Community volunteer roles in wandsworth, greater london

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Volunteer Car Drivers to join our team based in Surrey. 

Are you ready to make a meaningful impact in your community? Join us as a Patient Transport Volunteer Driver and become a vital part of our Patient Transport Service in your local area. Your commitment will ensure that vulnerable patients can access essential medical appointments on time with ease and comfort.

Our volunteer team is a diverse blend of individuals united by a shared desire to make a positive difference in their communities.

As a volunteer, you'll be the friendly face that patients rely on during their journey to appointments. Your role is simple yet profoundly impactful: providing safe and reliable transportation, while offering reassurance and support during a challenging time in their lives.

No prior experience is necessary - just bring your caring attitude, a 4-5 door car, and some spare time. Whether you're available from the crack of dawn or prefer flexible hours that fit around your schedule, every contribution counts.

By volunteering, you will experience the fulfilment of giving back to your community and supporting the NHS. Join our growing team of compassionate volunteers who are dedicated to enhancing patient care and making a real difference in people's lives.

What benefits can you expect?

·50p per mile with reimbursement for approved expenses

·The chance to make a tangible difference in your local community

·Be a part of our excellent EMED Volunteer Team

·Comprehensive induction, training, and ongoing support

·Opportunities to connect with new people

Other duties include:

·Drive patients to non-emergency appointments

·Assist individuals in accessing vital hospital services

·Coordinate with our dispatch teams for seamless operations

·Foster positive relationships within the community

·Enjoy the autonomy of volunteering independently while knowing you have the backing of a supportive team

What we're looking for:

·A valid driving licence with (no more than 6 penalty points)

·A friendly and empathetic demeanour

·Access to a 4 door (minimum) car

·Alignment with our organization's values

·Basic IT skills (like the use of smartphone)

Please note that this role will be subject to several regulatory pre-employment checks, and you will be asked to provide details of your full employment history should you be invited to an interview. Your HMRC record, available to download from the Government Gateway may help you in preparing this information when required.

Our Values 

Collaborative – we work as one team with a shared purpose to meet the needs of our patients, passengers, colleagues, customers, communities, and the planet.

Agile – We listen, learn and adapt to improve the business, each other, and ourselves.

Reliable – We do what we say we will do, we take responsibility and we behave with integrity.

Empowered – We are confident and committed to taking responsibility to deliver the highest quality service.

About Us

The exciting merger of ERS Medical and E-Zec Medical has enabled us to rebrand, therefore as a combined business we are now known as EMED Group.  We are the largest Patient Transport and Care Partner to the NHS with more than 3000 colleagues across 60 depots. Our ambition is to continue developing transport services that improve the health and wellbeing for people across our local communities by providing transport that supports patient care, community support, secure mental health and medical courier services.

EMED Group are committed to providing equal opportunities and we endeavour to provide an inclusive and safe working culture for all.

    VOLUNTEER/GLD ONLINE

Unleash Your Passion, Volunteer Online with IHF!

Make a difference from anywhere in the world: Join the International Humanity Foundation

(IHF) and help us empower marginalized children and communities (in location) while offering

an opportunity to learn and practice (online).

Join our Global Leadership Development program in one or more of the following divisions or teams:

A. Human Resources (HR): Master essential HR skills while supporting our global team. Assist

with applications, interviews, calendars, and more.

B. Finance: Gain valuable financial experience while managing funds responsibly. Help us track

donations, process grants, and ensure financial stability.

C. Education & Administration: Make a lasting impact on children lives. Develop curricula,

mentor youth, and contribute to various educational projects.

D. Media & PR: Share our stories and amplify our impact. Use your talents in media, graphics,

translation, or writing to connect with the world.

Benefits:

● Make a real difference: Contribute to a meaningful cause and change lives.

● Gain valuable skills: Enhance your knowledge and develop new abilities.

● Connect with a global community: Collaborate with passionate volunteers from diverse

backgrounds.

● Flexible and rewarding: Volunteer from the comfort of your home on your own schedule.

No matter your experience, you can make a contribution! We welcome individuals with various

skills and levels of expertise.

This life changing experience impacts you as well as the children and communities we serve.

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Citizens Advice Barnet’s twin aims are to help people in our community resolve the problems they face and campaign to change the policies and practices which affect their lives. As a Research and Campaigns Volunteer, you will enable us to achieve the second aim, using the experience of the people we help to influence lasting change that makes a real difference to our community.

Duties include

• Supporting the Research and Campaigns Lead to identify opportunities to improve local policies and practices that affect people we help.
• Gathering evidence to support local and national campaigns.
• Undertaking research to build a campaign.
• Writing monthly updates for local councillors on what we're seeing in their ward.
• Writing up reports to present your research and recommendations.
• Researching and writing reports to raise awareness of local problems.
• Representing Citizens Advice Barnet at external meetings to campaign for change.
• Working with the Communications team to raise awareness of Research & Campaigns work.

Person Specification

No previous experience is required; this role would suit you if you have an interest in social policy, or would simply like to make a difference in our local community, and have the following skills and attributes:

• IT skills, especially Word and Excel at a basic level (sort, filter, basic formulas), and willingness and ability to learn to use our CRM to run reports.
• Strong research skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Analytical skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing, with the ability to write clearly and persuasively.

RollaDome All Skate is looking for a Volunteer Social Media Manager to help us raise awareness and engage our online community. This role is ideal for individuals passionate about social media and interested in contributing to a charity focused on empowering young people through roller skating. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Assist in creating and posting content on social media platforms. 

• Respond to comments and direct messages from followers. 

• Help manage social media advertising campaigns. 

• Track social media engagement and provide feedback to the team. 

• Support the development of social media strategies. 

Skills & Qualifications 

• Basic understanding of social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). 

• Strong written communication and content creation skills. 

• Interest in supporting youth development and roller sports. 

• Ability to work independently and manage your time. 

Commitment 

• Minimum 15 hours per week, with flexibility in scheduling. 

Benefits 

• Voluntary Experience: Gain practical experience working in social media management. 

• Work Flexibility: Remote or hybrid working arrangement. 

• Supportive Team: Collaborate with a passionate team working on community projects. 

• Personal Development: Develop your skills in social media marketing, content creation, and community engagement. 

Volunteer Befriender

Octavia works with people affected by unemployment, ill health, social isolation or low income to connect them with opportunities for positive personal change. Our vision is to build stronger, happier and healthier communities in central and west London to help create an enriched life where we live. Please help us to do this by volunteering to befriend a member of the local community, who is isolated and vulnerable, in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea.

Reasons to volunteer

Would you like to assist an isolated person in your local area? Would you like to provide them with the emotional support, social skills and confidence that will help them to feel happier in their everyday life?

 You will know that you have helped someone to move on in their life and take part in society
 Full induction, ongoing training and support. This includes training on: communication, empathy, health and safety, confidentiality and safeguarding
 Opportunity to enhance your CV and to learn new skills
 We are able to provide references to employers and/or further education establishments
 Travel costs and out of pocket expenses reimbursed on the provision of receipts*

What would I be doing?

 Meeting once a week with the person you have been matched with, in their own home or an agreed public place, at a mutually agreed time
 Encourage communication on a shared interest or topic
 Arrange activities and listen to your Befriendee with empathy and encouragement
 On occasion you may be asked by your befriendee to accompany/escort them outside on a one to one basis or do some shopping in circumstances where they are unable to

What skills are we looking for?

 Good communication skills
 Understanding of empathy and the needs of people with isolation issues
 Understanding of confidentiality
 Able to use own initiative and work unsupervised, reliable and trustworthy
 We ask that you volunteer for 1 hour per week, for a minimum of 6 months

Sounds great! How do I sign up?

When you aplply, we ask for 2 references but these do not need to be from employers. For instance, they can be character references from college tutors or support workers who know you well. We also carry out Enhanced Disclosure checks on all volunteers, but this would only happen if we both agree that Befriending is the right fit for you.

We are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Please contact us should you prefer to apply over the phone or via hard copy, for accessibility reasons. If you require any adjustments due to a disability (including: physical, psychological or neurological disease or disorders) in order to get the most out of your time volunteering with us, please do let us know so that we can ideally facilitate this.

This is an opportunity for someone with a knowledge of financial processes and systems to work on a voluntary basis to support the work of the BEARR Trust in the role of Honorary Treasurer.

The BEARR Trust is seeking to recruit a new Treasurer, responsible for overseeing the Charity’s income and expenditure, preparing regular financial reports to the Board of Trustees and preparing the annual accounts. The Treasurer will also be a Trustee of The BEARR Trust. This role is voluntary.

Background

The BEARR Trust was established in 1992 to support community-based organisations helping vulnerable people in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We provide grants to grassroots community groups alongside information and knowledge exchange to build partnerships and strengthen support for vulnerable people through local activity. Currently, we work in ten countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Role description

Specific duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for:

· Maintaining oversight of The BEARR Trust’s finances

· Providing regular reports (every two months) to Trustees on income, expenditure and financial risks

· Working with the Chairman to prepare an annual budget, and keeping track of performance against the budget throughout the year

· Ensuring that partners and suppliers are paid efficiently. This includes making international payments, most of which are done via Convera

· Preparing the Annual Accounts for independent examination, and liaising with the independent examiner to ensure that queries are addressed.

General Trustee duties

As with all charities, the Trustees collectively are responsible for The BEARR Trust’s aims and direction, for its property, finances and the employment of staff and volunteers. All Trustees must:

· Ensure that the Trust complies with charity law and the requirements of the Charity Commission, the Trust’s own charitable purposes and objects, other relevant legislation and the requirement for trustees to act with integrity and avoid any personal conflicts of interest or misuse of charity funds or assets

· Ensure that the Trust is and will remain solvent, use charitable funds and assets wisely, and only to further the Trust’s purposes and interests, while avoiding undertaking activities that might place the Trust’s property, funds, assets or reputation at undue risk

· Exercise reasonable care and skill, using personal knowledge and experience to ensure that the Trust is well-run and efficient, and consider getting external professional advice in all matters where there may be material risk to the Trust.

Beyond these formal duties, Trustees undertake a variety of roles. These include contributing to our newsletter, managing and contributing to events, raising funds and considering applications to the Small Grants Scheme and Ukraine Appeal. There are therefore opportunities to become involved in the wide range of BEARR’s activities.

Person specification

The Treasurer should have:

· A commitment to The BEARR Trust’s goals and charitable objects and an interest in, and some knowledge of, the context for BEARR’s work in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

· Experience of financial management and administration, budgeting and reporting. This does not need to include formal accountancy qualifications – experience may come from general management roles in paid or voluntary work.

Experience in preparing charity accounts using the Charities Statement of Required Practice (SORP) would be advantageous. Experience in fundraising (e.g., preparing funding applications and budgets) would also be welcome.

Time requirement

The time required varies from week to week, although payments need to be made and the accounts updated on at least a weekly basis. Indicatively, this equates to a time requirement of around 3 hours per week, in addition to attendance at Trustee meetings every two months (Trustee meetings are held in London, although remote attendance is also possible). However, time availability and support needed can be discussed with potential volunteers for the role.

Expenses

Trustee roles are unpaid. However, they may claim reasonable travel expenses.

Across the UK, our Regional and Community Development teams work alongside our local groups to play an active role in increasing awareness of and engagement with the MS Society locally.

As our Regional Cultural Connector Volunteer, you’ll help to identify and plan our involvement and support of regional or local activities and events aimed at minority, hidden and culturally specific groups, to provide information for people living with MS as well as help us to engage with those communities to understand their priorities and needs.

We want to show that we’re here to support everyone and to do that we need to reach and connect with people within their own communities. You’ll help us do that with a welcoming and friendly attitude and ability to reach and promote us within your region.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your organisation, communication and team working skills.

About you

Confidence in speaking to new people, networking skills and the ability to influence would be fantastic. We would work to your strengths, however and some training will be available.

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Apply

Read the role description

All applicants will be contacted within two weeks of their submission.

SendToGive

We inspire creativity and social change.

We address two challenges:

1. Individual feelings of helplessness and anxiety amidst big, global problems such as poverty and climate change combined with a growing disconnection between individuals, cultures and communities across the world.
2. The lack of access to essential resources for marginalized groups of people. One example is that today, about 3.6 million Filipinos live without access to electricity or light. They get by with kerosine lamps which are not only hazardous to human health but dangerous to the environment. And now, with the global oil crisis in effect, families can literally burn up to 40% of their monthly income for just 2 hours/night of a dim flame.

It is our mission to enable people to apply their creativity for the benefit of society. We want to bring together artists from every discipline, age, and aspiration and enable them to collaborate on a platform that not only gives them visibility but a meaningful purpose behind their work. Ultimately, we want to mobilise communities to solve real-world problems in a fun and creative way. We do this on a per-project basis and mix the elements of creativity, culture, and social impact into everything we do. We have worked with DJs, dancers, graphic artists, directors, as well as early creatives who have helped us with event decoration, social media promotion, support with grant writing. Our collaborators have come from across the world. Among the impacts we have made, it ranges from projects that make an impact for disadvantaged families in the Philippines, to supporting low-income LGBTQ communities with their rental costs.

Illustrator

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Create a key visual and promotion materials for an event called "A Dose of Optimism". We're looking for an original, captivating image that can be used as an event poster, website banner, and social media outputs.

The design should embody our brand, SendToGive - showcasing creativity, community, and social impact as our core values.

Weekly Time Commitment

2-3 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

One-off project

Become a Trustee at ECPAT UK

We want to recruit a Treasurer and a diverse Board including younger people and those with experience of trafficking and exploitation.

If you are committed to our vision that children everywhere enjoy their rights to be protected and to lives free from trafficking and exploitation then please consider applying to join our Board.

2025 is an important and vital year for ECPAT UK - the leading UK children’s rights organisation working to end child trafficking and transnational child exploitation and abuse.

We are developing our strategy and child centred, rights based and trauma informed approach at a very challenging time.

Our Board of Trustees is critical to our work and success and in shaping our future direction. 

We want to make sure our Board reflects the voices and diversity of trafficked young people and to create opportunities for younger people, survivors and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. We are looking for new board members including:

· a new Treasurer who is a qualified accountant

· a young trustee (under 30)

· a victim/survivor trustee

These are unpaid roles lasting for a minimum term of 3 years. You will need to be able to take part in at least 6 Board meetings each year which will take about 20 hours of your time each year.  Attendance at meetings can be in person or remotely although we hope that the Board can meet fully in person at least twice per year.  We are looking for a mixture of experience and enthusiasm that will inject the charity with new perspectives, connections and opportunities and specifically financial management experience, policy and campaigns experience and direct practice.

 Our new Trustees will receive training and induction and the opportunity to work with our dynamic CEO and team.

Closing date for applications is: 09:00 on Monday 23rd June

Interviews to be held 27 and 28 June

Pay Range: £30–£60 per session (inclusive of expenses)

Job Type: Freelance/Sessional

Location: Various (schools, community centers, charities, and other venues)

About the Role

We are seeking enthusiastic and skilled Workshop Facilitators to deliver engaging and impactful workshops across a variety of settings, including schools, charities, and community organizations. This role is ideal for creative individuals passionate about inspiring others, with experience in education, youth work, or delivering interactive sessions.

As a Workshop Facilitator, you will deliver workshops designed to address a range of topics such as financial literacy, mental health, social issues, or creative skills like zine-making or storytelling. You’ll play a vital role in empowering participants, fostering their creativity, and promoting personal development.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate Workshops: Deliver pre-designed workshops effectively, ensuring they are engaging, inclusive, and tailored to the audience.
• Plan & Prepare: Review workshop content in advance and adapt materials to suit the needs of the group where necessary.
• Engage Participants: Create a welcoming and supportive environment that encourages active participation and creativity.
• Manage Logistics: Ensure smooth running of the workshop, including setting up materials, maintaining a schedule, and addressing any issues.
• Collect Feedback: Gather participant feedback to improve future sessions and report on workshop outcomes.
• Promote Safety: Follow safeguarding protocols and create a safe environment for all participants.

Skills & Experience Required

• Essential:

  • Experience delivering workshops or working with groups in an educational, creative, or community setting.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
  • Passionate about social impact, education, or creative arts.
  • Organized and reliable, with the ability to work independently.
  • Understanding of safeguarding and child protection practices.

• Desirable:

  • Experience working with young people or marginalized communities.
  • Knowledge in specific topics (e.g., financial literacy, mental health, creative arts).
  • Access to transportation for sessions across multiple venues.

What We Offer

• Competitive sessional pay (£30–£60 per session) to cover your time, preparation, and travel expenses.
• Opportunities to work with diverse groups and make a tangible impact on participants’ lives.
• Supportive and flexible work environment with opportunities for creative input.
• Training and resources to ensure workshops are delivered to a high standard.

Application Process

To apply, please send your CV and a brief cover letter highlighting your relevant experience to [insert contact details]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and communities to apply.

Who are we?

Switchboard LGBTQIA+ exists to provide members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their friends, family and those supporting them, with a listening service that they can contact via phone, instant message and email between the hours of 10am to 10pm every day.

We are happy to talk to service users about any topic they wish. Topics we often talk to service users about include: sexual health, safer sex, relationships, coming-out, gender identity, transitioning, mental health, experiences of hate crimes, support for meeting other LGBTQIA+ people and making friends, and much more.

However, we want to also be upfront and transparent about the fact that not all of our conversations are positive or constructive. Our volunteers can also be exposed to abuse from the public, manipulative callers, sexual fantasies and safeguarding concerns.

Training for POC volunteers

At Switchboard we are working to ensure that our volunteer membership reflects everyone within the LGBTQIA+ community. We want service users to be able to speak with volunteers who can empathise with their experiences and volunteers to connect with folks from a wide range of different backgrounds, cultures and identities.

To help enable us to do this even more, we have created brand new dedicated training groups for different identities within the LGBTQIA+ community. 

This group training group is specifically set up for people of colour. By joining this group, you'll undertake our Core Acceptance Training programme which equips you with the skills needed to support those contacting us via phone and instant message. Our hope is that this safe space enables you to freely ask questions, put our listening toolkit into practice and discuss approaches to different scenarios in an engaging, enjoyable way.

Who are we looking for?

To ensure we can provide a high quality service to those who contact us, we are looking for volunteers who:

• Simply put, like communicating and chatting with other people (you’re most likely a people-person who feels energised by this type of communication)

• Feel comfortable taking calls and speaking over the phone to people you do not already know

• Are familiar with different instant messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp and other chat tools) and the types of communication they might receive

• Are able to read between the lines to decipher messages

• Are good listeners who let others lead conversations and instead create the space they need

• Are able to ask broad, open questions to keep conversations flowing

• Understand the importance of using the right tone when communicating in writing, and are able to flex their writing style to suit different people

• Have a strong attention to detail, with a particular focus on spelling and grammar

• Are able to evaluate sources of information and identify those that can be trusted, from those that cannot

• Know when to challenge and when to step back

• Have essential digital literacy skills (such as using email tools such as gmail and outlook, search the web for information and copy and paste website URLs)

• Understand and support our mission

• Have an awareness of the challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community

• Are empathetic in nature

• Agree to uphold our values of being non-directive and non-judgemental

RNOH Charity is a vital partner in the way the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital delivers care. Since its inception in 1997, the Charity has raised and administered millions of pounds in donations, which have funded numerous essential projects around the hospital.

We are looking for an experienced marketing or fundraising professional to help raise our charity’s profile and enhance the impact and innovation of our fundraising campaigns. Ideally operating at executive director level or equivalent. If you have a track record of delivering successful marketing or fundraising initiatives, we would like to hear from you.

You will play a key role in supporting our team to diversify and grow our funding streams; particularly unrestricted income. We would welcome applications from across both commercial and charity sectors.

In this role, you will:

• Provide strategic guidance on the planning and execution of marketing and fundraising campaigns, with a focus on channel strategy and donor engagement across digital, social and traditional media.
• Advise on market and competitive analysis to inform campaign development and positioning.
• Bring expertise in successful campaign delivery and marketing best practice reflecting appropriate legal and ethical considerations.

Your insight will help strengthen our financial sustainability, ensuring we can continue supporting high-impact services for patients.

Trustees must have a strong empathy with the Charity’s vision, mission and values.

What difference will you make?

As a Trustee, you will support the Board to fulfill its responsibilities for the overall governance and strategic direction of the Charity. You will contribute to the Charity by actively participating in strategic decision-making, jointly with the rest of the Board of Trustees, whilst working in partnership with the Chief Executive and other senior members of staff to achieve the aims of the Charity.

What’s in it for the volunteer?

You will be part of a cutting edge and pioneering organisation, which aims to continue making a significant difference in the lives of the 150,000 people who come to the hospital every year. The RNOH has been at the cutting edge of orthopaedic care for over 100 years. This is an exciting time to join our Charity and help steer its strategic direction to continue providing its invaluable work for more years to come.

Time commitment

• Four virtual Board meetings a year, held at the end of the working day.
• Four virtual Committee meetings a year, held at the end of the working day.
• Two in-person Board Away Days per year held in the Stanmore area.
• Trustee appointment is for 3 years, with the possibility of being re-appointed for a maximum of 3 terms. Induction and ongoing training.
• The role of Trustee is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although out-of-pocket expenses may be claimed.

How to apply

Reach Volunteering's TrusteeWorks team are supporting the RNOH Charity with their Board recruitment. Please submit your CV, LinkedIn profile or similar along with a covering letter stating why you would like to apply to become Trustee of the RNOH Charity and how your skills, abilities and experience would add value to the Board. If you would prefer to have a chat with a current Trustee or the Chief Executive before making a formal application please get in touch to request this.

RNOH Charity values and promotes diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity for all and appointments made on merit. The Charity believes that the best Boards are those that reflect the communities they serve. The Charity particularly welcome applications from young people, women, people from black and minority ethnic communities, and disabled people who we know are under-represented in Chair and Trustee roles. Additional induction will be organised for successful candidate without previous Board experience.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 10 June.

Wimbledon Guild is recruiting a new Trustee to Chair our Talking Therapies Committee for our experienced and established Board. We are looking for people who have the professional skills and personal passion to help us deliver support services to adults in Merton with the ambition that no-one should face life’s challenges alone.

About Wimbledon Guild

Wimbledon Guild is a community charity offering practical help and support so that people in Merton never have to face life’s challenges alone.

Whether someone is worried about money, they’re feeling low or overwhelmed, or they’re looking for new friends and activities locally, we’re always here.

Wimbledon Guild is more than just a place, we're a real community where everyone belongs.

We’ve supported our community for over 100 years and continue to grow our services in response to local needs and aspirations.

We are passionate about providing holistic services  tackling issues such as social isolation, financial hardship, emotional  and mental health difficulties. We also have an extensive activity programme aimed at keeping older people active and healthy. We have earned a reputation for delivering excellent services and we collaborate closely with other local and national organisations to ensure that our approach is dynamic and relevant.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong professional background in adult social care, counselling or mental health services to join a well-established and effective Board, and to contribute their experience to ensure that Wimbledon Guild achieves its goals. The Committee Chair will be responsible for representing the Talking Therapies Committee at Board meetings, as well as fulfilling all of the general duties of an active trustee. These include helping to develop strategy, providing oversight, and promoting the highest standards of corporate governance.

About You

The Talking Therapies Committee Chair should demonstrate the following qualities:

- A clear and confident communicator who has experience working at a senior level.

- An ability to take over existing projects and ensure that these are on track for successful delivery.

- A strong professional background in adult social care, mental health services, counselling or related professions

- A willingness to be a committed Board member, and to contribute actively to a skilled and experienced Board.

- A commitment to Wimbledon Guild’s objectives and to the Merton community.

- An understanding of and commitment to our  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies

Trailblazers’ mission is to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures. Your support will help a young man to reconnect with his community, friends and loved ones, go into education, training and employment, and give a person a sense of hope for the future.

Trailblazers has been providing mentoring services to people in prison since 1998 with ultimate aim to reduce re-offending. We provide support to men between the age of 18 - 35 in custody who have 6 months left of their prison sentence, and then 'through the gate' into their own community for up to 12 months. The Education, Training & Employment (ETE) team supports our mentees in custody to break down barriers to employability. Post-release, this continues by supporting mentees to gain meaningful and career changing roles in sector specific industries such as Construction, Engineering, Catering & Hospitality or the Self-Employment route. 

The ETE team are looking to build a team of volunteers to work with mentees in the community and to shape the existing ETE service in the Thames Valley area. We are looking for volunteer mentors who can commit for up to 12 months and give a few hours a week to support men to change their life by being inspirational role models, helping with goal setting and supporting their mentee to access ETE opportunities and ultimately gain meaningful employment. Mentoring sessions will be 1:1, take place weekly and can be done remotely by telephone or online. These sessions will last approximately one hour, but some time should also be given to liaising with Trailblazers staff and researching relevant opportunities. 

Induction training is provided, out of pocket expenses covered, a mobile phone is provided to protect your identity, a Trailblazers T-shirt and lanyard are provided, DBS costs are covered, as well as regular reflective practice sessions to support you within your role. 

We are actively looking for people to join our mentoring community with lived experience of the criminal justice system, under represented groups from BAME community, creative arts, business skills, wellbeing - whatever your skills and background we are open to hear from you to support our diverse group of men. 

Trailblazers are looking for Volunteer Mentors who are:

• Empathetic with a positive outlook and manner.
• Able to help others without judgement or discrimination.
• Excellent communicators with a sense of humour.
• Well organised, can prioritise and multi-task.
• Reliable and able to commit to the role for up to 12 months providing weekly ETE sessions remotely either by telephone or via Zoom / MS Team digital platforms.
• Have skills and experience in supporting those who are disadvantaged into education, training and employment (ETE).
• Able to work independently with the ability to prioritise and manage your own workload with minimal supervision taking a flexible and creative approach to the demands of the post.
• Able to demonstrate sensitivity to other cultures, working with people from other backgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities.