Health And Wellbeing Volunteer Roles in Watford, Hertfordshire
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
DASH is currently seeking to recruit a number of passionate individuals into the role of charity trustee!
DASH is a small local registered charity, launched in 2006, in response to a shared concern for the unmet needs of autistic adults living in Swindon. The purpose and determination was to help improve the quality of life of people affected by autism.
Our experienced staff offer information and advice concerning a variety of topics, including benefits, employment, health and wellbeing and finance. We are able to signpost to other appropriate services if necessary.
A post diagnosis ‘journey’ offers 1:1 and small group sessions, where through discussion, individuals are enabled to better understand their ‘own version’ of autism and how it affects them in their everyday life.
Our mission is to be an accessible charity at the heart of our community, supporting, encouraging and inspiring autistic adults.
As a trustee, you will take part in shaping and directing the charity. You will help to ensure that the work we do strategically and operationally meets the needs of those we support.
The role is voluntary, although we will pay all reasonable expenses.
We welcome applications from all individuals as we seek to broaden the diversity and skills of our trustees. Appointments will be made on merit alone.
We are particularly keen to recruit members of the community who have one or more of the following:
· Knowledge and/or experience of autism
· Expertise in Marketing or PR
· Expertise in Finance
· Experience in Health or Social Care
You will need to be able to commit to attending Board Meetings; currently these are held every two months, usually on a weekday evening between 6.00pm and 8.00pm, via Zoom. Typically, this requires a commitment of five to six hours per month.
If you are passionate about supporting individuals and organisations to provide vital services, then being a trustee can be extremely rewarding.
To find out more about joining the Board and to help you decide whether you feel you are able to commit to this role, please contact Co Chair of Trustees David Ahern.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Established in December 2013, Betknowmore UK’s mission is to address gambling related harm in UK communities. We are the leading provider of gambling support and training services. We work tirelessly to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling related harm. ‘We want people to be empowered, to live the life they want to lead.’ Read more about our values, strategy and impact.
We exist to provide support and training services that prevent and address personal and societal harms caused by gambling. Together we aim to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling harm.
Today the charity is governed by a Board of Trustees and run by Betknowmore UK senior management. This is where you come in – we are currently recruiting new members for our Board of Trustees.
About you
We are seeking committed individuals who share our vision, mission and values to join our board. You do not need to have prior knowledge of gambling harms as training will be provided throughout the induction period. Previous experience as a trustee, although desirable, is not essential.
We are specifically looking for the skills in the following areas.
·Community Engagement/networking/influencing
·Legal
·Commissioning
·Research
·Finance
For more information about the duties of a trustee and the person specification please see the Role Description Pack below. We would love to hear from you if you have time, skills and experience to share.
How to apply
To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter outlining why you would like to become a trustee and how your skills and knowledge would be an asset to the charity. (details in jobpack)
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you a qualified Yoga Instructor who would enjoy facilitating weekly sessions to help individuals with their general well-being. This is an opportunity for you to share techniques with others.
Practicing yoga has been shown to increase mindfulness not just in class session, but in other areas of a person's life.
What you will be doing
- Design session plans enabling all group members to increase fitness, suppleness and help them relax
- Teach the group yoga postures and breathing techniques which allow a range of mixed ages and abilities to participate
- Inspire and motivate people to attend and get involved in the group activities where possible and encourage the group to help design future sessions
- Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team
The skills you need
- Skilled and qualified Yoga Instructor
- Good communication skills
- Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
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.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you a qualified nail technician and looking for a way to give back to the community? People in our services would benefit from social engagement, relaxation, and joy from learning about simple treatments they could use for themselves such as manicures and pedicures.
We have an exciting opportunity for a volunteer to coordinate workshops on manicures/pedicures to promote confidence within oneself and positive wellbeing.
What you will be doing
- Encourage discussions on nails and aftercare
- Inspire and motivate the group to be involved in future planning/designing of the session.
- Share basic tips and routines with group members.
- Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team.
The skills you need
- A skilled and qualified nail technician
- Calm and patient approach
- Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
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
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and people seeking asylum who live in south London. We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a background of forced migration, providing them with tools to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for young people currently include: ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages), study group, youth club, swimming lessons and football.
About Youth Club:
Youth Club is a place for young people aged 14-19 to come and play games, learn new skills, make and strengthen friendships and build a sense of belonging. Regular activities include classic youth club games such as table tennis, pool, foosball, board and card games.
Youth club takes place at Tooting Hub- Beechcroft Road, Tooting, SW17 7BU.
About Sports Programme:
We work in partnership with Fulham Kicks to run a football session every Monday. We provide 1:1 sports advice to help build confidence and remove barriers by supporting young people to plan their journeys and accompanying them to join their first sessions. We find new sessions for young people at youth clubs, gyms and other sports providers. We arrange frequent trips to offer new sports to our young people including: boxing, yoga, trampolining and hopefully to go-karting.
We will also deliver a research project to sports providers, local authorities, support networks and other young people. The project will detail: (1) the accessibility barriers to sports faced by young people, (2) methods of best practice on including young refugees and asylum seekers, (3) funding and support options available from local authorities, and (4) what participatory 1:1 support looks like for young people.
About the role:
As a sports program volunteer, you would be helping young people to travel safely around London, to feel welcome in the city, to join in with sports activities where possible and to inspire young people to take part in sports. You will need to go on group trips to external sports providers and to attend our youth club occasionally. We welcome volunteers with any level of sporting ability, the only thing necessary is to be willing to give some sports a go when it is possible. Please note, some sessions you attend will be only for under 18’s, and so you will not always be allowed to take part, and then your role will only be to accompany. We are very happy to be flexible regarding which sessions you attend according to your interests.
We ask for a commitment of at least 1-2 sports sessions or youth club evenings every month. Our youth club runs every Wednesday from 6.00-8.00pm, the external sports trips will usually be weekday evenings. We are able to be flexible according to your schedule.
Tasks and responsibilities:
- To attend and contribute to volunteer de-briefs which occur after each session/trip.
- Providing feedback of your experience to contribute to the research project.
- To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering with young people.
- To encourage and inspire young people to reach their full potential.
- To assist young people to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.
- To challenge young peoples’ negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manner.
- To adhere to CARAS Child Protection procedures, Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
- To occasionally research local sports providers to find sessions for our young people.
Requirements:
Essential:
To be 18 years or older;
- To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds;
- To be reliable and punctual;
- Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English;
- To be passionate about sports and helping young people to access sports.
- Current resident of the UK;
- Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check;
- Able to attend compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding prior to the start of role
Volunteer induction training currently takes place online once a month on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6pm – 8pm. we offer the same trainings on Tuesday and Wednesday daytimes online between 12noon – 2pm once every 3 months.
Your availability to attend 1 general and 1 safeguarding online training session at these times within 3 months of your application would be a prerequisite of being accepted as a volunteer at CARAS.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish.
Through volunteering with us you will:
- Meet new members of your local community;
- Learn about different cultures;
- Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum and their ability to access sports in London;
- Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
- Develop your skills and competencies;
- Be able to access relevant training;
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Join our team of befrienders! You will support us to reach some of the most isolated adults in your community to reduce their feelings of loneliness, build friendships and provide support for mental wellbeing. You will support people to relight a spark to continue a hobby, interest or encourage them to explore and participate in new social activities.
What you will be doing
- Agree a mutual time and frequency to meet in the local community
- To develop and promote a positive relationship with your befriendee
- To encourage your befriendee to engage in social activities and support them in doing so whilst building their confidence
- To support your befriendee in developing their goals and social skills
- Encourage your befriendee to make links with community services, based on their identified goals
The skills you need
- Good listening and communication skills
- Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere which motivates and inspires others
- Willingness to engage in activities in the community
- Able to maintain strict confidentiality and follow professional boundaries
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, 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.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you enjoy meeting new people and chatting?
Do you have an hour to spare weekly, chatting to an Older Person on the Telephone?
Are you happy to provide two referees and complete a DBS check, ( free of charge)?
If so, we would love to hear from you?
Methodist Homes (MHA) is seeking Volunteer Telephone Befrienders to support our members and residents in various locations nationwide.
Through specialist care homes, thriving retirement living and vibrant community groups and befriending, we inspire the best care and wellbeing at every stage of later life.
With 80 years experience, we put people at the heart of everything we do in all our homes, schemes and community services across Britain.
The ideal individual will have an understanding of the needs of Older People, be kind and compassionate and enjoy the company of Older People.
What training and support will be provided:
- We will provide you with a full induction for the role
- Training on safeguarding, health and safety and other training and updating of skills and knowledge relevant to the role as appropriate
- Ongoing support from a named contact
- Dementia Friends online course-(if you wish)
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (as needed)
Times and Commitment
· We ask that you make a minimum of 4-6 months commitment to this role
· We ask you to be able to commit on a regular basis, to be agreed with your named contact
We will guide you through an application which takes 2-3 weeks. You will have a dedicated Recruiter, who will meet you on a video call.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? We are looking for a new trustee to join our board of trustees, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future of volunteering and community projects in Kensington and Chelsea, one of London’s most diverse boroughs.
Established in 1969, we are the oldest Volunteer Centre in the country and are deeply rooted in the local community, empowering individuals to contribute positively through volunteering. Our programs support diverse groups, including those living with disabilities and mental health challenges, ex-offenders, as well as marginalised residents seeking employment opportunities.
As a trustee, you will play a pivotal role in guiding the Volunteer Centre towards its mission of fostering positive change in Kensington & Chelsea. Responsibilities include:
- Attend and actively participate in board meetings, promoting constructive dialogue and decision-making.
- Uphold the best interests of VCKC, maintaining positive public representation and adhering to confidentiality standards.
- Possess enthusiasm for volunteering, willingness to commit time and effort, and desirable knowledge of Kensington & Chelsea and the voluntary sector.
- Demonstrate strong communication, analytical, and collaborative skills.
Join us in shaping the future of volunteering in Kensington & Chelsea. Become a trustee and make a meaningful impact today. If you are ready to make a difference, apply now and be part of something meaningful.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
MHA is the largest charity care provider for older people in the UK. Our mission is to inspire the best care and wellbeing at every stage of later life.
As a Volunteer Telephone Befriender, you’ll help improve the quality of life for older people who are socially isolated and may feel lonely. You’ll call once a week to have a chat for about half an hour to help the person feel less isolated. You’ll also encourage them to access services and facilities within their community.
Main tasks and responsibilities:
- You’ll spend time talking on the phone.
- You’ll establish and build a friendly and open relationship whilst maintaining appropriate boundaries.
- You’ll ensure that the member’s needs are put first within all communication, whilst respecting the members’ privacy and independence.
- You’ll maintain confidentiality, except in reporting back to the person that supports you, or in circumstances that will be discussed in your training.
- You’ll undertake all training, or support meetings, as agreed with the person who supports you.
- You’ll complete basic reporting and administrative tasks associated with the role. (e.g. Record of Calls).
- To be familiar with and to adhere MHA’s Health and Safety Policies and policies relating to your volunteering role.
Benefits for you:
- Help improve the quality of life for older people
- Help reduce loneliness and isolation
- Support your community
- Keep socially active
Skills and qualities needed:
- Good communication and people skills
- Enthusiasm
- Patience, empathy and understanding of the needs of older people
- Reliable and punctual
- Clear sense of personal boundaries and ability to maintain confidentiality
- A willingness to engage with training and development
Training, support, and requirements:
- You need to be aged 18 or over
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two character references are required
- We will provide you with a full induction for the role.Training on safeguarding, health and safety and other training relevant to the role
- Ongoing support from a named contact
Times and Commitment:
- 30 minute call per week. Days and times can be flexible.
- We ask you to be able to commit on a regular basis for a minimum of six months
*Please note- we can only accept applications from volunteers who currently live in the UK*
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Become an activity lead
As a volunteer activity lead you will run a local Re-engage group who meet on a monthly or fortnightly basis. You will deliver or facilitate regular physical activity sessions for people aged 75 and over in community centres, pubs or church spaces.
This is a flexible role and each group will host activity guests, along with our volunteer drivers who pick up and drop off our activity guests.
Activities can vary from boules and skittles, dancing or singing, or coming up with your own activity to get people moving. In some groups we may have another person coming in to run a specific class so we would ask you to facilitate this and support the activity guests who are attending on the day.
You will be required to complete a DBS check for this role, for which Re-engage will cover the cost.
Tasks include:
- Facilitating or delivering an inclusive activity with the focus on physical health and social wellbeing.
- Making activity guests feel welcome to the groups and ensuring people can participate in the activities. Activity groups are coordinated by a volunteer group coordinator.
- Following the guidance in your training to ensure that your group sessions are enjoyable, appropriate and in line with our charitable aims.
Your role as an activity lead will be to plan and deliver a session that is achievable for all the activity guests attending. Your session should be inclusive, fun and safely delivered to activity guests. Group activities can stay the same or change on a monthly or fortnightly basis.
This is a long-term voluntary role, so we are ideally looking for individuals who can commit to volunteering with us for at least 12 months.
We are looking for activity leads with the following skills and attributes:
- Well organised
- Good conversation skills
- An enthusiasm for making genuine connections with older people in your community
- A friendly, empathetic approach
- The ability to really listen to people
- Patience
- A good sense of humour
- A passion for improving the lives of lonely and isolated older people.
- The ability to volunteer with others
- Basic computer literacy (including the ability to use email)
- As one of our valued volunteers, you’ll receive training from Re-engage, and support and regular communications from your group coordinator. This is a fun and rewarding role which will enable you to connect with lonely older people and make a real and lasting difference to their life.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and people seeking asylum who live in south London. We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic well-being of people who have a background of forced migration, providing them with tools to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for young people currently include ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages), study groups, youth clubs, sports trips and football.
Volunteering With CARAS – Our Community of Welcome
CARAS has a proud history of volunteers helping us deliver our charitable aims. Volunteers are an essential part of the CARAS community, bringing skills, insights, experience, different languages, and enthusiasm to the roles.
Community members tell us that welcome by volunteers is so important in an often hostile world. It helps them feel safe and wanted. Community is at the heart of all we do, and we could not deliver the projects we do without the enormous contribution volunteers bring. Thank you for taking the time to consider volunteering with us.
About Sports Programme:
We work in partnership with Fulham Kicks to run a football session every Monday evening. We provide 1:1 sports advice to help build confidence and remove barriers by supporting young people to plan their journeys and accompanying them to join their first sessions. We find new activities and memberships for young people at youth clubs, gyms and other sports providers. We arrange frequent trips to offer sports to our young people including boxing, yoga, trampolining and hopefully go-karting.
To advance and continue this work we have an exciting new element to the project. The research project will detail: (1) the accessibility barriers faced by young people, (2) methods of best practice for including young refugees and asylum seekers, (3) funding and support options available from local authorities, and (4) what participatory 1:1 support looks like for young people.
About the role:
As a Sports research volunteer, you will work with four young people hired as peer researchers to co-design and deliver a research project to sports providers, local authorities, support networks and other young people. The aim here is to help to remove barriers that young refugees and asylum seekers face in accessing the sports they enjoy. You can do this remotely, researching sports providers and finding sessions for our young people to attend. You will also take part in in-person workshops looking at young refugees and asylum seekers’ experiences in accessing sports in London. You will work with the young people to design questionnaires and deliver the results to local authorities and sports providers. You may need to help young people to travel safely around London and to feel welcome in the city. We would love you to join in with activities where possible and if you would like to.
We ask for a commitment of at least 2-3 hours per month in your own time, and to attend workshops over the Summer for the research project.
Tasks and responsibilities:
· To attend research workshops and assist staff in facilitating them.
· To support young people in their co-design of the project
· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering with young people.
· To participate in research in an independent, open-minded and fair way.
· To encourage and inspire young people to reach their full potential.
· To assist young people to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.
· To challenge young people’s negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manner.
· To adhere to CARAS Child Protection procedures, Confidentiality Policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
To be 18 years or older;
· To have access to your own IT device and to be comfortable using Google Search and Microsoft Office.
· To be able to work both from home and at CARAS
· To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds;
· To be reliable and punctual;
· Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English;
· Current resident of the UK;
· Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check;
· Able to attend compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding prior to the start of the role:
Volunteer induction training currently takes place online once a month on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6 pm – 8 pm. we offer the same training on Tuesday and Wednesday daytimes online between 12 noon – 2 pm once every 3 months.
Your availability to attend 1 general and 1 safeguarding online training session at these times within 3 months of your application would be a prerequisite for being accepted as a volunteer at CARAS.
Desirable:
· Knowledge of community languages, such as (including Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish).
· Some experience in designing/ using questionnaires and surveys to inform services or activities
· To be confident in advocating for young people and explaining their life experiences to local authorities and sports providers.
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Meet new members of your local community;
· Learn about different cultures;
· Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
· Develop your skills and competencies;
· Be able to access relevant training;
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and asylum-seekers living in South West London, and helps them to play their full part in the community. Arriving as an asylum seeker in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. We exist to help people seeking asylum overcome those challenges, and to help them rebuild their lives.
We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a forced displacement background, providing them the tools they need to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for adults include currently include: ESOL classes; sports; women’s creative writing; women’s coffee morning, and casework.
About the CARAS Adult Team:
In the post-pandemic environment, CARAS is responding to the role of digital literacies in our programme delivery to learners of asylum-seeking and refugee background. In contrast to the UK essential Digital skills framework, we have built in language inclusion to create a participatory learning course for Essential Digital Literacies for learners who are new to reading and writing in English. The individuals joining CARAS are highly diverse, with different countries of origin, linguistic and educational backgrounds. We have observed over the last year that many CARAS community members have limited digital skills, particularly in regard to using computers. Community members have highlighted that computers are important for many individuals to achieve their educational and employment goals, whilst increasing confidence and independence. We have co-designed a digital skills program in partnership with CARAS community members to improve computer literacy and skills, focusing on basic computer literacy.
About the Role:
We are seeking two volunteers based in London to teach our lively computer classes in Tooting every Monday 9:00-11:00. Volunteers will lead the sessions with guidance from the CARAS ESOL Teacher and will work closely with our community members to build their skills and confidence using computers. The Digital Literacies course at CARAS is built around Pre-entry to Entry 2 levels in English. Volunteers will be supporting individuals with tasks such as: getting to know how to use a computer, using the internet, setting up an email address, and using Microsoft office. We intend to fold employability sessions, including CV writing and job searching, into these sessions.
Volunteer Tasks and responsibilities:
· Lead on the delivery of sessions with support from CARAS’s Essential Digital Skills Teacher.
· Assist with the logistical set up of the sessions, supporting CARAS staff where needed.
· Work collaboratively as a team and assisting to shape the project.
· Create class registers and records as required.
· To attend and contribute to volunteer pre- and de-briefs at each session.
· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering.
· Support people to develop their knowledge and skills and encourage and inspire participants to reach their full potential.
· To assist participants to both, recognise and celebrate their achievements.
· To challenge negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manor.
· Advocate for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with not for them.
· Adhering to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
· To be non-judgemental, and able and willing to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
· To be female identifying.
· Have a good understanding of how to use a computer.
· To be reliable and punctual.
· Excellent presentation and communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English.
· Commitment to support people seeking asylum to take control of their asylum journey.
· Ability to volunteer every Friday for a minimum of three months.
· Current resident in the UK.
· Ability to work in Tooting SW17.
· To provide five years’ worth of addresses and be willing to undergo a DBS check.
· To attend CARAS General and Safeguarding Training sessions.
· To be 18 years or older.
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Meet new members of your local community
· Learn about different cultures
· Learn about issues relating to refugee and asylum seekers
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team
· Develop your skills and competencies
· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding
To Apply:
To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form from the CARAS website using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.
Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with a member of the CARAS staff team. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and asylum-seekers living in south-west London. We work primarily with people who are newly arrived in the UK, most of whom are living in temporary Home Office accommodation. Arriving as a refugee in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language barriers, accessing services, financial insecurity and ongoing uncertainty are extremely challenging and disempowering. CARAS is here to work collaboratively with community members to support them to build skills, connect meaningfully with their local community, and to build positive futures in the UK.
CARAS offers a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a forced displacement background. For adults this currently includes: ESOL, digital skills and employability sessions; social and recreational activities and casework. All programs are interlinked and work hand-in-hand with one another. For example, community members can practice their spoken English in Coffee Afternoon, and casework issues might be picked up and referred into the team during an ESOL class. We design and develop our programs through consultation and ongoing conversations with our community members. We aim to have a strong volunteer presence across all our programs, fostering connections between asylum seekers and other Londoners!
About CARAS’s Adult Programming and Coffee Afternoon:
CARAS has been providing support to adult refugee women since 2005, promoting skills and confidence development that helps women gain more power in their lives. In the aftermath of COVID, we have been able to expand our adult programmes, responding to the shifting demographics of those seeking asylum in the UK. We now run a range of mixed programmes for all genders, as well as some women-only spaces. Our coffee afternoon is a mixed group.
Our coffee afternoon has been running since May 2022 and is one of our most popular groups. It takes place at TARA Theatre in Earlsfield from 1-2.30PM every Friday. Its primary aim is to reduce isolation amongst those we work with by providing a safe, friendly and welcoming space for people to have fun, learn about themselves and each other, and build connections.
In 2023, we have been running creative sessions during Coffee Afternoon, facilitated by freelance creative practitioners in partnership with TARA Theatre. These range from dance to drama, poetry to puppetry. For sessions without a creative practitioner, we sometimes host workshops on important topics such as healthcare rights or have an open and informal space for games and a chat. There is always coffee and a selection of baked goods!
For more information on TARA Theatre, our partner and host, please visit their website.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- To attend CARAS coffee afternoon’s, every Friday between 1-2.30PM in Earlsfield, South-west London. They take place at TARA Theatre, right opposite Earlsfield Station. Location here- https://maps.app.goo.gl/rXwJiKHRj93YFtLG9 (356 Garratt Ln, London SW18 4ES).
- If there is a week this is not possible, to tell CARAS staff as far in advance as you are able.
- To welcome and connect with community members attending, working to ensure everyone at the group feels included.
- To take part if there is a creative activity happening in that session, and help liaise with CARAS staff and the creative practitioner to ensure the activity runs smoothly.
- To encourage and inspire community members to feel confident and reach their full potential.
- To share conversation, and chat informally with our community members.
- To assist community members to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.
- To challenge negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manor.
- To adhere to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
- To have interest in working with refugees and asylum seekers.
- To be non-judgemental, and able and willing to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and differing levels of English.
- To be reliable and punctual.
- To be a current resident in the UK.
- To provide five years’ worth of addresses and be willing to undergo a UK DBS check.
- To attend CARAS General and Safeguarding Training, and any further training as necessary.
- To be 18 years or older.
Through volunteering with us you will:
- Meet new members of your local community
- Learn about different cultures and life experiences from across the world
- Learn about issues relating to refugee and asylum seekers
- Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team
- Develop your skills and competencies
- Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding
To Apply:
Please fill in the volunteer application form and email it to us. Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with the Head of Adult Inclusion and Adult Program Coordinator these meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP!
Details for this role are in the description and not mentioned in the application form but please fill in your details in the Volunteer application form attached and send it back to us
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are a volunteer-run organisation whose aim is to ensure that everybody impacted by borderline personality disorder is supported in their recovery.
Peer support is about sharing your lived experience of mental health struggles with other people with the hope of providing, support, encouragement, and validation that you understand what they are going through, that they are not alone in their feelings and circumstance. We believe that peer support is an important part of the recovery journey, as it provides a space for support, shared understanding, helps reduce stigma and fosters motivation and hope.
We run several online peer support groups each month for people living with borderline personality disorder and are seeking compassionate and empathetic people to co-facilitate the groups. All groups are facilitated by two peer support workers, and follow a semi-structured pattern. Our groups include:
- Women-only
- Men-only
- 18 to 25s
- LGBTQIA+
- Mixed
- Family
As a volunteer, you will receive comprehensive training, accessible online. We also provide ongoing supervision, support to ensure that you can effectively support others while prioritizing your own recovery. The training covers various areas such as peer support, communication, safeguarding, and facilitation skills.
Role description
- to co-facilitate a support group of 10-15 people on a fortnightly/monthly basis
- to provide support in a group peer support setting
- to share own experiences without taking away from the others persons current feelings and situation
- to use active listening and personal experiences to reassure and validate group members
- to enable and encourage service users to find out resources and local services
- to encourage wellbeing and recovery
Person specification
- Lived experience of mental health
- Able to use own experiences openly while maintaining strong boundaries
- Access to a reliable internet connection, a computer with webcam, and a confidential space.
- Commitment to our aims and mission
Availability and Committment
We ask that you have availability 2-3 hours per month for a minimum of 6 months. Our groups are held on mid-week evenings and Sunday evenings.
How to apply
Please submit a cover letter with your application, detailing your relevant experience. Please also indicate which specific group you are interested in co-facilitating if you have a preference.
Diversity Statement
We are committed to building a team with a variety of backgrounds, skills and views. The more inclusive we are, the more people we can support. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Please note that you must be a UK resident with the right to live and work in the UK. This role is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you passionate about singing and would like to empower others to use their voices in a choir?
We are recruiting for a Choir Support and Engagement Volunteer at our Dame Gertrude Young House which supports men who have mental health needs. Choirs have shown to reduce stress levels and depression as well as creating a sense of togetherness. We are looking for a volunteer who loves singing and is willing to get involved, whilst also encouraging our service users to participate and sing together! Your role will also involve supporting service users getting to and from the venue.
Volunteering with Hestia will mean that you will play a key role in promoting strategies for positive wellbeing and recovery through music and singing!
What you will be doing
- Encourage service users to get involved in the choir and sing together.
- Participating in the choir
- Supporting service users with getting to and from the venue
The skills you need
- Good communication skills
- Interest in singing
- Fun and friendly personality to be able to engage our service users
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