Helping volunteer volunteer volunteer roles
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Volunteer Community Transport Driver
Are you a friendly, reliable, and safe driver with a passion for helping others in your community? We're looking for dedicated Volunteer Community Transport Drivers to provide a vital service, enabling individuals to access essential appointments, social activities, and more.
What you'll be doing:
- Accepting and completing pre-arranged journeys for our clients.
- Keeping a meticulous log of all journeys undertaken and client requests.
- Waiting for clients for return journeys, ensuring their comfort and timely transport.
- Reimbursing UFY for booking fees on a regular basis (details will be provided during induction).
We'll provide you with:
- Full initial induction and training to ensure you're confident and prepared.
- Support and information to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which is a requirement for this role.
- Specific induction and training on electric vehicle (EV) operations if you are an EV driver.
We're looking for someone who is:
- A safe and confident driver with a valid UK driving license.
- Reliable, punctual, and committed to their volunteer shifts.
- Patient and understanding, with a good level of interpersonal skills.
- Comfortable keeping accurate records.
- Able to treat all clients with respect and dignity.
This is a profoundly rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals within our community, helping them maintain their independence and connection. If you're ready to get behind the wheel and support those who need it most, we encourage you to apply!
UFY is Selby's anchor organisation. We provide advice and support to local charitable, voluntary and community organisations.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Amy’s Place is a partnership between the Amy Winehouse Foundation and Clarion Housing, providing supported living accommodation for young women aged 18-30 in recovery from drugs, alcohol and other addictive behaviors.
As a great communicator with ‘green fingers’ you will create a calm, nurturing environment in which to support the residents to gain gardening skills and to explore the possibility of growing their own food.
Activities
Inspire the residents to take an interest in the outdoor space at Amy’s Place and involve them in the development of a regular gardening and/or food growing club.
Help residents to develop their gardening skills and knowledge specific to growing food, through group workshops and individually tailored support, guidance and encouragement.
Commitment
This is a flexible opportunity and volunteering times and frequency will vary depending on the volunteer’s availability and the needs of the residents. It might be every week or fortnight ideally for a minimum of 3 months.
Requirements
This role will require us to carry out an enhanced check through the disclosure and barring service.
Support
- Volunteers receive a thorough induction and have access to any relevant in-house and external training
- Reasonable travel and lunch expenses will be reimbursed
- The role is based at the service in East London. The exact address cannot be given until the volunteer starts due to safety and privacy reasons
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Engagement Volunteer
Why we want you
As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
· Organising and attending awareness and fundraising events within the community
· Identifying new fundraising and awareness opportunities
· Helping at events
· Delivering presentations to community groups, schools, etc through
· SSAFA’s speaker programme
· Event administration
· Social media marketing
The skills you need
· Friendly and approachable
· Happy to help
· Basic IT skills would be an advantage
What's in it for you
· Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
· Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
· Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Why we want you
As branch chair you and your branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
- Overseeing an appropriate programme of awareness raising activities so that potential beneficiaries, volunteers and supporters are aware of SSAFA as first in mind for support.
- Building relationships with the regional and national SSAFA team, local voluntary organisations and, if applicable, SSAFA serving community teams, local military establishments, etc.
- Attending events as a key SSAFA representative.
- Providing timely reports and information to SSAFA’s central office
- Overseeing a programme of meetings including an AGM, branch meetings, committee meetings, training etc.
- Working with other volunteers, regional and national team members to attract and recruit new volunteers as required.
- Work closely with the community engagement co-ordinator to recruit, welcome, induct, support, and manage volunteers in line with SSAFA policies, such as the Volunteering Policy, Volunteer Code of Conduct, Data Protection Policy, and Safeguarding Policy.
The skills you need
- Motivating leadership with an ability lead a team of volunteers.
- Friendly and approachable
- Great written and verbal communication skills
- Basic IT skills
What's in it for you
- Gain experience of holding a key local role with oversight of all SSAFA activity in the local area.
- Support and friendship from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community.
- Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
- Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
- Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Engagement Volunteer
Why we want you
As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
· Organising and attending awareness and fundraising events within the community
· Identifying new fundraising and awareness opportunities
· Helping at events
· Delivering presentations to community groups, schools, etc through
· SSAFA’s speaker programme
· Event administration
· Social media marketing
The skills you need
· Friendly and approachable
· Happy to help
· Basic IT skills would be an advantage
What's in it for you
· Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
· Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
· Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Engagement Volunteer
Why we want you
As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
· Organising and attending awareness and fundraising events within the community
· Identifying new fundraising and awareness opportunities
· Helping at events
· Delivering presentations to community groups, schools, etc through
· SSAFA’s speaker programme
· Event administration
· Social media marketing
The skills you need
· Friendly and approachable
· Happy to help
· Basic IT skills would be an advantage
What's in it for you
· Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
· Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
· Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Engagement Volunteer
Why we want you
As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
· Organising and attending awareness and fundraising events within the community
· Identifying new fundraising and awareness opportunities
· Helping at events
· Delivering presentations to community groups, schools, etc through
· SSAFA’s speaker programme
· Event administration
· Social media marketing
The skills you need
· Friendly and approachable
· Happy to help
· Basic IT skills would be an advantage
What's in it for you
· Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
· Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
· Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy?
Volunteers are essential to Shannon Trust and bring their energy, ideas and skills to train mentors in prisons, support learners in the community and enhance our business support team.
We are looking for volunteers to provide training and support to our mentors in prison. There may be some additional preparation and/ or administrative tasks in between volunteering days at the prison.
Our prison volunteers nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by delivering training sessions for prison mentors and offering ongoing advice, guidance and support through mentor meetings.
Volunteer recruitment dates
The closing date for applications to attend our next round of training is 25 January 2026. In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early. Successful applicants will be sent interview questions in advance with notice to prepare. We will respond to all applications. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview between 26 January and 6 February 2026. This is an opportunity for you to meet our regional team, to find out more about you and for us to share more information about the volunteering role.
Training:
You'll be given high quality training to prepare you for volunteering with Shannon Trust. This takes place over 4 training sessions and via our online training portal. We ask that volunteers aim to complete the training in one course as this means that you will be ready to start actively volunteering. The next training sessions for volunteering for people applying to be a prison based volunteer will take place as follows.
Please check that you can attend all of the training the dates prior to applying:
-
17 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)
-
24 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams))
-
3 March 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)
-
24 March 2026, 10am-4pm (in person session, London)
You’ll also receive the opportunity to attend ongoing training sessions and peer support meetings during your time as a volunteer to build your skills and experience.
More information about this role
Why we want you
Shannon Trust’s vision is of a future where everyone can experience the positive impact of learning. As a prison volunteer your role will be at the heart of our organisation as you support our mentors in prisons. This will include delivering training to new mentors and supporting existing mentors to develop and deliver our Turning Pages and Count Me In programmes. You will be volunteering alongside Shannon Trust facilitators and / or frontline prison staff to empower mentors and ensure no one is left out of learning.
What you will be doing
- Delivering initial, and ongoing, training to mentors in prisons
- Supporting and encouraging the Shannon Trust facilitator and mentors to attract new learners and expand the reach of the Shannon Trust programme
- Arranging and leading mentor meetings to develop mentors’ skills, share good practice and to provide support to mentors to find solutions to concerns
- Supporting facilitators to engage prison staff and people in prison to set-up, maintain and develop the Shannon Trust reading and numeracy programmes across the whole prison, and contributing to progress planning for how to progress and achieve this
- Using your skills to build positive relationships with frontline prison staff, people in prison and other organisations
- Training and supporting mentors to collect and submit data and learner feedback
- Supporting with the planning of, and attendance at, celebration events
- Collecting and sharing good news stories and feedback
- Attending area meetings and sharing good practice with other volunteers
- Engaging with quarterly reviews to receive support and discuss progress
- Acting as an ambassador for Shannon Trust in all that you do, sharing the vision and values of the charity throughout your volunteering
The skills you need
- A commitment to providing non-judgemental support to people in prison
- Able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and have flexibility to visit the prison at times required
- Strong communication skills and are able to use these to inspire others
- Able to deliver engaging training and identify training and support needs for mentors
- Able to manage own time and prioritise
- Able to keep up to date with Shannon Trust news and communications and share relevant information with the wider prison team
- Able to use IT
What's in it for you
- Developing and growing your understanding of the HMPPS structure and prison system
- Reasonable, out of pocket, volunteering expenses are
- You will receive induction training and ongoing training to support and develop you in your role
- All volunteers receive ongoing support and quarterly reviews to enable you to gain the most from your volunteering experience
- We recognise and are grateful for the added value that volunteers bring to our organisation
- We provide flexible volunteering opportunities, subject to the requirements of your role
Disclaimer
In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early.
Please note you must be over 18 to volunteer with us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Overview
Could you make a difference as a volunteer Digital Champion?
We are looking for people with a good understanding of how to use computers,
smart phones and tablets to give peer support to people who are new to these
devices. You will help them to do things like:
-
use Google
-
set up an email account
-
look for reliable health information online
-
connect with friends and family using video calling
-
use MS word to write a CV
-
access job search websites
You need a good level of basic computer skills, but you don't have to be an IT
genius. Much more important is having enthusiasm and patience to spend some
time helping others to get online.
In return you’ll get:
-
The opportunity to develop your own digital skills and knowledge
-
Free accredited online training
-
Access to a community of Champions to help each other and share ideas
-
Ongoing support from a dedicated Digital Support Officer
-
A Digital Record tracking achievements and learners helped – perfect to show prospective employers!
-
A free Basic DBS check
-
Payment for travel expenses
-
Immense satisfaction that you’ve made a difference to someone else
Find out more
Digital Champions | Digital skills and support | Clarion Housing
Could you join the team?
We are currently looking for Digital Champions to support learners in Borehamwood on a Wednesday and/or Thursday.
Sessions are held at Windsor Hall, WD6 5DL between 10am and 2pm, you don’t have to be able to volunteer for the whole session, a couple of hours would be perfect!
Whilst the session time is fixed, we welcome volunteers who can volunteer
weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Join a small charity with a big heart and help shape our future.
Barefoot and Free is a grassroots UK-based charity funding respite breaks for families with neurodivergent children or children affected by trauma. We're growing from the ground up and we’re looking for passionate, creative Volunteer Fundraising Champions to grow with us.
This is more than a stepping stone role. It’s a real opportunity to be part of something long term that's meaningful, mission-driven, and deeply rewarding. You'll play a key role in shaping a small charity with huge potential and your efforts will directly impact the lives of families who truly need support.
Why Join Us?
Grassroots charity work is full of heart but it’s not without its challenges. We don’t have huge budgets, so we need fundraisers who can think outside the box, raise funds rather than spend funds and inspire others to get behind the cause.
But the rewards? They’re immense:
-
You’ll see the direct results of your work as we grow together.
-
You’ll gain invaluable experience for your CV and future roles in the third sector.
-
You’ll be part of a close-knit team where your ideas and efforts are truly valued and supported.
Your Role
As a Volunteer Fundraising Champion, you’ll help us raise the funds we need to provide life-changing breaks for families. You’ll be the creative spark and the friendly face behind fundraising efforts that make a real difference.
Key Responsibilities:
-
Plan, organise and deliver creative fundraising activities (raffles, online quizzes, challenge events, etc.)
-
Engage and support individual fundraisers (e.g. sponsored runners, event hosts)
-
Act as a key contact for fundraising volunteers providing encouragement, advice, and practical support
-
Develop and maintain a central fundraising tracker (Excel or similar)
-
Log all fundraising activity, targets, and deadlines
-
Collaborate with our social media volunteer to promote campaigns
-
Support recruitment and onboarding of new fundraising volunteers
What You’ll Bring
-
Clear, friendly written and verbal communication
-
Creativity and confidence in engaging with people online and offline
-
Strong organisation and time management skills
-
Self-motivation and the ability to work independently
-
A genuine passion for our mission and grassroots charity work
-
Experience in fundraising or event planning is helpful but not essential, heart and drive matter more
Time Commitment
-
Flexible and remote
-
Around 2 to 5 hours per week
-
We’ll work around your availability this role can fit around your life, studies, job, or family
What You’ll Gain
-
Hands-on experience in fundraising, event planning and project coordination
-
Something impressive and meaningful for your CV or portfolio
-
Real-world charity sector experience
-
Friendly support and mentoring from a passionate team
-
A strong sense of purpose, knowing your efforts directly support families in need
-
References available on request
How to Apply:
Please send a recent CV along with a short note about yourself, including any relevant fundraising or event planning experience (formal or informal!)
We can’t wait to hear from you and hopefully welcome you to the Barefoot and Free family.
Providing funded respite breaks for families of neurodivergent children and children affected by trauma.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy?
Volunteers are essential to Shannon Trust and bring their energy, ideas and skills to train mentors in prisons, support learners in the community and enhance our business support team.
We are looking for volunteers to provide training and support to our mentors in prison. There may be some additional preparation and/ or administrative tasks in between volunteering days at the prison.
Our prison volunteers nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by delivering training sessions for prison mentors and offering ongoing advice, guidance and support through mentor meetings.
Volunteer recruitment dates
The closing date for applications to attend our next round of training is 25 January 2026. In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early. Successful applicants will be sent interview questions in advance with notice to prepare. We will respond to all applications. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview between 26 January and 6 February 2026. This is an opportunity for you to meet our regional team, to find out more about you and for us to share more information about the volunteering role.
Training:
You'll be given high quality training to prepare you for volunteering with Shannon Trust. This takes place over 4 training sessions and via our online training portal. We ask that volunteers aim to complete the training in one course as this means that you will be ready to start actively volunteering. The next training sessions for volunteering for people applying to be a prison based volunteer will take place as follows.
Please check that you can attend all of the training the dates prior to applying:
-
17 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)
-
24 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams))
-
3 March 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)
-
24 March 2026, 10am-4pm (in person session, London)
You’ll also receive the opportunity to attend ongoing training sessions and peer support meetings during your time as a volunteer to build your skills and experience.
More about this role:
Why we want you
Shannon Trust’s vision is of a future where everyone can experience the positive impact of learning. As a prison volunteer your role will be at the heart of our organisation as you support our mentors in prisons. This will include delivering training to new mentors and supporting existing mentors to develop and deliver our Turning Pages and Count Me In programmes. You will be volunteering alongside Shannon Trust facilitators and / or frontline prison staff to empower mentors and ensure no one is left out of learning.
What you will be doing
- Delivering initial, and ongoing, training to mentors in prisons
- Supporting and encouraging the Shannon Trust facilitator and mentors to attract new learners and expand the reach of the Shannon Trust programme
- Arranging and leading mentor meetings to develop mentors’ skills, share good practice and to provide support to mentors to find solutions to concerns
- Supporting facilitators to engage prison staff and people in prison to set-up, maintain and develop the Shannon Trust reading and numeracy programmes across the whole prison, and contributing to progress planning for how to progress and achieve this
- Using your skills to build positive relationships with frontline prison staff, people in prison and other organisations
- Training and supporting mentors to collect and submit data and learner feedback
- Supporting with the planning of, and attendance at, celebration events
- Collecting and sharing good news stories and feedback
- Attending area meetings and sharing good practice with other volunteers
- Engaging with quarterly reviews to receive support and discuss progress
- Acting as an ambassador for Shannon Trust in all that you do, sharing the vision and values of the charity throughout your volunteering
The skills you need
- A commitment to providing non-judgemental support to people in prison
- Able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and have flexibility to visit the prison at times required
- Strong communication skills and are able to use these to inspire others
- Able to deliver engaging training and identify training and support needs for mentors
- Able to manage own time and prioritise
- Able to keep up to date with Shannon Trust news and communications and share relevant information with the wider prison team
- Able to use IT
What's in it for you
- Developing and growing your understanding of the HMPPS structure and prison system
- Reasonable, out of pocket, volunteering expenses are reimbursed
- You will receive induction training and ongoing training to support and develop you in your role
- All volunteers receive ongoing support and quarterly reviews to enable you to gain the most from your volunteering experience
- We recognise and are grateful for the added value that volunteers bring to our organisation
- We provide flexible volunteering opportunities, subject to the requirements of your role
Disclaimer
In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early.
Please note you must be over 18 to volunteer with us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Engagement Volunteer
Why we want you
As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
· Organising and attending awareness and fundraising events within the community
· Identifying new fundraising and awareness opportunities
· Helping at events
· Delivering presentations to community groups, schools, etc through
· SSAFA’s speaker programme
· Event administration
· Social media marketing
The skills you need
· Friendly and approachable
· Happy to help
· Basic IT skills would be an advantage
What's in it for you
· Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
· Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
· Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Engagement Volunteer
Why we want you
As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.
What you will be doing
· Organising and attending awareness and fundraising events within the community
· Identifying new fundraising and awareness opportunities
· Helping at events
· Delivering presentations to community groups, schools, etc through
· SSAFA’s speaker programme
· Event administration
· Social media marketing
The skills you need
· Friendly and approachable
· Happy to help
· Basic IT skills would be an advantage
What's in it for you
· Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
· Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
· Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews
Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.
Our vision A society in which the Armed Forces, veterans and their families can thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy?
Volunteers are essential to Shannon Trust and bring their energy, ideas and skills to train mentors in prisons, support learners in the community and enhance our business support team.
We are looking for volunteers to provide training and support to our mentors in prison. There may be some additional preparation and/ or administrative tasks in between volunteering days at the prison.
Our prison volunteers nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by delivering training sessions for prison mentors and offering ongoing advice, guidance and support through mentor meetings.
Volunteer recruitment dates
The closing date for applications to attend our next round of training is 25 January 2026. In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early. Successful applicants will be sent interview questions in advance with notice to prepare. We will respond to all applications. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview between 26 January and 6 February 2026. This is an opportunity for you to meet our regional team, to find out more about you and for us to share more information about the volunteering role.
Training:
You'll be given high quality training to prepare you for volunteering with Shannon Trust. This takes place over 4 training sessions and via our online training portal. We ask that volunteers aim to complete the training in one course as this means that you will be ready to start actively volunteering. The next training sessions for volunteering for people applying to be a prison based volunteer will take place as follows.
Please check that you can attend all of the training the dates prior to applying:
-
17 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)
-
24 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams))
-
3 March 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)
-
24 March 2026, 10am-4pm (in person session, London)
You’ll also receive the opportunity to attend ongoing training sessions and peer support meetings during your time as a volunteer to build your skills and experience.
Why we want you
Shannon Trust’s vision is of a future where everyone can experience the positive impact of learning. As a prison volunteer your role will be at the heart of our organisation as you support our mentors in prisons. This will include delivering training to new mentors and supporting existing mentors to develop and deliver our Turning Pages and Count Me In programmes. You will be volunteering alongside Shannon Trust facilitators and / or frontline prison staff to empower mentors and ensure no one is left out of learning.
What you will be doing
- Delivering initial, and ongoing, training to mentors in prisons
- Supporting and encouraging the Shannon Trust facilitator and mentors to attract new learners and expand the reach of the Shannon Trust programme
- Arranging and leading mentor meetings to develop mentors’ skills, share good practice and to provide support to mentors to find solutions to concerns
- Supporting facilitators to engage prison staff and people in prison to set-up, maintain and develop the Shannon Trust reading and numeracy programmes across the whole prison, and contributing to progress planning for how to progress and achieve this
- Using your skills to build positive relationships with frontline prison staff, people in prison and other organisations
- Training and supporting mentors to collect and submit data and learner feedback
- Supporting with the planning of, and attendance at, celebration events
- Collecting and sharing good news stories and feedback
- Attending area meetings and sharing good practice with other volunteers
- Engaging with quarterly reviews to receive support and discuss progress
- Acting as an ambassador for Shannon Trust in all that you do, sharing the vision and values of the charity throughout your volunteering
The skills you need
- A commitment to providing non-judgemental support to people in prison
- Able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and have flexibility to visit the prison at times required
- Strong communication skills and are able to use these to inspire others
- Able to deliver engaging training and identify training and support needs for mentors
- Able to manage own time and prioritise
- Able to keep up to date with Shannon Trust news and communications and share relevant information with the wider prison team
- Able to use IT
What's in it for you
- Developing and growing your understanding of the HMPPS structure and prison system
- Reasonable, out of pocket, volunteering expenses are reimbursed
- You will receive induction training and ongoing training to support and develop you in your role
- All volunteers receive ongoing support and quarterly reviews to enable you to gain the most from your volunteering experience
- We recognise and are grateful for the added value that volunteers bring to our organisation
- We provide flexible volunteering opportunities, subject to the requirements of your role
Disclaimer
In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early.
Please note you must be over 18 to volunteer with us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Shannon Trust fulfils an unmet need around adult learning, supporting people who’ve fallen through the cracks in formal education.
We know a lot of people have had negative learning experiences in the past, so our programme is designed to be different, with no exams and no classrooms. Our unique, evidence-based Turning Pages reading manuals are used by thousands of learners in prisons and the community to improve reading skills.
Prison volunteers live near to their local prison so that they can visit about once a month during the working week to nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by offering advice, guidance, training and support to prison staff and prisoner mentors who help other prisoners to improve their skills 1 to 1.
We are looking for volunteers who are able to work alone, able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and able to deliver engaging training to groups of people in prisons. Due to the nature of the role, prison security vetting will be required.
We provide training for the role via e-learning and 4 training sessions which are a mix of live, online and group training.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.