Counselling volunteer roles in haringey, buckinghamshire

This is an opportunity to become Chair of a Charity which has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. If you are someone who is looking to make a “real difference” for mothers/birthing people and their families facing one of the most challenging and unexpected periods of their lives, then we would like to hear from you.  We are also looking for a Chair who can lead and “harness” the range of skills present within our existing Board members, who come with a range of experience.

Now into our second decade as a charity, it is exciting time to join Mummy’s Star as the Chairperson. We have broadened the conversation about cancer and pregnancy nationwide, and internationally too despite our small stature. We now must sustain what we have built and help take the charity to that next level where we can elevate the voices of those we support, so that their needs are not only understood, but are also prioritised and used to inform policy and planning.

About the Role

Your mission will be leading efforts in safeguarding Onja’s legal interests as it continues to grow.

Responsibilities:

• providing accurate, relevant and timely advice to management and staff on a needs basis in respect of a broad range of issues, with a particular focus on employment law and dispute resolution;
• ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations that apply to the organisation;
• managing and mitigating legal risks by designing and implementing organisational policies and procedures;
• collaborating with third parties, including external counsel and regulators, as needed; and
• designing and delivering legal training to the organisation;

Requirements:

• Twelve month commitment (this ensures sufficient time to make a truly meaningful impact) with potential to renew/extend.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Bachelor of Laws or equivalent 
• Legal industry experience preferred
• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• High degree of professional ethics and integrity.
• Strong analytical and research skills.
• Ability to work well within a team and individually.
• Professional legal qualification and/or exposure to employment law/dispute resolution would be a plus

Shout is the UK’s only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. When people text 'Shout' to 85258, they are connected to a Shout Volunteer for a text conversation. Our volunteers provide a safe space for people to share what's causing them distress, while showing warmth and compassion.

Tasks and Responsibilities

If your application is successful, you’ll be enrolled in a training group. New groups start every two weeks.

Shout Volunteers receive 25 hours of free training in communication, listening, managing and assessing risk, and problem solving. The training is self-paced and done online. You’ll learn how to bring people in distress to a place of calm and practice skills that will be useful to you throughout life.

As we are investing in you throughout your time with us, our hope is that you will complete the training in a timely manner and look at this as a longer term commitment. The experience you gain over time is valuable and our goal is to have volunteers commit to 200 hours on the platform, which can take up to two years to complete, as we ask you to take one 2-4 hour shift per week. 

Our Volunteer Training Support team is here to support you, answer any questions and provide feedback during training and throughout your time with Shout. You’ll be joining an incredibly supportive volunteer community and have access to the resources you need to do your role.

As a volunteer, you’ll be supporting people in distress, so it’s important we see the skills required to do that while you are in training. While most trainees complete the training and go on to volunteer, not everyone will pass the training. If this happens, there are other ways you can still support us.

Selection Criteria

A Shout Volunteer is kind and compassionate, a good listener, and has the ability to remain calm when supporting people in crisis. You will also:

• Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend

• Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing

• Be open-minded

• Be supportive

• Be reliable

• Be discreet and able to respect confidentiality at all times

• Be accepting and non-judgemental

• Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout

• Adopt a growth mindset, and be willing to accept feedback

Requirements

• You must live in the United Kingdom or New Zealand while volunteering. 
• You must be over 18 years of age.
• You will need a reliable internet connection and a private place to take your shift.
• All of your volunteering must be done using a laptop or desktop computer and Google Chrome.

It’s worth spending time thinking about the nature of the role, and whether it’s right for you. We support all texters, regardless of race, religion, sexual identity or issue. You will need to be comfortable addressing topics frequently discussed with texters (suicide, self-harm, depression, etc.) without compromising your own mental health. 

Before you apply, please consider whether either of the following applies to you:

• Have you recently experienced grief, loss or change issue/s? For example; someone close to you has been ill or has died, you’ve lost your job, your relationship has ended.

• Is your current mental health and wellbeing in a place such that the stress and pressure of listening to the challenges of others would bring additional burden to you personally?

Benefits to Volunteers

The role is rewarding and can save lives. Shout Volunteers tell us they gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and purpose from taking conversations. They also tell us that their own wellbeing increases, they learn valuable skills and gain experience they can use at work and in their personal lives.

Volunteering can also be a great addition to your CV. You do not need to have any past experience in mental health to be a Shout Volunteer - we’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to do the role.

Application Process

You will need to create your account and fill in the application using a laptop or desktop computer and in a Google Chrome browser. This is a standard requirement for all of our systems at Shout, from the application through to the platform.

You should leave up to an hour to complete the form. As Shout is a text based service and we do not conduct in person interviews for our volunteer candidates what you write in your application and the strength of your references are how we get to know you. 

We appreciate when candidates take the time to write thoughtful, considered answers. We recommend you review your application with an eye toward things like spelling, grammar and punctuation. While some of our texters will occasionally reach out using more informal text speak, our volunteers respond in full sentences and double check their messages for accuracy before hitting send. 

Your application will be reviewed once we have received responses from both of your references. We ask for a personal reference and a professional reference. The personal reference can be a friend or colleague but the other must be someone who knows you professionally or has supervised you in some way. 

This could be a manager or supervisor from where you work or a teacher or educator from where you study. We recommend you choose references who are able to speak to your ability to fulfil the selection criteria outlined above.

We do not accept references from family members. This includes your partner or their relatives, your children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or godparents. 

Please allow up to a month for us to review your application and return a decision. 

If your application is approved, you can book your place on training. Training groups usually start every two weeks and spaces are available to book a couple of months ahead. While you are in training and before you are allowed on the platform we will carry out a background check.

Our existing 12 trustees bring a variety of skills and experiences, such as fundraising, safeguarding, finance and investments and lived RAF experience to the Fund. Your background, skills and experience will further enhance this for the benefit of the RAF Family.

The successful candidates will:

• be aligned to our vision, purpose, key goals and values and be able to demonstrate their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion;

• be able contribute positively to the Fund in a non-executive capacity, operate strategically, be held accountable and hold others to account;

• be able to build supportive relationships and work as a team. This will involve working collectively with others, supporting collective decision-making, being comfortable in sharing your views and expertise with fellow trustees and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) trustees whilst still bringing your own ideas, perspectives and experiences to discussions;

• have the ability to analyse and interpret complex information and evidence, demonstrate impartiality, intellectual flexibility and sound judgment;

• have the ability to listen, communicate and influence effectively;

• have the capacity and skill to understand stakeholder priorities; and

• be a collaborative and pragmatic problem-solver and have the ability to adapt and respond to change.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum commitment of one day (9:00am - 5:00pm) per fortnight is asked for. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum commitment of one day (9:00am - 5:00pm) per fortnight is asked for. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.

The Chair of the Middlesex FA should bring genuine enthusiasm for grassroots football and a willingness to drive forward our four-year strategy, with ambitious targets to continue to raise standards across the game, improve local facilities and drive growth in participation, helping to ensure everyone has access to a safe, fun and inclusive place to play. The ideal candidate will be an experienced Chair, proficient in good governance and able to bring together and bring the best out of a committed Board.  An accomplished relationship builder, they will support the County to deliver the best possible service to the game at the local level, working in partnership with a diverse array of stakeholders across the community. They will have the energy and ability to support and guide the Executive in shaping a modern and effective organisation that is fit for purpose through this strategic cycle and beyond, ensuring a positive long-term future for the game.

It is expected that the Chair will:

• Be an experienced non-executive with Chair experience.
• Be an accomplished and inclusive leader, able to bring the best out of board colleagues Have a good grasp of good governance
• Be an effective decision maker, able to achieve consensus around outcomes
• Have the energy and desire to act as an ambassador on behalf of Middlesex FA Act as wise counsel and critical friend to the Chief Executive

What will you do?

• Ensure the Board provides effective governance of the organisation and supports the development and execution of the new strategy within the scope of its Terms of Reference.
• Support the Chief Executive and ensure that the Board’s work supports the objectives of Middlesex FA.
• Help the Board’s development and ensure a diverse and complementary skillset across its membership.
• Contribute to the promotion and positioning of the organisation with a wide range of external stakeholders.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure the Board sets Middlesex FA’s vision, mission, values, and standards and that its obligations to its stakeholders and others, including any funders, are understood and met.
• Promote good governance and ensure that Middlesex FA remains compliant with the highest tier of sports governance, as set by Sport England and UK Sport through the Code for Sport Governance and the FA through the Code of Governance for County FAs.
• Contribute to the effective governance of Middlesex FA through membership of committees or sub-groups. Ensure that the business of the Board is conducted efficiently and foster an inclusive environment where all Board members are given the opportunity to express their views.
• Lead the Board in the approval of the long-term financial plan and annual budget. Monitor the delivery of the strategic plan and objectives of the Association.
• Lead the annual review process of Board members, and take an active role in Board renewal, recruitment, and succession planning.
• Chair Board meetings effectively, ensuring that Directors receive accurate, timely and clear information and that adequate time is available for discussion and time is used productively.
• Oversee the production of Board paperwork including the development of the agenda and papers with the Chief Executive Officer.
• Ensure that the Board receives professional advice when it is needed from external sources. Is a visible and known presence to members of the Middlesex FA Council and can champion change initiatives with them.
• Conduct an annual appraisal of the Chief Executive Officer and their remuneration, and should the occasion arise ensure a new Chief Executive is recruited in line with Middlesex FA’s employment policies.
• Act as an ambassador for the Middlesex FA and help build its brand and public image. Appoint Chairs to the various committees in consultation with members of the Board.
• Represents Middlesex FA with key stakeholders, such as the Football Association, other Football Associations and other influential decision-makers. Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the Board.

PERSON SPECIFICATION - Essential (Required to fulfil the role)

• Excellent meeting chairing skills including the ability to generate a productive group discussion ensuring that all voices and points of view are heard and given due consideration.
• Strategic leadership and management skills.
• The ability to facilitate a positive Board culture, and in particular the relationship between the Board and the executive workforce.
• Decision-making skills.
• The appropriate use of knowledge and experience to make informed decisions to the benefit of the organisation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including rapport-building, active-listening and incisive questioning.
• Recruitment and selection skills.
• The ability to form productive relationships both internally and externally and strategic partnerships for the benefit of the Association.
• Knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities of a Board Director.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Companies Act (2006).
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the Safeguarding Requirements for the Association.
• Thorough knowledge of the Articles of Association and their application.
• Up to date and thorough knowledge of Grassroots Football and the role of the Association in its governance. Knowledge of the County FA Governance Code.
• Understanding of how to apply Principles of inclusive practice. Knowledge and understanding of financial accounts, management accounts and budgeting.
• An understanding of The FA National Game Strategy and how this affects the work of the County Football Associations.
• A sound understanding of the volunteer/ professional relationship and how this can best work to support the work of the Association.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Effective use of digital communication including email and the internet.

About Us

Maytree addresses a critical gap in suicide prevention, focusing on those in acute, pre-suicidal states where support from helplines, GPs, therapists or charitable organisations fails. For individuals overwhelmed by suicidal intent, emergency services like A&E often exacerbate fear and shame, leaving them with few options to safely disclose their distress.

Maytree’s vision is to fill the gap, by offering compassionate care and continuous containment in a collaborative community.  A sanctuary for respite: calm, safe, warm, friendly, and nurturing. Non-medical, non-judgemental. A place and a time to talk. One that rekindles hope and self-esteem, new insights, restores identity, belonging, and relationship networks from the meltdown of crisis.

Its model turns a high-risk crisis into one of lower risk, one that is manageable. And with proven good outcomes, often a transformative experience.

Background to the role

Maytree closed its doors in March 2023 following management and governance issues. Founder Michael Knight, who had previously stepped away, returned to take over the operations alongside a group of trustees appointed by him and his wife Judith. 

Maytree re-opened in April 2025 with a new board of trustees, who have appointed an operations team, defined the model and service matrix, and overseen the renovation of the house. The husband-wife pair, serving as co-chief executives, are preparing to transition out of their roles. In addition to recruiting a new Chief Executive Officer and Chair, adding a trustee with some financial experience is important for maintaining the charity's short-term stability and guiding its strategic direction.

Main Responsibilities

• Compliance with Company’s Act and Charity Commission responsibilities.
• Developing and agreeing strategy and plans as put forward by CEO/Chair.
• The appointment and accountability/performance/remuneration of executive leadership.
• Overseeing and ensuring that appropriate policies are in place for management of all aspects of risk.
• Chair a Board Sub-Committee on Finance to approve Accounts and liaise with the auditors as appropriate.
• Oversee that financial controls and systems are fit for purpose, advise on presentation to Trustees of annual Accounts and ensure that timely and appropriate budgets, forecasts, management and financial accounts are provided to Trustees.
• Accepting nomination as a signature on the charity’s bank mandates.
• Overseeing/advising on banking arrangements and best deployment of cash reserves
• Monitor cash reserves and ensure they are properly managed and placed where they can get the best possible return.

Person Specification

• Experience with financial reporting, whether in a private or charity sector context. You do not have to be a chartered accountant.
• Comfortable leading meetings about finance issues.
• Able to think strategically and innovatively about the future direction of Maytree.
• Passionately committed to mental health provision and suicide prevention.
• Fully committed to the charity’s ‘no blame’ culture, approaching problem solving in a supportive, constructive and transparent way.
• Fully committed to Maytree’s values: trust, respect, openness, empathy, equity, non-judgement and inclusiveness.

Diversity and inclusion 

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential. Please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustments so that we can help with making the application process work for you.

How to apply

Eastside People is supporting Maytree in the recruitment of these roles. 

Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter both in Word doc. format, which should indicate why you are interested in applying for the particular role and how you meet the selection criteria.

The closing date for applications is Monday 23rd June and our candidate assessment schedule is as follows:

• EP screening interviews and informal conversations carried out through the recruitment process with final interviews taking place by Friday 4th July.
• Formal interviews with the Maytree board in the week commencing 7th July.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.