19 Independent living service volunteer volunteer roles in Milton Keynes

Why join us

Rebuild with Hope was established in 2021 and began supporting people facing multiple barriers to employment. From our humble beginnings we have seen continued and exciting growth which has allowed us to further develop and expand our support programmes alongside the opening of several retail outlets, high street stores and a community hub and café.

Our additional retail stores are in Runcorn (two stores), Earlstown, Kirkham, Thorn Cross and Wrexham. Our mission is to support those facing multiple barriers to employment by providing mentorship, employment opportunities and holistic support. Rebuild With Hope provides opportunities and delivers comprehensive support making transitioning back to work as smooth as possible.

We offer training, volunteering, work experience and progression to real work opportunities, coupled with wrap around support to foster independence, promote self-esteem and provide hope for people when they need it most. Employment and volunteering opportunities continue to help us support communities with the ongoing and ever challenging cost of living crisis.

Overview

The Rebuild with Hope Foundation is a fast growing and impactful charity supporting those facing barriers to work. Due to our continued growth we are looking to increase and diversify our Board membership. We are looking to appoint Trustees, no former experience is required as training will be provided. We are also looking to appoint a Treasurer a long with an experienced Chair of the Board. There are separate recruitment packs for each of the three roles, with each outlining the different knowledge and experiences required .

As Trustee you will help steer the charity towards achieving its mission. This vital role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to meaningful community initiatives, support sustainable growth, and foster positive relationships with stakeholders. As a Trustee, you will play a key part in shaping the charity’s future, ensuring accountability, transparency, and effective governance. This paid position invites passionate individuals eager to make a lasting difference through dedicated service and innovative thinking.

Role Description

Board Members are jointly and severally responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity, its financial health, probity of its activities, developing the organisation’s aims, objectives, and goals in accordance with the Constitution, legal and regulatory guidelines. All Board Members should be aware of and understand their individual and collective responsibilities and should not be overly reliant on one or more Members in any aspect of the governance of the charity.

Chair Specific Duties

• Rebuild with Hope operates within the law, and according to its constitution and its commitments to stakeholders and is adequately resourced to meet its commitments.
• Rebuild with Hope develops an effective strategy in line with the core values of the organisation
• All Board Members are fully involved in discussions and decisions, and the contribution of individual Members is monitored. The Chair will encourage group decision making, teamwork, and a sense of shared purpose, and will foster a sense of inclusivity and shared mission by informing the Board at each meeting of any ‘Chair’s business’ which has taken place since the last meeting
• The Board’s agenda is appropriate and focuses on the key strategic issues, all planned business is dealt with in an equitable, fair manner and a conclusion is reached in each case, and that decisions are clearly and accurately minuted
• The Board continually monitors Rebuild with Hope’s progress, and that Board Members have regular, timely and relevant information on strategic and financial issues and key risks
• Board Members have a proper knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities
• The Board delegates, as appropriate, to its Committees and to its Chief Executive
• Regular reviews of Board, Committee and Chief Executive performance are undertaken, and a programme of development processes for the Board, its Members, and the Chief Executive is established
• Periodic reviews of the composition and workings of Rebuild with Hope are undertaken to ensure it continues to respond appropriately to changes in the wider environment
• Effective use is made of the Board’s time within, and between, meetings
• The Board receives professional advice when necessary
• The support and commitment of Rebuild with Hope’s partners and key stakeholders are developed and sustained
• They represent Rebuild with Hope as required and foster positive relationships with a range of stakeholders. The Chair will ensure that a high profile is maintained for the organisation, and that stakeholders are kept informed of our work
• Positive working relationships are maintained among Board Members and with the Chief Executive to enable an appropriate balance of challenge and support to be provided 

Duties

• Ensuring the charity complies with legislative and regulatory requirements and acts within the confines of the Constitution and its charitable objects.
• Acting in the best interest of the charity, beneficiaries, and future beneficiaries.
• Promoting and developing the charity to help it grow and maintain its public benefit.
• Maintaining sound financial management and control of the charity’s resources.
• Ensuring a fully effective and appropriate system recruitment, for appointment the and monitoring of the work and activities for the CEO and Senior Management team.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the charity and its resources, striving for best practice in good governance.
• Maintaining absolute confidentiality about all aspects of Trustees’ business

This role offers an inspiring opportunity to contribute your skills and experiences toward creating positive change while working alongside passionate professionals dedicated to making a difference in our communities.

How to apply

Please download the relevant recruitment pack for either Trustee, Treasurer and Chair. The application process is outlined within the pack.

We request no contact from external agencies

Fundraising Volunteer - RSPCA North West London & South Hertfordshire Branch

Could you use your fundraising skills to help animals?

Every year, our Branch rescues, cares for and rehomes hundreds of unwanted, stray and abandoned animals. We also help local pet owners who are struggling to afford essential veterinary treatment, helping animals get the care they need and, wherever possible, stay with the people who love them.

As a local RSPCA branch, we raise the money we need ourselves. Donations, grants, gifts in wills and support from our local community make it possible for us to rescue animals, provide veterinary treatment, care for them while they are with us and find them loving new homes. We're looking for a Fundraising Volunteer to help us find new sources of funding and develop ideas that will bring more support to our work.

This could be a great opportunity if you have fundraising experience and would like to use your skills for something that has a direct local impact. You don't need to be an animal welfare expert. We can tell you all about our work and the difference your fundraising could make. What matters most is that you care about animals, have good ideas and enjoy finding ways to bring people and organisations together to support a cause.

What will you be doing?

There are lots of ways you could get involved, depending on your experience and interests.

You might:

• Research charitable trusts, foundations and other grant-making organisations that could support our work.

• Identify new local and national funding opportunities.

• Help us prepare information and applications for grants and funding bids.

• Research potential corporate, community or other fundraising opportunities.

• Help develop appeals to raise money for specific projects and urgent needs.

• Help us tell the story of what we do and why our work needs support.

• Bring your own fundraising ideas and help turn them into reality.

You don't need to be an expert in all of these areas. We're happy to discuss what you're good at, what interests you and how you'd like to contribute.

Who we're looking for

This role could be a good fit if you have:

• Some previous fundraising experience, whether paid or voluntary.

• An interest in animal welfare and the work we do locally.

• Good written communication skills.

• The ability to research information and identify relevant opportunities.

• Creativity and an ability to think of new ways to generate support.

• The confidence to work independently while keeping in touch with the team.

We're particularly interested in hearing from people who enjoy finding opportunities, making connections and turning good ideas into action.

Flexible volunteering

We understand that volunteers have busy lives, so we're happy to be flexible. Much of this role can be carried out from home, and you can agree your time commitment with us based on your availability and what you would like to get involved in. You're also very welcome to spend time at our Eastcote office if you'd enjoy working alongside our team.

You'll be supported

Although you'll be using your own skills and experience, you won't be left to work things out on your own.

We'll introduce you to our Branch, our work and our priorities and provide the information, guidance and policies you need to carry out your role confidently. You'll have a named contact within the Branch and will be part of our wider team of staff and volunteers.

The wellbeing of our people is important to us. We're committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and everyone we come into contact with through our work.

What difference could you make?

Your fundraising could help us:

• Rescue an animal who has nowhere else to go.

• Pay for essential veterinary treatment.

• Provide food, medication and everyday care.

• Improve accommodation and equipment for animals in our care.

• Support an owner who is struggling to afford veterinary treatment for their pet.

• Help more animals find loving new homes.

• Develop our services and make sure our Branch is here for animals and their owners in the future.

Your skills could directly translate into better lives for animals in our community.

You'll also have the opportunity to:

• Use your fundraising experience for a cause you care about.

• Gain or build on your charity fundraising experience.

• Develop your research, bid writing and communication skills.

• Add meaningful voluntary experience to your CV.

• Meet other people who care about animal welfare.

• Become part of a friendly and committed local team.

• Help shape the future of an independent RSPCA branch.

Could you help us raise more for animals?

If you're a fundraiser who'd like to use your skills for something genuinely local and worthwhile, we'd love to hear from you.

Whether you can offer a few hours a month, have a particular area of fundraising expertise or simply have ideas you'd like to explore with us, we'd be interested in talking to you.

What we do

Respair Therapy C.I.C. began in 2023 with a simple belief: dance belongs to everybody, and every body. Like many of the people we work with, Respair does not fit neatly into one box. Our work exists on a spectrum, from the gloriously frivolous to the deeply serious.

At one end, we hire out silent disco equipment so that people can turn their living room, kitchen or garden into a dancefloor. We create joyful events where people can put on a pair of headphones, choose their music and dance together without worrying about what they look like. Income from silent disco hire goes back into Respair, so a party in someone’s garden can help another person access psychological support.

At the other end is Dance Movement Psychotherapy, or DMP. This is not a dance class or an informal wellbeing activity. It is a recognised form of psychotherapy in which movement, the body and the relationship between client and therapist are central to the clinical work.

In the UK, Dance Movement Psychotherapists complete postgraduate training at Master’s degree level, including clinical placements, personal therapy, supervised practice and academic research. Qualified practitioners register with the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK and work to professional and ethical standards. DMP is used within NHS services, as well as in schools, mental health services, social care, charities and private practice. It is serious clinical work that can support people experiencing trauma, abuse, anxiety, depression, loss, relationship difficulties and other forms of psychological distress.

Between these two ends are projects such as Babe Club, our silent disco for parents, carers and babies; therapeutic movement in schools; and work with neurodivergent people, adults with learning disabilities and people living with dementia.

Our work is inclusive, trauma informed and anti oppressive. Whether we are helping somebody throw a brilliant party or supporting a person through specialist psychotherapy, we are creating more opportunities for people of different ages, backgrounds and abilities to experience movement, connection and psychological support.

How do we what we do

Respair is run by a Founding Director and team of Supporting Directors who volunteer their time. The Founding Director is also the Lead Psychotherapist and Facilitator. We meet quarterly to discuss the finance, legal and compliance aspects of the work. We have an accountant and a book keeper and we use Quickbooks to keep everything in one place. We apply for funding from local and national funding bodies. We have been successful in securing over £24,000 in restricted funds, and we have plans to apply for more. 

What we need

Respair is a creative and responsive organisation, so new ideas and opportunities can appear quickly. We need a Finance Director who can help us pause, understand the numbers and decide what is realistic.

The right person will be financially experienced, practical and approachable. They will look beyond whether the figures add up to help us understand what they mean, ask difficult questions and give clear advice.

Essential skills and qualities

The successful candidate will:

• Have substantial experience using QuickBooks.
• Have experience working with a charity, Community Interest Company, social enterprise or other small mission driven organisation.
• Understand restricted grants, funder budgets and financial reporting.
• Be able to prepare and interpret annual budgets, project budgets, cash flow forecasts and management accounts.
• Compare actual income and expenditure against agreed budgets, identify significant differences and recommend action.
• Assess the financial impact of new projects, contracts, staffing decisions and significant purchases.
• Develop proportionate financial policies and controls, including reserves policies and spending limits.
• Read annual accounts and ask sensible questions before they are approved.
• Explain financial information clearly to people without a finance background.
• Give honest, independent advice and offer thoughtful challenge, including when the Managing Director or Board may have hoped for a different answer.
• Be trustworthy, reliable and able to handle sensitive information confidentially.
• Support Respair’s commitment to inclusion, fairness and accessible mental health support.

The Finance Director will work closely with Debbie, our Founding Director, so a warm, straightforward and respectful working relationship will be important.

Desirable skills and qualities

It would be helpful if the candidate also has:

• A recognised finance qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or AAT.
• Previous experience as a finance director, treasurer or board member.
• Knowledge of payroll, PAYE, pensions, Corporation Tax and Companies House reporting.
• Experience working constructively with bookkeepers and external accountants.
• An interest in mental health, therapy, community work or the creative arts.

We do not expect one person to know every answer. We do expect them to recognise the limits of their knowledge, ask questions and seek specialist advice when needed. A sense of humour and an understanding of the slightly unpredictable nature of a small, growing organisation would also be very welcome.