Helping volunteer volunteer volunteer roles

In this role, you will build relationships and connect with people, places and organisations to raise awareness of stroke and of the Stroke Association within the community. By building these relationships you will contribute to improving the experience of people affected by stroke where they live and work. 

What would you be doing

• Providing a valuable extension to our teams based within local areas across Wales. 
• Build relationships with people, places and organisations to raise awareness of stroke and the Stroke Association. 
• Engaging with your local community to represent the Stroke Association. This could include delivering presentations or talks (either face to face or digitally), attending fundraising events or sharing your experience of stroke to others. 
• Helping to set up and support Stroke Café Groups. 
• Attending information points at community events or at local hospitals. 

What will you bring to the role?

You have…

• The passion and enthusiasm to raise the awareness of stroke and the Stroke Association. 
• Ability and willingness to share how people affected by stroke can access support from the Stroke Association. 
• An enjoyment of talking to people and communities, either one to one, or presenting to groups. This includes speaking to groups or individuals face to face or online digitally. (This is available to you only if you feel confident to do so – it is not a strict requirement of the role). 
• A keenness to demonstrate our values, and to help improve care and support for stroke survivors. 
• The ability to travel to venues and events by yourself. 
• A willingness to use technology e.g. Zoom and Microsoft Teams to engage with people outside of your local area, and our intranet and learning platform to access resources and training 

Requirements of the role:

• Must be 18+
• Ability to travel around your local community. 
• Have empathy and compassion for stroke survivors.
• Enjoy interacting with stroke survivors, community groups and local businesses.
• Ideally have lived or personal experience of stroke.
• Availability of a minimum of 2 hours on a weekly basis. 

What the role can offer you personally 

• Support with learning new skills – Full training provided. 
• Meeting new people, building a network and engaging with your local community. 
• In this role, you will build relationships and connect with people, places and organisations to raise awareness of stroke and of the Stroke Association within the community. By building these relationships you will contribute to improving the experience of people affected by stroke where they live and work. 
• You’ll have an opportunity to get together (either face to face/digitally) with other Community Connectors from your locality to discuss local priorities and opportunities 

Interested in applying?

If you are interested in applying, please contact: 

• Sally Head, Volunteer Manager. 

Our vision is for there to be fewer strokes, and for people affected by stroke to get the help they need to live the best life they can. 

Our core purpose is to be the trusted voice of stroke survivors and their families. We want to drive better outcomes in stroke prevention, treatment and lifelong support for everyone affected by stroke.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.

Role Overview

We are seeking Voluntary Survivor Ambassadors — individuals with lived experience or deep understanding of CSA who want to help build hope, raise awareness, and connect others to our movement.

Your role will be to encourage others to become guests on our podcast or join as members, volunteers, and supporters, helping us expand our outreach and create safe spaces for healing and advocacy.

This is an unpaid voluntary position, ideal for someone ready to turn their pain into power and help others find their voice — while contributing to a national cause that is changing the narrative on CSA.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a bridge between survivors, communities, and our CIC, promoting healing and participation.

• Reach out (with sensitivity and consent) to individuals who may wish to share their stories on our podcast or platforms.

• Encourage survivors and allies to join our membership and community initiatives.

• Represent the CIC at events, online forums, and local networks — sharing the message of protection, healing, and empowerment.

• Support our outreach and guest management team in identifying potential speakers, artists, and advocates.

• Participate in awareness campaigns, training, and empowerment workshops.

• Provide feedback from the survivor community to help us improve support and representation.

Ideal Candidate

• A survivor of CSA or someone with personal insight into its impact who feels ready to advocate for change.

• Passionate about protecting children, raising awareness, and building safe, empowering spaces.

• Emotionally grounded and able to communicate with sensitivity and compassion.

• Confident in sharing your story only if and when you choose to — there is no obligation to disclose personal trauma.

• A natural connector who enjoys community building and supporting others.

• Comfortable using email, phone, or social media for outreach and communication.

What You Will Gain

• The opportunity to turn your story into strength and inspire others to find their voice.

• Be part of a historic grassroots movement ending CSA silence in the UK.

• Mentorship, trauma-informed training, and emotional support from our team.

• Leadership experience in outreach, advocacy, and survivor representation.

• Access to our internal training courses, retreats, and wellness programmes.

• All travel, food, and related expenses covered.

• A chance to help shape the national conversation on CSA and survivor empowerment.

Safeguarding & Support

Your wellbeing is our priority.
We have trauma-informed policies, emotional support systems, and confidentiality procedures to ensure every ambassador feels safe, respected, and in control of their story.

This is an opportunity for a female befriender to visit a lovely, chatty lady in New Barnet. She’s a lover of all things crafty, including making jewellery and painting, but her absolute favourite are jigsaw puzzles. She would love a visitor to do these things with her, as well as going for walks to the local coffee shop for a slice of cake or spending some time in the garden on a sunny day.

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.

Location: Exeter (hybrid options available)
Hours: Flexible
Term: Three-year periods
Type: Voluntary

Help shape the future of a charity supporting young people with vision impairment and complex needs.
At InFocus, we believe everyone deserves to live life to the full, with choice, control, and meaningful opportunities. We support young people who face multiple barriers due to vision impairment combined with additional disabilities, helping each person move towards their most independent and fulfilling life.

We are now recruiting a Volunteer Trustee with expertise in property or estate management to help guide our strategic development.

What the role involves

Alongside the standard duties of a trustee, you’ll take a focused role in shaping and overseeing the development of our 15-acre site, which includes a wide range of specialist buildings and facilities.
Your insight will help us:

• Refurbish and repurpose buildings

• Make best use of our physical assets

• Identify opportunities to generate income for the charity

• Plan for long-term site development and sustainability

This role would suit someone with experience in building, surveying, estates or property development.

Our Board meets seven times a year and trustees are also welcome (but not required) to attend events and celebrations. While in-person attendance is encouraged, some meetings can be joined online. Travel expenses are covered, and overnight accommodation can be arranged for trustees outside Devon.

Short on time? Advisory roles available

If you’d like to contribute your expertise without the full responsibilities of a trustee, you may be interested in joining us as an Advisory Member. Advisory Members sit on committees and offer specialist insight without taking on the full governance role. To find out more, please email Amanda Gorfin.

Hertfordshire’s Family Centre Service brings children’s centres, health visiting and school nursing together, to provide a more joined-up service for children, young people, and their families.

The centres deliver a range of support groups and activities for children and their families to help them be healthy, grow and develop. To make it easy for families to fit sessions and services around their busy lives, access is available from any Hertfordshire Family centre. We have locations across the entire county so please do enquire ensuring you have provided your postcode.

Main Tasks/ Responsibilities/ Activities

To represent Family Centre Services within local communities and help strengthen the link between families and the centre by promoting services and support available.

Key Responsibilities:

· Promote Hertfordshire Family Centres by attending toddler and parent groups and local activities.

· Distribute leaflets, posters, and other promotional materials in community venues (e.g. libraries, health centres, nurseries, shops).

· Talk to parents, carers, and professionals about the Family Centre offer, signposting them to services and activities.

· Share updates on Family Centre activities through word of mouth, local networks, and community noticeboards.

· Provide feedback to Family Centre staff about local needs, events, and opportunities for engagement.

· Represent the Family Centre in a positive and professional way at all times.

Skills / Abilities / Experience / Qualities

· Friendly, approachable, and confident in talking to new people.

· Good communication skills.

· Reliable and able to work independently as well as part of a team.

· Enthusiasm for supporting children, families, and the local community.

· Respectful of diversity and inclusive of all families.

· Knowledge of the local area and networks

Training / Support

· A full induction to the service and specific site will be provided.

· Requirement to undertake One YMCA online training courses

· To understand and implement One YMCA’s policies.

· Ongoing support and regular 1:1 meetings

· Access to organisational events throughout the year including Socials, Conferences and Training opportunities. 

Additional Information

· Undergo enhanced DBS check

· X2 References required

· Undertake additional training as and when required

· We offer to pay volunteers’ “out of pocket” expenses within agreed guidelines

We are seeking to appoint a voluntary Trustee for our charity who will also take up the role as our secretary.

We are looking for someone who wants to make a difference; helping build & grow the charity with the benefit of good governance. 

Is this role for me?

As you would expect the secretary role will be responsible for supporting the Chair by making sure meetings are communicated, agendas are developed, & that minutes are produced with actions followed up. It would also involve maintaining a well-organised filing system of critical documents, policies & governance records, as well as ensuring compliance with reporting requirements such as Charity Commission filings. But this will not be a case of walking in & taking over the reins; we are going through a period of change & are looking for someone who will help us put in place the processes & controls needed for a well-run charity. 

We are looking for a secretary who will push us & keep us on track. Make no mistake, it will certainly be hard work initially as it will take some time as we work to get everything in place, so you would need to be ready to commit to this. Once things become established then it would be up to you just how much time you want to dedicate beyond keeping everything on track. 

Who is The League of Friends of St Mark’s Hospital Maidenhead?

The League of Friends have been supporting patients in St Mark’s Hospital for over 50 years, helping to provide equipment & an environment that enhances their comfort & care.

We maintain the gardens in the Henry Tudor ward & in Out-Patients, including providing outdoor furniture & planting, as well as providing a range of daily newspapers & making sure a nice cup of Nespresso coffee is available too. We have also helped the hospital over recent years by providing; a cardiac resuscitator, an ECG module, hydraulic treatment couches, specialised podiatry & audiology equipment, and software for a Dexta bone density scanner.

Why are you recruiting now?

While we are proud that we have been supporting St Mark’s for over 50 years, including during the COVID19 pandemic, we have recognised that we now need to need to “regroup”.

The charity has identified 2 immediate objectives; firstly, to develop our fundraising efforts as these have slipped since the pandemic, & secondly, to introduce standards of governance which ensure we fulfil statutory obligations & achieve best practice within a small charity environment. 

We have recently appointed a new Treasurer to strengthen financial controls, & a further trustee with responsibility for developing our marketing effort which will provide a firm footing for fund raising. Further trustees have recently been appointed which support our charitable giving within the hospital. But we recognise that we are lacking the skills, knowledge & disciplines that a good secretary can provide. 

What sort of person do I need to be?

• Hungry for change
• Tenacious
• Pragmatic
• Detailed & meticulous 
• Knowledgeable of charity regulations & best practice - or not frightened to find them out & go on to implement them
• A self-starter who is able to drive us towards the changes needed
• A strong communicator
• Tech savvy – able to use MS office & have the ability to work online as needed 

How much time would I need to dedicate?

You would need to have enough time to arrange, plan & follow up on Trustee meetings. At present these typically take place in alternate months but there may be a need to move these to monthly as the charity grows. One of these meetings will also include the AGM. Meetings are held in Maidenhead.

As secretary there will be other activities which will require action between meetings, for example, keeping the Charity Commission updated, maintaining policies & renewing insurance. While these activities are not onerous their timely upkeep is obviously important.

One of the key features of this appointment will be the need to drive change & establish good governance within the charity. Although we are looking for someone who can help move this forward at speed, we also recognise that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”!

What will I get out of it?

• Helping to make the lives of patients in hospital more bearable is hugely rewarding. 
• The role will be CV enhancing, demonstrating valuable skills & qualities to potential employers; particularly being able to illustrate your ability to influence & to drive change

Is there anything else you think I should know?

Apart from attending our meetings in Maidenhead all other work should be able to be done from home.

This is a volunteer role & necessary expenses incurred will be reimbursed.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in the leadership of Sussex Area Ramblers by supporting the Chair in the oversight and direction of all Area activities, making sure that they are consistent, integrated and in line with Ramblers' mission and strategy.

The Ramblers, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2025, is the only charity dedicated to removing barriers so everyone can enjoy walking in green spaces, and to improving Britain’s most popular and least-known walking places. We’re committed to campaigning to keep our countryside open to all and to fighting for the things that matter most to walkers. We lead the way, and the walks, for a vibrant community united by the joys of walking, helping everyone get more out of their walks. 

The Vice-Chair supports the Area Chair in the leadership of Ramblers' activities in East and West Sussex including the provision through the Groups in the Area of organised walks, helping to ensure the Groups are run well, follow good practice and join in national/Area initiatives, the protection of rights of way, and and the preservation and conservation of, the countryside, includung representing the Area to external stakeholders.

The Vice-Chair deputises for the Area Chair, as required, at meetings of the Area leadership teams (Area Council and Area Executive Committee), represents the Area at meetings of the Ramblers' South East Regional Cluster and, in agreement with the Area Chair, leads specific projects in which the Area is engaged, making sure in all cases that Ramblers' policies and procedures are followed with a view to ensuring that the Area, its members and volunteers are kept safe and legally compliant.

The Vice-Chair supports the Chair in managing the Area's working relationship with local authorities, organisations and politicians.

The Vice-Chair assists the Chair by making sure that the Area follows all of the required governance, including AGMs and attendance at Ramblers' General Council Meetings.

The role holderwill work closely with the Chair and other members of the Area Executive Committee and Area Council, and where necessary seek advice and guidance from Ramblers' central office.

You will need to be a member of the Ramblers and live in East or West Sussex to hold the role.

About the Role

The Events & Partnerships Officer will help plan, coordinate, and deliver community events, charity fundraisers, and partnership activities to support our growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver events (community days, fundraisers, volunteer events)

• Build relationships with schools, local businesses, and partners

• Secure sponsorships, in-kind donations, and venue support

• Promote events alongside the communications team

• Manage event volunteers and logistics

About You

• Experience planning events (formal or informal)

• Great communication and organisational skills

• Confident working with stakeholders

• Creative, proactive, and reliable

The Africa Health Organisation (AHO) seeks to engage in bidding and tendering to deliver health and social care services effectively.  Our goal is to ensure sustainability and positively impact the lives of more people.  We want assistance in developing an ambitious strategy.

What will you be doing?

We are excited to announce an incredible opportunity for a talented Head of Bids and tenders to join our passionate team at the Africa Health Organisation (AHO)!  Since 1999, we've been dedicated to delivering health and social care to millions across Africa and the Diaspora, and now we're ready to further elevate our impact.

This year, we're embarking on a mission to broaden our funding strategy by incorporating bid and tender submissions.  Our goal is to engage with governments in Africa and the UK, the public sector, and the public, providing essential, practical, and emotional support to those facing chronic conditions.  We need a visionary like you to help us achieve our goals.

We're seeking a dynamic, experienced Head of Bids to develop and execute a winning strategy to secure the necessary financial backing.  There are numerous exciting possibilities ahead, including central government tenders, local and statutory opportunities.  We're eager to explore them all.

In this pivotal role, you'll plan and execute our bids and tender writing efforts, ensuring that our bid proposals not only shine but also come to life in meaningful ways.  If you're a bid writer who thrives on creativity and collaboration, we want to hear from you!  Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to inspire and mentor volunteers within our bid and tender team, making a positive impact together.  Join us on this exciting journey!

Key Duties and Responsibilities will include:

• Overall responsibility for delivering high-quality, accurate, compliant and commercially sound proposals on time, to budget, with inputs from key stakeholders.
• Responsible for the coordination and management of all Bid activities, for ensuring that Bid Plans are put in place and that all internal inputs are received promptly to meet Bid submission timescales.
• Responsible for the receipt, management, control and coordination of all external and internal information and documentation with respect to the enquiry and for the team acting as custodian for Bid documents, including all approved internal documentation signed by the Organisation.
• Responsible for compliance with all internal Bid policies and procedures and for passing internal and external audits.
• Contribute to the overall Bid strategy alongside other stakeholders.
• Responsible for the overall leadership of the team and ensuring that individuals within the team are given appropriate opportunities to grow and develop, and that the team maximises performance by creating and fostering a positive, can-do attitude and outlook on an ongoing basis.
• Responsibility to ensure that improvements are identified and those agreed upon are implemented continuously to support the growth and development of the team and those within it.
• There is a need to keep good records and to create and measure metrics on bidding performance to both review performance and drive continuous improvement in a key area of the business.
• Responsible for mentoring and training Bid Managers and Bid Writers to ensure they are up to date with bid requirements and improve their competence.

What are we looking for?

Education, Skills and Experience: Requirements

Essential:

• At least three years of experience in successfully leading teams within a bid environment.
• Proven track record of improvement and achievement - processes and people
• Keen understanding of numbers, spreadsheets, VOP/invoices, rates, cash flow, milestones, negotiations, and pricing audits.
• Ability to write strong proposals and experience as an estimator
• Excellent communicator (written and verbal) with local and international customers, and with an appreciation of cultural differences
• Ability to persuade and influence others
• Ability to lead team by example, with the ability to foster and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work to deadlines
• Strong business/commercial acumen
• Keen attention to detail
• Commercially sound judgement
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Strong financial skills

Desirable:

• Leadership qualification (CMI or ILM)
• Experience with an integrated project management / ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning)
• Experience in bidding roles in the Medical, Biochemistry, Biomedical, Public Services, Global Health, Humanitarian, NGOs, Public Health and Social Care industry
• MBA, Professional Qualification or formal leadership Qualification (CMI, ILM)

What difference will you make?

In this exciting role, you will lead the strategic process for winning new business through competitive bids, tenders, and proposals, ultimately elevating AHO's success. Your specialised knowledge of bids will enhance our win rates and maximise revenue by bringing clarity, quality, and coordination to what can be a complex, high-stakes journey.

Your primary mission is to boost AHO's tender win rates and strengthen our strategic advantage.  By diligently overseeing each step of the bidding process—from initial evaluation to final submission—you will significantly improve the quality and persuasion of our proposals, directly increasing our chances of securing valuable contracts.

You'll provide key insights to help AHO target the most promising opportunities by implementing a thoughtful "bid/no-bid" process.  This approach will ensure we focus only on lucrative and winnable contracts that closely align with our strategic goals, ultimately saving time and resources and allowing us to prioritise high-potential projects.

In this role, you will orchestrate a well-coordinated process that drives operational efficiency.  As the central point of contact, you will gather input from diverse internal teams—sales, finance, legal, and technical—ensuring everyone collaborates smoothly to meet critical deadlines.

As a leader, you'll elevate the quality of our bid content.  By overseeing the creation of compelling, polished materials, you'll ensure our final submissions are professional, cohesive, and error-free.  You will utilise a centralised content library containing valuable resources, such as case studies and CVs, to streamline efforts and enhance our proposals.

You will keep projects on track by developing detailed project plans and timelines, ensuring all tasks are completed on time—especially critical in the fast-paced environment of tender submissions.  Your effective management will ease colleagues' workloads, allowing the entire team to shine.

To foster long-term business growth, you'll create a wealth of knowledge around our tenders and bids. By conducting insightful post-submission debriefs and analysing feedback, you will capture invaluable lessons from both successes and setbacks.  This ongoing improvement process will enhance our bidding capabilities for future opportunities.

You also have the opportunity to enhance AHO's brand reputation by submitting well-organised, accurate, and compliant bids.  By doing so, you'll showcase our professionalism and reliability to clients, building trust and solidifying our credible standing in the market.

Strategic alignment is vital for sustaining consistent, stable business growth.  Together, we can make a remarkable impact on development.

Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? Are you a leader who could authentically lead and grow a movement of volunteers in a Community, including helping them navigate change? Do you have a strong commitment to educating, developing and engaging people? We are seeking a dynamic and dedicated individual to take on the role of Network Leader who can work and lead volunteering groups and leaders in their own way, supported by our central teams.

Impact

Accountable for creating a network of St John people and supporters that are empowered and enabled to deliver community impact in the form of community first aid, community education and community fundraising.

Accountable for ensuring the people within your network feel that they have sense of purpose, belonging and joyfulness, as well as access to development and growth opportunities.

Expected time commitment: 30 hours per month

Responsibilities

• Leading and inspiring a volunteer movement across a community or geography to deliver community first aid, community education and fundraising activities
• Delivering a diverse, inclusive and positive volunteering experience for those within your network
• Building strong relationships with local communities and organisations (e.g., Local Authorities, NHS, Council for Volunteering Services, etc)
• Leading your community first aid network to respond to the needs of your local communities.

What you will be accountable for

• Convening all St John people in your geography to collaboratively develop a clear plan to deliver against St John’s priorities, as set out in our new strategy.
• Delivery of collaboratively set KPIs in the following areas – Clinical cover at local events, Fundraising, Community Engagement including educating the public and communication and media, and expansion of our work with Young People.
• Developing an operating model for your geography that supports adults and young people, Priory and SJA volunteers, operational and non-operational volunteers to join in, either directly through network delivery or through associated ‘spokes’.
• Inspiring and supporting volunteers to try new ways of working to put the above in practice to deliver more impact in communities.
• Ensuring St John is represented at local networking opportunities and events to raise our profile or advocate for community health.
• Ensure that all volunteers in your network are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge
• Ensure the work of St John and our people is rewarded and recognised
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives based on feedback and best practices, particularly feeding back on the early adopter cohort learning in establishing a network.

You will need to following (personal specification):

• Impactful leadership and people management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to motivate, inspire and support others
• Ability to build relationships with a wide range of people
• Effective planning and organising skills
• Leadership and people management skills
• Ability to work proactively and on own initiative
• Understanding of change and leading people through change empathetically

Training and Support

The training and support we will make available for you is as follows:

Mandatory:

• Welcome programme introducing you to the project & wider charity
• Training in appropriate SJA policies
• St John Safeguarding training relevant to your role
• GDPR
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Keeping you safe at St John Ambulance
• Care Quality Commission
• Leadership training

Optional

• Speaking and listening skills
• Media engagement skills
• Finance process skills.

SJA will provide uniform for this role.

Screening requirements

• Right to Volunteer check.
• Two references

Our values

This role requires the volunteer to embrace the organisation’s vision and values, which are: Communities that preserve and protect life through volunteering for health and first aid.

The way we do things as a charity is underpinned by our ‘HEART’ values. We expect all ourpeople to uphold and apply these values in all they do.

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations of Offenders Act.

This role profile is intended as an outline indicator of general areas of activity and will be amended considering the changing needs of St John Ambulance. It is expected that the post holder will be as positive and flexible as possible in using this document as a framework

Are you an enthusiastic volunteer looking for a new role where you'll be able to use your skills to really make a difference? Are you passionate about helping others? Could you use your literacy knowledge to support volunteers and readers?

Read Easy Sheffield is a successful local charity that provides free, confidential, one to-one reading coaching for adults who struggle with reading, affiliated to national charity Read Easy UK. We are currently looking to expand our work and for this we need some more volunteers to join our friendly management team, and we excited to be seeking a new Literacy Specialist.

The Literacy Specialist is a vital and interesting role within the Read Easy Sheffield Management Team to make sure that all readers get the support they need during their reading journey. You’ll provide literacy support to the volunteer coaches and give advice on specific challenges they may be facing. This voluntary position would be fantastic for someone who has experience with literacy and education, and can be patient and flexible. You will receive training and support from Read Easy UK to develop your skills, and get to work alongside an enthusiastic Management Team. You will play an instrumental part in making sure our group continues to thrive!

What will you be doing?

• Providing literacy support to the Coordinators and Reading Coaches.
• Visiting reading pairs to advise on specific situations and challenges that Readers and Coaches may be facing.
• Contributing to the content, delivery and organisation of coach meetings.
• Finding or creating useful activities and resources that Coaches can use to support and extend their Readers’ learning.
• Attending monthly Management Team meetings.

The role is flexible so you can choose your own hours – you might expect to spend 2 to 3 hours a week on this. To get the most from the role, we expect all Management Team members to support Read Easy Sheffield for at least one year.

What's in it for you?

• A rewarding role that has a positive impact on people's lives

• Opportunity to meet and work collaboratively with new people

• Training and support to develop your skills

• As part of the Management Team, you will help shape the direction of the organisation

The skills you will need:

• A background in teaching reading/literacy (preferably, but not necessarily, with adults).

• An understanding of the difference between the needs of adults and children in the learning process.

• A knowledge of the range of teaching resources that are available for adults, or a willingness to research them.

• Reasonable confidence in using IT.

• The ability to use initiative and work independently.

• A willingness to abide by Read Easy policies and procedures.

• An open attitude that encourages two-way communication and willingness to ask for and offer support to the Team.

• A non-judgemental attitude and respect for others, with a commitment to equality and diversity, so that you can make everyone feel valued and included.

Please be aware that the reading coaching takes place in venues across the city, mainly in libraries and community centres. Bearing in mind that the role will involve occasional visits to pairs to offer support with their sessions when needed, you will need to be Sheffield-based and ideally able to drive or travel around the city.

Volunteer for NYAS

• Do you want to make a difference to a young person’s life?
• Do you have 1- 4 hours per month to spare?

Due to the request of the young people who are waiting for an Indepenent Visitor we urgently require male volunteer befrienders to be a positive role model. So why not volunteer as a mentor/befriender for NYAS as an Independent Visitor for children and young people in care.

As a volunteer you will:

• Have fun, take young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest
• Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person’s life and help build self- esteem and confidence

You don’t need any special qualifications

We are looking for reliable and dependable people from all walks of life.

We will provide training and on-going support. We will pay expenses to a set limit.

Here is what some of our young people and volunteers have to say about this rewarding role:

• I like how my Independent Visitor isn’t anything to do with social services and is here to support me not to judge.
• They have boosted my confidence, now I feel like when I go places I can just relax and have fun.
• My young person always looks forward to me coming, they have had such a disjointed life, I am a stable figure in their life and this has to be important for them as everything else changes around them a lot.

Job Type: Volunteer

Budget: £30.00 per month

Work Location: In person

Job Types: Part-time, Zero hours contract, Volunteer

Expected hours: No more than 2 per week

Work Location: In person

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is seeking an experienced and dedicated academic with a strong interest in paediatric palliative care, or related field to join our Research Governance Committee as a Volunteer Academic Member. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the strategic development of research at a research active children’s hospice, to ensure that our research activities meet the highest standards of integrity, ethics and governance. 

You will work with the Committee Chair, the Research Fellow, and other committee members to support research that makes a meaningful difference to children with life-limiting conditions and their families as well as bereaved families, including those where a child died unexpectedly. 

Appointment to the Committee will be subject to confirmation by the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices Trustee Board.

Duties and key responsibilities

· Participate in quarterly meetings: Attend and contribute to online committee meetings held four times per year (papers and slide deck will be prepared by the Chair). 

· Review research proposals: Provide expert review of project proposals, contributing to the assurance of ethical and governance standards. 

· Support research oversight: Help ensure that all research complies with regulatory and ethical requirements and reflects best practices. 

· Contribute academic expertise: Share your knowledge and experience to strengthen the quality and impact of the charity’s research portfolio. 

· Promote collaboration: Encourage partnerships between Shooting Star Children’s Hospices and wider academic, clinical, and research communities. 

· Champion good governance: Actively promote equity, transparency, and excellence in research oversight. 

Essential skills and experience

· Proven experience in academic research, research governance, and research ethics. 

· Strong academic background in higher education, and health or social care research. 

· In-depth understanding of research compliance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, HRA, UKRIO, Caldicott Guidelines, or equivalent). 

· Ability to evaluate research proposals and provide constructive feedback. 

· Excellent communication and collaboration skills. 

· Confidence using virtual meeting platforms and digital collaboration tools. 

Desirable attributes

• Academic research background with a track record of publications in the area of paediatric palliative care or related field.

• Previous experience serving on or chairing a research committee or governance board.

• Commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in research.

Commitment

• Quarterly committee meetings (Approximately 1 hour per meeting).

• Reviewing project proposals (Approximately 1 hour per month).

• Email communication and ad hoc queries (Approximately 1 hour per month).

• 2–3 years in the role would be appreciated for both parties to gain the most out of this experience.

• This is a voluntary role. Reasonable expenses related to attendance and participation will be reimbursed. 

Do you have professional experience in coding and computing? Could you support young people in learning how to code? 

Are you passionate about equipping the next generation with the skills and strategies needed to succeed?

About us: GT Scholars is a social enterprise that tackles educational inequality by giving ambitious young people the support, skills and strategies they need to achieve their aspirations. 

We believe that all young people are gifted and talented, regardless of their background. We run a wide range of programmes that help young people achieve their academic and career aspirations, particularly those from less-privileged backgrounds.

What makes us different? There are many organisations that offer programmes to improve the life chances of young people. However, our programmes use a unique 3:1 model which means that we’re able to sustainably use our profits to provide additional places on our programmes, to young people from low-income homes. 

Our mission is to empower and develop the next generation of leaders and change-makers and we’re looking for workshop facilitators that are passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives!

Responsibilities: Facilitators are responsible for designing creative and interactive workshops for our young people, and delivering these workshops with our young people. We run some of our workshops online and other workshops are held in London. All workshops are held during the school holidays, in the evening and on weekends.

The workshop facilitator role is flexible and as part of your role, you may be involved in:

• Delivering and leading short workshops or courses, on behalf of GT Scholars (Online or offline)

• Designing engaging, interactive and educational workshops and short courses for young people and ensuring that the content is targeted to suit different abilities and capabilities

• Running your own bespoke workshops, eg. workshops in coding and technology

• Managing short activities and Q&A sessions during our workshops

• Working collaboratively with other event coordinators, volunteers, ambassadors, workshop facilitators and speakers at our events

• Following the agreed timings and content for workshops and courses

Person specification: 

As workshop facilitator, you will need to:

• Have passion, knowledge and experience in coding, computing and technology

• Have strong presentation skills

• Have strong communication skills

• Be personable and able to confidently communicate with people from a range of backgrounds and professions.

• Be passionate and committed to tackling educational inequality

• Be punctual and organised

Availability: Workshops will run during the day on school holiday dates, on Saturdays or in the evening (5pm-8pm).

Additional information: We will need to conduct reference checks and you will need an Enhanced DBS for this role as you will be working directly with children. We can process this for you or you may submit one if this is less than 2 years old.

Rate of pay: This is a self-employed role. You must be aged 18 or above. Facilitator sessions range from 2 to 6 hours. The rate of pay will vary based on the budget of the funder.