportunity, please visit our careers site.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 19 October 2025 (midnight).

We are seeking an enthusiastic individual to encourage people to join our charity. You’ll organize and run engaging Introduction training sessions to welcome new members. The role involves seeking and managing recruitment opportunities, such as hosting stalls at recruitment fairs and Open Days. You’ll also motivate trainees to complete essential training and attend their first event. We’re looking for a charismatic, organized go-getter with excellent communication skills and a passion for building community.

We are seeking an enthusiastic individual to encourage people to join our charity. You’ll organize and run engaging Introduction training sessions to welcome new members. The role involves seeking and managing recruitment opportunities, such as hosting stalls at recruitment fairs and Open Days. You’ll also motivate trainees to complete essential training and attend their first event. We’re looking for a charismatic, organized go-getter with excellent communication skills and a passion for building community.

Role description:

The Robin Cancer Trust is the UK’s only testicular, ovarian and germ cell cancer charity, and our mission is to save lives. Our vision is to reach every young person in the UK with our life-saving cancer campaigns, and we are looking for new trustees from across the UK to work alongside our staff to make this a reality!

Our impact:

• We educate young people to give them the best chance of surviving these cancers.

• We engage young people with humour to break the stigma of talking about these cancers.

• We empower young people affected by these cancers to thrive.

Our values:

• Respect: Not only for the important work we undertake, but also the people who support our mission. We believe in open, honest, and empathetic communication between ourselves and to our community.

• Creativity: We are a small team with a big vision – in order to drive the change we want to see in the world, we must innovate, disrupt and experiment.

• Trust: We are accountable to each other & our beneficiaries. We are responsible for upholding these values and the quality of work we undertake – and will do so with integrity at all times.

If our mission, vision, and values inspire you and resonate with you, please apply to join our Board of Trustees – we want to hear from you.

What we’re looking for…

We believe in letting our community lead us - and we hope to build a board that reflects this.

Whether you’re an established leader in your field, or an aspiring leader looking to gain experience; whether you’ve been directly affected by testicular, ovarian or germ cell cancer, or are passionate about supporting the cancer community; whether you have years of experience in the charity sector, or have been inspired by our mission to give back – we want you to help lead our charity, and work with the staff team to help us reach a diverse nationwide audience with our life-saving cancer awareness, education and support programmes.

We know we are not as diverse as we want to be, so we are actively searching for people who share our passion for our mission, with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, to collectively make a difference.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from you if you have experience in any of the following:

• Marketing and Brand.
• Fundraising across different income streams, with a particular interest in Corporate, Events, and developing new income streams.

What’s in it for you?

You will be driving forward change, helping make our vision become a reality, and directly impacting the lives of young people across the country affected by germ cell cancers. In short, you will help save lives.

You will gain invaluable knowledge in strategic planning – helping us identify new opportunities for growth, as well as facing the challenges that occur in an ever-evolving sector. You will develop skills in new areas – working closely with other members of the board and the staff team to deliver our key objectives. You will also have the chance to learn from new experiences – having the opportunity to take part in our networking, fundraising events, and awareness activities in the community.

Don’t just take our word for it, here are some quotes from current and past trustees (we promise we didn’t make them say this…)

● ‘It's a privilege to be a Trustee – an awesome experience that I’d highly recommend’

● ‘I feel lucky to be a Trustee of such a brilliant charity’

● ‘It's amazing to see the impact and how far we've come in such a short amount of time’

● ‘It's not all give - you get a lot back and are always learning and challenging yourself’

● ‘It feels like being part of a community with colleagues building a movement, not a charity’

The commitment from you...

Your passion, experience, knowledge (and time).We ask our trustees to commit to a monthly virtual meeting (approx. 1.5 hours), along with a few hours per month to support the staff team and deliver strategic goals. This is a minimum, but often trustees commit to take on additional responsibilities within projects, or within their specialities.

How do I apply?

We are supporting anonymous recruitment for this role, so please apply below by submitting your CV, and your covering letter – which is your opportunity to tell us all about yourself, your experiences, your knowledge, and most importantly your passion for our cause and why you want to be a trustee of The Robin Cancer Trust.

Deadline for applications: 30th October

We reserve the right to close applications earlier than the closing date, depending on the number of responses. We will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible and are looking at short listing applications and arranging interviews in November,

 If there is anything we can do to assist you in your application or preparations to be interviewed for this trustee role, please let us know so we can ensure you have a positive and comfortable experience.

Volunteer Role Profile

Events Coordinator

About the Role

At Living Reasons, we’re reimagining fundraising and entertainment events to be more immersive, inclusive, and inspiring than ever before. From sensory-based experiences to creative challenges and accessible escape rooms, we’re breaking away from outdated models and designing events that are fun, innovative, and impactful.

The Events Coordinator will play a hands-on role in bringing these projects to life. Working closely with the Events & Entertainments Lead, you’ll help plan and deliver exciting events, ensuring everything runs smoothly on the day and that participants and supporters have a memorable experience.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys organisation, teamwork, and creativity — someone who likes to see an idea grow into a successful event.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the Events & Entertainments Lead to plan and deliver specific events and challenges.

• Help ensure events are well-organised, including:

  • Preparing and checking event locations

  • Allocating roles and tasks to volunteers and staff involved

  • Coordinating logistics before and during events

• Support with Health & Safety, insurance, and accessibility requirements (with guidance).

• Work as part of a team of multiple Event Coordinators, collaborating and sharing tasks.

• Take initiative in your area of responsibility, while knowing when to seek support or guidance.

• Analyse and report on the success of events, sharing feedback with the wider team to improve future activities.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to work as part of a team, while also being comfortable taking initiative.

• A practical, solution-focused mindset to keep events running smoothly.

• Good communication skills and a willingness to engage with volunteers, staff, and supporters.

• Enthusiasm for creativity, accessibility, and inclusivity in events.

• Reliability and a positive, can-do attitude.

What You’ll Gain

• Experience in planning and delivering creative and accessible events.

• The chance to work as part of a supportive, fun, and innovative team.

• Opportunities to develop leadership, organisation, and communication skills.

• Insight into event planning and fundraising from the inside.

• The satisfaction of knowing your work directly supports Living Reasons’ mission.

 Interested?
If you’d like to play a key role in making our events a success — and be part of a team creating unique experiences that raise vital funds — we’d love to hear from you.

We seek an enthusiastic individual to lead exciting fundraising events like pub quizzes, bake sales, or charity sports matches. You’ll collaborate with the Treasurer to create an inspiring annual Fundraising Plan. The role involves managing event logistics and paperwork to ensure everything runs smoothly. You’ll also build relationships with local supermarkets and businesses to tap into their fundraising programs. Additionally, you’ll empower community members by supporting their fundraising efforts. We’re looking for a creative, organized go-getter with strong communication skills and a passion for making a difference.

Join Us as a Trustee – Shape the Next 20 Years of Impact

Next year, Dorset Reading Partners proudly celebrates 20 years of transforming lives and making a real difference to the young people that we support on an on-going basis. Over two decades, we’ve achieved considerable success in helping young people develop their love of reading and schools see tangible improvement in their literacy results. Now, as we mark this milestone, we’re embarking on an exciting new chapter. With ambitious plans for growth, innovation, and deeper impact, we are looking for inspiring new Trustees to join our Board.

As a Trustee, you will:

• Play a vital role in guiding our strategy and vision for the future.
• Bring fresh perspectives and skills to help us evolve and thrive.
• Champion our mission and ensure we continue to deliver lasting change.

We’re seeking people who are passionate about our cause, committed to good governance, and excited to help shape what the next 20 years will look like. Whether you bring expertise in finance, marketing, fundraising, or digital innovation, or, simply a deep belief in our mission, your contribution will matter. If you want to be part of a charity at a pivotal moment—honouring our past while shaping a bold future - we’d love to hear from you.

This is a voluntary role - but the rewards of making a difference are priceless.

Ideally, we would like to receive expressions of interest by 30th September 2025, but we will always welcome future contact. 

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!

Help to make a real difference to the lives of women and girls by joining the board of directors of Advance

Advance is committed to equality and diversity and aims to have a board of trustees that reflects the communities we work with. We strongly encourage applications from women including those with disabilities, from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and those from LGBTQ+ communities.

We are looking for a Digitisation of Services Trustee:

Role Type: Voluntary

Location: London

Renumeration: While the role of a Trustee is not remunerated, reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, satisfactory DBS check and relevant legal and regulatory compliance checks.

About us

Our vision is a world where women and girls lead safe, just and equal lives.

Do you have expertise in any of these roles and a belief that your skills will contribute to the strong and effective governance of an innovative medium-sized charity?

We are looking to appoint up to a new Trustees to the Board with skills specifically focused on the following:

• Digitisation of Services

Advance is a women’s organisation, delivering systems change, and trauma and gender-informed community-based support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse, including those in contact with the criminal justice system. We work nationally through our innovative, best-practice approach and systems change initiatives. We deliver wraparound frontline services across the South and East of England, including Greater London.

Our expertise lies in decades of providing specialist support by women and for women and girls, to achieve safety, justice and equality at the intersection of domestic abuse and the criminal justice system.

Our whole-system approach is aligned with our values of collaboration and innovation, partnering with other statutory and non-statutory providers, to deliver a coordinated community and gendered response, improving access to services across the whole system, enabling consistency and continuity of support throughout a woman’s journey. Through our advocacy and awareness-raising work, we focus on systemic change and sustainable impact to meet women’s needs and improve their outcomes.

This is an exciting opportunity for you to join our experienced and committed Board.

You will join a dedicated and skilled group of Trustees and support the charity through a significant period of growth. Our staff team now includes over 150 skilled and passionate women across our programmes and our 10 womens’ centres in London and the South and East of England.

For more information and how to apply:

Click here to learn more about the Trustee role.

Closing Date for Applications: Friday 24th October 2025

Interviews: On a rolling basis

First-round interview, via Microsoft Teams.

Second-round interview will be in person at Advance Hammersmith

*Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate.

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Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.
 

Safeguarding
Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe. We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks. We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing.