Mental health volunteer roles

Trustees required – Evolve Counselling CIO (1181861) 

• Location: remote/Cambridgeshire area 

• Voluntary role: reasonable expenses paid 

• Time commitment: 0-5 hours per month (estimated), mostly outside office hours 

• Term: negotiable, e.g. interim/three years/extendable by re-election 

• Application closing date: 7 July 2025 

The Role: 

Dynamic Trustees needed, with charity and commercial skills, to support mental health CIO. With an ambitious development programme up and running, we need to expand our Trustee Board. This is an exciting opportunity to join us at a crucial time of growing demand for our services. 

About Us: 

Evolve Counselling is a long-established charitable social enterprise, providing low cost, affordable or funded mental health counselling to adults in mainly Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties. Our counselling community is made up of 50 – 60 qualified self-employed practitioners, working part-time. We deliver talking therapies to adults – online and in person. Our service delivers around 500 counselling sessions per month to a broad range of individuals, many of whom would not otherwise be able to access counselling support. Evolve also provides supervision, reflective practice, critical incident support, and mental health awareness and related training, to organisations and businesses large and small. 

What We’re Looking For: 

Our Trustee Board is currently drawn from the counselling and therapies community, plus commercial and other charity backgrounds. Now, with crucial development of the CIO ahead, we are looking for new members to expand the Board to its maximum ten places and to gain skills and insight from an equal, diverse and inclusive group that takes in business skills, knowledge of charities, and experience of not-for-profit finances to make growth plans a reality. 

The Board will keep us on track with good governance through oversight of our work and will also help our keen new CEO to secure a sound financial base from which to grow our operations to meet the ever-increasing demand for our services. 

We welcome applications from individuals with backgrounds in any of the following areas: 

• Business strategy and planning 
• Commerce/industry 
• Governance 
• Working within the charity/CIO sector 
• Financial management 
• Legal expertise 
• Health and wellbeing services 
• Mental health counselling 
• Health service commissioning or delivery planning 
• Advocacy or advice services 
• Data protection/GDPR knowledge 
• Adherence to the Nolan Principles of Public Life 

Application process: Please email with your CV and letter of application, stating why you’d like to become a Trustee at Evolve Counselling and how your skills and experience align with our plans for growth. 

Why we want you

At Together Trust we are fortunate to have outdoor spaces that are well maintained with lawns mowed and hedges trimmed, but we would love to bring a bit more life and interest to them!

We believe in the benefits of colourful and inviting outdoor areas for the mental health of the children, young people, and staff who use those spaces, and in the sensory stimulation and understanding gained from growing herbs and edible produce. We need someone with gardening know-how and expertise to help us make that a reality!

What you will be doing

• planting and maintaining year-round flowerbeds / pots / plant boxes
• keeping planted areas free of weeds
• growing edible produce for our young people to enjoy (herbs, fruit, veg)
• coming up with other ideas for how we can make the most of the space

The skills you need

• gardening knowledge and skills
• ability to perform the physical aspects of the role
• confidence to be around children and young people with social, emotional, and mental health support needs
• a friendly attitude
• patience
• willingness to work within guidelines and to take direction where necessary.

What's in it for you

• having time in the fresh air and reap the mental health benefits that brings
• being part of a friendly and dedicated team
• learning more about the abilities of the children and young people we support
• feeling proud about making a difference to young people’s lives

We are The Unseen Barriers Foundation – a new, disabled-led Scottish charity (status pending) tackling the invisible causes of exclusion. Shame, sensory overload, emotional exhaustion, disbelief. These are the things that stop people from showing up — to appointments, to events, to life.

The Foundation is built around two original lived experience contributions by our founder:

The Unseen Barriers Framework — a landmark conceptual model naming the distress-based barriers that keep disabled people locked out of support

Cùran — a green plush dragon created as a visual anchor for distress, shutdown, and solidarity

Both are licensed to the Foundation by the creator to ensure they serve a purpose-first, rights-based mission.

We are now looking for trustees to help shape this work from the ground up. This is a working board — not a figurehead role. Trustees will actively contribute to strategic direction, governance, and growth.

We are currently remote-first to ensure full accessibility, but will provide office space (Edinburgh/Glasgow area) once funded. You do not need to be based in either city.

Estimated time commitment:

Around 6–8 hours per month including preparation, meetings, and task-based input

Board meetings held every 6–8 weeks via Zoom

All access needs will be fully accommodated

We are especially keen to hear from:

Disabled people and unpaid carers

People with lived experience of distress, neurodivergence, or poverty

Individuals with skills in finance, charity governance, fundraising, legal oversight, or communications

If you believe in radical inclusion, and want to join something disruptive but grounded, get in touch.

We believe in finding the right people, not just filling seats. Informal conversations will take place on a rolling basis, and trustees will be appointed as and when suitable candidates are identified. Early expressions of interest are encouraged.

Shout is the UK’s only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. When people text 'Shout' to 85258, they are connected to a Shout Volunteer for a text conversation. Our volunteers provide a safe space for people to share what's causing them distress, while showing warmth and compassion.

Tasks and Responsibilities

If your application is successful, you’ll be enrolled in a training group. New groups start every two weeks.

Shout Volunteers receive 25 hours of free training in communication, listening, managing and assessing risk, and problem solving. The training is self-paced and done online. You’ll learn how to bring people in distress to a place of calm and practice skills that will be useful to you throughout life.

As we are investing in you throughout your time with us, our hope is that you will complete the training in a timely manner and look at this as a longer term commitment. The experience you gain over time is valuable and our goal is to have volunteers commit to 200 hours on the platform, which can take up to two years to complete, as we ask you to take one 2-4 hour shift per week. 

Our Volunteer Training Support team is here to support you, answer any questions and provide feedback during training and throughout your time with Shout. You’ll be joining an incredibly supportive volunteer community and have access to the resources you need to do your role.

As a volunteer, you’ll be supporting people in distress, so it’s important we see the skills required to do that while you are in training. While most trainees complete the training and go on to volunteer, not everyone will pass the training. If this happens, there are other ways you can still support us.

Selection Criteria

A Shout Volunteer is kind and compassionate, a good listener, and has the ability to remain calm when supporting people in crisis. You will also:

• Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend

• Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing

• Be open-minded

• Be supportive

• Be reliable

• Be discreet and able to respect confidentiality at all times

• Be accepting and non-judgemental

• Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout

• Adopt a growth mindset, and be willing to accept feedback

Requirements

• You must live in the United Kingdom or New Zealand while volunteering. 
• You must be over 18 years of age.
• You will need a reliable internet connection and a private place to take your shift.
• All of your volunteering must be done using a laptop or desktop computer and Google Chrome.

It’s worth spending time thinking about the nature of the role, and whether it’s right for you. We support all texters, regardless of race, religion, sexual identity or issue. You will need to be comfortable addressing topics frequently discussed with texters (suicide, self-harm, depression, etc.) without compromising your own mental health. 

Before you apply, please consider whether either of the following applies to you:

• Have you recently experienced grief, loss or change issue/s? For example; someone close to you has been ill or has died, you’ve lost your job, your relationship has ended.

• Is your current mental health and wellbeing in a place such that the stress and pressure of listening to the challenges of others would bring additional burden to you personally?

Benefits to Volunteers

The role is rewarding and can save lives. Shout Volunteers tell us they gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and purpose from taking conversations. They also tell us that their own wellbeing increases, they learn valuable skills and gain experience they can use at work and in their personal lives.

Volunteering can also be a great addition to your CV. You do not need to have any past experience in mental health to be a Shout Volunteer - we’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to do the role.

Application Process

You will need to create your account and fill in the application using a laptop or desktop computer and in a Google Chrome browser. This is a standard requirement for all of our systems at Shout, from the application through to the platform.

You should leave up to an hour to complete the form. As Shout is a text based service and we do not conduct in person interviews for our volunteer candidates what you write in your application and the strength of your references are how we get to know you. 

We appreciate when candidates take the time to write thoughtful, considered answers. We recommend you review your application with an eye toward things like spelling, grammar and punctuation. While some of our texters will occasionally reach out using more informal text speak, our volunteers respond in full sentences and double check their messages for accuracy before hitting send. 

Your application will be reviewed once we have received responses from both of your references. We ask for a personal reference and a professional reference. The personal reference can be a friend or colleague but the other must be someone who knows you professionally or has supervised you in some way. 

This could be a manager or supervisor from where you work or a teacher or educator from where you study. We recommend you choose references who are able to speak to your ability to fulfil the selection criteria outlined above.

We do not accept references from family members. This includes your partner or their relatives, your children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or godparents. 

Please allow up to a month for us to review your application and return a decision. 

If your application is approved, you can book your place on training. Training groups usually start every two weeks and spaces are available to book a couple of months ahead. While you are in training and before you are allowed on the platform we will carry out a background check.

Role Description

Join Off The Record, an independent charity that has been proudly serving the Havant Borough area since 1977. Our mission is to empower young people and their families in South East Hampshire by supporting their emotional health and well-being. We provide vital one-on-one and family counseling, support, a young carers project and group services for individuals aged 8-25 and their families.

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people, we invite you to volunteer with us at our main office, located at 138 Purbrook Way, Leigh Park. We are currently seeking dedicated volunteers to support our counseling service by answering phones, providing information, engaging in friendly conversations, and offering signposting advice to clients awaiting our services and also opportunities to assist with awareness events and our group activities and young carers services.

What We Offer and Our Commitment to You

• Comprehensive, Laser accredited “Be A Volunteer” online training conducted over two engaging three-hour sessions
• A certificate of attendance to recognize your commitment to personal and professional growth.
• A structured induction and shadowing program with our experienced staff and volunteers, ensuring you feel confident in your role.
• Training in our administrative and IT systems to equip you with the necessary skills for success.
• A rewarding opportunity to positively impact the lives of young people right from our offices in Leigh Park.
• Monthly support meetings and social events to foster a sense of community and connection among volunteers.
• Additional training opportunities as funding permits, allowing for your continuous development.

What We Expect, Your Commitment to Us

• Submission of your CV, including explanations for any employment gaps, to comply with our rigorous safer recruitment processes
• A compelling cover letter detailing your motivations for wanting to volunteer at Off The Record.
• Two recent references from employers or academic sources (DBS checks will be carried out as a requirement of the role).
• Full attendance in the "Be A Volunteer" training program to gain essential skills and knowledge.
• A dedication to committing to a weekly group or rota slot, along with attendance at monthly support meetings (a minimum commitment of 2.5 hours per week plus one hour per month for supervision).

We are eager to welcome passionate individuals to start in Summer 2025, which will include a two-half-day training session, followed by shadowing and training on our systems and procedures.

Job Type: Volunteer

Schedule: Monday to Friday, late afternoons and evenings

Skills and Attributes:

• A genuine enjoyment of working with young people.
• A positive, non-judgmental attitude towards others.
• Reliability and a strong commitment to the volunteer role.
• Trustworthiness and integrity in all interactions.
• Excellent timekeeping skills.
• A kind and empathetic nature, able to connect with those you serve.
• A commitment to representing Off The Record as friendly and professional ambassadors.
• A willingness to learn about local services to offer the best signposting options.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to help others feel at ease.
• Seize the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in your community.

We look forward to hearing from you!

We seek a Chairperson to head our Board at Evolve Counselling who will guide our strategic direction in the provision of lowest cost mental health counselling for individuals and businesses. 

Location: Cambridgeshire area of operations. Chair can be fully remote. 

Voluntary: Reasonable expenses paid 

Commitment: Initial term of 1 -3 years. Flexible hours per month 

Closing date: Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Overview 

For over 40 years Evolve Counselling has provided lowest-cost professional mental health counselling for adults in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Northamptonshire and beyond, through the skill and dedication of our team of 60+ BACP-registered counsellors.

The role 

We are looking for a new Chair who understands the growing demand for our services and the challenges of competing as a medium sized charitable business at this time. We shall look to our new Chair to build trust and engagement with our CEO, the Trustee Board, our volunteers, and supporters, as we capitalise on great recent work to stabilise and find new opportunities for significant growth. 

The new chairperson will ideally bring health and wellbeing experience and commercial skills, as well as a demonstrable empathy for charitable working and commitment to the Nolan Principles of public life. 

The role of the Chair is hugely rewarding and the scope under the leadership of the current CEO for Evolve to grow and innovate is significant. You will have significant senior leadership experience to drawn upon as you take ultimate responsibility for directing and inspiring the Trustees, making sure we are financially sustainable, and well run for our clients. Our ethos is to look upwards and outwards as we strive for a leading position in mental health services for all, and your commercial acumen, professional contacts, and powers of persuasion in business will be a huge support for our ambitions. 

Including quarterly board meetings, committee sessions (at present virtual), a face-to-face AGM event, plus away days, and regular meetings with our CEO and the trustees, we anticipate a flexible time commitment of around 2 - 5 days per month. 

For further information or an informal discussion on the role, please contact Kevin Bottrell.

Application process: Expressions of interest in the first instance by email to our CEO Gordon Ackroyd.

Location: Remote with occasional in-person meetings 

Commitment: Approximately 8-10 hours/month

About Children With Voices (CWV):

Children With Voices is a community-driven charity committed to supporting young people, families, and communities through initiatives focused on mental health, well-being, food sustainability, and youth empowerment. We aim to create safe, inclusive spaces that promote resilience, opportunity, and growth.

Role Overview:

The Board Secretary plays a crucial role in ensuring strong governance, effective communication, and operational efficiency across CWV’s board activities. This volunteer position supports compliance, board administration, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning—contributing directly to CWV’s mission and long-term impact.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Board Governance & Compliance

•Maintain accurate and confidential records of board meetings, decisions, and policies.

•Ensure compliance with charity governance frameworks and legal regulations.

•Support the board in implementing best practices in governance and administration.

2. Meeting Coordination & Strategic Support

•Organise and facilitate board meetings: prepare agendas, document minutes, and track action points.

•Maintain up-to-date records of board members, policies, and governance materials.

•Assist in aligning board discussions with CWV’s strategic objectives.

3. Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

•Act as a liaison between board members, stakeholders, and external partners.

•Represent CWV at public engagements, networking events, and charity forums.

•Maintain a professional tone in all correspondence and ensure timely communication.

4. Mental Health & Well-Being Advocacy

•Support the integration of mental health awareness into board planning and discussions.

5. Financial Administration & Fundraising Support

•Assist in tracking financial documentation, grant applications, and reporting requirements.

•Support funding strategies by ensuring appropriate record-keeping and compliance.

•Work closely with fundraising leads to maintain transparency and donor trust.

Key Skills & Experience:

•Experience in board administration, governance, or executive-level support.

•Strong knowledge of UK charity regulations and non-profit governance best practices.

•Excellent written and verbal communication skills; experience in minute-taking and report writing.

•Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint).

•Experience in stakeholder engagement, public speaking, or advocacy work.

•Understanding or experience in mental health, psychotherapy, or community wellness is highly desirable.

•Familiarity with financial processes in a non-profit or charitable context is a plus.

What You’ll Gain:

•Opportunity to play a key role in shaping a growing community organisation.

•Experience in charity governance and strategic planning.

•A chance to contribute to mental health and youth development initiatives.

•Connections with a passionate, diverse, and purpose-driven board team.

Next Steps:

Interested candidates should submit a CV and a short expression of interest outlining relevant experience and motivation for the role.

Wimbledon Guild is recruiting a new Trustee to Chair our Talking Therapies Committee for our experienced and established Board. We are looking for people who have the professional skills and personal passion to help us deliver support services to adults in Merton with the ambition that no-one should face life’s challenges alone.

About Wimbledon Guild

Wimbledon Guild is a community charity offering practical help and support so that people in Merton never have to face life’s challenges alone.

Whether someone is worried about money, they’re feeling low or overwhelmed, or they’re looking for new friends and activities locally, we’re always here.

Wimbledon Guild is more than just a place, we're a real community where everyone belongs.

We’ve supported our community for over 100 years and continue to grow our services in response to local needs and aspirations.

We are passionate about providing holistic services  tackling issues such as social isolation, financial hardship, emotional  and mental health difficulties. We also have an extensive activity programme aimed at keeping older people active and healthy. We have earned a reputation for delivering excellent services and we collaborate closely with other local and national organisations to ensure that our approach is dynamic and relevant.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong professional background in adult social care, counselling or mental health services to join a well-established and effective Board, and to contribute their experience to ensure that Wimbledon Guild achieves its goals. The Committee Chair will be responsible for representing the Talking Therapies Committee at Board meetings, as well as fulfilling all of the general duties of an active trustee. These include helping to develop strategy, providing oversight, and promoting the highest standards of corporate governance.

About You

The Talking Therapies Committee Chair should demonstrate the following qualities:

- A clear and confident communicator who has experience working at a senior level.

- An ability to take over existing projects and ensure that these are on track for successful delivery.

- A strong professional background in adult social care, mental health services, counselling or related professions

- A willingness to be a committed Board member, and to contribute actively to a skilled and experienced Board.

- A commitment to Wimbledon Guild’s objectives and to the Merton community.

- An understanding of and commitment to our  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies

Join our ever expanding team of therapists to deliver face to face counselling to anyone over the age of 18 years, in South West London.

You will become part of an organisation that is passionate about providing support for the local community, along with therapists from a diverse range of backgrounds.

We offer

• Free fortnightly supervision
• Appraisals and feedback for institutions
• Support from counselling and admin team
• Free training and CPD

We ask for therapists to:

• Have completed at least 100 hours of face to face, supervised clinical experience completed. Relevant work / life experience will be considered.
• Be qualified to Level 5 diploma level or be enrolled on the 2nd year of a BACP or UKCP accredited course.
• Be able to commit to three clients a week, for a minimum of 2 years.
• Attend personal therapy throughout their placement while a trainee.
• Attend fortnightly Richmond AID supervision.
• Hold membership of their relevant awarding body

The New Normal are seeking a Chair of our Board of Trustees! The primary responsibilities are providing leadership, strategic direction and governance oversight for the charity. They ensure that the board functions effectively, that the organization remains true to its mission, and that it meets its legal and ethical obligations. 

We are looking for a driven and diligent person to support TNN in it's mission to provide free-to-access peer support for a diverse range of grief experiences, communities and identities. 

Applicants should have the capacity to provide around 4-6 hours per month on a flexible basis, with some months quieter/busier than others.

We are seeking someone who has strong leadership, facilitation and decision-making skills, excellent communication and public-speaking, understanding of financial management, fundraising and stakeholder engagement, and a passion for the Charity's mission and long-term success. You should have experience serving on a Board of Trustees (preferably as Chair), in ​governance, strategic planning, and the non-profit sector.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and pathways. This is a voluntary role and responsibilities are listed in below Job Description.

[Due to the nature of the role and the work we do, the successful applicant will be required to undertake a DBS check and meet the statutory conditions for serving as a Trustee (attached). Persons will be shortlisted and appointed based solely on character, skills, qualifications and experience.]

One25 is a Bristol-based charity, specialising in supporting women to break free from street sex-work, addiction and other life-controlling issues and build new, independent lives. We provide night outreach (7 sessions weekly), a Health Hub and casework, giving person-centred support and advocacy to around 240 women each year.

One25’s outreach service is often how women first make contact with us, meeting us on our fully equipped outreach van. Three volunteers, one an experienced team leader, go out on the van at night and meet women’s basic needs by providing nutritious food, first aid, warm clothing, condoms, safety alarms etc. They provide the chance to talk and get advice in a safe space and encourage women to get more in-depth help by visiting our Health Hub or seeing a caseworker.

We are looking for volunteers to join our accelerated pathway to becoming a Van Team Leader. Van Team Leaders are responsible for leading volunteers during shifts, coordinating with One25 staff and external services, and making decisions in crisis situations.

Please note: It is an Occupational Requirement that applications for this role are open to women only, as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1, of the Equality Act 2010. Enhanced DBS disclosure will be required.

Team Leader tasks will involve (but are not limited to):

• Organising jobs with volunteers prior to shift
• Contacting volunteers prior to shift to make arrangements.
• Leading the briefing and debriefing sessions.
• Explaining procedures to new volunteers and answering any questions they have.
• Supporting and mentoring other volunteers, offering coaching and guidance where appropriate.
• Being responsible for making decisions relating to safety on the van
• Feeding back to the Volunteer Manager.

This pilot project will be for people who have professional experience in the following areas:

• Domestic abuse
• Sexual violence
• Drug and alcohol
• Homelessness
• Social care
• Physical Health
• Mental health

To apply for this programme you must have/be:

• Experience in the above mentioned fields
• Able to commit to 2 nights per month and 1 evening per month during the 7-month training programme
• Able to commit to at least 1 night per month and 1 evening per quarter upon completion of the training programme
• Able to travel to and from St Pauls, Bristol after shift
• Reliable and punctual
• An understanding of the issues women involved in street sex work.
• Non-judgmental and compassionate approach.Empathy and ability to actively listen.
• Ability to be friendly, but professional.
• Ability to maintain boundaries and be firm about rules.
• Ability to take direction and learn from mistakes and progress in your role
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• Be comfortable leading a team and providing on site feedback to volunteers

For more information on this role, please see the attached role description.

Applications by: 9am, Monday 7th July 2025

Interviews: Tuesday 15th July, Wednesday 16th July or Thursday 17th July

Induction date: Tuesday 22nd July (5pm until 9pm)

Do you want to make a difference to Bristol’s mental health? Do you have experience in governing non-profits, or organisations in a similar field? Can you approach challenges with energy and expertise, and help steer the board of an ambitious and specialised organisation with confidence?

If this sounds like you, then we'd love to hear from you.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to...

• Lead a dedicated and passionate group of people (Board of Trustees)
• Help create transformative change that will enrich lives
• Support the strategic vision of an established, award-winning charity

The closing date for this vacancy is Friday 11th July 2025 at 11:59pm. 

Shortlisted candidates will have an interview with the panel in late July - exact date tbc.

We're looking for someone who has a broad knowledge of Talking Therapies, community mental health priorities and emerging trends and who can contribute effectively as a Committee Chair and as a Board member.

What will you be doing?

Wimbledon Guild is recruiting a new Trustee to Chair our Talking Therapies Committee for our experienced and established Board. We are looking for people who have the professional skills and personal passion to help us deliver support services to adults in Merton with the ambition that no-one should face life’s challenges alone.

About Wimbledon Guild

Wimbledon Guild is a community charity offering practical help and support so that people in Merton never have to face life’s challenges alone.

Whether someone is worried about money, they’re feeling low or overwhelmed, or they’re looking for new friends and activities locally, we’re always here.

Wimbledon Guild is more than just a place, we're a real community where everyone belongs.

We’ve supported our community for over 100 years and continue to grow our services in response to local needs and aspirations.

We are passionate about providing holistic services  tackling issues such as social isolation, financial hardship, emotional  and mental health difficulties. We also have an extensive activity programme aimed at keeping older people active and healthy. We have earned a reputation for delivering excellent services and we collaborate closely with other local and national organisations to ensure that our approach is dynamic and relevant.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong professional background in adult social care, counselling or mental health services to join a well-established and effective Board, and to contribute their experience to ensure that Wimbledon Guild achieves its goals. The Committee Chair will be responsible for representing the Talking Therapies Committee at Board meetings, as well as fulfilling all of the general duties of an active trustee. These include helping to develop strategy, providing oversight, and promoting the highest standards of corporate governance.

What are we looking for?

The Talking Therapies Committee Chair should demonstrate the following qualities:

• A clear and confident communicator who has experience working at a senior level.
• An ability to take over existing projects and ensure that these are on track for successful delivery.
• A strong professional background in adult social care, mental health services, counselling or related professions
• A willingness to be a committed Board member, and to contribute actively to a skilled and experienced Board.
• A commitment to Wimbledon Guild’s objectives and to the Merton community.
• An understanding of and commitment to our  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies

What difference will you make?

This is a vital role, helping ensure we can continue our support for people in Merton. As Committee Chair, you will have a real opportunity to offer your unique skill set to help the strategic progression of the charity.

Before you apply

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter answering the questions 

1. What particularly interests you about Wimbledon Guild and its work in the Merton community? (500 words) 

2. Which of your professional skills and experience do you feel are most relevant to this trusteeship and why? (500 words

Charity Trustee

You and Me Counselling are currently recruiting volunteer trustees to complement the committee members already in their role.

This is a home working role and will be for immediate start.

Our charity

You and Me Counselling is a charitable organisation established in 2011. We are a counselling and psychotherapy service based in Hornchurch, Essex that works with children, young people, adults, and their families in the boroughs of Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest. Our counsellors and therapists work both within schools and from our counselling rooms located in Hornchurch and Ilford.

You and Me Counselling are an organisational member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). This means we are fully governed by the BACP’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

Job Description

As a trustee you will need to:

• Acknowledge emails at least once a day.
• Give a minimum of one hour per week to the role.
• Attend quarterly trustee meetings online.
• Ensure that You and Me Counselling pursues its stated objectives
• Ensure there is regular review of changes that might affect the organisation (political, financial, demographic, etc.)
• Ensure that the charity complies with charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Monitor finance to ensure that the charity applies its resources exclusively for its charitable objectives.
• Uphold the good name and values of You and Me Counselling.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place.
• Ensure the financial stability of the organisation.
• Supervise, support and appraise the chief executive officer.
• Hold the chief executive officer to account for the management and administration of the charity.
• Ensure that the organisation acts in accordance with employment law and exercises a duty of care to its employees.
• Identify major risks to the organisation and put systems in place to mitigate or minimise the risks.
• Ensure that the organisation has a governance structure that is appropriate to a charity of its size/complexity, stage of development, and its charitable objectives
• Regularly review your own training needs and create an expectation of continuous professional development throughout the organisation.
• Ensure that trustees have an agreed code of conduct and comply with it, and that there are mechanisms for the removal of trustees who do not abide by the principles stated therein.

Person Specifications

All trustees should demonstrate the following skills and values:

• A commitment to the organisation.
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort.
• Good, independent judgement.
• An ability to think creatively.
• A willingness to speak their mind.
• An understanding and acceptance of their legal duties and responsibilities as a trustee
• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to evaluate and interpret management information and other data.

Specific Skills

The ideal candidate would have one of more of the following:

• Experience in charity law and governance
• Experience in charity fundraising
• Knowledge of counselling or psychotherapy (as a therapist or client)
• Experience in accounting or financial management
• Experience in business development
• Experience in social media or marketing
• A parent of a young person who has experience of mental health issues