Learning volunteer volunteer roles in stoke newington, greater london

Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:

1. It's fun

2. It's flexible

3. You'll learn and share skills

4. You'll be making a difference

5. You'll work with a great team

We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital funds for our work and act as incredible advocates for the rights of children both in the UK and around the world.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Volunteering in the shop

Mary's Living & Giving for Save the Children is unique - a vibrant result of the generous gifts of local individuals and companies being turned around by the skills and passions of volunteer teams, to create a destination retail experience. We hold a prime position on the picturesque Church Street and from our little pink shop we raise lifesaving funds for Save The Children’s work both in the U.K. and abroad. As well as raising awareness on sustainable fashion and fashion climate activism, we’re a hub of excitement and passion!

Our Stoke Newington Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.

It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied.

Why volunteer with Save the Children?

In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.

Skills and experiences we seek

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children. 

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.

What happens next?

After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related). 

How to apply

Express your interest on email via the apply button. 

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

About us

Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..

The role in a nutshell:

Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?

Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.

How would you be supported in this role?

When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.

Why do we need volunteers in this role?

Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit a Support Volunteer for the West Hertfordshire Group. As our local group Support Volunteer you’ll help people affected by MS find information about local and national services. That could be helping someone access local information about the care or benefits they need or giving them a hand with a grant application. See a video about one of our Support Volunteers here.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your listening and communication skills, as well as your knowledge of local services. Most importantly you’ll help people affected by MS to access the help they need.

Time commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role.

Apply 

1. Read through the role description carefully

2. Please apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:

1. It's fun

2. It's flexible

3. You'll learn and share skills

4. You'll be making a difference

5. You'll work with a great team

We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital fun

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Volunteering in the shop

Mary's Living & Giving for Save the Children is unique - a vibrant result of the generous gifts of local individuals and companies being turned around by the skills and passions of volunteer teams, to create a destination retail experience. Selling womenswear, menswear, shoes, and bags to household goods, our shops can be found in the London villages and bring in vital funds for Save the Children.

Our East Dulwich Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.

It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied. We would also love to hear from people willing to volunteer on Sundays. 

Why volunteer with Save the Children?

In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.

Skills and experiences we seek

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children. 

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.

What happens next?

After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related). 

How to apply

Express your interest on email via the apply button. Please let us know if you are willing to volunteer on Sundays.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Providing a confidential non-judgemental listening ear to Residents and Staff. Supporting those wishing to develop their spiritual journey from a Christian perspective. The role will be based across one of our hostels in Watford, Borehamwood, Bishop's Stortford, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield or High Wycombe, 

Activities include:

• Proactively engaging with Residents and staff to build safe relationships and trust
• Offering a ‘listening ear’ to all and giving emotional support
• Sensitively discerning when to offer prayer and support from a Christian perspective, and when to use faith based language
• Be inclusive and welcoming to people of all religious faiths and none, referring people to other faith communities as appropriate
• Working alongside support staff, volunteers & local agencies
• Maintaining records of support and feeding back concerns about Resident welfare to Staff/Line Manager.
• Attend regular volunteer team meetings
• Being proactive in seeking spiritual and emotional support for your own benefit as this is a challenging role.

Additional activities could include:

• Facilitating group work for example: Retreat Programme, Bible Study, prayer or Mental Health Support.
• Welcoming new Residents by phone or in person
• Leading or helping with Chaplaincy lead events: Easter/Christmas activities, Remembrance Services
• Being an ambassador for YMCA’s mission in local Churches

Skills/Qualities/Experience:

• Be a good and active listener who can support others
• Be of a friendly, welcoming and cheerful disposition
• Self-motivated, reliable and punctual
• Sensitivity and courage to care for people experiencing a range of distressing situations including: grief, trauma, poor mental health, substance misuse, suicidal thoughts.
• A commitment to your own spiritual development
• A good understanding of the Christian faith, as well as some understanding of other faith traditions
• Ability to use both faith and non-faith based language, as appropriate
• Good communication skills in English; in person & over the phone
• A willingness to learn new things and get stuck in
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Respect the Christian ethos of the YMCA and uphold its values
• Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have

Training Support:

• A full induction to the service and specific site will be provided
• A one day ‘Chaplaincy Essentials’ training, plus a menu of additional training will be made available
• Online training: Safeguarding (Adults & Young People), Fire Awareness, Manual Handling
• Ongoing support and regular 1:1 meetings with your line-manager
• Team meetings and social events
• Mileage and expenses may be payable

You will need 2 x references and a DBS (we will apply for and fund this). 

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 you:

• 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 this 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.

Trustee

Be part of an organisation that envisions a fairer, more sustainable society where partnerships between business and charity unlock the potential of people and organisations to ignite lasting social impact. As some of our current Trustees come to the end of their term, we are looking to appoint up to four new Trustees to bring fresh insight and experience to our board.

Position: Trustee

Activity: Four Quarterly Trustee meetings and participation in one sub-committee

Location: meetings are online, with 2 meetings a year in person, typically in London (we welcome applications from all areas of the country)

Time Commitment: Up to two days per month, with the option of a further half day involvement in direct charity projects through the Pilotlight 360 programme

Contract: 3-year term, with potential for renewal

Closing Date: 5pm, Friday 6 June

Interview Date: 25th and 27th June

About the Role

We are a charity built on the simple but powerful idea that when people share skills across sectors, everyone benefits. We create partnerships that spark ideas, unlock potential, and deliver lasting impact - business leaders learn new perspectives; charities build their capacity; communities feel the difference.

Our Trustees are at the heart of this - offering guidance, sharing insights, and championing a culture of learning and collaboration. We are looking to recruit four trustees to join our current team of Directors. 

We’re particularly looking for skills in the following areas:

· Marketing in a Business-to-Business Context – helping us tell our story and engage with corporate partners.

· HR / People – supporting our ambitions to be a great place to work and to embed equity and wellbeing in all we do.

· Commercial Finance – contributing financial expertise as we plan and invest for sustainable impact.

· Digital / AI – bringing insight into how technology can enhance our programmes and internal capability.

About You

You believe in the power of partnerships and the value of shared learning. You’re willing to contribute your skills to a purpose-driven organisation that’s ambitious for change.

You don’t need previous board experience, we’ll provide an induction and ongoing support. What we’re really looking for is curiosity, a collaborative mind-set, and a commitment to our mission and values.

We warmly welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and are especially keen to hear from people who are currently underrepresented on charity boards, including people from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with lived experience of social or economic exclusion.

About Pilotlight

Pilotlight is where business expertise meets charity ambition. We connect people across sectors to create real-world learning, stronger organisations, and greater social impact. We design and deliver bespoke programmes that bring businesses and charities together to solve challenges, unlock potential, and build skills – on both sides. We carefully match skills with ambition. We create collaborative teams of business experts and charity leaders. We guide shared learning and development through real-world, purpose-driven experiences that deliver lasting results.

In 2024, Pilotlight worked with 1,259 business participants on 162 projects, delivering support to 142 unique charities. In turn, these charities support over 11 million people. Our mission is to facilitate and promote the sharing of professional skills to promote learning and enable charities to help more people.

If you’re ready to use your skills to help others grow, and to grow yourself along the way, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Non-Executive Director, HR Director, Finance Business Partner, Marketing Strategist, Chief People Officer, Technology Lead, Digital Transformation Manager, Equity & Inclusion Advisor, Head of Marketing, HR Director, Head of HR, Finance Director, CFO, COO, CEO, etc.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit a Support Volunteer for the Richmond and Kingston Group. As our local group Support Volunteer you’ll help people affected by MS find information about local and national services. That could be helping someone access local information about the care or benefits they need or giving them a hand with a grant application. See a video about one of our Support Volunteers here.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your listening and communication skills, as well as your knowledge of local services. Most importantly you’ll help people affected by MS to access the help they need. 

Time commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role.

Apply 

1. Read through the role description carefully

2. Please apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit a Support Volunteer for the Camden Group. As our local group Support Volunteer you’ll help people affected by MS find information about local and national services. That could be helping someone access local information about the care or benefits they need or giving them a hand with a grant application. See a video about one of our Support Volunteers here.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your listening and communication skills, as well as your knowledge of local services. Most importantly you’ll help people affected by MS to access the help they need. 

Time commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role.

Apply 

1. Read through the role description carefully

2. Please apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit a Support Volunteer for the Lambeth and Southwark Group. As our local group Support Volunteer you’ll help people affected by MS find information about local and national services. That could be helping someone access local information about the care or benefits they need or giving them a hand with a grant application. See a video about one of our Support Volunteers here.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your listening and communication skills, as well as your knowledge of local services. Most importantly you’ll help people affected by MS to access the help they need.

Time commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role.

Apply 

1. Read through the role description carefully

2. Please apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

We are recruiting for a volunteer to teach the Women at our Refuge martial arts.

The discipline and training of martial arts can lead to physical, mental, and emotional benefits that can improve the quality of your life in countless ways. Martial arts can help reduce stress and anxiety and helps train your mind to keep focused whilst remaining calm and alert.

What you will be doing

• Coordinate and set up a weekly martial arts class for women
• Inspire and motivate women to take part in the sessions and take a role in planning/designing upcoming sessions
• Create a safe space for individuals to practice and learn new techniques through martial arts
• Encourage members of the group to connect and relate to each other through practicing together

The skills you need

• Qualified to teach martial arts
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages participation
• Calm and patient approach
• Good sense of humour

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, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care. We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.

A bit about this role

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 events organisers have the exciting and varied role of helping plan and deliver local fundraising events to raise the vital funds needed to help our feline friends. Our fundraising events organisers use their passion for cats and people to plan cake sales, barn dances, quiz nights and everything in between.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Planning fundraising events and activities like cake sales, quiz nights and barn dances in Mid-Sussex RH15, RH16, RH17, BN6, BN45.
• Providing the treasurer with information on funds raised 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

A bit more information about this role and the team

• This is a flexible role. The amount of time you offer can work to your availability and convenience.
• There may be opportunities for your activities to be fully remote and/or admin based if you'd prefer.
• You will need your own transport if you wish to attend events, ideally a car or van since items, stock and equipment will usually be needed.
• We ask that you complete training to support you in your role. This can be completed online if you have access to the internet and the necessary device (computer/laptop/tablet etc). Support can be offered or paper versions of much of the training if needed.

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by helping raise funds through events. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated group of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good organisational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• The ability to prioritise and delegate
• An appreciation of the importance of handling money and charity resources responsibly
• Knowledge of your local community

Time expectation

Our fundraising events organisers usually spend two to three hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer.

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered.

Citizens Advice Barnet’s twin aims are to help people in our community resolve the problems they face and campaign to change the policies and practices which affect their lives. As a Research and Campaigns Volunteer, you will enable us to achieve the second aim, using the experience of the people we help to influence lasting change that makes a real difference to our community.

Duties include

• Supporting the Research and Campaigns Lead to identify opportunities to improve local policies and practices that affect people we help.
• Gathering evidence to support local and national campaigns.
• Undertaking research to build a campaign.
• Writing monthly updates for local councillors on what we're seeing in their ward.
• Writing up reports to present your research and recommendations.
• Researching and writing reports to raise awareness of local problems.
• Representing Citizens Advice Barnet at external meetings to campaign for change.
• Working with the Communications team to raise awareness of Research & Campaigns work.

Person Specification

No previous experience is required; this role would suit you if you have an interest in social policy, or would simply like to make a difference in our local community, and have the following skills and attributes:

• IT skills, especially Word and Excel at a basic level (sort, filter, basic formulas), and willingness and ability to learn to use our CRM to run reports.
• Strong research skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Analytical skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing, with the ability to write clearly and persuasively.