Lay member volunteer volunteer roles

What does it look like to Chair a charity at a pivotal moment of change?

Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS) is an established infrastructure charity supporting, connecting and championing voluntary and community organisations across North Somerset and beyond.

With a strong local reputation and a clear ambition for the future, VANS plays a vital role in strengthening communities by bringing organisations together, amplifying collective voice, and enabling others to deliver impact.

Now, at an important point in its development, the organisation is focused on building on its strengths, refining how it works, and positioning itself to be futureproof. We’re looking for a new Chair to lead the charity into its next phase.

Location: Based in North Somerset working across the South West and beyond
Remuneration: Voluntary, with expenses covered

Time commitment: Governance commitment supported by a Vice-Chair. Currently, 4 Board meetings and 2 Development days per annum, 3-4 Governance group meetings, regular meetings with the CEO, as well as ad-hoc meetings, preparation and urgent matters arising.

About the opportunity

This is a Chair role with real scope to shape both direction and approach. You’ll work alongside a committed Board and Chief Executive to provide strategic leadership, focus on achieving growth, and building a high-performing team and organisation as it continues to evolve.

As Chair, you’ll play a key role in:

• Keeping the Board focused, effective and forward‑looking
• Providing support and constructive challenge to the Chief Executive
• Ensuring clear governance, decision-making, and delivery

About you

We’re open to different backgrounds and pathways into this role. You may already be a Chair, or an experienced trustee or senior leader ready to be one. What matters most is your ability to provide confident, thoughtful and effective leadership.

We’re particularly interested in people who can:

• Operate at a senior strategic level and see the bigger picture
• Build strong, effective relationships across a Board and executive team
• Balance support and challenge in a constructive way
• Bring a level of commercial awareness and focus on sustainability

Experience of the voluntary sector, health or place‑based working would be valuable, but it’s not essential if you can quickly build that understanding.

Why this role matters

VANS has laid solid foundations under the previous Chair’s tenure, with a strong local reputation, passionate people and now gathering momentum.

The next Chair will play an important role in ensuring the organisation is:

· Strategically-focussed, well governed and meets its goals

· Investing in building VANS and financially resilient

• Ready to grow its impact across North Somerset and beyond

This is a unique and special opportunity to meaningfully contribute to an organisation at the heart of community life.

How to apply

A CV or short profile is a great first step. We’d also welcome an informal conversation if you’d prefer to ask some questions first.

Amelia Lee at Charity People is leading this search.

Deadline: As this role has been advertised previously, we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis. If you feel this approach disadvantages you in any way at all, please get in touch with Amelia, who will ensure you are given full and fair consideration and do not miss out.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Volunteer Lay Members of Chapter

We are seeking three new lay volunteers to join the Chapter, the Cathedral's governing body and board of trustees.

Position: Lay Members of Chapter

Location: Chichester

Contract: Chapter members are appointed for an initial three-year period and may be reappointed for a further three years.

Chapter meets 6 or 7 times a year and these are, ideally, in-person meetings held at the Cathedral though it can usually accommodate online participation. These meetings are generally up to three hours long and members are also required to prepare in advance. One of the six meetings is reserved to include a full day “Away Day” which is usually held at another location.

Closing Date: 9.00am, 7 August 2026

Interviews: 2 September 2026, Chichester

The Role

These voluntary positions offer an opportunity to help shape the future of the Cathedral, supporting its mission, governance and long-term sustainability. We are particularly interested in individuals who can provide strategic leadership with experience in safeguarding, commercial operations or data protection.

Lay Chapter Members work collaboratively with clergy, employees and fellow trustees to provide oversight, constructive challenge and strategic direction. Chapter normally meets six or seven times each year, and reasonable expenses are reimbursed.

We're seeking communicant members of the Church of England who can think strategically, work collaboratively and contribute positively to the governance of a complex organisation. Successful candidates will be able to analyse information, support sound decision-making and act as ambassadors for the Cathedral.

About You

The Cathedrals Measure requires that Chapter Members are communicant members of the Church of England or of another church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

You will have experience in one of the following key areas:

Safeguarding - Significant experience, understanding or professional exposure to safeguarding, risk management, compliance or regulatory frameworks.

Commercial operations - Commercial operations experience in either property, hospitality or retail, ideally obtained within a similar environment.

GDPR - A good understanding of relevant data protection laws, including GDPR, PECR, and their application within a charity setting.

About the Organisation

The Cathedral is a living, working place of worship that has been at the centre of life in Chichester for over nine centuries. It is the Mother Church of the Diocese, which covers East and West Sussex and it is also a visitor attraction, a venue for music and the arts and an all-round hub for the community welcoming over 350,000 visitors each year.  Staff do not have to be Christian, but you should understand the Christian mission. 

You may also have experience in areas such as Safeguarding, Commercial Operations, Operations, GDPR, Data, Safeguarding Officer, Commercial Operations Officer, Operations Officer, GDPR Officer, Data Officer, Safeguarding Manager, Commercial Operations Manager, Operations Manager, GDPR Manager, Data Manager.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

About Peace Direct

Peace Direct is an international organisation dedicated to supporting local people to stop violence and build sustainable peace. We believe that people living in conflict-affected communities are the most effective agents of peace, and our work is grounded in a commitment to shifting power to local peacebuilders, anti-racism, and decolonising the wider sector.

The People and Culture Committee is a newly established sub-committee of the Board. It supports the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board in meeting the organisation's strategic goals as they relate to our people, the development and retention of staff and volunteers, organisational culture, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Decolonising, HR policy, safeguarding and whistleblowing, remuneration, and the management of non-financial (people-related) risk. Three Board members sit on the committee, joined by the CEO and Head of Finance and Operations.

Purpose of the role

We are seeking to appoint a co-opted member to the Committee. Under our Terms of Reference, the Committee includes at least one member who need not sit on the Board but is selected for their relevant functional expertise (subject to Board approval). This is that role.

As a co-opted member you will bring specialist knowledge and an independent perspective to the Committee's discussions, offering constructive challenge and advice to the executive and the Board on people and culture matters, helping ensure Peace Direct's practices are fair, inclusive, safe, and consistent with our mission.

The Committee does not play any role in the organisation's internal disciplinary procedures.

Time commitment and term

• The Committee meets at least twice a year, plus reasonable preparation time. Meetings may be held online or in person, and some business may be conducted by email.
• Committee terms are three years. Members may serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms, after which a break of at least two years is required before standing again.
• Papers are typically circulated at least five working days before each meeting.
• The role is voluntary.

Still interested? Take a look at the job description to see full details about the role and whether it matches your skills and experience.  

How to Apply
Please send your CV and a cover letter detailing relevant experience and why you are interested in the role via Charity Jobs. Please indicate in your cover letter, should you choose to, whether you are applying through the Disability Confident Scheme. 

Note: We prefer non-AI applications

We also offer candidates the choice of submitting a video clip, i.e. a video cover letter if this is preferable to a written cover letter. To ensure fairness we suggest you turn the camera off so that we only hear your voice. The video should be no more than 2 minutes in length. You should email it as a video link via WeTransfer or any other file sharing tool, to our recruitment inbox, the address of which you will find on the jobs page of our website as unfortunately the Charity Jobs website does not permit a url to be inserted here.

For the video cover letter, the following should guide your speaking points. Switch the camera off and state the following:

• Your name;
• The job you are applying for;
• Describe your overall skills and abilities (as they relate to the post being advertised);
• A brief description of your work experience (in relation to the post being advertised);
• What makes you qualified for the new position;
• Any additional details that help introduce yourself

You should choose either a written cover letter or a video cover letter, but we request that you please do NOT submit both.

Closing deadline for CV and cover letter is 11:30pm on 30th July 2026.

 Peace Direct strives to be a diverse and inclusive employer, with equality of opportunities regardless of personal identity, and we are committed to improving our systems and ways of working to support this, including creating a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) working group, DEI strategy and recruitment guidelines. We strongly encourage individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), LGBTQ+. As part of being a Disability Confident Committed employer, we welcome people with disabilities or health challenges to apply and those who meet most of the Essential requirements as laid out in the job specification will be guaranteed an interview for the job which you are applying, through our Disability Confident scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

We welcome people from all backgrounds and strongly advocate our DEI policy and commitment to maintain an inclusive workplace culture; we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent, so we welcome a conversation about any DEI concerns you may have. Please contact our HR Manager, Lesley Agbarakwe. What’s important isn’t your level of education or the opportunities which you have had; it’s about your passion and how you seize the opportunities ahead of you to use your skills and knowledge in this field of work.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

All offers of employment/voluntary roles will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which includes criminal records (DBS) checks. Peace Direct also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (Misconduct Disclosure Scheme). In line with this Scheme, we will ask your consent to request information from previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation after having left previous employment.  

By submitting an application, the applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Peace Direct engages. Peace Direct expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing and protecting all people from harm in their interactions with us. We expect all those that act in our name to uphold our approach to doing no harm and to sign up to our Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct.

We are looking to recruit people for our Youth Programme, for a minimum commitment of 10 weeks. The Youth Programme works with young refugees and asylum seekers in the Epirus region of Northern Greece, providing them with a sense of community and experiences that they wouldn’t otherwise receive!

There are some specific applicant requirements, however the most important is to have a strong desire to work with young refugees and have the commitment to improve the situation for them here in Greece. Second Tree works in a transparent way in a challenging and changeable situation on the field; therefore, an ability to learn quickly and be open to feedback is vital.

Your role would include:

We are looking to recruit people that are open to filling one (or more) of the following roles within our Youth Programme. Whilst these should guide applications, the roles often overlap and are interchangeable. Imagination and flexibility is encouraged when applying: let us know your suggestions on how we can use your skills!

The roles range across:

• Children’s English Teacher: responsible for the planning and delivery of the programme’s English classes. Classes focus on low level English learning and must be fun and engaging. TEFL/equivalent experience is preferable, but not essential.

• Excursion Lead: responsible for the planning and leading of weekend excursions, a highlight of the programme for participants! Excursions require an organised, methodical planner who is engaging and confident leading groups of children.

• Workshop Lead: responsible for facilitating workshops that can be either thematic, reinforcing the vocabulary learned in English class to make it more practical and interactive, or focused on social and emotional learning, helping students develop their self-awareness through creative and mindful activities, or touch upon any scientific/mathematical knowledge the teacher might bring. 

No matter the role(s) filled, team members are expected to help plan, prepare and participate in various community engagement activities such as: picnics, community excursions, sporting events, etc.

You should be able to:

• Be consistent with your application of behaviour management techniques

• Be honest and transparent; be able to give and receive feedback in the most straightforward way

• Manage a wide range of tasks and intense workload effectively and efficiently 

• Communicate in English, both written and orally

• Deliver programme activities and carry out administrative and logistical tasks

• Plan and deliver effective and dynamic educational activities

• Care for people: the interests of the people we work with should always be your first concern

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience with young children and teenagers in educational and leisure activities

• Experience working as a Scout leader or a leadership role in other such youth activities

• Experience working in the refugee context

What do we offer?

• A nurturing and collaborative working environment. We work hard to help our team members grow, investing in personal and professional development.

• Accommodation in a shared house

• Transportation to/from work

• After completion of a three-month trial, if you commit long-term, a small monthly expenses refund

In certain periods of the year, demand is extremely high, and the shared houses might be full. If you have the means to pay for your own accommodation, please let us know. We would still be happy to host you if space is available. However, in a situation where the shared houses are full, this would allow us to offer an opportunity to someone that cannot afford to pay rent.

Have experience leading a team of this type?

Consider applying to become a Youth Programme Coordinator. Whether your experience lies in the humanitarian sector or elsewhere, we are looking for people with expertise that can drive us forward as an organisation. 

Looking for an internship?

If, because of your degree or for any other reason, you would like to have your period at Second Tree credited as an internship, just apply to the vacancy that you’re interested in and mention this. We have agreements with several universities across Europe, and in many other cases, these agreements can be developed on an ad hoc basis.

Do you want to be inspired by the impact of education? Do you have the skills to lead an established board of governors? A school in Tewkesbury is looking for a skilled volunteer to drive school improvement by becoming a chair of governors.

What will you be doing?

Governing bodies are responsible for the strategic management of a school and will make decisions about a wide range of issues

The core responsibilities involved are:

· Ensuring accountability

· Providing support and challenge to the schools senior leadership team

· Monitoring and evaluating the school’s progress

· Budgetary allocation and control

· Shaping plans for school improvement and overseeing their implementation

· Setting the school’s aims and values

· Appointing senior members of staff including the Head Teacher

A school governing body is made up of representatives from the school, the parents, and the local community.

What are we looking for?

This vacancy is for an alternative provision secondary school. Ideally, you would have previous experience in the education sector however please still apply if your skills lie in a different industry. Previous chairing or leadership experience is desired but not necessary if you feel you have education knowledge to offer.

You must be over 18, but you don’t need to be a parent or have children of school age. Often, it’s the outside perspective you can bring that a school needs. Professional experience in areas such as safe guarding, change management, and leadership skills are all useful to a school. Soft skills such as communication and problem solving are also great additions.

What difference will you make?

Governors make decisions that affect schools for years to come. Chair of Governors work in partnership with Head Teachers and the Senior Management Team to help deliver the best possible education, and help children realise their expectations and aspirations.

Our recent impact survey found that our volunteers bring £9.9 million worth of value to schools each year, and 9/10 volunteers would recommend being a governor to a friend.

As a chair of governors, you will be encouraged to visit the school to gain an understanding of the culture and ethos and to get the most out of the role. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet children, parents, and teachers, and see the impact of your work first-hand.

What's in it for the volunteer?

Volunteering as a chair of governors is a challenging but rewarding role. As part of the governing board, you’ll:

· Have support from the vice chair(s) and the clerk, to ensure the effective functioning of the board by keeping it focused on its core functions. You will also encourage the board to work together as an effective team, building its skills, knowledge and experience.

· help schools overcome challenges to ensure a bright future for children in your community

· work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds, challenging your own perspective and broadening your network

· gain experience outside of your job description and skills you can bring back to work

Before you apply

You will need to complete an application form and will have an interview with the school. DBS checks will be taken up.

About Governors for Schools

Objectives

Governors for Schools exists to improve educational standards so that children and young people have the chance to realise their full potential.

We believe the key to improving school performance is effective governance. By finding, nurturing and supporting a committed network of governors we help to drive systematic change in how schools operate. We have been connecting schools across England for over 20 years, and expanded our service into Wales in 2020, with skilled and committed volunteers, supported by our business and university partnerships.

Help Shape Healthier Futures for Children and Families

Can you help drive the future success of a growing national charity?

HENRY (Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the Really Young) is seeking passionate and strategic individuals to join our Board of Trustees at an exciting point in our journey.

For over 15 years, HENRY has worked alongside parents, carers, communities and professionals to give babies and young children the healthiest possible start in life. Our evidence-based programmes, training and support help families build healthy habits, strengthen relationships and improve long-term wellbeing, particularly in communities experiencing the greatest health inequalities.

Today, HENRY supports more than 21,000 families every year and trains professionals across health and early years services nationwide. Last year alone:

• 21,662 families received support through our programmes, workshops and one-to-one services
• 9,608 parents and babies benefited from infant feeding support
• 88% of participants reported leading a healthier family lifestyle
• 96% rated our programmes and workshops as good or great
• 35% of families we supported were from the most deprived communities in the UK

As we work towards our vision of a healthy and happy start for every baby and child, we are entering a new phase of growth and development. Our ambitious 2030 strategy focuses on expanding our reach, strengthening sustainability, increasing our influence, and maintaining quality and impact as we grow.

About the Role

As a Trustee, you will play a key role in shaping HENRY's future. Working alongside fellow Board members, you will provide strategic leadership, support good governance, oversee organisational sustainability and help ensure we continue delivering meaningful impact for families across the UK.

This is a strategic, non-operational role that offers the opportunity to contribute your expertise while making a lasting difference to children's lives.

Who We're Looking For

We are particularly interested in individuals with experience in:

• Marketing and Communications
• Income Generation and Fundraising
• Legal and Contractual Matters

We also welcome candidates with:

• Previous trustee or governance experience
• Experience of scaling organisations
• Knowledge of early years, health or family services
• Relevant lived experience
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

Why Join HENRY?

Joining our Board is both a responsibility and a rewarding opportunity to create lasting social impact.

As a Trustee, you will:

• Help tackle health inequalities affecting babies and young children
• Influence the strategic direction of a respected national charity
• Develop your leadership, governance and board-level experience
• Work alongside a collaborative and experienced Board and executive team
• Gain insight into a charity delivering impact at scale across the UK

We are committed to building a diverse Board that reflects the communities we serve and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds aged 18 and over.

If you share our belief that every child deserves the best possible start in life, we'd love to hear from you and explore how your skills and experience can help shape HENRY's next chapter.

Ready to make a difference? Read our attached Trustee Recruitment Pack and click 'redirect to recruiter' to be forwarded to our application portal. 

Closing date: 9am Wednesday 19th August 2026
Interviews: week commencing 14th September 2026

HENRY is committed to safer recruitment and safeguarding. As a result, all successful trustee applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.