Community volunteer roles in liverpool city centre, merseyside

Treasurer - ARFID Awareness UK

This is a fully remote role

Remuneration

Travel and subsistence will be paid for attendance at meetings in accordance with the ARFID Awareness UK expense policy where required. Board members are not remunerated for their Board/trustee work.

Responsible to:

Chair of Board of Trustees

Regular liaison with:

• Board of Trustees
• Executive Director/s
• Motion Accountancy

Duration of appointment:

Three-year term (with a possible extension of a further three years)

Overview:

Established in 2019 and supporting a community of over 30,000 families ARFID Awareness UK is the only registered UK charity dedicated to raising awareness and further information about Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.  As a not-for-profit, we work to provide individuals, parents, carers and medical professionals with up-to-date relevant information, research and support.

We are equally committed to supporting medical professionals across varying specialities, by equipping them with the information they need to ensure that their patients receive an early diagnosis and have access to appropriate care.

Our charitable aims are to:

1. Raising awareness about the condition within the medical and associated professions and the general public in such ways as the trustees shall determine;
2. Providing advice and information in such ways as the trustees shall determine to enable and empower parents and carers to advocate for the children in their care;
3. Facilitating research into the condition, the useful results of which will be published for the public benefit;
4. Potentially providing grants of financial assistance to enable economically disadvantaged families to obtain necessary treatment and medication unavailable via the NHS.
5. Advancing the education of the public in the subject of ARFID.

With regards to our structure, we are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). As a CIO, our Charity Trustees are protected with limited liability, and whilst they are responsible for helping to manage the organisation, they do not hold dual roles of Company Director as they might with other charity structures.

Time commitment:

Trustees meet twice a year virtually. Meetings last approximately 2 hours.

The Remuneration and Finance, Risk and Investment Committee meet once a year virtually. Meetings last approximately 1 hour.

In addition, Trustees are expected to allow time for reading of papers and preparation for meetings, attending events training and induction.  As a small charity there may also be the requirement for additional input up to 10 hours per annum as required specifically to your professional background and expertise

Purpose of the role:

Trustee (general)

The overall aim of the trustee role is to provide strong leadership, direction and expertise to the governance of ARFID Awareness UK. 

The Board of trustees (‘the Board’) is the body with the legal duty to protect the mission and vision of the FSRH and to ensure that it is run in accordance with legal requirements.

The role of the Board is to provide good governance and leadership by: 

• Shaping ARFID Awareness UK’s organisational strategy 
• Approving organisational statutory policy
• Ensuring the organisation’s financial stability and sustainability, and agreeing the annual operational budget 
• Appointing the Executive Director/s (who is overseen by the Chair of the Board on behalf of the Board) 
• Providing support and constructive challenge to the Executive Director/s and their staff team 
• Setting and monitoring procedures for assessing and managing risk 
• Taking advice from Board members and external specialist advisors 
• Ensuring oversight of the financial position of the charity and providing updates to the Board where appropriate.

As a charity and CIO Board members are charity trustees only. They do not represent any group or organisation in this role, and they must act in good faith and in the best interests of ARFID Awareness UK.

Treasurer

• Chair the Remuneration and Finance, Risk and Investment Committee (FR&IC):
• To review progress of financial elements of the operational plan and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
• To review the strategic plan in context of financial and budgetary impact. 
• To review the annual budget and make recommendations to the trustees
• To receive and review proposals for new expenditure outside of the annual budget
• Advise the Remuneration Committee on the affordability of any changes to pay and or benefits.
• To receive reports at each meeting on financial performance and report as required to the Trustees
• To develop an Investment Policy and strategy
• To review the draft annual accounts along with the audit report, ensuring they are in accordance with relevant accounting standards and Charity Commission guidance

Person specification:

Essential:

• A financial accountancy qualification or equivalent experience (eg ACA, CIMA)
• Experience of investment, strategic planning and budgetary planning 
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a diverse team whilst keeping in mind the responsibility of being an individual trustee
• Experience of guiding an organisation through growth and change
• Confident and effective communication skills including listening skills
• Understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship 

Desirable:

• Knowledge or experience of the charity sector 
• Knowledge of the healthcare sector and/or ARFID
• Experience of board or committee membership in a charity, public sector or commercial organisation.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.

About DMAFB

From One Act of Kindness to a Global Movement

A stranger's simple act of helping someone find a home sparked a journey that would become DMAFB. Founded on the principle of "I help you, you help me. Everybody happy" - we're building a digital wellbeing platform that transforms micro-acts of kindness into tools for connection, cultural exchange, and mental wellbeing improvement.

Our Mission: Prevent burnout, improve workplace morale, and make kindness a natural part of daily work life through science-driven, human-first interventions.

What we're building

We're developing an MVP platform that combines:

• Predictive analytics for early detection of workplace wellbeing issues
• Real-time monitoring and personalised intervention recommendations
• Time-series tracking of individual and team wellness metrics
• Pattern recognition to identify hidden risks before they become crises
• A lightweight, intuitive interface that seamlessly integrates into daily workflows

This isn't just another wellness platform - it's a proactive system that shifts organisations from reactive surveys to meaningful, data-driven support.

What we need

We're seeking a volunteer Full Stack Developer with experience in:

Recommended Tech Stack

Backend

Primary Framework Options:

• Python with Django/FastAPI - Ideal choice given the ML/AI requirements (predictive modeling, anomaly detection with auto-encoders)
• Node.js with NestJS - Good for real-time data processing and high concurrency
• Java/Kotlin with Spring Boot - Enterprise-grade with strong security

Recommendation: Python with FastAPI

• Excellent for ML integration (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Fast performance with async capabilities
• Native support for data science libraries
• Easy API documentation with OpenAPI/Swagger

Database Architecture

Primary Database:

• PostgreSQL - ACID compliance, excellent for complex queries and analytics
• Supports time-series data for tracking trends over weeks/months/quarters

Additional Data Stores:

• Redis - Caching layer for real-time scoring and dashboard performance
• TimescaleDB (PostgreSQL extension) - Optimized for time-series wellbeing data
• Elasticsearch - Fast searching through historical patterns and anomaly detection

Machine Learning & Analytics

• Python ML Stack:
  • scikit-learn for predictive modeling
  • TensorFlow/PyTorch for auto-encoder neural networks (anomaly detection)
  • pandas/NumPy for data analysis
  • SciPy for statistical analysis

Real-Time Processing

• Apache Kafka or RabbitMQ - Event streaming for survey responses and intervention triggers
• Celery - Asynchronous task queue for scheduled interventions and alerts

Frontend

• React or Vue.js - Interactive dashboards
• D3.js or Chart.js - Data visualizations
• Material-UI or Tailwind CSS - Component library

Security & Privacy (Critical for HR Data)

• OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect - Authentication
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) - Manager/employee/HR permissions
• End-to-end encryption for sensitive employee data
• Audit logging for compliance (GDPR, HIPAA if applicable)

Cloud Infrastructure

Recommended: AWS or Azure

• Compute: ECS/EKS (AWS) or AKS (Azure) for containerized services
• Storage: S3/Azure Blob for documents and resources
• CDN: CloudFront/Azure CDN for fast resource delivery
• Monitoring: CloudWatch/Azure Monitor + DataDog or New Relic

Architecture Pattern

Microservices Architecture:

1. Survey Service - Data collection
2. Analytics Service - Scoring and pattern recognition
3. Intervention Service - Triggered actions
4. Notification Service - Email/in-app alerts
5. Dashboard Service - API for frontend
6. ML Service - Predictive modeling

Key Technical Considerations

For the Item-Level Anomaly Detection:

• Auto-encoder neural networks to detect unusual patterns
• Real-time scoring with <100ms response time
• Batch processing for trend analysis

For Predictive Modeling:

• Time-series forecasting models (LSTM, Prophet)
• 1-4 week prediction windows
• Continuous model retraining with new data

For Privacy:

• Data anonymization at the database level
• Aggregation services that prevent de-anonymization
• Separate data stores for identifiable vs. anonymous data

What you'll contribute to

• Core platform architecture for our MVP launch
• Integration points for predictive models and analytics
• User-facing features that make wellbeing interventions effortless
• A scalable foundation that can grow with our community

What you'll gain

✨ Purpose-driven work - Help prevent burnout and improve lives globally
�� Ground-floor opportunity - Shape the technical foundation of a growing movement
�� Collaborative team - Work alongside ML specialists and wellness experts
�� Portfolio value - Real-world experience building AI-integrated healthcare tech
�� Potential equity - As we grow, early contributors will be considered for equity opportunities

We're looking for 2-3 detail-oriented and strategic Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Specialist Volunteers to help optimise our online presence and ensure our campaigns and content reach the communities that need them most and increase the charity’s search engine results rankings. The SEO Specialist Volunteers will play a key role in enhancing the visibility and searchability of Burning Nights CRPS Support’s website and digital content.

The SEO Specialist Volunteers will be volunteering within the Communications & Marketing Team to implement SEO best practices, conduct keyword research, improve site structure, and analyse web performance – all to ensure our content reaches a broader audience and amplifies the voice of our charity’s supporters online.

Key Tasks and Objectives

• Competitor and Keyword Research: Conduct keyword research to inform website content and campaign strategies.
• On-page optimisation: Optimise existing content for improved search engine ranking (meta tags, meta descriptions, headers, alt text, etc.)
• Monitor and analyse SEO performance using tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and SEMrush.
• Technical SEO Implementation: Identify technical SEO issues and collaborate with content teams to resolve them.
• Backlink and Off-Page SEO: Assist in developing backlink strategies and improving domain authority.
• Support the content team in creating SEO-optimised articles and pages.
• Provide monthly reports on SEO performance and suggest improvements.
• Stay up to date with SEO trends, Google algorithm updates, and emerging best practices.

Key Skills or Qualifications

• Excellent understanding of SEO principles and search engine algorithms.
• Proven experience in conducting SEO audits, strategy development, and implementation.
• Experience using SEO tools such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, or SEMrush or similar platforms.
• Previous experience in digital marketing, content strategy, or technical SEO.
• Ability to perform keyword research and competitor analysis.
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and content management systems (ideally Django framework).
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written communication and reporting skills.
• Evidence of organisational skills, with good attention to detail.
• The ability to work independently, turning recommendations into action without needing constant oversight.
• A passion for using your skills to support patients and families impacted by a debilitating pain condition and help save lives.
• Passion for creating inclusive and accessible digital spaces.
• Highly organised, self-motivated, and able to work independently.
• Enthusiastic about supporting a small charity.
• Willing to learn, adapt, and collaborate with a supportive team.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of Google Ads for nonprofits.
• Experience of using Django framework websites.
• Familiarity with accessibility best practices and inclusive web design.
• Experience working with or volunteering for nonprofit / charitable organisations.
• Demonstrable IT skills, particularly Google Drive and Microsoft.
• Good research and information management skills.
• An understanding of the charity sector and/or fundraising.

Key Benefits

• Volunteer as part of a forward-thinking, supportive team.
• Unique opportunity to directly contribute to strategic SEO recommendations, and the implementation of those changes to increase the charity’s visibility.
• At Burning Nights CRPS Support you’ll use your SEO skills for a mission with a real, measurable impact. This is more than just a volunteer role, it’s an opportunity to change and save lives.
• Make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families impacted by a severe pain condition.
• Building your network and forming connections with like-minded people and organisations.
• Enhance your CV and gain skills that are transferable to a variety of career paths.
• Receive training and ongoing support from our team.
• Experience the personal satisfaction and fulfilment that comes from helping others.

Training and Support

• Full induction to our organisation, as well as check-ins, ongoing training, supervision and support from the Communications & Marketing Lead Volunteer, Volunteer Co-ordinators, Trustees and the Volunteer Team.
• This a remote volunteering opportunity with regular online team check-ins and collaborative sessions with a supportive, creative, and inclusive team environment.
• Relevant and ongoing training for your volunteer role.
• Regular updates on charity activities.
• Support, advice and guidance from Charity team.
• After 3 months volunteering, all volunteers are eligible for additional training courses (reasonable cost).
• Out-of-pocket expenses, approved in advance will be reimbursed.

We're building tech to predict employee burnout. We're bootstrapping painfully. Need someone who knows UK grants and has fundraising contacts to help us actually fund this.

The Situation

We're building a platform that predicts employee burnout 2-4 weeks before it happens. We have psychologists, tech people, and a working plan. What we don't have is money.

We're bootstrapping. Every penny is coming from the founders. We need someone who can help us find UK grants, foundations, and funding sources so we can:

• Hire developers properly (not Upwork disasters)
• Pay for proper infrastructure
• Move faster than our current painful pace
• Actually pay people who deserve to be paid

What We Need You To Do

Find money. Simple as that.

Specifically:

• Research UK grants for mental health tech, employee wellbeing, innovation, social enterprise
• Write grant applications that don't sound like AI wrote them
• Identify foundations that fund this kind of thing
• Use your network to open doors we can't open ourselves
• Advise on fundraising strategy - what's realistic for a pre-revenue startup

Current State:

• MVP launching December 2025 (yes, this year)
• Pre-revenue but have pilot companies interested
• Strong team (psychologists, AI/ML, CTO, UX)
• Evidence-based approach (not wellness fluff)
• Desperate for £20-100K+ to do this properly

Your Tasks

Weeks 1-2: Research & Strategy

• Map UK funding landscape for our sector
• Identify 15-20 realistic grant opportunities
• Prioritize by fit, timing, amount
• Create application timeline

Weeks 3-6: Write & Submit

• Draft grant applications (we'll help with technical content)
• Tailor each one (no copy-paste jobs)
• Submit before deadlines
• Follow up where needed

Weeks 7-12: Network & Cultivate

• Connect us with foundation contacts
• Attend relevant funding events (if any)
• Build relationships for future rounds
• Advise on corporate partnerships

Time commitment: 3 hrs/day first month (heavy research/writing), then 2 hrs/day ongoing

Why This Role Matters

Right now we're:

• Trying to find developers we can afford
• Using AI coding tools because we can't hire proper devs
• Moving slower than we should
• Stressing about infrastructure costs

With proper funding we could:

• Hire a full-stack developer (£40-60K would change everything)
• Pay for proper hosting and tools
• Run a real pilot with multiple companies
• Pay our psychologists for their time
• Move from "painful bootstrap" to "actual startup"

Your work could literally determine whether this launches properly or limps along.

Who We're Looking For

Someone who:

• Knows UK funding - grants, foundations, social enterprise funding
• Can write - applications that get approved, not rejected
• Has contacts - someone at a foundation might actually take your call
• Gets startups - understands we're scrappy and pre-revenue
• Cares about mental health - this isn't just a box-ticking exercise

Experience we actually need:

• 3+ years in grant writing or fundraising (charity or social enterprise)
• Track record of successful applications (tell us what you've won)
• Understanding of UK funding landscape
• Can write persuasively without corporate waffle
• Comfortable with tech/innovation projects (or willing to learn)

Bonus points:

• Experience with Innovate UK, UKRI, Wellcome Trust, mental health funders
• Network in impact investing or social finance
• Previous startup fundraising experience
• Understanding of NHS/health sector funding

What You Get

Be honest about what we can offer:

• Equity: If you help us raise significant funds (£50K+), we'll discuss equity
• Commission: Could arrange success-based payment (e.g., 5-10% of funds raised)
• Experience: Real fundraising experience you can put on your CV
• References: If you're good, we'll recommend you everywhere
• Network: Connect with our team and pilot companies
• Impact: Help us actually fund mental health prevention (not just talk about it)

This could be paid eventually. Right now we need someone who believes in the mission enough to help us get the resources to make it happen.

The Team

You'd work with:

• Founder (that's me (Don Diffang)- doing everything, need help with funding)
• Chief Behavioral Psychologist (evidence base for grants)
• Occupational Psychologist (workplace wellbeing expertise)
• CTO (technical bits for applications)
• Business Development person (partnerships)

Small team. No bureaucracy. Everyone's hands-on.

Timeline

November-December: Heavy research and first wave of applications January-February: Ongoing applications and relationship building March onwards: Either you've helped us raise money or we're still bootstrapping

Flexible hours. Most work is solo (research/writing) with weekly check-ins.

Success Looks Like

Minimum viable success:

• 10-15 applications submitted to relevant funders
• Clear funding pipeline for next 6-12 months
• Connections made with 3-5 foundations/funders
• At least 2-3 applications that have a real shot

Actual success:

• £20-50K raised in next 3-6 months
• £50-100K+ raised in next year
• Sustainable funding strategy in place
• Relationships built for future rounds

Dream scenario:

• Major grant or investment secured
• You becoming our part-time paid fundraising lead
• Proper funding to launch and scale

Why Not Paid?

Because we don't have money. That's literally why we need you.

If we had £50K lying around, we wouldn't be posting volunteer roles - we'd be hiring developers.

But: if you help us raise funds, we'll pay you from those funds (success fee or salary). And equity is definitely on the table for someone who helps us break out of bootstrap mode.

What We Promise

We won't:

• Waste your time on applications that have no chance
• Give you fluffy "brand guidelines" instead of real content
• Micromanage your writing
• Disappear when you need information

We will:

• Be realistic about our chances
• Provide all technical/impact content you need
• Respond fast to questions
• Give you credit when grants succeed
• Discuss equity/payment when funding comes in

Current Funding Landscape (What We Know)

We've identified a few areas but need expert help:

• Innovate UK: Smart Grants for innovation (maybe?)
• UKRI: Mental health research angle
• Wellcome Trust: Mental health innovation
• Big Lottery/National Lottery: Community wellbeing
• Health Foundation: Workplace health
• Mental Health Foundation: Prevention focus
• Social investment: If we structure right
• Corporate foundations: Companies with wellbeing focus

But we don't know:

• Which ones we're actually eligible for
• How to position ourselves (charity? social enterprise? tech startup?)
• What our chances realistically are
• Who to talk to
• How to write applications that work

That's where you come in.

To Apply

Tell us:

1. Your track record (be specific)
   • What grants have you won?
   • How much money have you raised?
   • What sectors/causes?
2. Your knowledge of UK funding
   • Which funders would you target first for us?
   • Why?
3. Your network
   • Any contacts at foundations/funding bodies?
   • Any that might be relevant to mental health/wellbeing tech?
4. Your availability
   • Can you commit 2-3 hrs/day for 8-12 weeks starting now?
   • Would you want equity vs. success fee vs. future salary?
5. One question for us

Attach your CV with fundraising successes highlighted.

P.S. If you've raised money before and you're between roles or have spare time, this could be perfect. Help us get off the ground properly and we'll remember it (with equity and paid work when we can).

Role Title  

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Board/Committee

Board of Trustees 

Remuneration  

Travel and subsistence will be paid for attendance at meetings in accordance with the ARFID Awareness expenses policy where required. Board members are not remunerated for their Board/trustee work.

Responsible to 

Board of Trustees

Regular liaison with 

· Board of Trustees

· Executive Directors

Duration of appointment 

Three-year term (with a possible extension of a further three years)

Overview

Established in 2019 and supporting a community of over 30,000 families ARFID Awareness UK is the only registered UK charity dedicated to raising awareness and further information about Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.  As a not-for-profit, we provide individuals, parents, carers and medical professionals with up-to-date relevant information, research and support.

We are equally committed to supporting medical professionals across varying specialities, by equipping them with the information they need to ensure that their patients receive an early diagnosis and have access to appropriate care.

Our charitable aims are to:

1) Raising awareness about the condition within the medical and associated professions and the general public in such ways as the trustees shall determine;

2) Providing advice and information in such ways as the trustees shall determine to enable and empower parents and carers to advocate for the children in their care;

3) Facilitating research into the condition, the useful results of which will be published for the public benefit;

4) Potentially providing grants of financial assistance to enable economically disadvantaged families to obtain necessary treatment and medication unavailable via the NHS.

5) Advancing the education of the public in the subject of ARFID.

With regards to our structure, we are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). As a CIO, our Charity Trustees are protected with limited liability, and whilst they are responsible for helping to manage the organisation, they do not hold dual roles of Company Director as they might with other charity structures.

Our mission is to remove the uncertainty, ambiguity and frustrations experienced by parents, carers and individuals over obtaining a diagnosis and treatment by providing general advice that may improve their journey.

Time Commitment

Trustees meet twice a year virtually. Meetings last approximately 2 hours.

The Remuneration Committee meets once per year virtually. Meetings last approximately 1 hour.

In addition, Trustees are expected to allow time for reading of papers and preparation for meetings, attending events training and induction.  As a small charity there may also be a requirement for additional input of approximately 1-2 hours per month specific to your professional background and expertise as we continue through a period of growth.

Purpose of the role: 

Board of Trustees

The Board of trustees (‘the Board’) is the body with the legal duty to protect the mission and vision of ARFID Awareness UK and to ensure that it is run in accordance with legal requirements.

The role of the Board is to provide good governance and leadership by: 

· Shaping ARFID Awareness UK’s organisational strategy 

· Approving organisational statutory policy

· Ensuring the organisation’s financial stability and sustainability 

· Appointing the Executive Director/s (overseen by the Chair of the Board on behalf of the Board) 

· Providing support and constructive challenge to the Executive Director/s and their staff

· Setting and monitoring procedures for assessing and managing risk 

· Taking advice from Board members and external specialist advisors 

· Monitoring strategy performance 

· Representing ARFID Awareness UK externally where necessary

As a charity CIO, Board members are charity trustees only. They do not represent any group or organisation in this role and they must act in good faith and in the best interests of ARFID Awareness UK.

Chair duties:

· Chair and facilitate board meetings

· Provide inclusive leadership to the organisation and the Board by ensuring that everyone remains focused on the delivery of ARFID Awareness UK purpose and delivering strategic and charitable aims

· Ensure that the Board is effective in its task of setting and implementing the organisation’s direction and strategy

· Support each trustee to fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of ARFID Awareness UK

· Support and constructively challenge the Executive Director/s to ensure that ARFID Awareness UK operates in line with statutory and legal requirements and is effective in its outputs

· Ensure financial probity and that all resources are focussed on achieving the aims and objectives of the organisation for the benefit of the membership and delivery of charitable objects

· Appoint the Executive Directors

· Appoint and support the ARFID Awareness UK Treasurer

· Act as an ambassador of ARFID Awareness UK

· Ensure the smooth running of Board meetings, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment

· Ensure robust and compliant governance arrangements in adherence with charity and statutory regulation

· Lead Board development activities

Alongside the Executive Director:

· Planning the annual cycle of board meetings and other meetings where required

· Developing the board of trustees including induction, training, appraisal and succession planning

· Addressing conflict within the board and within the organisation,

Where staff are employed:

· Liaising with the Executive Director/s to oversee the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate

· Leading the process of supporting and appraising the performance of the Executive Director/s

Person Specification

Essential:

· Significant experience of charity governance and trusteeship, demonstrating understanding of best practice and regulatory compliance

· Proven experience of chairing boards, committees or senior leadership teams effectively

· Track record of supporting small to medium organisations through periods of growth, change and development

· Strong strategic thinking and planning skills with ability to provide vision and direction

· Excellent facilitation and interpersonal skills, able to build consensus and manage diverse perspectives

· Confident and effective communication skills including active listening and constructive challenge

· Ability to work effectively as a member of a diverse team whilst maintaining independence and accountability as Chair

· Understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of charity trusteeship and Chair role

Desirable:

· Senior leadership experience in the charity or non-profit sector

· Experience of supporting and appraising Executive Directors or senior leaders

· Knowledge of the healthcare sector and/or ARFID

· Understanding of charity finance, risk management and compliance frameworks

To apply please email your CV and covering letter to XXXXX by 17 November 2025.  Interviews are likely to take place the first week of December.