Mental health support worker volunteer roles in east london, greater london

Richmond Carers Centre, a network partner of Carers Trust, is a registered charity providing information, support, advice and a voice for carers living and caring in London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. 

Helping Carers to Live Well is our organisational aim.  We are looking for someone with the skills and ability to offer a coordinated approach in supporting unpaid and family adult carers in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Carers provide vital support and can come from all walks of life and be of any age.

As a Volunteer Counsellor, you will be part of a small dedicated team and directly deliver our counselling service to adult carers. You will provide regular counselling sessions for carers each week. These will either be face-to-face at our centre or can be via a remote offer using either a video platform such as MS Teams or by telephone. The counselling service is part of a range of services offered to support carers with their emotional wellbeing. This work helps to enhance carers’ health and wellbeing. It also provides carers with a much needed break from their caring responsibilities, in a safe environment where they can focus on their wellbeing.

With your proven experience of working with carers or other vulnerable groups on an individual and/or group basis, you’ll recognise the importance of being client focused and have a commitment to enhance the lives of carers.  You will be able to demonstrate a broad knowledge of carer’s needs and a wide range of skills in relation to working with individuals and groups.

You will be self-motivated and positive in your approach to working with both carers and staff and have a willingness to embrace our organisational values. Strong administrative, time management, IT and organisational skills are essential. 

Benefits of volunteering for Richmond Carers Centre:

• Clinical supervision every fortnight
• Flexible working with counselling either offered face-to-face or remotely
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Training and personal development opportunities
• Access to shared resources and training opportunities
• Supportive and friendly working environment
• Staff and volunteer socials

Please use the application form only. CVs will not be accepted

Closing date – Tuesday 30th September 2025

Shortlisting – Week commencing Monday 6th October 2025

Provisional interview date – Monday 27th October 2025

If you would like to discuss the role in more detail, please call us and ask to speak to Sophie Richardson, Operations Manager or Ellie Wright, Interim Adult Carers Support Team Leader.

We are looking for a volunteer who would like to play a role in building children’s confidence. Would you be interested in supporting children to improve their numeracy abilities? We are looking for a volunteer who understands children with specific needs particularly around attention and memory challenges. Through your support, encouragement and tutoring you will make a difference to the people you work with! Hestia provides holistic, one-to-one support in our refuges and the community. Our refuge services are for women and children, offering a safe place to stay and vital emotional and practical support.

Outside of our refuges, most of our support services are accessible by anyone who has experienced domestic abuse, including men.

In the last year, 3,855 women and children were supported by Hestia to recover from domestic abuse.

Anyone can experience domestic abuse, at any point in their life, regardless of their background, age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. However, it is a gendered crime, with women being three times more likely to be victims.

We help people understand what domestic abuse is and develop the knowledge, skills and tools they need to protect themselves, stay safe and leave a relationship, if and when they’re ready to do so.

What you will be doing

• To support children who are not confident with numeracy to develop these skills through tutoring sessions over a video call
• Engage in conversation, problem solving examples, maths based support
• To keep records of conversations and update the support worker on progress of sessions

The skills you need

• Interest in supporting children to develop their math skills. Background in teaching maths/numeracy is desirable
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere
• A tutoring qualification is desirable but not essential
• Mathematics qualification is essential

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 - 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.

About Us

Now in our 30th year, The Eikon Charity supports children and young people across Surrey to feel and be safe, heard, and supported.

Growing up in today’s world can be incredibly challenging. That’s why we empower children and young people to find the inner and outer resources they need – skills, knowledge and resilience – as they develop and navigate life. 

So, we create spaces for them where they can be themselves and talk about their thoughts and feelings. They understand better than anyone what’s happening in their own lives, so we listen, without judging. 

Background to the role

At Eikon we are poised to deliver an increase in our vital, evidence-based services across Surrey and the South-East, as well as to share our model of success and influence children and young people’s services across the UK. We know, and others know, that what we do has an impact on our children and young people who, tragically, need more of everything we offer as their challenges increase.

We are now looking for passion, commitment and bold leadership from our new Chair. You will have had a senior career in the public, private or voluntary sector, you’ll have grown an organisation sustainably, leading with vision and courage, and engaging and influencing stakeholders internally and externally. You will be entrepreneurial and forward-focused with ambition to effect the change that you will believe in as wholeheartedly as we do. You will lead the Board in a way that ensures we remain relevant and fit for purpose for our next season of growth and impact, while also retaining our resilience and sustainability. You will ensure our CEO and senior leadership team are empowered to lead as effectively as possible in an increasingly complex and challenging environment. 

Qualities we’re looking for:

• Visionary leadership: demonstrates bold, strategic thinking and the ability to inspire and guide the Board and executive team toward long-term sustainable growth
• Commitment to mission: passion for the charity’s purpose and a deep understanding of its social impact
• Influencing & advocacy: skilled in representing the charity externally, influencing key stakeholders, and acting as an ambassador for its work
• Integrity & diplomacy: exercises sound judgment, tact, and discretion in complex and sensitive situations
• Inclusivity & collaboration: fosters a collaborative and inclusive Board culture, encouraging diverse perspectives and constructive challenge

What your day to day in this role will look like:

You’ll show bold and strategic leadership and build a good relationship with our CEO, along with the rest of our leadership team. Efficiency and effectiveness will be key in this governance role, as well as maintaining external relations.

How to Apply:

Eastside People is supporting The Eikon Charity in the recruitment of this role. Please click here to apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter both in Word doc format.

Please use the cover letter (max 2 pages) as an opportunity to add to the information you have shared in your CV and ensure that you cover the following: 

○       Why are you interested in the Chair role at Eikon? 

○       Having read the information pack and understanding who we’re looking for, what relevant experience, skills and personal qualities would you bring to this role? 

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. If you have a disability or require reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please contact us so we can support you appropriately.

The closing date for applications is 27 October. Shortlisting interviews will take place shortly after and shortlisted candidates will have an interview with the panel at Eikon during the week beginning 3 or 10 November.

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.

Social Media Analyst Volunteer

Team:                      Marketing

Location:                Either remote working or from our offices in Leeds

Time commitment:  1-2 days a month

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About Candlelighters

Candlelighters provides financial, emotional and practical support to families affected by childhood cancer in Yorkshire. We support around 150 new families each year and our work ensure the whole family unit is supported in these extraordinary circumstances.

We support children and their families from diagnosis and throughout their journey, including financial support, practical help in hospital, much needed breaks, as well as emotional and well-being support at our Family Support Centre (The Square) and in local communities across Yorkshire. 

Purpose of the Role

At Candlelighters we utilise social media to increase awareness of the charity and childhood cancer. We use it to attract new supporters, and encourage existing supporters to actively take part in activities to make a difference for children with cancer and their families – whether that be donating, fundraising or volunteering. We would love a volunteer to help analyse the effectiveness of our social media each month to help us continue to improve the effectiveness of our social media marketing.

Key Activities

-Download data from each social media channel to produce a report on key metrics such as reach, engagement, and followers.

·Identify trends in performance by comparing monthly and annual results.

·Identify types of posts that have performed well or not.

·Make recommendations for future posts and strategies.

Volunteer Requirements

·Experience of social media analytics.

·Ability to use Microsoft word, excel and outlook.

·Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

·Knowledge or experience of marketing.

·Good working knowledge of social media.

·The ability to use their own laptop for the work.

Support and Benefits

You will receive:

· Thorough induction & training to give you the confidence to perform your role well and to the best of your ability

· Opportunity to develop new and existing skills to help you beyond your involvement with Candlelighters

· Ongoing support from the Fundraising and HR teams

· The opportunity to meet lots of new, friendly people

· The opportunity to expose yourself to new experiences

· Mileage (reimbursed at HMRC rate) and other reasonable expenses reimbursed, in accordance with our Expense Policy

· Regular reviews with your Volunteer Supervisor to help you develop in your role

· Satisfaction in knowing you are making a valuable contribution to supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer

· We can be a reference once you’ve volunteered for three months

· Access to the MINDFUL EMPLOYER+ 24/7 mental health hotline

· Charity Worker Discount card

· Access to The Company Shop

Fight for Home Champion [London]

Do you have great communication skills that you’d like to put to good use?

Information about the role

In this role you’ll be representing Shelter at local events and functions, speaking about our work and encouraging more people to support our movement for change. You’ll also promote our local Shelter services and our campaigning work to tackle the root causes of the housing emergency.

Location: London (various)

Suggested contribution: Ideally at least once month, but it’s up to you.

Availability: This is a flexible opportunity, with meetings and events that might take place in evenings and weekends.

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now by clicking ‘fill in an application’ or read on more for details.

Main activities may include:

· Delivering talks to local community groups, schools and faith groups about the work of Shelter and the ways in which your audience could help us achieve our goals.

· Raising awareness of Shelter and our work through talking to friends, family and on social media

· Attending cheque presentations on behalf of Shelter to thank people and say a few words about how the money raised could be used to tackle homelessness

· Supporting our campaigns to tackle the root cause of the housing emergency by encouraging people to sign petitions and spreading the word in your community

This role fights the housing emergency by raising funds that enable Shelter to provide advice and support and campaigning for change. The events you’ll be attending are also great for raising awareness of the housing emergency and how people can get involved to help tackle it.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering.

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity.

Your skills and experience

For this role it’s important you’re willing to speak in front of an audience, but it doesn’t matter if you have experience in this area or not. The most important thing is that you are passionate about joining our fight for home!

Supporting you

· You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook.

· The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences.

· You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance.

· You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders.

Next steps

You can apply for this role by clicking ‘fill in an application’. If you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us.

We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further.

Upon offer of role, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean you can’t volunteer with us. We will have a conversation with you to discuss the convictions in relation to the role you have applied for. Sometimes it may limit the ways you can get involved. Please contact us if you require more information.