Learning support volunteers volunteer roles in aylesbury vale, greater london

Monitoring, evaluation and learning coordinators wanted to help East London Waterworks Park deliver its environmental learning goals. 

East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that has won a 2024 New London Architecture award and raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces. 

We are looking for a volunteer to track the impact of our educational initiatives, gather data, and support continuous improvement in our learning programs. This role ensures that our learning activities are effective and contribute meaningfully to ELWP’s overarching goals.

This role would include:

• Developing measures of success of existing environmental education initiatives
• Collecting and analyzing feedback from programme participants
• Recommending improvements based on data insights

Schools, universities and youth groups we've collaborated with include:

• Waltham Forest College 
• Henry Maynard Primary School, Walthamstow
• Buxton School, Leytonstone
• Kingsmead Primary School, Hackney
• Daubeney Primary School, Hackney
• UCL 
• Royal College of Art
• University of Westminster 
• Project Zero
• Voyage Youth 
• Loyola University Chicago 
• Vanderbilt University Nashville

The Learning Circle currently meets monthly on a Wednesday evening at 8pm for an hour on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely.

We're looking for people to lead on these projects and facilitate the direction of the learning working group.

Individuals with experience in research, programme evaluation, data analysis, or education assessment are encouraged to apply. Attention to detail and an interest in measuring impact will be key strengths in this role. Our roles are quite flexible. We hope that people bring radical imagination, peace with nature, and courageous inclusiveness to the role. 

Your support will help young people and learners improve their environmental knowledge of design and research as well as contributing to our community-owned park. This will in turn provide a sense of stewardship over the land once the park is created and student's ideas have been built into the park. Creating learning projects with educational institutions will also help our charity with the strategy to buy the land through showing the value of our environmental education programme before we create the park. 

You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. By volunteering in this role, you will help shape the future of East London Waterworks Park as a community-led environmental learning space. This  will also help our charity with the strategy to buy the land through showing the value of our environmental education programme before we create the park. If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to hear from you!

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy?

Volunteers are essential to Shannon Trust and bring their energy, ideas and skills to train mentors in prisons, support learners in the community and enhance our business support team.

We are looking for volunteers to provide training and support to our mentors in prison. There may be some additional preparation and/ or administrative tasks in between volunteering days at the prison.

Our prison volunteers nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by delivering training sessions for prison mentors and offering ongoing advice, guidance and support through mentor meetings.

Volunteer recruitment dates

The closing date for applications to attend our next round of training is 25 January 2026. In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early. Successful applicants will be sent interview questions in advance with notice to prepare. We will respond to all applications. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview between 26 January and 6 February 2026. This is an opportunity for you to meet our regional team, to find out more about you and for us to share more information about the volunteering role.

Training:

You'll be given high quality training to prepare you for volunteering with Shannon Trust. This takes place over 4 training sessions and via our online training portal. We ask that volunteers aim to complete the training in one course as this means that you will be ready to start actively volunteering. The next training sessions for volunteering for people applying to be a prison based volunteer will take place as follows.

Please check that you can attend all of the training the dates prior to applying:

• 17 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)

• 24 February 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams))

• 3 March 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Teams)

• 24 March 2026, 10am-4pm (in person session, London)

You’ll also receive the opportunity to attend ongoing training sessions and peer support meetings during your time as a volunteer to build your skills and experience.

More information about this role

Why we want you

Shannon Trust’s vision is of a future where everyone can experience the positive impact of learning. As a prison volunteer your role will be at the heart of our organisation as you support our mentors in prisons. This will include delivering training to new mentors and supporting existing mentors to develop and deliver our Turning Pages and Count Me In programmes. You will be volunteering alongside Shannon Trust facilitators and / or frontline prison staff to empower mentors and ensure no one is left out of learning.

What you will be doing

• Delivering initial, and ongoing, training to mentors in prisons
• Supporting and encouraging the Shannon Trust facilitator and mentors to attract new learners and expand the reach of the Shannon Trust programme
• Arranging and leading mentor meetings to develop mentors’ skills, share good practice and to provide support to mentors to find solutions to concerns
• Supporting facilitators to engage prison staff and people in prison to set-up, maintain and develop the Shannon Trust reading and numeracy programmes across the whole prison, and contributing to progress planning for how to progress and achieve this
• Using your skills to build positive relationships with frontline prison staff, people in prison and other organisations
• Training and supporting mentors to collect and submit data and learner feedback
• Supporting with the planning of, and attendance at, celebration events
• Collecting and sharing good news stories and feedback
• Attending area meetings and sharing good practice with other volunteers
• Engaging with quarterly reviews to receive support and discuss progress
• Acting as an ambassador for Shannon Trust in all that you do, sharing the vision and values of the charity throughout your volunteering

The skills you need

• A commitment to providing non-judgemental support to people in prison
• Able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and have flexibility to visit the prison at times required
• Strong communication skills and are able to use these to inspire others
• Able to deliver engaging training and identify training and support needs for mentors
• Able to manage own time and prioritise
• Able to keep up to date with Shannon Trust news and communications and share relevant information with the wider prison team
• Able to use IT

What's in it for you

• Developing and growing your understanding of the HMPPS structure and prison system
• Reasonable, out of pocket, volunteering expenses are
• You will receive induction training and ongoing training to support and develop you in your role
• All volunteers receive ongoing support and quarterly reviews to enable you to gain the most from your volunteering experience
• We recognise and are grateful for the added value that volunteers bring to our organisation
• We provide flexible volunteering opportunities, subject to the requirements of your role

Disclaimer

In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early.

Please note you must be over 18 to volunteer with us.

Shannon Trust fulfils an unmet need around adult learning, supporting people who’ve fallen through the cracks in formal education.

We know a lot of people have had negative learning experiences in the past, so our programme is designed to be different, with no exams and no classrooms. Our unique, evidence-based Turning Pages reading manuals are used by thousands of learners in prisons and the community to improve reading skills. 

Prison volunteers live near to their local prison so that they can visit about once a month during the working week to nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by offering advice, guidance, training and support to prison staff and prisoner mentors who help other prisoners to improve their skills 1 to 1.

We are looking for volunteers who are able to work alone, able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and able to deliver engaging training to groups of people in prisons.  Due to the nature of the role, prison security vetting will be required.

We provide training for the role via e-learning and 4 training sessions which are a mix of live, online and group training.

Job Title: Specialist: Talent Enablement
Location: Remote (UK-based)
Department: People & Culture
Reports To: Manager: Talent Enablement

About QuilomboUK

QuilomboUK is a trailblazing organisation dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion (D&I), and social justice. Rooted in a People First philosophy, we empower individuals and teams to drive systemic change through equitable learning and growth opportunities. 

Role Overview

As the Specialist: Talent Enablement, you will lead the design and delivery of impactful learning programs that align with QuilomboUK’s mission and strategic goals. You’ll develop leadership curricula, create engaging instructional materials, oversee induction training, and continuously refine L&D initiatives based on feedback and data. This role is ideal for a creative, data-driven professional passionate about fostering inclusive leadership and equipping teams with the skills to advance social justice.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership Development & Training

• Design and implement leadership training curricula, workshops, and coaching programs that cultivate inclusive, equitable, and socially conscious leaders.

• Partner with senior leaders to identify skill gaps and align learning and development (L&D) strategies with organisational objectives.

• Facilitate dynamic workshops on topics like anti-bias leadership, conflict resolution, and change management.

Instructional Design & Content Development

• Create engaging, accessible learning materials, including e-learning modules, facilitator guides, videos, and assessments, using tools like Articulate 360 or Adobe Captivate.

• Embed D&I principles and social justice themes into all content, ensuring cultural relevance and representation.

• Develop microlearning resources and toolkits to support continuous, self-directed learning in a remote environment.

AI-Enhanced Instructional Design

• Using various platforms, create dynamic, AI-generated content (e.g., simulations, scenario-based learning), and adaptive e-learning modules.

• Build AI-driven assessments and feedback loops to measure knowledge retention and behavioural change.

Onboarding & Integration

• Lead the design and delivery of induction programs that immerse new hires in QuilomboUK’s mission, values, and D&I commitments.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure onboarding content reflects role-specific and cultural integration needs.

• Monitor new hire feedback to refine onboarding experiences and reduce time-to-productivity.

Training Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Measure training effectiveness using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as engagement rates, knowledge retention, and behavioural change.

• Analyse feedback surveys, LMS data, and performance metrics to identify gaps and iterate on content.

• Stay ahead of L&D trends (e.g., gamification, AI-driven learning) to innovate QuilomboUK’s programs.

D&I Integration

• Ensure all learning initiatives prioritise equity, cultural competence, and trauma-informed approaches.

• Partner with ERG (Employee Resource Group) leaders to co-create programs that address systemic inequities.

• Advocate for accessible learning design, including accommodations for neurodiverse individuals and those with disabilities.

Qualifications

• Experience: 3+ years in L&D, instructional design, or leadership development, ideally within mission-driven or D&I-focused organisations, with hands-on experience using AI tools.

• Skills:

  • Expertise in e-learning authoring tools (e.g., Articulate, Canva) and LMS platforms.

  • Strong facilitation and storytelling skills for remote and hybrid audiences.

  • Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI) to measure program impact.

  • Proficiency in prompt engineering for generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) to create scalable content.

• Knowledge:

  • Deep understanding of adult learning theories, inclusive pedagogy, and social justice frameworks.

  • Familiarity with UK compliance standards related to workplace training.

  • Understanding of ethical AI frameworks, algorithmic bias mitigation, and GDPR-compliant AI use in HR.

  • Familiarity with AI and how it can amplify (or hinder) equitable learning outcomes.

  •  

• Alignment: Passionate about QuilomboUK’s mission and the role of L&D in driving equitable change.

Personal Attributes

• A visionary thinker who balances creativity with analytical rigour.

• Collaborative bridge-builder who engages stakeholders at all levels.

• Adaptive and empathetic, with a knack for simplifying complex concepts.

• Committed to lifelong learning and amplifying underrepresented voices.

Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a UK-based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise. We are supported by an incredible team of prison volunteers who are the link between the charity and the stitchers we work with in prison. Our volunteers run fortnightly stitching groups in the prisons we work with to facilitate our stitchers’ production of high-quality needlework.

Our prison volunteers work in small teams to teach our stitchers’ embroidery and needlepoint, organise their group sessions, and liaise with the prison and FCW office.

What you will do as a prison volunteer:

• Teach women in prison how to stitch and support the completion of our premade kits in our cell groups, which consist of around 10-15 stitchers.
• Communicate with staff at our hub in Battersea to receive kits and supplies for your group and send back completed work for your stitchers to be paid.
• Encourage and help stitchers to complete our Open College Network certifications in creative needlework.
• Develop stitchers’ skills and confidence by encouraging them to take responsibility as peer mentors.
• Act as an ambassador for the charity and sharing our vision and values throughout your volunteering.

Who we are looking for:

• Skills in embroidery and/or needlepoint or a willingness to learn to stitch is essential for this role.
• Ideally some teaching experience or experience working with socially-excluded groups.
• Someone with a non-judgemental attitude and commitment to rehabilitation.
• Someone who is an excellent team worker.
• Someone who is good at observing personal boundaries.

Commitment: our stitching groups run for 2 hours every fortnight, so with travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

You must be over 18 for this role with the ability to travel to the prison. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our prison volunteers. 

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented amongst FCW’s prison volunteers. This includes applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, and male identifying applicants.

Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a UK-based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise. We are supported by an incredible team of prison volunteers who are the link between the charity and the stitchers we work with in prison. Our volunteers run fortnightly stitching groups in the prisons we work with to facilitate our stitchers’ production of high-quality needlework.

Our prison volunteers work in small teams to teach our stitchers’ embroidery and needlepoint, organise their group sessions, and liaise with the prison and FCW office.

What you will do as a prison volunteer:

• Teach people in prison how to stitch and support the completion of our premade kits in our cell groups, which consist of around 10-15 stitchers.
• Communicate with staff at our hub in Battersea to receive kits and supplies for your group and send back completed work for your stitchers to be paid.
• Encourage and help stitchers to complete our Open College Network certifications in creative needlework.
• Develop stitchers’ skills and confidence by encouraging them to take responsibility as peer mentors.
• Act as an ambassador for the charity and sharing our vision and values throughout your volunteering.

Who we are looking for:

• Skills in embroidery and/or needlepoint or a willingness to learn to stitch is essential for this role.
• Ideally some teaching experience or experience working with socially-excluded groups.
• Someone with a non-judgemental attitude and commitment to rehabilitation.
• Someone who is an excellent team worker.
• Someone who is good at observing personal boundaries.

Commitment: our stitching groups run for 2 hours every fortnight, so with travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

You must be over 18 for this role with the ability to travel to the prison. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our prison volunteers. 

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented amongst FCW’s prison volunteers. This includes applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, and male identifying applicants.

We are looking for a patient and chatty volunteer to visit a lovely lady in Woodley, Reading. She loves soft, cuddly toys and rainmakers, and is known to enjoy a nursey rhyme or two! She is non-verbal, but understands everything you say to her, so a friendly and understanding approach is key. She would love to have you stop by for a cup of tea and a chit chat, and perhaps over time venture out for walks and shopping in the local community.

We offer a lifelong befriending service for adults with learning disabilities. Matching the skills and interests of passionate visitors with the specific hobbies and interests of the people we visit. Visitors visit six times a year to create a 1-2-1 connection, offer companionship, encourage people to do the things they enjoy and check-in on their wellbeing. In many cases, the visitor is the only person in someone’s life who isn’t paid to be there for them.

This is a Stop and Stay visit role, meaning that the person you’ll be visiting might have some verbal communication skills or they use sounds and/or facial/body expressions to communicate with you. The person you visit might choose to take part in simple activities or watch you doing the activities. Your volunteer manager will be happy to help you with ideas and suggestions for things you can do. Visits will vary in length but tend to be around half an hour to an hour long.

In this role you will spend quality time with the person you visit and could do a range of different activities like:

• Sitting and having a chat
• Checking in on their well- being
• A craft activity at home
• Reading a book/magazine together

As a Mencap volunteer visitor you will be:

• Friendly and approachable
• Accepting of others who might be different to yourself
• Reliable and patient
• Passionate about supporting people with a with a learning disability.

As a Mencap visitor you will:

• Have the opportunity to help make a difference to the life of the person you visit
• Receive a personalised volunteer induction and training
• Have agreed out of pocket expenses reimbursed
• Meet new people
• Get on-going support, and feel appreciated and valued

About Mencap Mencap is the leading learning disability charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We work with people with a learning disability and their families to challenge prejudice and change laws, and we directly support thousands of people to live their lives as they choose. We have an ambitious vision for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

Volunteering with us is YOUR opportunity to help us achieve this, whilst having the chance to develop your skills, meet new people and join a passionate and dedicated team.

Are you a passionate people person?Join us as a Fundraising Volunteer! 

We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer to support Dimensions with fundraising as part of our 50th birthday celebrations in 2026.If you’re looking for Fundraising experience or you love to make a difference, this is the perfect opportunity to get involved! 
 
Activities will include 

• Launching Small Sparks grants and all associated fundraising as part of our 50th celebrations 

• Encouraging the people we support and their support teams to think what they could do with a Small Sparks grant and make nominations 

• Manage the small fundraising budget, aiming to maximise colleague participation 

• Planning and delivering fundraising activities throughout the year

About you 

We are looking for someone who is: 

• A natural ball of energy and a people person.

• Passionate about supporting people to live better lives, with the communication skills to get colleagues, the people we support and their families to join you in your mission. 

• Friendly and enthusiastic   

• Reliable/dependable and willing to volunteer regularly (ideally 2 –3 days per week, around your availability)  

Two character references will be required for this role.     

What you’ll gain from being a Dimensions volunteer:    

Dimensions provide support for autistic people and people with learning disabilities across the UK.   

    Our volunteers play a vital role in our work and in return, we support them with:    

•  Access to free online training (with access to 800 plus courses)    

• Comprehensive support from professional and friendly Dimensions staff    

• Reasonable expenses may be reimbursed at manager’s discretion     

• An opportunity to gain real experience in the social care sector    

    
Want to apply for this role? 

 If you’d like to be a Dimensions volunteer, please get in touch!

We are a small and friendly team of Trustees who are currently looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join us and become a Trustee for our wonderful charity, Wiltshire Portage. Wiltshire Portage supports families who have children aged birth to school entry with additional needs, empowering parents and carers to help their children to reach their full potential as they transition into school and beyond.

There has been a rise in the number of children who have additional needs over the past few years and research has shown that early intervention is vital in helping these children to develop. At Wiltshire Portage, we have a team of experienced Home Visitors who regularly visit families who have young children with additional needs. During visits, Home Visitors identify areas of support that are needed and deliver child-led learning activities through play. Having a child with additional needs can be challenging and Home Visitors are also able to support parents and carers; providing information and sign posting them to organisations who can help.

As a charity, Wiltshire Portage relies on a team of Trustees to work with the CEO in the running of the charity. Trustees are asked to attend a meeting (this is currently carried out virtually) once every two months in the evening.

Fundraising team leader volunteer

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

As a charity we are able to help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations we receive from members of the public. Our fundraising team leaders have the exciting and varied role of inspiring our fundraising volunteers to plan and deliver local fundraising events. Using their passion and imagination, they oversee a small team of fundraising volunteers who come together to raise the vital funds needed to cover costs such as veterinary bills and food. Our fundraising team leaders support their team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure our volunteers are happy, confident and supported.

You can expect us to

• make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

· supporting and encouraging a team of fundraising volunteers

· planning fundraising events and activities with your team

· allocating tasks before and during fundraising events

· keeping financial records from fundraising events

· encouraging and promoting a professional image of Cats Protection 

· following policies and guidelines and ensuring licences and permits are obtained for events

Time expectation

Our fundraising team leaders usually spend three to four hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

You may be just the volunteer we’ve been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats each year and the majority of these success stories are thanks to the dedication and effort of our passionate volunteers. Our recruitment support volunteers help local volunteer groups and teams by promoting volunteer roles, matching passionate cat loving volunteers to roles and informing potential volunteers about the variety of volunteer roles available at Cats Protection.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Identifying opportunities for volunteer involvement
• Planning volunteer recruitment campaigns
• Managing volunteer recruitment by advertising and promoting roles
• Overseeing the volunteer application process
• Meeting potential volunteers and providing information about roles
• Matching potential volunteers with suitable roles
• Promoting a culture of volunteering best practice

Are you creative? Would you like to support others to express their emotions through arts and crafting? You will be supporting people to express their emotions, provide a time for people to relax and feel proud of their final art products!

What you will be doing

• To prepare arts and craft sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop their arts and craft skills, assisting them in the creation of their projects and supporting them to brainstorm and use their own initiative
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities

The skills you need

• Experience of arts and/or crafts either in a professional, educational, or personal level
• Able to collaborate with individuals to plan an art group session and facilitate confidently
• A calm and patient manner
• Ability to provide a trusting, open, kind-hearted atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• An effective communicator with a patient and sympathetic nature

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun.

This role will be supporting someone who is independent, chatty and active, and would like to be befriended by someone who is positive, patient and honest. She enjoys being sociable and exploring what activities and fun things Biggleswade and surrounding areas can offer – Air shows, Christmas markets, trips to the pub and Sunday Church service. She would love to have a visitor to join her getting out and about or going for a cup of tea. Access to a car would be a great addition but is not essential for this role.

We offer a lifelong befriending service for adults with learning disabilities. Matching the skills and interests of passionate visitors with the specific hobbies and interests of the people we visit. Visitors visit six times a year to create a 1-2-1 connection, offer companionship, encourage people to do the things they enjoy and check-in on their wellbeing. In many cases, the visitor is the only person in someone’s life who isn’t paid to be there for them.

This is an Out and about visit role which means your visits are likely to be longer, very active and the person you visit will often take an active part in planning your outings and activities in the community. Your volunteer manager will be happy to help you with ideas and suggestions for things you can do. Visits will vary in length but tends to be around a couple of hours, sometimes shorter or longer, depending on what you plan to do. These visits would take place on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, or on a Sunday afternoon.

In this role you will spend quality time with the person you visit and could do a range of different activities like:

• Sitting and having a chat
• Checking in on their well- being
• Going out to a local café/pub for a meal/drink
• Take part on community activities like visiting a place of interest, go shopping etc.
• Enjoying a walk
• A craft activity at home

As a Mencap volunteer visitor you will be:

• Friendly and approachable
• Accepting of others who might be different to yourself
• Reliable and patient
• Passionate about supporting people with a with a learning disability.

As a Mencap visitor you will:

• Have the opportunity to help make a difference to the life of the person you visit
• Receive a personalised volunteer induction and training
• Have agreed out of pocket expenses reimbursed
• Meet new people
• Get on-going support, and feel appreciated and valued

About Mencap Mencap is the leading learning disability charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We work with people with a learning disability and their families to challenge prejudice and change laws, and we directly support thousands of people to live their lives as they choose. We have an ambitious vision for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

Volunteering with us is YOUR opportunity to help us achieve this, whilst having the chance to develop your skills, meet new people and join a passionate and dedicated team.

Chatterbox Befrienders offer one-to-one telephone support and will call a client once a week offering companionship and a listening ear for an individual who might otherwise go unheard. Chatterbox volunteers befriend a variety of people including carers, socially isolated individuals who are struggling with loneliness, people with ill health and those that 
have been bereaved. 

THIS ROLE COULD BE FOR YOU IF:

- Would like to make a real difference in someone’s life

- Want to challenge loneliness and can commit to a weekly phone call

- Are a good listener

- Are empathetic, patient and of a caring nature

- Have good verbal and inter-personal communication skills

- Recognise the importance of confidentiality and can uphold this in practice

- Are committed to inclusion and treating people with dignity and respect

REQUIREMENTS OF A BEFRIENDER INCLUDE:

- Calling your client once a week for a chat of up to 45 minutes; this is a 26 week initial commitment, at the end of which each client’s needs are reviewed

- Completing an online call log record promptly after each phone call

- Ensuring immediate contact with the Chatterbox Coordinators if you feel that the client might be a risk to themselves or others

- Liaising with the Chatterbox Coordinator on a regular basis regarding the service, as well as discussing personal learning and development needs

- Respecting service standards, appropriate boundaries and recognising the range of policies and procedures that impact on befriending vulnerable adults

BENEFITS OF THE ROLE MAY INCLUDE:

- Knowing you are making a difference to someone’s life

- Joining the Omega Team who are taking action against loneliness and isolation

- An opportunity to enhance your CV or learn new skills

- An opportunity to engage with your community

SUPPORT AND TRAINING PROVIDED:

- Omega Chatterbox induction program

- Safeguarding training

- Ongoing support from Chatterbox Coordinators for all questions, concerns, and support

- Out of pocket expenses are reimbursed and a mobile phone can be provided if appropriate

- Monthly Befriender group support meetings via the Zoom app

LOCATION OF THE ROLE:

- Home-based

WHEN ARE YOU NEEDED:

- Provided on enquiry

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this role. If you have a criminal record this does not automatically prevent you from being considered as an Omega Chatterbox Befriender. We will take into account the nature of the offence, when it happened and whether it is relevant to the voluntary role. If you are shortlisted, this will be discussed with you during the recruitment process.