Family volunteering volunteer roles in london

Barefoot and Free is a small UK-based charity that gifts unforgettable staycations to families with neurodivergent children or children affected by trauma.

We are seeking creative and committed Volunteer Social Media Designers to help us share our story and grow our online presence.

This is a remote volunteer role ideal for someone looking to use their design skills and social media knowledge to make a meaningful impact.

Role Overview
As a Volunteer Social Media Designer at Barefoot and Free, you will be responsible for creating engaging visual content for our social media platforms. You will work closely with the team to develop visuals that reflect our mission values and ongoing projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Design social media content for use on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn
• Help maintain a consistent visual identity across all content
• Support campaigns events and awareness days with tailored designs
• Edit photos and create simple animations or videos where appropriate
• Collaborate with other volunteers to schedule and publish content

What You’ll Bring

• Proven commercial experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva or similar design tools
• A background in design, marketing or content creation (relevant qualifications are a bonus but not essential)
• A good understanding of visual storytelling and social media trends
• Creativity, attention to detail and the ability to work to a brief
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work independently
• A passion for charitable work and a willingness to contribute time and skills

Time Commitment
This is a flexible remote role. We ask for a commitment of 2 to 5 hours per week. We are happy to work around your availability.

What You’ll Gain

• A chance to use your skills for a good cause
• Experience working in the charity sector
• Portfolio development and references on request
• Being part of a friendly supportive team making a difference

To apply please send a recent C.V along with a short note about yourself & with samples of your design work or a portfolio 
We look forward to hearing from you.

​We hold new volunteer inductions at the start of each term, so apply ASAP to be in time to join our next induction.

Action for Refugees in Lewisham works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants in Lewisham. At the Rainbow Club supplementary school we aim to help children between the ages of 4 and 11 to improve their literacy, numeracy and social skills in a friendly and supportive environment.  We need your skills and enthusiasm to assist the teacher in the delivery of a literacy and numeracy class and work with other volunteers to develop a programme of recreational activities. The Rainbow Club runs on Saturday mornings during term-time.

Your duties will include:

• Arriving punctually for the 9am briefing by the Rainbow Club Headteacher;
• Working in a team with other volunteers and teachers to deliver literacy, numeracy, arts, sport activities – this includes ensuring children remain engaged throughout the lesson and carry out set tasks as instructed by the teacher;
• Working one-to-one with specific children if and when required;
• Filing classroom work and homework in children’s individual files and keeping all materials and resources tidy and properly stored;
• Liaising with parents as and when required for example distributing leaflets and news about future meetings and events and also assisting with parents' day;
• Following the teacher’s policies on discipline and classroom management;
• Supervising the children during break times;
• Supporting the children during class trips;
• Ensuring classrooms are clean and tidy at the end of each day – this may include being part of a regular team rota;
• Providing feedback and comments to the Rainbow Club Headteacher when required.

Are you an enthusiastic and skilled funding grant writer? Be a part of our small but committed team as a pro-active grant writer volunteer for a small national charity supporting people affected by a debilitating pain condition.

We are looking for 2 skilled grant writer volunteers who can take the lead in researching appropriate funds and writing grant bids to help us continue offering our support services and resources and helping us create new programmes and services to support patients and their families who have been affected by a poorly understood chronic condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

As our Grant Writer you will be responsible for identifying appropriate grant opportunities, and managing the grant development and proposal process from research to submitting grant applications with any supporting documents.

As our grant writer, you will:

• Identify appropriate sources of funding where we fit their criteria 
• Write appropriately tailored grant/funding bids that meet funders’ interests and requirements and to write any additional documents in support of funding bids
• Help develop a Trusts and Foundations strategy to help create and maintain strong and diverse income that meets Burning Nights CRPS Support’s funding needs
• Create a calendar of grant deadlines and track submitted funding proposals
• Help us develop a case for support 
• Report on grant usage and impact
• Review all grant/bid feedback and ensure knowledge is shared, so that learning informs us for future approaches to grants

If you are an experienced grant writer or you just enjoy researching and persuasive writing then we would love to hear from you.

We are looking for a volunteer who has:

• Experience of being a grant writer, project proposal writer and editing skills
• Excellent writing, analytical, and research skills are essential
• Creative and persuasive written and spoken communication skills 
• Self-motivated and highly-organised
• Ability to work remotely
• Ability to search online databases and other sources to identify appropriate funds
• Ability to understand and appeal to funders’ differing needs
• Ability to organise your own work, track and report back regularly 
• Experience setting up funding email templates (desirable)
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our organisation  and our service users
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and can work with these
• Open to feedback
• Ideally have good network with people, organisations and charities which can help us to support our projects
• Determination to get the job done

Skills

• Project proposal writing
• Grant writing and knowledge of charity grant giving culture
• Good networking skills and contacts with grant giving organisation
• Marketing and communications
• Content writing and story-telling
• Good online fundraising skills
• Good editing and proof reading skills and attention to detail
• Team player who is comfortable working with various volunteers within Burning Nights CRPS Support to collate information required to write funding applications

If you don't have the exact experience, but are interested to volunteer with us, please apply! We would be thrilled to find out about how your interests and experience match with our needs or what we are doing.

Other Information

This role is done remotely using Zoom, Slack and email. You would be working closely with the charity’s Chair and with other trustees. However we would have regular updates and remote meetings as needed so we know you are getting the support you need.

We have an induction process that will help successful applicant to understand how our Charity operates and full support of all our volunteers.

Minimum of 3-6 hours per week for this role

Ideal commitment of 3 months or more (but not specific)

Could you inspire children from across Hestia’s domestic abuse refuges to get active? We are recruiting for a qualified Sport’s coach to support us over the summer holidays! During the school summer holidays, Hestia runs a six-week Summer Play Scheme providing activities and outings for mothers and their children across our refuges. Funded through generous donations from the public, the Summer Play Scheme provides women and children with a safe and supportive space to reconnect by having fun and sharing happy memories together as family.

What you will be doing

• To develop positive relationships with the children and women, maintain professional boundaries and keep accurate records.
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team
• Coordinate a weekly timetable of sports and active games to engage children
• General knowledge about wellbeing and how sport affects physical and mental health
• Support the children to maintain their physical health through exercise
• Support the children to learn/play and work as a team
• Plan activities or sports in collaboration with the children

The skills you need

• Understanding of Domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation.
• Calm and patient approach
• A skilled and qualified sports coach/fitness instructor working with children

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Could you inspire children from across Hestia’s domestic abuse refuges to get active? We are recruiting for a qualified Sport’s coach to support us over the summer holidays! During the school summer holidays, Hestia runs a six-week Summer Play Scheme providing activities and outings for mothers and their children across our refuges. Funded through generous donations from the public, the Summer Play Scheme provides women and children with a safe and supportive space to reconnect by having fun and sharing happy memories together as family.

What you will be doing

• To develop positive relationships with the children and women, maintain professional boundaries and keep accurate records.
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team
• Coordinate a weekly timetable of sports and active games to engage children
• General knowledge about wellbeing and how sport affects physical and mental health
• Support the children to maintain their physical health through exercise
• Support the children to learn/play and work as a team
• Plan activities or sports in collaboration with the children

The skills you need

• Understanding of Domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation.
• Calm and patient approach
• A skilled and qualified sports coach/fitness instructor working with children

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Do you have 1-3 hours every two months spare to become a Mencap befriender volunteer?

We support a gentleman who would like for somebody to visit him for company and friendship. He enjoys time at home, watching TV, playing board games and baking, but mostly enjoys being outside when the weather is fine. He enjoys taking walks, cycling, bowling and meals out and would love for a friend to spend time and enjoy doing this with him. He would like to meet a volunteer to get to know and eventually enjoy getting out and about.

We offer a lifelong befriending service for adults with learning disabilities. Matching the skills and interests of passionate visitors with the specific hobbies and interests of the people we visit. Visitors visit six times a year to create a 1-2-1 connection, offer companionship, encourage people to do the things they enjoy and check-in on their wellbeing. In many cases, the visitor is the only person in someone’s life who isn’t paid to be there for them.

This is a Stop and stay, let’s get busy visitor role which means the person you will be visiting can communicate actively with you and take part in choosing or planning activities. As you get to know each our you may choose to ‘go out’ either with or without support from the staff that supports the person you visit. Your volunteer manager will be happy to help you with ideas and suggestions for things you can do. Visits will vary in length but tends to be around an hour or longer, depending on what you do.

In this role you will spend quality time with the person you visit and could do a range of different activities like: • Sitting and having a chat • Checking in on their well- being • Going out to a local café/pub for a meal/drink • Enjoying a walk • A craft activity at home • Reading a book/magazine together

As a Mencap volunteer visitor you will be:

• Friendly and approachable
• Accepting of others who might be different to yourself
• Reliable and patient
• Passionate about supporting people with a with a learning disability.

As a Mencap visitor you will:

• Have the opportunity to help make a difference to the life of the person you visit
• Receive a personalised volunteer induction and training
• Have agreed out of pocket expenses reimbursed
• Meet new people
• Get on-going support, and feel appreciated and valued

**About Mencap ** Mencap is the leading learning disability charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We work with people with a learning disability and their families to challenge prejudice and change laws, and we directly support thousands of people to live their lives as they choose. We have an ambitious vision for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

Volunteering with us is YOUR opportunity to help us achieve this, whilst having the chance to develop your skills, meet new people and join a passionate and dedicated team.

If you have questions about volunteering with Mencap, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Why we need you?
The Halifax Charity Gala is organised by a committee of local volunteers in their spare time. The work required to plan and execute the gala is quite large & growing, with Committee members working all year round to support the 40 or so local good causes we represent. This all requires keeping the public (our customers) updated with relevant information, as well as openly engaging with our member organisations & suppliers.

What will you be doing?
Helping to organise Calderdale’s longest-running annual not-for-profit family event! On a more practical level, you’ll be sharing confirmed information (such as the arena acts, the Procession floats, where tickets are on sale) proactively on our social media channels, as well as republishing the posts into relevant groups. You may also post “call outs” for local performance groups, specialist vehicle owners, independent traders, etc to apply to be part of our next event. Furthermore, you’ll respond to any comments/replies/messages received, forwarding the query to the appropriate team internally if required.

As the Social Media Officer, over Gala weekend you will be asked to share photographs captured by our volunteer photographers, repost content shared by members of the public, and schedule “coming next” posts for our timetable of events.

What skills do you need?
You will need to be able to communicate well in written English. You’ll need access to a suitable device which can access Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn & X, and you’ll need your own accounts on those (so we can grant you permission to act as our channels).

How much time do you need to commit?
Scheduling proactive posts can be done at any time to suit you; over winter months, this may only amount to an hour per month, but as the event gets closer, could take 2-3 hours per week. Responding to comments/etc varies, though in winter is likely less than an hour per month, but in May & June can be 2-3 hours per week; this can be done flexibly to suit you, if notifications are responded to within a reasonable time.

Regular meetings over the year. These are held on weekday evenings usually once a month; we have an additional one in May as well as two charity meetings a year. You should aim to be able to attend every meeting, however there is provision in our constitution to attend our meetings virtually (via a web browser or mobile app).

As much time as possible over the weekend of the second Saturday in June, although this is not a requirement as we do have some Committee members that cannot help with setup or take down.

What support will you be given?
You can always speak to anyone else on the committee or the one of the other officers. We work as a supportive team and help each other when workloads are high, or life gets in the way. 

What are the benefits?
Satisfaction of knowing you are making a valuable contribution to a successful, high-profile event supporting local good causes and providing the people of Halifax a great family day out.
Enjoyment of meeting new people within your community and being a part of our team.
Knowledge that you will have made a positive impact and improved the experience of the public and our member organisations.
The opportunity to develop various skills.
Brunch & evening meal on setup day and lunch on Gala Day.

How to sign up?
Join as a Committee member and speak to one of the elected officers (Chairperson, Treasurer, Charity Liaison Officer, Committee Administration Officer or Honorary Secretary) to say that you are willing to be appointed as the Social Media Officer

We are a small, friendly charity, run by four volunteer trustees and loads of volunteer fundraisers. We are a dynamic charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) based in Liverpool, dedicated to fundraising initiatives that create meaningful impact both locally and for baby and children’s hospitals in Sana’a, Yemen. Rooted in solidarity values, our work often aligns with principles of Islamic giving, including zakat, but is open to all who wish to give and support. On occasion, we co-fundraise with charities for Palestine.

We are seeking a volunteer treasurer to help us with financial management and reporting. Our turnover is less than £50,000 per year and we are therefore able to produce light touch accounts for the Charity Commission. We would like support with this, and with ensuring we remain financially compliant, as well as with ideas for sustainable fundraising. The trustees meet less than once a month and we anticipate a small time committment for this role. 

We are particularly keen to see applications from people who have a specific interest in health and wellbeing for people living in war affected states, especially Yemen; or who have a connection with Liverpool. We're a real passionate 'family' and look forward to welcoming a new member who shares our goals.

�� The Role

As our Volunteer Treasurer, you will play a vital role in supporting the financial health of the charity. You’ll oversee our finances, ensure transparency, and provide guidance to trustees on managing funds responsibly and in accordance with both UK charity law and, where relevant, principles of Islamic giving.

�� Key Responsibilities

• Maintain clear and accurate financial records using simple bookkeeping tools (e.g., spreadsheets or accounting software).
• Prepare simplified annual accounts and financial reports suitable for a small CIO.
• Advise the Board of Trustees on financial matters, ensuring informed decision-making.
• Oversee bank reconciliations, expense tracking, and budget monitoring.
• Ensure compliance with Charity Commission regulations and reporting deadlines.
• Provide guidance on zakat-eligible projects and ensure funds are managed in accordance with Islamic charitable principles where applicable.
• Help develop and review financial policies and procedures.
• Attend trustee meetings (typically quarterly) and provide financial updates.
• Brainstorm and share experience of novel and sustainable fundraising ideas.

�� Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Experience with bookkeeping, accounting, or finance (qualified accountant or qualified by experience).
• Familiarity with charity finance and reporting requirements (especially for small charities/CIOs).
• Strong attention to detail and ability to present financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• Understanding of Islamic giving, including zakat, and ability to advise appropriately.
• Commitment to the values and objectives of the charity.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of digital accounting tools (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero, Excel).
• Previous trustee or treasurer experience in a charity setting.
• Experience of fundraising.
• Based in or familiar with the Liverpool community.
• Special interest in aligned issues or geographies.

�� What You’ll Gain

• Opportunity to make a tangible difference through financial stewardship.
• Be part of a passionate and friendly team of trustees and volunteers.
• Gain experience in governance and charity finance.
• Flexibility and autonomy to manage your time and role.

Ref: V252 | Communication Service Supporter | Hertfordshire

We’re looking for three volunteers over the age of 18 years old, to provide communication support to stroke survivors at one of our Support Groups, which is based at Ashwell House, 167 Verulam Road, St Albans AL3 4DW.

You’ll be volunteering:

For one and a half hours a week every week, between 10:30am and 12:00pm, in blocks of 8 sessions.

We are looking for communication service supporters to assist stroke survivors in developing their communication skills in a group setting.

The volunteers will:

· Be an effective communication service supporter you need great listening skills and be able to support people in an empathetic and non-judgemental way.

· Be willing to learn and use the technique, called ‘supported conversation’, that is used to support people with communication difficulties.

If you are someone who enjoys conversation, meeting new people and likes to try new things, then this role might be a good one for you.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this role.

Interested in this role?

Find out more by downloading the role description for the Communication Service Supporter role.

If you are interested in this role, please find more details on our website link.

We want to reduce barriers to inclusion. Help us understand who’s applying for and getting roles with us by completing our Equal Opportunities Form. This helps us continue to identify anything that’s getting in the way of people looking to join us. This information does not form part of your application.

Stroke Association

Finding strength through support

The Stroke Association is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. We provide tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year. This support includes one-to-one and group support, funding vital scientific research into stroke prevention, acute treatment, recovery and long-term care, and campaigning to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke. 

We’re here for stroke survivors and their loved ones, from the moment they enter the new and frightening post-stroke world, supporting them every step of the way as they find their strength and their way back to life.

It’s only thanks to the generosity of our supporters and donors that we can provide vital support. 

Stroke Association is driven by our ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by stroke. This means we’re determined to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that benefits from the difference, and thrives on the diversity, of our people. Guided by Our approach to solving inequity in stroke, we are prioritising listening to, and learning from, lived experience across our charity.

We are working to improve the representation of this lived experience at all levels within the Stroke Association and we are eager to recruit applicants from a variety of communities and backgrounds. We are keen to receive applications from people affected by stroke, people of colour, members of LGBT+ communities, and disabled people because these identities and experiences are underrepresented and would add enormous value to how we work.

We are a Disability Confident employer, and we are making great progress focusing on flexible working, reasonable adjustments and access to work. Our charity has a variety of staff network groups and we're committed to continuously improving our diversity and inclusion efforts. If you have questions, or access needs, we’re happy to discuss any support and adjustments we can make throughout the recruitment process so that you’re able to contribute your best in a way that meets your needs.

Are you a Clinical Supervisor interested in supporting counsellors and therapists?

Burning Nights CRPS Support has a highly skilled counselling and therapy team who provide counselling and psychotherapy to adults and children who have been affected by a debilitating pain condition, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This team is expanding rapidly and we are now looking for 2 volunteer Clinical Supervisors to join this team ensuring we can continue the provision of our vital emotional support services to this community. We would ideally like to take on 2 Clinical Supervisor supporting a small group of therapists who specialise in a range of modalities.

All our Counselling and therapy team help to develop our growing mental health support service for patients, families and carers affected by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). As a volunteer with the CRPS Counselling & Therapy Service, your skills and experience as a Clinical Supervisor will be providing support to therapists who offer therapy to vulnerable individuals, many of whom are isolated and in need of mental health support.

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, you will provide group and 1-2-1 Supervision support for counsellors or psychotherapists who provide counselling support or specialist services, such as general talking (person centred) therapies, integrative therapists, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for CRPS patients, their loved ones and carers. The service currently offers specialist support to anyone over the age of 5 who is affected by CRPS.

Key Tasks and Objectives

• Facilitate Clinical Supervision group sessions on a monthly basis (online) and ideally be able to offer at least 1 or 2 supervisees on 1-2-1 basis mainly trainees

• Administer this supervision from invitation through to record keeping

• Take part in complex case allocation meetings with the Clinical Lead

• Maintain appropriate clinical records of all work and to report, along with any concerns on individuals or their practice to the Clinical Lead

• Commitment to ongoing supervision of supervision practice at Burning Nights CRPS Support as well as engaging in separate own personal supervision as/if appropriate

• Work flexibly as part of a small team as necessary to provide maximum coverage for supervision, such as in the event of emergencies

• Abide by all Burning Nights CRPS Support policies and procedures

• Adhere to BACP, BABCP (or other appropriate therapies governing body) Ethical Framework

Key Skills, Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Psychotherapy/Counselling qualification with a minimum of 2 years post qualification experience in a similar field

• Qualification in Clinical Supervision - ideally level 7 or above (could also suit experienced counsellors who require a placement during Clinical Supervision placement, or experienced counsellors wishing to gain experience in supervision)

• Accreditation/registration (or working at the level of or towards this qualification) as a Supervisor with BACP/HCPC/BABCP or equivalent

• Significant proven experience of supervising individual counsellors/psychotherapists from a range of training backgrounds 

• Appropriate and proven clinical experience of working with clients with a range of difficulties including complex medical health issues, loss and bereavement. Ideally experience of working with clients living with or affected by chronic pain or chronic conditions

• Willingness to engage in any Burning Nights CRPS Support training

• Understanding of issues regarding confidentiality and management of risk within a counselling service

• Good administrative skills

• Understanding of the voluntary sector

• Commitment to on-going engagement in personal supervision

• Knowledgeable of and committed to equalities’ provision

Desirable:

• Appropriate and proven clinical experience of working with clients living with or affected by chronic pain or chronic conditions

• Being able to supervise therapists who work in therapy such as CBT, ACT, EMDR etc

• Experience of working within a low-cost / free voluntary sector counselling setting

• Experience of working within the voluntary charity sector

Are you passionate about Art and would like to facilitate weekly sessions for the children in our refuges? We are looking for passionate and committed female only volunteers to support our refuges during the summer holidays. During the school summer holidays, Hestia runs a six-week Summer Play Scheme providing activities and outings for mothers and their children across our refuges. Funded through generous donations from the public, the Summer Play Scheme provides women and children with a safe and supportive space to reconnect by having fun and sharing happy memories together as family.

What you will be doing

• To facilitate weekly arts and crafts sessions for children
• To use a range of skills and tools to make sessions interesting and fun for a range of ages.
• To develop positive relationships with the children and women, maintain professional boundaries and keep accurate records.
• To gather ideas and suggestions from service users to plan sessions

The skills you need

• Experience of arts and/or crafts either in a professional, educational, or personal
• Understanding of Domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Volunteering for Sense

Our amazing team of volunteers help us run over 100 shops across England and Wales.  Every donated item that you sort, prepare and sell helps to raise vital funds to support us in our mission to make sure no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our shops are at the heart of local communities – sharing the work of Sense, and helping to secure support for our life changing work.

What your role will involve

There are a variety of tasks that you can get involved with in the shop, including:

• Welcoming and assisting customers, providing great customer service and a fantastic shopping experience
• Receiving donated goods from members of the public
• Sorting, steaming, tagging and preparing donated goods for sale
• Creating eye catching window and in-shop displays
• Keeping the shop floor well stocked, tidy, clean and organised
• Processing sales and serving on the till
• Promoting Gift Aid and other Sense fundraising initiatives
• Acting as an ambassador for Sense; promoting the shop and Sense in your local community
• Supporting with the recruitment and training of new volunteers
• Following new health, safety and social distancing measures to ensure the safety of everyone

Will the role suit me? Yes, if you are:

• Motivated and hardworking
• Reliable, flexible and willing to do a variety of shop tasks
• A team player
• Friendly and helpful
• Passionate about customer service and enjoy interacting with people
• Respectful of others and their diversity
• Interested in supporting the work of Sense and want to make a difference to people who have complex disabilities and are deafblind.

What can Sense offer me as a volunteer?

• A full induction and ongoing support and guidance from your Shop Manager to make sure you feel confident in your role
• Support to develop new skills, knowledge and experience, in particular of a retail environment, but also skills such as teamwork, customer service, communication and using your initiative
• A reference for other paid or voluntary work (available on request)
• The opportunity to share your existing skills and experience to benefit others
• The chance to meet new people from a wide range of backgrounds and to join a passionate and committed team
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Sense by raising vital income and raising the profile of Sense in your local community; changing the lives of those who have complex disabilities and are deafblind

About Sense

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to offer personalised support to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our experts offer support that’s tailored to the individual needs of each person, whether that’s at our centres, through our holidays and short breaks, or in people’s own homes. In addition to practical support, we also provide information to families, and campaign for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life.

Volunteers add real value to Sense, bringing their passion, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives to the work that we do. We believe that volunteers enable us to bring people together, and provide opportunities for people with complex disabilities to communicate and experience the world.

We include. We collaborate. We find a way. We challenge. We celebrate.

Are you interested in facilitating a peer support group for people who are struggling with their mental health? We are looking for passionate volunteers to facilitate a weekly online or face-to-face group, to discuss topics relating to mental health. We are hoping to find someone who has either ‘lived experience’ of mental health issues and is now at a positive place with their own recovery or someone who has good knowledge of mental health and looking to support others.

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

What you will be doing

• Facilitating weekly peer support groups, covering topics related to mental health.
• To encourage participation and to provide focus and guidance for discussions within the group
• To negotiate/facilitate conflicts or disagreements that may arise during group meetings

The skills you need

• Strong listening and communication skills
• Ability to create and maintain a safe environment where the participants' thoughts and feelings are valued, and group members are treated with fairness, equity and respect
• Lived experience of mental health or desire to learn

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

Do you enjoy singing and listening to all genres of music? We have an exciting opportunity to facilitate a singing and music group in our domestic abuse refuges over the summer holidays! You will be supporting our women and children to get involved and have some fun! During the school summer holidays, Hestia runs a six-week Summer Play Scheme providing activities and outings for mothers and their children across our refuges. Funded through generous donations from the public, the Summer Play Scheme provides women and children with a safe and supportive space to reconnect by having fun and sharing happy memories together as family.

What you will be doing

• To develop positive relationships with the children and women, maintain professional boundaries and keep accurate records.
• Facilitate a weekly singing and music group
• Provide opportunities for the group to collaborate on agreed themes/ songs for future groups
• Coordinate and plan group sessions
• Inspire and motivate people to attend and get involved in the group
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback, and report any concerns to the staff team
• To use a range of skills and tools to make sessions interesting and fun for a range of ages.

The skills you need

• Understanding of Domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality
• Calm and patient approach
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Experience in music in either a professional, educational or personal level

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun