Housing and homelessness volunteer jobs

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Service Manager to play a pivotal role in our Mental Health Service in Waltham Forest.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

The main purpose of this role is to provide strong operational leadership to ensure the safe, effective and values‑driven delivery of a non‑clinical mental health crisis alternative service. You will oversee day‑to‑day service operations, staff support, risk management processes and partnership working, ensuring that the environment remains compassionate, recovery‑focused and co‑produced. You will be responsible for maintaining high standards of practice, safeguarding, and service performance so that people in crisis receive timely, person‑centred support that promotes hope, autonomy and emotional safety.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

We are looking for a confident, compassionate leader with experience managing teams or services in mental health, social care or crisis support. You should have a strong understanding of trauma‑informed practice, recovery principles, safeguarding and risk management, as well as experience working with statutory and voluntary partners. We need someone who can motivate staff, foster a positive and reflective team culture, and drive quality, performance and service improvement. Strong organisational, analytical and communication skills are essential, along with the ability to stay calm and solution‑focused during complex situations. A commitment to person‑centred, recovery‑focused practice, emotional resilience, respect for diverse perspectives, flexibility in working patterns and solid IT skills will be key to succeeding in this role

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Community Engagement Officer to play a pivotal role in our Haringey HVCS Service.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

This role involves working within a multidisciplinary NHS team to support adults with moderate to severe mental illness by holding a caseload of service users and serving as their key contact throughout care planning, progress monitoring, and discharge, using the RiO system. The post-holder collaborates with individuals to develop person-centred recovery plans focused on social goals and community integration, building therapeutic relationships through trauma-informed, strength-based approaches. They support access to local resources, appointments, wellbeing activities, and peer or psychoeducational groups, while promoting recovery-focused, jargon-free communication and advocating for co-production and integrated care. Liaising with statutory and voluntary organisations ensures smooth service navigation and warm handovers, while active participation in clinical meetings and community events helps represent both Hestia and the Community Mental Health Team. The role also requires accurate documentation of all support activity, adherence to safeguarding and health and safety procedures, and engagement in supervision, training, and continuous professional development.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The ideal candidate will hold an NVQ Level 4 in Care or possess at least two years' experience working in a mental health setting, with a strong understanding of mental health issues, recovery principles, and co-production. They will have a solid grasp of care planning, risk assessment, recovery tools, and relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act. The role requires excellent communication and relationship-building skills, alongside the ability to facilitate groups effectively. Candidates must be confident using IT systems, including electronic case management tools, and be able to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. A commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed practice is essential, as is resilience, adaptability, and the ability to maintain professional boundaries. Desirable attributes include lived experience of mental illness or secondary care services, peer support training, familiarity with local resources, and skills in training, mentoring, report writing, presentations, or multilingual communication.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Job Title: Eastern European IGVA

Location:Hybrid working with a requirement to occasionally work at Head Office (Vauxhall, London) and co-locations in three West London boroughs (Ealing, Brent, Hounslow)
Salary: £28,857.12 per annum (Inclusive of London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location and any agreed permanent homeworking arrangement)

Contract type: Permanent, Full-time

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We are excited to share an opportunity to join Refuge as an Eastern European Independent Gender  Violence Advocate (IGVA) as we enter an important new chapter of growth, supported by funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. This is a vital role which provides high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children in the community.

You will be part of a highly skilled and supportive team committed to collaborative working and continuous learning. This role offers the chance to strengthen multi-agency partnerships to enhance outreach and support for survivors, while also contributing to increasing professional understanding of the specific needs of Eastern European women and children affected by domestic abuse and violence.

You will provide capacity-building in the form of advice, advocacy, support, and briefings across three London boroughs to statutory agencies and community organizations around the needs of Eastern European domestic abuse survivors, to embed best practice across our communities.

It is essential for candidates to be proficient in one or more Eastern European languages.

We particularly encourage applications from Romanian, Lithuanian or Polish speaking candidates.

You will have proven experience of providing direct emotional and practical support to women as well as up-to-date knowledge of legislation relating to survivors of gender-based violence.

You will have excellent casework skills, good written and verbal communication skills, clear professional boundaries and be a proactive team player.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing date: 9:00am on 9 February 2026

Interview dates: 16 and 17 February 2026

Job Title: Community Outreach Worker x2

Location: Derby City. Please note this is an office-based role. 
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Domestic Abuse Community Outreach Worker to provide  high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children living in Derby City.

The Community Outreach worker will provide high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles. The post holder will inform the survivor on the options and support available, empowering the survivor to make decisions and achieve their goals to increase their safety, confidence and independence. The role involves working with a range of statutory and non-statutory agencies to advocate on behalf of survivors and promote access to services to meet their needs. The outreach worker will work within Derby City.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 30 January 2026

Interview Date: 16 and 17 February 2026