9 Independent living service volunteer jobs in Cumbria

Please note: this role can be worked either hybrid working in London (minimum 4 days per month in the office) or Homebased.

Independent Age isthe national charity working towards ending financial hardship in later life.  

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free information and advice to older people without enough money to live on, while our external training equips professionals with the information they need to support older people on low incomes. Through our grants programme, we fund and support hundreds of local charities working with older people across the UK. We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in povertyand campaign for change.  

We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life. We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey. 

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the delivery and ongoing evolution of our ambitious Trusts and Foundations fundraising strategy, securing transformational five- and six-figure grants that will drive our long-term impact and growth.

We're looking for an exceptional relationship-builder and communicator with a proven track record of securing five- and six-figure grants from Trusts and Foundations. You'll be confident translating complex data into compelling funding propositions and using your outstanding written, verbal and presentation skills to inspire support for our mission.

For full details on the role and requirements, please review the job description and person specification.  If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the criteria in the person specification but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway. 

This is a full-time role, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9-day fortnight. We also are open to this role being worked on a part-time basis on a minimum of 28 hours per week.

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included.

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits.

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all (those contracted to work in the office are required to attend the office a minimum of 4 days per month). But if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working. 

With an employee engagement score of 98%, colleagues say Independent Age is a great place to work. You can find out more about what it’s like to work for us on the Careers Page of our website. 

Application Process:

To apply, please visit our website to submit a CV and a Supporting Statement, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria within the Job Description and Person Specification.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you require any specific arrangements or adjustments to enable you to fully participate in the recruitment process, such as having the job description in a larger text format or to apply in an alternative format, please get in touch with us via the email address on the ‘Contact Us’ page on our jobs site. 

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Please don’t include your name, photo, or any information that could indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement, and don’t include your name in the title of any documents that you upload. However, please do include all dates of employment. 

Independent Age is committed to safeguarding and follows Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding those we work with. We therefore ask that you supply your full work history with explanations for any gaps in the application documents you submit and, if offered the post, we will require a minimum of two employment references including your current or most recent employer. A Basic DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate

Closing Date: Sunday, 4 October 11:59pm

Interview Dates: First-round interviews will take place on Tuesday, 13 October (remote); second-round interviews will take place on the Tuesday, 20 October (in-person in our London office)

Job Title - Programme and Partnerships Officer (RJFN)

Contract - Fixed Term for 1 year, with the possibility of extension

Hours - 14 hours per week with flexibility across the working week

Salary - £12,800 per annum (£32,000 FTE)

Location - Home-based, with occasional travel to Coram Campus in London and other locations for meetings and events

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

Coram is a leader in adoption and fostering, children’s health education, therapy, child and family law, and advocacy for those in and leaving care. The organisation has grown rapidly in recent years, both in terms of income and staffing, making an exciting and interesting place to be.

About the role

We are looking for an organised, collaborative and proactive Programme & Partnerships Officer to provide the coordination and delivery capacity that will help RJFN strengthen its national network and deliver its programme of work across advocacy, policy and practice development, research, training and member engagement.

Working closely with the RJFN Chair, members and partners, you will support member engagement, build and maintain partnerships, organise events and communications, and help monitor the network’s reach and impact. This is a varied role with significant autonomy and an opportunity to help shape a growing national network.

We welcome applicants with skills and experience gained through a range of routes, including professional, voluntary, community and lived experience. Knowledge or experience of racial justice, children’s rights, children’s social care, family justice or a related area is desirable, but we are particularly interested in strong organisational, relationship-building and communication skills, and a clear commitment to racial justice and anti-racist practice.

If you enjoy bringing people together, building relationships, communicating creatively and helping turn ideas into action, and you share our commitment to racial justice, we would love to hear from you!

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: Monday 12th October 2026 23.59pm

Interview Date: Thursday 22nd October 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

We have a new and exciting opportunity within Victim Support to provide Domestic Abuse case management interventions across Cumbria. We are recruiting a Case Manager to cover the Westmorland & Furness area as part of the Drive Project .

Drive is an innovative national project that aims to improve the lives and safety of victims and children, by holding high-risk perpetrators to account. The project combines case management of perpetrators with a co-ordinated multi-agency response.

The Drive Partnership, formed by Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance, is working to transform the national response to perpetrators of domestic abuse. They work to end domestic abuse and protect victims by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. Together they have developed the Drive Project to address a gap in work with high-harm, high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse. They also work to advocate for systems and policy change- to develop sustainable, national systems that respond more effectively to all perpetrators of domestic abuse.

What we offer

At Victim Support we believe in attracting & retaining the best people and offer a competitive rewards & benefits package including:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 33 days plus Bank Holidays
• An extra day off for your birthday & options to buy or sell annual leave
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Enhanced sick pay allowances, maternity & paternity payments
• High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment & leisure discounts
• Access to our financial wellbeing hub & salary deducted finance
• Employee assistance programme & wellbeing support
• Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes
• Cycle to work scheme & season ticket loans
• Ongoing training & support with opportunities for career development & progression

About the role

This role is based at Kendal Police Station, West Morland & Furness, Cumbria, and involves regular travel. Due to the location, a driving license and access to a vehicle is considered an essential requirement. If you are unable to drive because of a disability please indicate this in your application in your personal statement so we can explore the feasibility of alternative arrangements.

As a Case Manager, you will strive to make contact and work on a one-to-one basis with perpetrators to pro-actively secure engagement, influence attitudinal and behavioural change and link to complementary services. To do this, you will work alongside existing agencies to design a co-ordinated, intervention plan, addressing identified needs and risks, and promoting understanding of the impact of abusive behaviours.

You will work closely with the IDVA's (integrated partner support) to review risk, develop safety plans, and improve outcomes for all parties involved. You will support individuals to make meaningful changes and contribute to improved quality of life and safer outcomes-helping offenders move away from the criminal justice system.

You will be passionate and committed to working within a multi-disciplinary team and will have a demonstrable track record of working with complex need service users. This may be within the field of domestic abuse, and/or mental health, substance misuse and offending.

We are seeking experienced professionals from domestic abuse, offender rehabilitation, or mental health backgrounds who bring strong case management expertise and a passion for behaviour change. This role involves delivering one-to-one psychosocial interventions with high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse, aiming to reduce long-term risk to current and future victims/survivors, and children.

This post will be subject to an Enhanced DBS Disclosure.

About Us

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

How to apply

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.

About us

The Alliance for Youth Justice is an alliance of more than 70 non-profit organisations advocating with and for children to drive positive change in youth justice across England and Wales. We mobilise our members’ frontline expertise, children’s lived experience, and evidence from research to champion a child-centred, rights-based and trauma-informed system that treats contact with the justice system as a sign of unmet need and systemic failure, prioritises support over criminalisation and gives every child the opportunity to thrive.

We're widely recognised as the most influential group campaigning for improvements to the system, with trusted access to decision makers, working towards three goals: keeping children safe from the youth justice system through prevention and diversion; racial justice across the system; and custody as a last resort for children.

About the role

Following the launch of our new strategic approach, our Operations and Membership Lead will provide the operational, financial and administrative backbone of the organisation — keeping our finances and governance on track, and coordinating our network of over 70 member organisations.

Finance, operations and governance (70%) — manage bookkeeping in QuickBooks, coordinate banking, prepare management accounts, support grant financial reporting, maintain internal systems (SharePoint, IT), lead on policy compliance (safeguarding, GDPR, health and safety), and support Board governance and statutory filings.

Membership coordination (30%) — manage the end-to-end membership process from enquiries to renewals, coordinate member surveys and data, and organise our events — quarterly member meetings, roundtables and webinars.

Anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice runs through how we work with our Board, staff, members and stakeholders.

About you

You have experience in an operations, finance or administrative coordination role within a non-profit or membership organisation, including managing the full financial cycle within a charity and a working knowledge of charity fund accounting. You're practically experienced with QuickBooks (or equivalent), highly proficient in Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Excel-based tracking systems or CRMs, and bring exceptional organisational skills, discretion and a proactive, self-motivated approach. You have a personal commitment to anti-racism, social justice and child rights.

Why join us

We're a small team of three punching well above our weight, with real scope to shape how we work and few layers of hierarchy. We offer flexible, trust-based home working (within core hours), plus 25 days' leave (pro rata), Christmas office closure, and a 5% employer pension contribution.

We encourage applications from historically marginalised groups even if you don't meet every requirement, and we do not use criminal records to exclude candidates.

Please download the reruitment pack to find out more and read the full job description and person specification.

We are looking for an experienced Manager to start as soon as possible.  The appointee will manage two training Hubs which deliver skills development sessions for adults with intellectual (learning) disability. 

We invite applications from qualified an experienced trainers/teachers who have worked with young adults (16 – 24) and/or adults (25+), and who have at least 2 years’ experience of managing Staff teams. This post involves the management of a dual Staff team of up to 16 incorporating employees, volunteers and students on practice-based placement (graduate and undergraduate). We are not shortlisting applicants with backgrounds in care services e.g. domiciliary, PAs, independent living, residential, nursing or wider healthcare because we do not deliver any personal care services.

Journey Enterprises is an award-winning regional charity providing training services for adults with intellectual (learning disability). These services develop work skills, our principal focus, and independent living skills.  We have four sites in the north east and the Post Holder will be responsible for our Acomb and Blyth sites. He/she will be overseeing the relocation of our Acomb site over the coming 18  -24 months. 

Our service hosts 160 adults weekly aged 18 – 84 years, 60 of these at our Acomb and Blyth sites.  All the adults we support have conditions from birth impacting cognitive development e.g. Down’s Syndrome, Williams, Prader-Willi, Sotos and Smith Magenis.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Training/teaching qualification and experience (young adults or adults): please note that we are not recruiting primary or lower secondary practitioners
• Willingness to work towards NVQ5 in Health & Social Care as required by the Health & Social Care Act and our local authority contracts
• 2+ years’ experience managing Staff Teams including delivery of Support/Supervision, Appraisal, Disciplinaries/Grievances and Practice-Based Observations
• Experience delivering Staff training sessions (in service)
• Experience managing a devolved budget and understanding of basic management accounting
• Enhanced DBS with full barring check (Adult Services): applicants must be on the DBS Update Service

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Disability-specialist training
• Experience delivering grant-aided programmes
• Experience working with volunteers or volunteering
• Experience supervising undergraduate or graduate students

Terms and Conditions

Contracts are offered on a permanent basis.

Employees are provided with 36 days leave/annum pro rata, a contributory pension scheme, a healthcare package, holiday buy-back scheme, length of service holiday accrual scheme, Cycle2Work Scheme, Salary and a Journey promotional items welcome pack. Staff are also offered discounted lunches and free refreshments.

Headway UK developed the Approved Provider Scheme in 2011, which is a voluntary standards-based accreditation, for rehabilitation and residential units for people with a brain injury and we are looking for a new part time team member.

• Location: Preference for Midlands based, either home based or in Headway UK’s office in Nottingham.
• Salary: £35,000 FTE (pro rata for 21 hours per week) (days are flexible)

Brief overview

Are you a professional with experience supporting brain injury survivors?

Are you passionate about improving standards or care, for brain injury survivors?

Would you be good at conducting assessments and supporting residentials care units to improve the care that they provide?

Headway UK developed the Approved Provider Scheme in 2011, which is a voluntary standards-based accreditation, for rehabilitation and residential units for people with a brain injury and we are looking for a new part time team member.

By participating in the scheme Approved Provider units affirm their dedication to excellent care, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement. The accreditation of units is then published for families, individuals and professionals to help inform their choices when identifying suitable provision for brain injury survivors. Our accreditation process is designed to be collaborative and supportive, guiding units through every step towards achieving and maintaining exemplary service standards.

The role will involve, conducting and writing assessments and working with the Approved Provider and Training Manager to manage Lead Assessors, who are based around the UK and the Service User Perspective Assessors, who are either brain injury survivors, or family members/ carers.

Embrace Headway’s mission of Improving Life After Brain Injury. Join us to ensure the highest quality care for ABI survivors throughout their journey to recovery.

What you will do:

• Conduct Approved Provider assessments, which includes going into brain injury residential units and assessing the services they provide and making recommendations, to improve practice against the framework.
• Writing and reviewing reports for Approved Provider units, following assessments, that clearly highlight strengths and areas for development.
• Contributing to the development and growth of Headway UK’s Approved Provider scheme, by continuing to drive forward standards and onboarding new units.
• Working with freelance Lead Assessors and Service User Perspective Assessors (who are brain injury survivors or family members) who are based around the UK, to organise assessments and ensure the schemes standards are upheld.

About you

We’re open-minded and welcome all applicants who believe they can succeed. Though ideally, you will have:

• Prior experience of working in the field of acquired brain injury.
• Relevant professional qualification (e.g. occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, clinical psychology, physiotherapy, nursing, social work).
• Ability to write and moderate written reports of high quality and clarity, to provide accurate and accessible feedback.
• Very good IT skills, including be proficient in the Microsoft Office suite (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams).
• Ability to gain the trust, confidence, and respect at all levels within external organisations and staff groups.
• Be an excellent communicator, with new and existing Approved Provider units.

Benefits

As a staff member at Headway UK you’ll have access the following range of benefits;

Financial Security 

• Competitive Salaries
• Pension - You’ll be automatically be enrolled into the Pensions People with Headway contributing between 5 – 8%
• Occupational Sick Pay Scheme – Increasing with length of service.
• Death in Service Benefit - You’ll have the security of knowing if anything happens to you your loved ones will be provided for

Flexible Working

• Remote working – For the majority of our roles we can facilitate fully remote or hybrid working.
• We understand that a healthy work-life balance is essential for our team to thrive. Headway UK offers flexible working arrangements, promoting well-being and ensuring you can take care of yourself while you care for others.

Wellbeing

• You’ll benefit from a fully comprehensive 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme including access to counselling services.
• Eye Test Vouchers
• Mental Health First Aiders

Holidays and leave

• You’ll get 25 days leave incrementally increasing to 30 days based on service plus Bank Holidays.
• Birthday leave

Benefits

• You’ll have access to a range of shopping and lifestyle benefits and discounts through our IMHR Plus Privilege membership.

About us

Headway UK plays a pivotal role in supporting individuals and families affected by brain injuries. Our comprehensive services encompass rehabilitation, counselling, and practical assistance to help survivors regain independence and improve their quality of life. Headway UK is at the forefront of raising awareness about the challenges faced by those with brain injuries and advocates for their rights, ensuring they receive the care and understanding they deserve. Through a combination of educational initiatives, community outreach, and personalised support, Headway UK strives to rebuild lives, offering a lifeline to those navigating the complexities of brain injury recovery.

Embark on a fulfilling career with Headway UK and join our compassionate team and contribute to our mission of rebuilding lives after brain injury. Make a meaningful impact with Headway UK, where every role plays a crucial part in empowering those on the path to recovery.

Safeguarding

At Headway UK we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow best practice as set out within the Care Act 2014. All successful applicants will be subject to safer recruiting procedures and will be required to complete mandatory pre-employment checks including a criminal background check and two satisfactory references.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 

We recognise, value and champion diversity and inclusion. We want to ensure are staff population reflect the diverse service users that we support. For us diversity and inclusion is about building happy teams, full of people that want to learn and be inspired by each other, by our different experiences and backgrounds. Inclusion means providing the people we recruit with opportunities and valuing everyone’s contributions and perspectives.

We are also committed to removing barriers for applicants with a disability during our recruitment process, upon appointment and as an employee.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need support with the application or you would like a chat about what it’s like to work with us.

Thank you for your interest in Headway UK and we look forward to getting to know you!

Who we are

IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) is a national charity working to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the educational support they are legally entitled to. Since we were formed in 1983, we have helped to improve the education experience of thousands of children and young people across England. We do this by providing free and independent legal advice and casework support for families, undertaking policy work and delivering training on the SEND legal framework.

What you’ll do

Reports to: Fundraising Manager

Location: Remote, with occasional travel for funder and staff meetings 4-5 times a year

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Trusts and Philanthropy Officer to join our small, ambitious fundraising team. IPSEA has a proven track record of successfully securing grants for core costs and projects. You will be responsible for researching new funding opportunities, preparing and submitting tailored applications and reports, and managing relationships with funders through thoughtful and timely stewardship. You will also have the opportunity to shape the early development of our strategies in major gifts and wider philanthropy and contribute to this work into the future.

This is a key role in IPSEA’s fundraising strategy and will help secure long-term financial sustainability for our services. 

If you share our commitment to protecting, promoting and upholding the rights of children and young people with SEND and would like to use your fundraising skills at IPSEA, we would love to hear from you. 

What we can offer you

• 5% employer pension contributions
• Healthcare cash plan
• Flexible working arrangements
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus an additional day off for your birthday (pro-rata if part-time).

To apply

Visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form.

Deadline for applications: 9am on 5 October 2026.

First-round interviews: on 16 October in London, with second-round interviews (online) in the week commencing 19 October 2026.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE.

About Lloyds Bank Foundation 

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is an independent charitable foundation, backed by Lloyds Banking Group and the people within it. We want everyone to be in a good place - personally, in a home that’s a good place to live, and in a community that’s a good place to belong. 

We play our role by connecting and catalysing community-led change, providing the money, time, tools and connections that build organisations’ capacity and capability, to make people’s lives better and their communities stronger. 

We back people and communities across England and Wales, to make that happen, because when you back brilliant people, brilliant things happen. Our communities are full of ambitious, energetic and determined people stepping up to make their neighbours’ lives better and their communities grow stronger. Day in, day out. 

About the Role

Contract:Full-time, permanent (we are open to conversations about flexibility so please ask)

Location:Remote, with significant travel across all corners the UK and monthly visits to our London office

This is an exciting new opportunity in the Strategic Communications Team at the Foundation.

You’ll play a key role setting up and organising a varied programme of visits, to engage more people in our mission and ultimately help more people in England and Wales to say “I’m in a good place,” “My home is a good place to live,” and “My community is a good place to belong”.

Bringing strong organisational, relationship-building abilities and creativity, you’ll arrange visits for senior stakeholders – MPs, philanthropists, trustees, partners, and executives from Lloyds Banking Group, to community-led groups we’re funding and local areas driving systems change.

Through thoughtful engagement, you'll build lasting relationships and raise awareness of social issues, to ensure visits generate meaningful impact.

You will support colleagues and partners to maximise opportunities, follow up actions, and effectively generate and use content, stories, videos and images to tell powerful stories.

Importantly, you’ll ensure community-led organisations experience these visits as supportive and beneficial, and that their voices are centred in all that occurs and follows, aligning with our mission to foster community-led change.

About You

You are highly organised, with experience coordinating events, or visits involving

multiple stakeholders. 

Alongside strong communication skills, with an understanding of how to apply

organisational narratives to local activity, you’ll have the ability to balance competing priorities.

You will bring experience partnering across teams and directorates along with excellent

relational skills to build trust and rapport with internal and external stakeholders.

How to Apply 

Please click ‘Apply for this job’ to be redirected to the application form. 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

We hold Disability Confident Employer status (Level 2) and are working towards full status by 2027. This means that if you're a disabled applicant and your CV and application answers clearly demonstrate that you meet the essential criteria for the role, we will invite you to interview. 

More broadly, we are committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities and people we work with. We believe that diversity of background, experience and perspective makes us stronger and helps us make better decisions. We actively welcome applications from people who are under-represented in the charity sector, including people from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities, disabled people, and those with experience of the issues our funded charities work to address. 

Key Dates 

Closing Date: Monday 21 September 2026, 12 noon

First Interviews:  Tuesday 29 September 2026 (online)

Second Interviews:  Tuesday 6 October 2026 (in person – London Office)

#Visits And Communications Officer #Visits Officer #Communications Officer #Visits Coordinator #Communications Coordinator #Visits And Communications