Volunteer coordinator jobs in London

About Unique

Through sharing knowledge and lived experience, Unique helps families and professionals navigate the world of chromosome and gene disorders.

Unique is a charity that provides accurate and accessible information to empower those looking for answers. Alongside this, we act as a facilitator, helping people connect with each other to share their experiences of rare gene and chromosome disorders.

We work with anyone who has been affected by, or wants to know more about, rare chromosome or gene disorders - whether that’s an individual, a family, a carer, a doctor or a scientist. We believe that by working together, we can find new ways to support and celebrate people living truly unique lives.

Unique has over 30,000 members (individuals, families and professionals) globally, but our office is based in Oxted, Surrey, UK.

The Role

This role will develop, support and manage a network of volunteers across England to help build both virtual and local communities for families affected by rare chromosome and gene disorders.
 
This role will lead on the recruitment, training and ongoing support of volunteers from the Unique membership to ensure they feel confident, connected and valued in their roles. Working closely with the Engagement and Communications Officer, the postholder will also help plan and run a programme of virtual events and online activities tailored to the needs of our members and encouraging supportive peer relationships between them.
 
The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator with experience of volunteer management and community engagement. You’ll enjoy building relationships, empowering others, and creating opportunities for people to connect and support one another.
 
This is a hybrid role which includes occasional working in our Oxted office to build relationships with our small, friendly team, as well as time spent on the ground with volunteers in different regions. The role will involve regular travel across England, with occasional weekend and evening work (for which time off in lieu will be provided).
 
We are committed to inclusion, equality and diversity and welcome applicants from all parts of the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver Unique’s volunteer strategy, ensuring volunteers are effectively supported and engaged

• Recruit, train and induct new volunteers, and develop resources, training materials and recognition schemes for volunteers

• Provide regular communication, guidance and supervision to volunteers, ensuring their wellbeing and satisfaction

• Build a strong sense of community through a programme of face to face and virtual meet-ups and workshops

• Work in partnership with volunteers and members to creatively use online communication channels to promote community connections

• Maintain up-to-date volunteer records and ensure compliance with safeguarding, data protection and health & safety policies

• Coordinate and support volunteer involvement at family events, conferences, webinars and local meet-ups

• Work collaboratively with the staff team to promote volunteering opportunities and celebrate volunteer contributions

• Monitor and report on volunteer engagement, diversity and impact

Person Specification

Qualifications

Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

Essential qualities, skills and experience

Experience of recruiting, training and supporting volunteers

Experience of working in community engagement or outreach

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral

Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities

Empathy and understanding of the challenges faced by families affected by health or disability issues

Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

A flexible, can-do attitude and creative approach to problem solving

Proficient in Microsoft Office and comfortable using online collaboration tools and databases

A commitment to the aims and values of Unique

Desirable qualities, skills and experience

Experience working in the charity or health/disability sector

Experience of online community management or peer support programmes

Knowledge of safeguarding principles and best practice in volunteer management

Additional requirements

Willing to travel regularly across England

Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends

A DBS check will be required prior to appointment

The person who currently leads ADUKs education and training work is moving into an exciting new role within our team. We’re now looking for someone marvellous to take on part of their work, alongside some exciting new initiatives we want to develop. We’re not looking for a direct replacement - we want someone who will relish the opportunity to shape and grow this role into something truly impactful, supporting our work and strengthening the sector.

Key Purpose: The postholder will play a key role in strengthening knowledge, understanding, and best practice both within the sector and externally with service providers and the public, helping to remove barriers for assistance dog partnerships.

Internal focus: Coordinate the learning and development of ADUK member organisations, ensuring access to high-quality resources, training, and support to maintain knowledge sharing and best practice development across the sector.

External focus: Deliver education engagements and training to stakeholders, including businesses, service providers, and the public, through ADUK’s wider education initiatives and the new Corporate Allyship Programme.

Key Responsibilities

Learning:

• Manage ADUK’s shared Learning Management System (Moodle) and training platform, supporting members to make the most of the available content and resources.

Knowledge Sharing:

• Collaborate with staff and volunteers from member organisations and candidates to identify learning needs and expertise.
• Coordinate engaging and effective knowledge-sharing programmes aligned with member needs.

Education Delivery:

• Work with ADUK colleagues to coordinate and deliver engaging education initiatives, both in-person and virtually, for service providers and public services.
• Coordinate logistics for external training events, including venues and registrations.
• Support delivery of training for the ADUK’s Corporate Allyship Programme in collaboration with relevant colleagues.

Partnerships and Collaboration:

• Identify opportunities to work with external bodies, partners, and stakeholders to deliver training and share knowledge with the wider community.

Evaluation and Impact:

• Evaluate and assess the effectiveness of knowledge-sharing programmes and external training and explore how best to leverage this evidence. 
• Prepare and present impact reports to inform continuous improvement.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

• Recent and relevant experience (3 years +) in designing and delivering in-person and online training and educational workshops and programmes.
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Experience in managing learning management systems (LMS) and digital learning tools, (preferably Moodle based LMS)
• Excellent organisations skills with the ability to prioritise tasks and coordinate multiple organisations and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely.
• Confident relationship building skills.
• A collaborative and adaptable approach to teamwork, with the ability to work effectively as part of a small team that sits within a large membership network.
• Be able and willing to travel extensively (across England, Wales and Scotland) to deliver in person training.

All applicants should be aligned with ADUK’s values of championing a standards-based approach to the training and welfare of assistance dogs.

See Recruitment Pack for more information and full job and person spec. 

Location: Home-based, delivering sessions in schools and farms across Essex and surrounding areas
Contract: Self-employed, renewable subject to annual review
Start: Delivery from February 2026

This vacancy is recruited on a rolling basis and may close early if a suitable candidate is appointed, so early application is encouraged. Previous applicants need not apply.

We’re looking for a passionate and confident Food and Farm Discovery Coordinator to inspire primary-aged children through hands-on food, farming and countryside learning. You’ll deliver engaging cooking, gardening and farm visit experiences, working closely with schools, farmers and food producers - particularly in areas of disadvantage.

What you’ll do

• Deliver Farm Discovery Days and the Food Discovery programme in schools
• Plan and lead farm visits, cooking and gardening sessions
• Build and maintain strong relationships with schools and farm hosts
• Manage session planning, equipment, health & safety and safeguarding
• Work independently as part of a supportive national team

Time commitment & pay

• Around 80–90 paid days per year (seasonal variation)
• £171.48/day for Food Discovery delivery
• £163.77/day for Farm Discovery delivery
• Plus expenses and mileage (45p per mile)
• Estimated annual earnings: £14,000–£15,000, with potential to grow

You’ll need

• Experience working with primary-age children and schools
• Confidence delivering hands-on cooking, gardening and outdoor learning
• Enthusiasm for food, farming and the countryside
• Strong communication, organisation and relationship-building skills
• Full UK driving licence, access to a car, and suitable IT setup

About Resonance
Resonance is a 24/7, artist-led community radio station based in Southwark, London, broadcasting on FM, DAB and online to audiences in the UK and internationally. The station supports experimental arts & culture and under-represented voices through community radio broadcasting, working with hundreds of volunteer broadcasters, artists and producers each year alongside a small staff team. Resonance is delivered by London Musicians’ Collective Limited, a registered charity (290236), and is sustained through listener support and grant funding.

Purpose of the Role
This role exists to increase Resonance’s charitable income, securing the funding that enables its artistic and community work to happen. It sits alongside, rather than within, artistic and operational delivery, with a specific focus on charitable fundraising and supporter engagement.

The Development Coordinator works across the organisation to draw out the charitable purpose, public benefit and impact of Resonance’s activity, and to communicate this clearly to funders and donors through funding applications, donor communications and impact-led narratives.

Key Outcomes

• Charitable income increases year on year, supported by a strong pipeline of trust and foundation applications and effective stewardship of funders.
• Individual giving grows, with donors and supporters receiving regular, credible communications that lead to stronger engagement and donations over time.
• Resonance’s charitable activity and public benefit are communicated clearly and confidently to funders and supporters, using evidence that is accurate, proportionate and well judged.
• Donor, funder and impact information is well-organised, up to date and actively used to support fundraising and stewardship.
• Charitable development activity is delivered reliably, supporting the organisation’s long-term financial sustainability within a small, collaborative team.

Role Context
This role is supported by grant funding from the Community Radio Fund, administered by Ofcom on behalf of the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The Development Coordinator focuses on resourcing Resonance’s charitable mission by translating artistic and community activity into clear, funder- and donor-facing narratives, working at the intersection of information, relationships and deadlines and exercising good judgement when priorities compete or information is incomplete.

Ways of Working

• This role will suit someone who enjoys working with focus and care, and who values seeing work through properly.
• You are comfortable taking ownership of defined areas of work, researching opportunities, shaping written material and keeping clear records.
• You understand how good systems, documentation and digital tools, including AI tools, support accuracy, efficiency and consistency in fundraising and donor communications, and you are motivated by seeing this work translate into tangible results, including increased charitable income.
• You are curious about Resonance’s work and the communities it serves, and willing to spend time understanding what makes its creative activity distinctive in order to communicate its public benefit clearly to others.

Working Hours
The post is full-time and based at our Southwark studios. Core hours are usually 10a.m - 4p.m, and time off in lieu is provided for agreed additional hours. Because Resonance operates around the clock, some early-morning, evening, or weekend work will occasionally be required to support fundraising activities.

Equity and Inclusion
Resonance is a small team serving a wide and diverse community of broadcasters. We particularly welcome applications from women, people from the global majority, disabled people, and those currently under-represented in fundraising roles within the audio and charity sector.

The Survivor Engagement and Activism Coordinator leads the Helen Bamber Foundation’s work to ensure that survivors of trafficking, torture, and human rights abuses are meaningfully involved in shaping services, influencing policy, and driving social change. Working within the Community and Integration team, the post holder safeguards and supports clients as they participate in advocacy, leadership, and organisational development projects.

They oversee key survivor engagement programmes, including the Ambassadors for Change advocacy and leadership programme, the Client Voices Forum, the Board Advisers, and the Alumni Network. This involves coordinating training, facilitating meetings, supporting campaigns, managing administrative processes, and ensuring survivors are prepared, empowered, and safe throughout their involvement.

The role also involves developing innovative ways for survivors to collaborate with staff, contributing to service design, organisational strategy, and sector-wide initiatives. The post holder builds relationships across the asylum and modern slavery sectors, manages lived experience opportunities, and may support client progression and education casework when needed.

Throughout all responsibilities, the Coordinator champions survivor leadership, promotes diversity and inclusion, maintains the ethos of the charity, and practices strong self-care while working with traumatic material.

Can you help support new dads when it really matters?

We’re looking for a Dad Matters Coordinator to help us reach more families across Brent. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who understands the emotional ups and downs of becoming a dad and wants to support fathers at a crucial point in their parenting journey.

New dads can face real mental health challenges — often quietly. In this role, you’ll help dads feel listened to, supported and confident, strengthening attachment and helping them access the right support.

What you’ll be doing

• Offering coaching and advice to new dads and dads-to-be

• Having honest conversations about mental health, bonding and wellbeing

• Getting out into the community, approaching dads and building trust

• Developing and running group sessions and workshops

• Working closely with health professionals and local services so dads are included and supported

• Helping grow and support our Dad Matters volunteers

This is a hands-on, community-based role, so you’ll need to be regularly out and about in Brent, building visibility and relationships.

About you

You don’t need formal qualifications in healthcare or mental health. What matters is that you:

• Understand the mental health challenges new dads can face

• Are confident talking to people and putting them at ease

• Have experience in a community, support or people-facing role

• Can lead groups, deliver sessions or training

• Are proactive, approachable and genuinely care about supporting families

Parenting experience and lived experience of key issues are both really valued.

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a supportive organisation doing meaningful work, with the chance to shape and grow Dad Matters in Brent and see the impact of your work first-hand.

Not sure if it’s for you?
We’d still love to hear from you — get in touch for an informal chat.

Note: This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 due to the nature of our work

To provide high quality and comprehensive helpline advice, information, practical and advocacy support relating to violence against women and girls (VAWG) perpetrated against Black and minoritised women and girls.

To work alongside helpline Coordinator and helpline volunteers and ensuring the service is trauma-informed, safe, and effective.

Why work with Southall Black Sisters?

Southall Black Sisters is committed to providing a supportive working environment, where team members feel valued, empowered and safe. To that end, we provide an excellent package of employee benefits including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement 
• Hybrid working 
• Enhanced pension contribution
• Enhanced sick pay
• Subsidised public transport season ticket
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, including access to confidential support from MBACP therapists 
• Clinical supervision with an MBACP therapist to explore issues arising from casework
• A focus on continued learning and development through accredited training delivered by experts in their field
• Organisation-wide away days
• Career development pathways and support
• The opportunity to learn and grow within an organisation renowned for inspiring political activism and campaigning successes
• Employer eye care scheme

To Apply

Submit a completed application form along with the optional equal opportunities monitoring form by the application deadline. Please do not send us your CV as this will not be considered.

Please note, incomplete applications will not be considered.

Community Wellbeing Coordinator

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Job Title: Health and Nature Community Connector

Location: This role is based in Luton. The service is approximately a 20 minute walk from Luton railway station, or a short bus journey with several local bus routes stopping nearby on New Bedford Road. Hybrid working with 2 days from home; the remaining days are community based, involving travel within Luton to locations such as the community garden, Synergy office, and local GP surgeries. Unfortunately, this service does not have step free access.

Salary: £28,700 (Full Time Equivalent)

Shift Pattern: 18 month fixed term contract, 25 hours per week, Monday to Friday 10.00 - 15.00. Some flexibility around these hours can be considered and discussed at interview. You may also be required to work outside hours depending on service and participant needs.

About the Role

We’re hiring a Health and Nature Community Connector to join the SIG Penrose Roots team in Luton - an award winning community wellbeing service making a real difference locally. In this role, you will support members who focus on social isolation, mental health, and connection to nature. We are seeking a proactive, organised and compassionate individual to join our community based open recovery and wellbeing service as a Health and Nature Community Connector. In this role, you will identify members needs and provide person centred, tailored support to help them overcome challenges and improve their wellbeing through nature based activities and green landscape interventions. This is a dynamic role suited to someone passionate about the power of nature in supporting recovery and community connection. You will act as a key triage, coordination and partnership lead to ensure individuals are connected to the right level of support, whether through short term engagement within the service or onward signposting to community opportunities.

You will act as the primary point of contact a referrals, oversee volunteer buddy support and collaborate with a skilled internal team delivering interventions. This community focused role suits someone who enjoys working with people, building relationships and supporting individuals to improve their wellbeing. Help us reduce social isolation, boost mental health and build stronger, more connected communities.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Supporting members who may be facing challenges with focus on social isolation, mental health, and connection to nature
• Manage and triage referrals from self referrals and partner organisations, acting as the main triage point to ensure individuals are connected to appropriate support.
• Acting as the main point of contact for referrals and coordination across GP surgeries, NHS services, council teams and community partners, liaising closely with external agencies to support smooth pathways into, within, and out of the service.
• Ensure effective service delivery, including safeguarding, risk assessments, and required checks.
• Ensure members understand their rights and can access appropriate tools, resources, and networks.
• Allocate volunteer buddies to individuals and arrange initial meet ups, including attending groups or activities to support engagement.
• Recruit, coordinate, and oversee up to 10 volunteer buddies, providing direction, light supervision, and day to day liaison.
• Empower members to build independence and take control of their lives in a safe, enabling environment.

About You

 We’re looking for a motivated, approachable, and community minded individual who understands the needs of our members, including wellbeing, social connection, collaboration, and meaningful engagement with community and nature based activities. You will be a self motivated individual who is proactive in managing your own time during busy or quiet periods to ensure productivity. You will be confidentially working across organisational boundaries, comfortable coordinating people and processes, and able to build positive relationships with professionals, volunteers, and individuals accessing the service. and will have strong alignment with our SIG values. You are organised and adaptable, able to balance multiple priorities while maintaining a person centred and non judgemental approach. An interest in green and outdoor activities, alongside an understanding of local communities and services, will help you thrive in this role.

• Knowledge of the local area and community landscape, with an understanding of available services and opportunities
• Experience or confidence in working across organisations, including health, council, and community settings
• Strong coordination, communication, and relationship building skills
• Ability to engage with adults experiencing social isolation and mental health challenges, offering empathetic and appropriate support
• Confidence in coordinating volunteers, providing guidance and supporting positive engagement
• IT proficiency, with the ability to learn new systems and use basic Microsoft programmes
• Flexibility and willingness to adapt working patterns in response to service needs
• Cultural awareness, self awareness, and openness to feedback and continuous learning
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

Additional Information

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions. 

A Rocha UK is the only national Christian conservation charity in the UK. Our mission is to mobilise Christians and churches to care for the natural world. We do this currently through a number of programmes reaching different parts of the Christian community: Eco Church for local churches, Partners in Action facilitating conservation efforts by Christian land managers, Wild Christian, supporting individuals and households to act on nature, including by campaigning, and our Convening programme, supporting Christian environmental leaders. We also contribute to several networks - Christian and secular - involved in both practical conservation and climate change work, as well as research, policy and campaigning.

Purpose of Job:

Working closely with a Steering Group of senior staff and expert volunteers, you’ll coordinate the modular Christian Environmental Mobilisers (CEMs) course, from helping refine course modules, liaising with expert contributors and ensuring course promotion through A Rocha’s communications, to managing participant registration, scheduling online learning sessions, and helping evaluate impact. The role will report to Andy Atkins, CEO of A Rocha UK and an experienced campaigner and mobiliser.

Please see the attachment for full responsibilites. For more information on our organisation, please visit our profile.

The closing date for applications is 9 am on Monday 9th March 2026.

Interviews will be held in the week beginning Monday 16th March 2026.

The Community Engagement & Participation Coordinator will support SLRA’s participation work to ensure that the migrant individuals and communities we work with influence the decisions that affect their lives. SLRA’s work to influence local and national policy and practice is well established, and the post holder will coordinate our Community Leaders group which meets monthly to discuss issues affecting the lives of migrant individuals and communities and to build power and organise. The Coordinator will ensure that well established partnerships continue to develop and build power, as well as ensure that policy and participation work reflects and responds to any new changes in immigration policy that affects the lives of the SLRA community. 

e would love to hear from you if you have:

• A deep understanding of how to create accessible opportunities for participation, and the external context SLRA is operating in.
• Experience of community organising work and facilitating inclusive sessions in a diverse group setting. 

SLRA is a well-established local migrant support organisation working with and for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants who are at risk or in crisis as a result of immigration issues. We provide specialist immigration advice, as well as a broad range of practical, social and therapeutic support services. SLRA also campaigns for a fairer immigration system, local people with lived experience in influencing local and national policy and practice.   

Benefits include: 

• 25 days holiday per year (with 3 additional days when the office is closed at Christmas) plus bank holidays.
• Additional long service annual leave days up to a maximum of an additional 5 days per year.
• Flexible and family friendly working arrangements including compressed hours and school term time working.
• Pension scheme with 5% employer contribution.
• Commitment to staff learning and development.
• Cyclescheme and travelcard loans.

For all roles, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from individuals of the global majority, and those who are migrants or refugees, and those with lived experience of the hostile immigration system. 

About the Role

As a passionate professional in the identification, development and management of a wide range of relationships in support of our programme partnership, you will ensure the Career Ready programme in Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire continues to thrive, which includes securing charitable donations from supporting partners. You will work closely with our Programme & Partnerships Manager for Glasgow, in support of our work growing there.

This role requires experience of partnership and account management and the scale and ambition of our social mobility work means you will need to be well organised, confident and able to positively influence a wide range of people including headteachers, teachers, CEOs and HRDs.

You will identify and approach opportunities that are well researched and pursue with unswerving perseverance. It’s also a great chance to develop personally.

Programme & Partnership Managers lead the delivery of our programme locally. In this role, you’ll grow, develop, and maintain the employer and education partnerships that make the Career Ready programme work — including our Local Advisory Boards, Local Authorities, school coordinators, the Developing the Young Workforce Regional Group, and the employers and volunteers who provide mentoring with the accompanying paid internship, deliver engaging masterclasses, and support events.

Once you’re confident in what, why, when, and how of our work, you will:
1. Lead, grow, and strengthen the Career Ready partnerships in Renfrewshire & West
Dunbartonshire.

You’ll ensure an excellent programme experience for all stakeholders and secure employer engagement for approximately 60+ students each year (with growth expected) who take part in our 18-month programme. This includes ensuring
sufficient mentors with the accompanying paid internship, high-quality masterclasses and purposeful events.

2. Support programme delivery, stakeholder engagement and the generation of new programme and funding partnerships across Renfrewshire & West Dunbartonshire. 

You’ll work closely with the Career Ready Glasgow & West Areas Local Advisory Board, the Programme & Partnerships Manager for Glasgow, the Head of Programme & Operations, the Scotland Partnerships Manager, Partnerships Lead, and your fellow Programme & Partnerships Managers — all committed to delivering quality, impact, and sustainability. You’ll also collaborate with the Scotland Operations Team to
ensure accurate data, strong processes, and effective management information for the area.

Find out more

You can find out more about the role, and working at Career Ready, in our candidate pack.

• £36,000 - £39,870 DOE (pro rata for part time)
• A working from home allowance of £300 pa is provided (pro rata for part time)
• Annual leave: 27 days holiday plus bank/public holidays. In addition, Career Ready is closed between Christmas and New Year. Career Ready also allows flexible use of some Bank & Public Holidays
• 6% of salary contribution to a private pension subject to an employee contribution of 3%
• Access to both our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Business expenses including mileage allowance for car usage

How to apply

Please visit our website for full details of how to apply.

Timetable

• Closing date: 5 pm, Monday 16 March 2026 (early applications are encouraged)
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial screening conversation prior to interview
• Interviews will take place from w/c 30 March 2026

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 Peer Activities & Befriending Coordinator to play a pivotal role in our Mental Health Service in Hammersmith & Fulham.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

You will support individuals with a range of mental health needs within the Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Community Support Service. The role includes recruiting, training, and supporting peer volunteers with lived experience of mental health challenges - to support service users.

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.

This role calls for someone highly organised, confident in managing projects, and skilled at engaging with people in a warm and supportive way. You'll be able to guide volunteers, peers, and service users professionally and empoweringly, with some supervisory experience being an advantage. Strong IT abilities across MS Office and Outlook, along with solid literacy, numeracy, and evaluation skills, are essential. You'll bring an awareness of the cultural, social, and health issues affecting Hestia's service users, particularly within Mental Health services, and be able to build effective relationships with partners across statutory, voluntary, and private sectors. A sound understanding of safeguarding and the ability to respond appropriately rounds out the key qualities needed for success in this position.

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.

About Starlight

No one enjoys medical procedures, least of all children. From facing everyday vaccinations to the most serious of surgeries and chronic conditions, all children experience varying degrees of apprehension and fear. Feeling scared, powerless, or anxious in healthcare settings doesn’t just trigger a child’s emotions; it can create traumas that impact treatment success and that can have a life-long impact. Starlight’s aim is to transform children’s health through better experiences, by putting play at the heart of every child’s healthcare.

Evidence shows that play in healthcare can reduce anxiety, fear and even pain; it helps children engage and prepare for their treatment and cope better with procedures; it minimises trauma and contributes to a better experience; and supports children to have some sense of agency and control in an environment where these opportunities are limited. Play can also reduce the number of attempts to deliver treatment, the need for sedation and the need for repeat appointments. Prioritising children’s right to play in healthcare results in healthier, happier children who are involved in their own healing and recovery as well as more efficient treatment and care.

We work in over 900 healthcare settings across the UK with an ultimate vision to ensure that no child endures trauma in healthcare.

Our Strategy and the Professional Training & Development Manager role

Over recent years, we have been re-positioning Starlight from a wish-granting charity to a charity that supports children to experience the power of play in healthcare settings to improve their mental health and wellbeing. These changes have made an exponential difference to the immediate impact that we can achieve for children, as well as the opportunity to create real social value in the efficiency of treatment; and to our ability to advocate for long-term systemic change in the way children experience healthcare.

Central to improving children’s experience is having access to experienced and properly equipped play professionals. Through our Champions network and collaborative working across the healthcare sector, we have developed strong networks; shared best practice, offered opportunities for training and connection and raised awareness of the importance of play professionals and a culture of play in healthcare settings. Our Taskforce work with NHS England has also clearly outlined the need for workforce accreditation and development.

While we continue to advocate at a systemic level for the recognition of the play workforce and their need for a strategy for their development, this role is vital in providing more immediate and tangible support to the professionals who make our work possible. 3 The Professional Training & Development Manager will be integral in sharing Starlight’s knowledge of Play by training and developing key roles within health play settings to ensure Play becomes a foundation of every child’s health care journey. They will support wider understanding of the importance of a culture of play in paediatric healthcare.

Main purpose of the role

The main purpose of this role is to develop and maintain effective and mutually supportive relationships with health professionals, creating communities of practice and resourcing knowledge exchange across the sector. Through these relationships, you will deepen our understanding of the training and workforce development needs of play professionals and identify and develop opportunities for training and sharing of best practice, Working closely across the Children’s Services your work will contribute to raising awareness of the importance of a culture of play for children’s mental health and wellbeing and for the health and efficiency of the NHS.

You will report directly to the Head of Professional Training & Development and will line manage a coordinator.

Organisational Vision & Context:

As we journey towards our vision to bring fulness of life for every child, no matter what struggles they face, we’re looking for a motivated and mission-driven individual to join our team as a Church Relationship Lead for our Make Lunch programme. 

While our programmes vary, they share one common thread: an unwavering resolve to see lives transformed for good. Mobilising over 200 churches and 1,500 volunteers, TLG’s volunteer programmes – Early Intervention and Make Lunch – currently support around 5,000 children and their families each year. However, our vision goes further: we aim to see many more churches partner with us to transform lives in their communities.

This Role’s Impact:

We are seeking an experienced, relational, and highly organised leader with a strong passion for the issues of mental health, poverty, and social justice that underpin Make Lunch. Working alongside other Church Relationship Leads, this role will train, support, and develop church-based volunteer Make Lunch teams, ensuring they provide effective support and meaningful connection to children, young people, and families in their communities.

With excellent people, communication and training skills, the postholder will nurture positive, growing relationships with volunteer Make Lunch Coordinators, enabling excellent programme leadership at a local level. Operationally astute and confident in bringing constructive challenge, they will ensure all Make Lunch activities are safe and fully compliant. Driven by a commitment to continuous improvement, they will foster a growth mindset among those they support, maximising the impact of Make Lunch both locally and nationally.

TLG is a Christian charity and, as a team, we want to bring our faith to the work we do; as such, we are recruiting an individual with a strong and vibrant Christian faith. We would welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds to enable us to better reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Hours: Part time (22.5 hours per week, 0.6 FTE), including Tuesdays

Closing Date: Sunday 29th March

Initial Interviews: Monday 13th April – Online

Final Interviews: Tuesday 21st April – at our National Support Centre in West Yorkshire