Homelessness volunteer roles

The Together Project

Established in 2018, the Together Project is a community outreach project delivered by a team of volunteer vets and non-clinical volunteers to provide non-judgmental veterinary advice, treatment and care to the pets of vulnerably housed and homeless people in Bath. Working in partnership with local homeless charities Julian House and Genesis Trust, the team understands the strong bond between an owner and a pet, and that for many, a pet can be a lifeline, so they aim to do whatever they can to keep these beloved pets together with their owners.

We are seeking kind, empathetic and understanding volunteers to join our award-winning Together Project team and would love to hear from vets and vet nurses (RVN) interested in joining the project. 

About the Role

Currently the Together Project team run two clinics per month, one at Genesis on the Canal in Widcombe on a Friday morning, and the second on a Saturday afternoon, where they take to the streets to seek out service users who may not have made it to the Friday clinic, as well as raise awareness of the project. During a clinic, the volunteers will:

• Earn trust from people in marginalised communities by demonstrating true care for their pets
• Register new service users and encourage their attendance at monthly clinics, promoting responsible pet ownership regardless of living situation
• Catch up with service users and their pets, building relationships and ensuring consistency of treatment where possible
• Provide preventative treatment such as vaccinations and parasite treatment
• Provide treatment for illness and injury, as well as emergency intervention when necessary
• Act as ambassadors for the project and Bath Cats & Dogs Home

About You

We would love to hear from vets and vet nurses who can give 2 hours per month to support the Together Project. You will need to be outgoing, approachable and have an understanding nature as trust from Together Project service users is hard-won and not guaranteed.

This is an exciting opportunity for vets and vet nurses interested in applying their knowledge and experience to an outreach programme aiming to improve the lives of marginalised people and empowering them to best care for their beloved pets. Taking your clinical knowledge out of the practice and into the community, you will be reaching out to people who love their pets wholeheartedly but may not feel able to ask for help.

ShowerBox is a registered charity that has been providing free and secure showers as well as toiletries and supplies, warm drinks, snacks and haircuts to individuals facing homelessness since 2018. Our mission is to enhance our guests’ sense of physical well-being and dignity, help combat social isolation, and provide access to other essential resources such as health clinics and mobile libraries. By empowering individuals, we hope to help them make long term improvement in their lives.

Learning of individuals having passed away from preventable illnesses on the streets due to an inability to get clean and the social stigma associated with poor personal hygiene, Sarah Lamptey (our CEO) started offering weekly showers in St. Giles churchyard in Soho, London, from 2019. ShowerBox became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2021 and since then has been expanding nationally. Now, we operate in multiple sites – Central London, Birmingham, and Barking – either independently or in partnership. Central London remains our biggest site, followed by Birmingham and Barking, and we are in initial discussion with others. We receive our funds through philanthropy – currently supported by National Lottery Community Fund, Vitol Foundation, HS2, amongst others. 

The Board of Trustees is the ultimate governance body for the organisation, serving as stewards of the organisation’s resources, and is ultimately responsible for ShowerBox’s strategy, operations, adherence to law and regulation and financial management. The Trustees serve on a voluntary basis, and meet four or five times a year (online or in person in London).

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a Chairperson to take ShowerBox forward into an important and influential role following and building on the success it has had since becoming a CIO and expanding into 3 locations.

The Chair leads the Board of Trustees and works closely with ShowerBox’s CEO to achieve its goals. The Chair is responsible for key areas, including:

• Providing effective strategic leadership and management to the Board of Trustees enabling them to fulfill their responsibilities for the overall governance and strategic direction of ShowerBox

• Providing support to the CEO and ensuring s/he is held to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives

• Ensuring the Board meets regularly to review activities, major risks and opportunities

• Ensuring Trustees fulfill their duties and responsibilities for effective governance of ShowerBox

• Ensuring the Board is regularly refreshed and incorporates the right balance of skill, knowledge and experience needed to govern and lead the charity effectively

• Conducts an annual appraisal and remuneration review of the CEO in consultation with other Trustees

• Acts as an ambassador for ShowerBox, representing it at external functions, meetings and events as appropriate and as spokesperson for the organisation when appropriate

• Ensuring financial stability and effective and efficient administration of ShowerBox

• Safeguard the good name and values of ShowerBox

Person Specification

• Interest in making a difference in the lives of people experiencing homelessness/housing insecurity

• Experience serving as a Trustee or Board member (in either for-profit or non-profit organisation). Previous experience as Chair of a voluntary organisation is an advantage.

• An understanding of legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of trusteeship, together with an understanding of the financial aspects of running a charity.

• An ability to work effectively as part of a team contributing an independent perspective.

• Strong leadership, people management skills and the ability to chair meetings effectively.

• Ability to devote time and effort to support a small and growing charity and fulfill the duties outlined above.

• Prepared to attend four board meetings per year (mostly online) plus one or two ad hoc committees and/or events in line with their expertise, specific interest, or as needed

Terms of Appointment

Chair of Trustees is appointed for a 2 year, renewable term. It is anticipated that the time commitment should be no more than 2 days a month but there could be occasions when extra time will be required (for instance, during planning of new projects or when dealing with unexpected situations). The role of Chair is unpaid.

Please send your CV and a short cover letter outlining why you are interested in working with ShowerBox. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

EMPLOYMENT COACH

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, family circumstances, mental health issues, substance misuse, care leavers, learning disability, age, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients f

Would you like the opportunity to apply your experience in a meaningful role to help vulnerable clients?

· Do you have 1 hour a week to give to a vulnerable client

· Can we rely and depend on you to commit to a period of up to 12 weeks?

· Can you create and maintain positive, professional, and trusting relationships with a non-judgmental approach?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Role summary:

To encourage and support clients on a one-to-one basis to find suitable employment or volunteering.

To assess each individual and help prepare them for meaningful and suitable employment.

Key Responsibilities

· To support clients to identify their skills and readiness for employment and training

· To communicate with clients to understand their strengths and assisting with personal barriers

· To research and match suitable employment, work placements, volunteering or training opportunities based on client preferences

· To identify any initial support needs/adjustments that the service user may need to work successfully

· To assist with CV’s, applications and support for interviews

Ace of Clubs (AoC) is an independent charity based in Clapham that supports individuals experiencing homelessness. We serve up to 200 hot meals a day to adults who are homeless, hungry or facing adversity. 

With a small staff team, we need more volunteer help to support our admin - this includes writing emails, helping with communications or writing reports.  You will be helping out in areas such as fundraising, communications and charity co-ordination.  As this role requires significant writing, it is essential  that you have a high standard of written English and have close attention to detail.  You also need to be competent on using Microsoft packages.

Hours can be flexible during the working day Monday to Friday depending on your commitments.  However, we would like a minimum of 5 hours per week as we will also invest time to onboard, induct and train you.  We also ask for a commitment of ideally 6 months.  However, we do appreciate that you may have some planned leave etc. within that timeframe.

This role is ideal for individuals looking to gain experience in the charity sector or for people who have previously had careers, but now have some time and skills to give back to a charity.

We are a friendly and welcoming team with many volunteers also supporting our daily work, so you will be joining a bustling and inspiring environment.

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Our busy Homework Club is part of our delivery of child and family support services, in order that low income and vulnerable families have improved access to services, employment opportunities and life chances.

In response to requests from parents and young people, the Centre provides after-school Homework and Study clubs during term time. Children from three local primary schools, and a few from Year 7 attend the club.  Many come from families where English is a second language.

Volunteers sit on a table with 1 or 2 children and provide help with their homework, maths and English work mostly, and some reading.  Volunteers commit to one session a week on Friday (3.30 – 5.30pm). 

Our Mission

Each Person Matters: The Cardinal Hume Centre enables families, children and young people to overcome poverty and avoid homelessness.

What are we looking for?

• Ideally you have some experience in teaching, either professionally, voluntary or at home with your own children. 
• You are friendly, patient and can have rapport with children easily.
• Able to help with maths and English at primary school level. 

What is the time commitment?

• Ideally at least one academic term
• Fridays, 3.30 – 5.30pm at The Cardinal Hume Centre and we are trialing an outreach sessions at a local Library & Hotel on otger weekdays

How will you be supported?

• You will be supported by the Family Services staff team. 
• You will have access to wide range of e-learning topics.  Child safeguarding and fire safety awareness is mandatory for all new volunteers.
• You will be reimbursed for travel expenses.

The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Service

Our ESOL provision is part of the Centre’s Employment and Learning Service, which also includes digital inclusion and employment support.

We have qualified volunteer ESOL teachers providing 1:1 support to clients who want to improve their English.  We also have a couple of volunteers running small conversation classes at the Centre, within our Family Services.

We now want to expand our ESOL offer to include learning opportunities offsite in a group setting to adults and young people in temporary accommodation, mainly asylum-seeking families.

What will you be doing?

• Conversational English with a small group
• Find out from your students what areas they want to cover and what skills they want to develop
• Encourage a positive atmosphere where students feel they can make mistakes
• The aim of the groups is to help our clients to become more independent and to pursue their social and professional goals. 
• Be aware of the variety of levels within the class, providing support for weaker students and challenge for stronger ones
• Give students encouragement and constructive feedback
• To liaise with the manager of Family Services and communicate any issues that arise with the class 

How does this role make a difference?

This support provided by volunteers to our clients really helps them progress with their English. Often clients do not have opportunities to learn English or interact with an English speaking person, so this opportunity is invaluable to them. Improving our clients English also enables individuals to access our other services such as welfare rights and Immigration advice services, digital inclusion, which will in turn, improve their employment prospects and assist in integration in their local community.

Who will you be helping?

Our clients are refugees, migrants and asylum seekers who are unable to afford or access English classes at colleges. We have many clients at the Centre who need support with their English.

What are we looking for?

• Experience in teaching English as a second language to adults in a group setting and to mixed abilities and a range of languages.
• A recognised ESOL/EFL teaching qualification such as CELTA.
• Good communication and organisational skills.
•  An awareness of some of the issues that affect refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
• A commitment to upholding the Centre’s values of valuing each person, welcoming, encouraging potential, working together, reflecting and improving.

Time Commitment:

The class will run on Wednesdays from June 2025, from 10.30am – 12/12.30pm. We ask for a commitment to run this 90 – 120-minute class for at least two terms ideally. 

How will you be supported?

•  You will be supported by our Volunteer Coordinator, the Manager of Family Services and the wider team
•  You will receive a Centre induction.
•  You will have access to e-learning modules on a range of topics.
• You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out of pocket’ expenses such as travel.
• You will be invited to social and other events

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Are you a people person? Would you enjoy helping clients with their problems, as well as developing employability skills or putting your spare time to good use? Then look no further!

Our friendly team are looking for volunteers for our Adviceline which offers the general public information to empower them to find a solution to their problems in areas such as welfare benefits, housing and debt. For more complex issues you would be arranging an appointment with our advisers who will be using the information you have already gathered from the client.

You will need to be familiar with Microsoft Word and Excel and have excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as being non-judgemental and respect views, values and cultures that are not your own. Full training will be given.

We cover travel expenses within the boundaries of Enfield.

Interested? Great, we'd love to hear from you.

Location: London
Department: SMT
Job Type: Part time
Contract Type: Permanent
 
Are you passionate about social justice? Are you concerned about the treatment of people who have migrated to the UK? Our client is seeking new trustees to join their board.
 
This is a great opportunity to get involved with an award-winning, dynamic charity that has been supporting migrant communities and creating systemic change for 40 years from its base in East London. They believe that people who have migrated to the UK should not be marginalised or mistreated because of their immigration status. Their strategic plan sets out their vision and how they work and can be found here.
 
Trustees are volunteers who play a critical role in the overall governance of the charity and in setting and monitoring their strategy.
 
Their trustees attend and contribute to quarterly board meetings, using their personal skills, experience and attributes to help them to reach sound decisions, contribute to sub-groups and support their staff and fellow trustees in delivering the core purpose of their organisation. A detailed role description and outline of the time commitment can be found to the right of this advert.
 
About you: Individuals are sought who have a strong empathy with their work and vision and share their  values and commitment to social and racial justice. Our client particularly welcomes applications from individuals with personal experience of the immigration system or homelessness in the UK and from racialised backgrounds. Their current trustee board is diverse: 60% female, 40% male and 50% people of colour.
 
Application process: Please apply with your CV; they also ask a few questions to better understand your motivation and skills for this role.
 
REF-221898

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Do you want to share our passion for helping people to resolve their problems, and develop your leadership and strategic skills as a Board member in the process? Then we'd love to hear from you. Last year our team helped 6000 clients with over 93000 issues and demand is growing. 

Who are we?

We are part of the national Citizens Advice UK brand network, with a dedicated operational team of 40 staff and volunteers offering confidential advice to our community online, over the phone, and in person, free of charge. 

We are currently seeking a Trustee Treasurer to join our Board of Trustees to continue to deliver on our purpose and mission as a charity.

The role of a Trustee Treasurer

The Treasurer is a key Board member who is responsible for overseeing the Charity’s finances, and ensuring that fellow trustees can be confident that the Charity’s finances are used in the correct fashion and that the financial position of the organisation is secure. There is more detail about this on our website, including a Role Description, but in particular, alongside the general duties of a trustee, the role of Treasurer specifically involves

• Overseeing financial governance and strategy

• Working with our charity Finance Officer to ensure financial transparency; to develop and monitor realistic budgets and cash flow: and to maintain the charity’s financial sustainability

• Present financial data in an accessible format, and provide advice and guidance on financial matters, including risk, to the Board

• ensure that the organisation has an appropriate reserves policy 

• Lead our finance subcommittee

Who are we looking for?

You don’t need specific financial qualifications to be a Trustee Treasurer, but we are looking for someone with

• A strong background in finance

• a good understanding of the principles of sound financial management and strategic planning (essential)

• some knowledge or experience of charity finances, fundraising, financial consequences and pension schemes (useful)

• good numeracy skills to understand accounts

• an ability to explain complex financial information in an accessible way

What is in it for you?

We are looking for someone who enjoys working in a team with diverse experiences, opinions. and ideas to ensure that we make a positive difference to the communities we serve.

A personal testimonial below from our current Treasurer provides a great insight into the role;

“I learned so much in the first short months of my tenure as a Trustee it was very gratifying that I soon felt that I was contributing in a positive sense, not just to the activities of the Board but through them to the many clients who were benefiting directly from the support of the brilliant management , support workers and advisors working for the charity.

One of the most rewarding aspects is being part of a team of people jointly addressing a thorny problem, often from differing angles, utilising their full set of skills to arrive at a satisfactory resolution.

If you are in the process of building a career, finding a charity whose values you share, and supporting them as a Trustee Treasurer is an excellent opportunity to develop skills and expertise that can benefit you further along the line and to do something good for your community at the same time.” 

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Who are LRMN? 

We offer refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants a specialist and holistic service. We  advocate for people’s rights, campaign for wider change, meet their basic needs and help them improve their wellbeing. 

Why do we need you? 

Triage volunteers are an essential part of our team, making sure that clients are able to access the right service. You will deal with initial client enquiries (in person, over the phone or by email), assess what support clients need and help the access the right service for them.  This might be with us, a partner or another external service. 

Our triage team is integral to the smooth running of LRMN. Without them our advisors wouldn’t be able to provide life changing support to the people who access our services. 

Our triage team are the first people that clients will talk to so it is essential that we offer a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental space and give them the right information about the services we offer. Given the demand that we face, volunteers help us do that. 

What activities will you be involved in? 

As part of our triage team, you will volunteer alongside staff and fellow volunteers to: 

• Welcome clients to our office/Migrant Hub and speak to them about their needs • Help clients and referrers understand the services we offer and how to access them • Respond to new referrals and upload them onto our case management system

• Contact clients to book in appointments and follow up referrals 

• Take on other administrative tasks as identified from time to time 

As you become more experienced, you may be involved in giving basic advice, providing  support letters and other duties. 

Our triage volunteers can be based at our office (in Deptford Monday-Friday), or our Migrant Hub drop-in service (in Woolwich on Tuesdays), or both! Just let us know in your application form what interests you. 

You will be supervised by the Business and Operations Manager and/or Migrant Hub Coordinator but will liaise with staff across the organisation as appropriate. 

What can you gain from this opportunity? 

By volunteering with LRMN, you will: 

• Make a difference to the lives of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees living in south-east London 

• Be part of a diverse, knowledgeable and proactive team in an organisation that has been running for over 25 years 

• Gain experience of admin work in a business environment 

• Gain an understanding of the issues affecting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants

• Have regular support and supervision from the Business and Operations Officer

• Be provided out of pocket expenses to the value of £6 for lunch per day (4+ hours) &  up to £15 travel expenses (when volunteering in the office for 4+ hours) 

Is there induction and training? 

Yes, we provide a comprehensive induction to all new volunteers. This covers roles and  responsibilities, safeguarding, record keeping and use of our client management system  (Advice Pro).

You will be provided with the training needed to perform the role and will have the opportunity to join training with the whole LRMN team.

Who are LRMN looking for? 

We’re looking for someone who is: 

• Passionate about supporting migrants, refugees and asylum seekers 

• Friendly and approachable and can manage professional boundaries 

• Excellent communicatiuon skills

• Proactive and able to use own initiative 

• Organised and methodical 

• Respectful of client confidentiality 

• Experienced in working with multicultural communities 

• Able to use their digital skills to make referrals and manage online systems 

LRMN is committed to equality and diversity. We pride ourselves on having a diverse team  with a range of experiences. We encourage people with lived experience of the asylum and/or immigration system to apply. If you need additional support to apply or volunteer, please contact us. 

What commitment do you need to make? 

We ask volunteers to commit to volunteering one day a week during office hours (Mon-Fri)  for at least six months.