Family support volunteer volunteer roles in frinton on sea, essex

Charity Trustee

You and Me Counselling are currently recruiting volunteer trustees to complement the committee members already in their role.

This is a home working role and will be for immediate start.

Our charity

You and Me Counselling is a charitable organisation established in 2011. We are a counselling and psychotherapy service based in Hornchurch, Essex that works with children, young people, adults, and their families in the boroughs of Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest. Our counsellors and therapists work both within schools and from our counselling rooms located in Hornchurch and Ilford.

You and Me Counselling are an organisational member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). This means we are fully governed by the BACP’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

Job Description

As a trustee you will need to:

• Acknowledge emails at least once a day.
• Give a minimum of one hour per week to the role.
• Attend quarterly trustee meetings online.
• Ensure that You and Me Counselling pursues its stated objectives
• Ensure there is regular review of changes that might affect the organisation (political, financial, demographic, etc.)
• Ensure that the charity complies with charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Monitor finance to ensure that the charity applies its resources exclusively for its charitable objectives.
• Uphold the good name and values of You and Me Counselling.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place.
• Ensure the financial stability of the organisation.
• Supervise, support and appraise the chief executive officer.
• Hold the chief executive officer to account for the management and administration of the charity.
• Ensure that the organisation acts in accordance with employment law and exercises a duty of care to its employees.
• Identify major risks to the organisation and put systems in place to mitigate or minimise the risks.
• Ensure that the organisation has a governance structure that is appropriate to a charity of its size/complexity, stage of development, and its charitable objectives
• Regularly review your own training needs and create an expectation of continuous professional development throughout the organisation.
• Ensure that trustees have an agreed code of conduct and comply with it, and that there are mechanisms for the removal of trustees who do not abide by the principles stated therein.

Person Specifications

All trustees should demonstrate the following skills and values:

• A commitment to the organisation.
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort.
• Good, independent judgement.
• An ability to think creatively.
• A willingness to speak their mind.
• An understanding and acceptance of their legal duties and responsibilities as a trustee
• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to evaluate and interpret management information and other data.

Specific Skills

The ideal candidate would have one of more of the following:

• Experience in charity law and governance
• Experience in charity fundraising
• Knowledge of counselling or psychotherapy (as a therapist or client)
• Experience in accounting or financial management
• Experience in business development
• Experience in social media or marketing
• A parent of a young person who has experience of mental health issues

Africa Access Water

We equip rural communities in Zambia and Africa with solar-powered water infrastructure and systems for productive use, food security, and socio-economic development.

Africa Access Water is committed to addressing several critical social and environmental challenges that disproportionately affect rural communities across Zambia and Africa using one model. These challenges include:

1. Water Scarcity: Millions of people in rural Africa, particularly in Zambia, face limited access to clean, reliable water sources. This scarcity forces communities to rely on unsafe water, leading to waterborne diseases, poor health outcomes, and time-consuming water collection that limits productivity and social development. Africa Access Water aims to provide sustainable, solar-powered water infrastructure that ensures year-round access to clean drinking water, improving health and overall well-being.

2. Food Insecurity: Agricultural productivity in rural areas is often hampered by unreliable access to water, droughts and dependent on rainfed, leading to poor crop yields and seasonal food shortages. With our solar-powered irrigation systems, we aim to enable year-round farming, increasing food security and supporting local economies. By providing communities with access to water for agricultural use, we help increase crop yields, promote sustainable farming practices, and ensure a consistent food supply for families.

3. Rural Poverty: Rural communities in Zambia and other parts of Africa face high levels of poverty of upto 82%, often exacerbated by the lack of infrastructure and economic opportunities. By providing solar-powered water solutions, we empower communities to develop productive livelihoods, enhance economic activity through agricultural systems, and create income-generating opportunities. Our goal is to foster socio-economic development by providing water for both domestic use and agricultural production, which boosts local economies and supports small-scale farmers.

4. Environmental Sustainability: Traditional water extraction methods, such as manual pumping or reliance on non-renewable energy sources, can contribute to environmental degradation and resource depletion. Africa Access Water addresses this by using solar-powered water systems, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the transition to clean, renewable energy. Additionally, we promote sustainable agricultural practices that improve land productivity while protecting the environment.

5. Gender Inequality and Social Inclusion: In many rural communities, women and girls are responsible for fetching water, often spending several hours each day on this task. This reduces their opportunities for education, economic participation, and personal development. By providing communities with accessible water infrastructure, Africa Access Water aims to reduce the time spent on water collection, allowing women and girls more time for education, work, and community leadership. Our projects also prioritize community involvement, ensuring that marginalized groups, including women and youth, have a voice in decision-making processes.

Through these efforts, Africa Access Water is addressing the social and environmental challenges of water scarcity, food insecurity, rural poverty, environmental degradation, and gender inequality, creating sustainable solutions that foster community development and resilience.

Africa Access Water was founded to address the critical issues of rural poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to water infrastructure that stifles economic growth in Africa’s underserved communities. By leveraging sustainable water solutions such as solar powered water infrastructure and systems, we aim to transform poor community communal land into productive hubs that drive rural economies. Our innovative model integrates solar powered water infrastructure development with agricultural systems, enabling year-round food production and income generation. This is evident from our pilot project in Zambia.

We prioritize community ownership, ensuring local engagement in the planning, implementation, and management of water resources. By utilizing climate-smart irrigation technologies, we not only boost crop yields but also mitigate the effects of erratic rainfall and droughts- we say climate change. This approach fosters food security, promotes self-reliance, and stimulates micro-enterprise development.

Africa Access Water stands out by creating sustainable ecosystems that transform rural communities into thriving economies while addressing the root causes of poverty.

Fundraising Officer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Fundraising Officers (AfAW HQ Africa and US fundraising Office)

1. Fundraising Strategy: implement a diversified fundraising strategy, including grants, donor networks, and innovative financing models to support the organization’s mission.

2. Online and Recurring Donors: Build a strong network of individual donors through the online donation platform, encouraging one-time and recurring contributions with targeted campaigns and impactful storytelling.

3. Foundation Partnerships: Identify and secure grants from foundations for unrestricted funding and program-specific needs, fostering long-term relationships with key donors.

4. Sustainability Funding: Develop strategies to secure funds for sustainability initiatives like a commercial farm and a water drilling rig through social enterprises, partnerships, and investments.

Branding and Messaging: Collaborate with the team to ensure alignment between fundraising messages and the organization’s bold branding and transformative goals.

This role ensures Africa Access Water’s financial sustainability and growth by leveraging online platforms, donor networks, and partnerships to transform lives through sustainable solar powered water infrastructure and solutions for productive use, food security, increased income and improved livelihoods.

Weekly Time Commitment

10+ hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months