Operations manager volunteer roles in callington, cornwall

Since 2002, we’ve delivered a structured, high-impact, programme of mentoring, a paid internship, skills masterclasses, and workplace visits for young people from under-represented backgrounds.

Our programme empowers them with new-found skills, confidence, aspirations, and support networks, boosting their life outcomes. It also enables employers to engage with and shape future talent, adding value to their organisation, and make a positive difference in their local communities.

​

Our values

Our people are committed and passionate about changing the lives of young people. Our organisational values underpin how we work and are at the core of everything we do.:

· Trust

· Bravery

· Collaboration

· Empowerment

· Inclusion

We have 40 colleagues across the UK, and strong collaboration across a remote working environment is critical to our success. We champion flexibility and wellbeing, and strive to be a positive place work, both in terms of our mission and our culture.

Our impact and growth

Across the UK in 2024 we supported 4,238 young people across our two programme cohorts, with 4,395 volunteers supporting them. We worked with 374 employers to provide mentors and summer internships in 2024 and have 194 school and college partners. 

Thanks to the support of our network, we’re able to have the following impact for young people:

· 99% of programme graduates go into higher education, apprenticeships or work

· 90% of students said they felt more confident than before the programme

· Career Ready alumni have a professional network twice the size of their non-programme peers

· 90% of students rated their career skills a strength following their paid internship

Following a challenging couple of years in the charity sector and wider economy, we have just closed the 2024/25 financial year in a more positive position. We are set to embark on a new 2025-30 strategy which focuses around 4 key pillars:

· Income sustainability

· Digital enablement and adoption

· UK programme alignment

· People & Culture

We are looking for further brilliant people to join our Board of Trustees and help us excel our new strategic focus.

About the role

Role purpose

As a Trustee you will make a significant contribution to creating empowering opportunities for young people from under-represented backgrounds. 

The role of the Trustee is to ensure that Career Ready is carrying out its purpose, as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and that it complies with the law.

Trustees must always act in the best interests of Career Ready, with reasonable care and skill, whilst also ensuring it is accountable.  They must also ensure that Career Ready manages its’ resources effectively and sets the forward direction of the organisation.

Main responsibilities and accountabilities

· Ensuring that Career Ready functions within the legal and financial requirements of a Charitable Company

· Account for the work of Career Ready to Companies House, The Charity Commission, OSCR, funders

· Managing risks, protecting assets (reputation) and people 

· Ensuring that Career Ready strives to achieve best practice in all aspects of its work

· Determining the overall policy and direction of the Charity

· Fixing the annual budgets and approving accounts

· Recognising and dealing with conflicts of interest

· Appointing the Chief Executive Officer when required

· Agreeing strategic and work plans

· Collaborating with members of the senior management team in the development of strategic plans 

· Hearing membership appeals against the decisions of the Chief Executive Officer

· Ensuring that Career Ready maintains and complies with a policy of equal opportunities in respect of staff, members and stakeholders

· Act as a champion and ambassador for the work of Career Ready 

Person Specification

We are looking for 3-4 Trustees who have:

· A commitment to the mission of Career Ready

· An understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship

· Integrity

· Sound judgement

· Strategic vision

· A willingness to contribute ideas and challenge

· Willingness to actively participate in developing the senior leadership team through sharing of skills and expertise 

As part of this recruitment exercise, we aspire to have greater Trustee representation from the following sectors/areas of expertise:

· Digital/technology/systems

· Comms/marketing

· Fundraising

· Finance

· Government/Policy

· Operations

In addition, we welcome applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, to align with the diverse range of young people we serve, for example, lived experience of social mobility.

Commitment

We’re looking for trustees who aren’t just interested—they’re invested. Our ambitions are big, and we need people who have the capacity and motivation to engage with us in achieving these.

At least four meetings per year plus AGM.  Usually held in person in London/other locations with opportunity to join remotely. 

Up to three-year initial term. 

Invitation to join Career Ready team at annual All-Colleague event. 

Encouraged to support and participate in Career Ready events.

Opportunities to join and influence other projects and governance committees.

Timetable

Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 31st July.

Please note that the closing date may be brought forward if we receive strong applications.

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.

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.

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.

We are looking for trustees who will offer challenges, experience, and expert knowledge to help us think differently. We are looking for individuals who will take an active role in the governance of the Charity and support our expansion objectives - to remain financially stable whilst actively growing our volunteer network, our geographical coverage and our paid services to increase the number of families and young people we can support each year.

Person specification:

• Good, independent judgement and strategic vision.

• Commitment to the organisation and a willingness and ability to devote the necessary time & effort to the role.

• An understanding of, or interest in, special educational needs and disability affecting children and young people and their families.

• Skills to analyse proposals, examine their strategic consequences and make concise recommendations as part of the Board.

• Ability to cooperatively work with the whole team of trustees, and with employees and volunteers.

• Willingness to speak your mind and appropriately challenge other trustees and employees; but also listen to the views of different people before reaching a decision.

• Secure personal access to digital communication technology with an ability to competently and efficiently use those resources.

• Willingness to be available to employees for advice and enquiries on a scheduled or ad-hoc basis.

The ideal applicant would also possess the following:

• Extensive networks, and a willingness to draw on contacts as appropriate.

• Experience of working at a senior management / leadership level.

We are keen to hear from anyone who has a passion for our cause and feels that their experiences and expertise could be beneficial to our Board.

If you would like to be considered, please contact us for an application form link and provide a copy of your CV.

The application process will comprise of a two-stage interview, followed by referencing. We anticipate that successful applicants will be invited to join the Board in Autumn 2025.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Join the Board of MEAM as a Trustee and help drive systemic change for people facing multiple disadvantge.

Applications close: 9 a.m. Wednesday 6th August 2025.

Location: National/Virtual

Time commitment: c.6 days per year

About MEAM

Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) is the national charity dedicated to transforming services and systems for people facing multiple disadvantage, including homelessness, mental ill health, substance use, and contact with the criminal justice system. We work with local areas, policymakers, and people with lived experience to drive meaningful, lasting change.

Established in 2009 as a coalition of Clinks, Collective Voice, Homeless Link, and Mind, MEAM collaborates with over 50 local areas across England to improve responses and change lives for people experiencing multiple disadvantage.

We offer hands-on support, consultancy, and training to local cross-sector partnerships, helping them design and deliver better-coordinated services. Central to MEAM’s work is the MEAM Approach, a framework that guides local areas in creating sustainable, systemic change through principles such as partnership, co-production, and flexible service responses. By working alongside practitioners, policymakers, and people with lived experience, MEAM strives to address the root causes of multiple disadvantage and promotes equitable access to support services.

In January 2025, MEAM transitioned from its coalition structure to operate as an independent charity, with our founding partners continuing to serve on the board, reinforcing our collective commitment to collaborative and intersectional approaches in tackling complex social challenges.

About the roles

As a Trustee on the board of MEAM, you will play a pivotal role in guiding the charity through the next phase of growth and development.

Working closely with the Chair and the rest of the board, you will provide strategic leadership, ensuring MEAM continues to drive systemic change for people facing multiple disadvantage.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape the direction of a national organisation dedicated to improving services, systems and policies at both local and national levels.

As a Trustee, you will be instrumental in strengthening MEAM’s long-term sustainability and expanding our reach. Your leadership will help our team drive systemic change, influence national policy, and create more equitable, trauma-informed systems.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking individuals who can complement the current board by bringing a range of skills and experience. In particular, we are keen to hear from individuals whose skills and experience relate to one or more of the following areas:

• Lived experience of multiple disadvantage (with an interest in using this expertise alongside other skills to support and inform change)
• Public sector and commissioning expertise (for example, experience in local or national government, housing, homelessness, health, public health, mental health, substance misuse, domestic violence or criminal justice)
• Commercial expertise in a social context (for example, experience in social or public sector consultancy and training, social enterprise or mission-driven business)

All candidates should have a knowledge of one or more sectors related to our work, share our passion of working for, and with, people experiencing multiple disadvantage, and have knowledge of our systemic and intersectional approach.

MEAM values and prioritises different perspectives and all lived experiences, and as such we welcome applications from all under-represented groups, people with experience of multiple disadvantage and people with convictions.

Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Wednesday 6th August 2025.

Become a Trustee at Sunrise Multicultural Project

Are you passionate about making a difference in your community?

We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help guide the future of Sunrise Multicultural Project.

As a trustee, you will play a vital role in shaping our strategy, ensuring we stay true to our mission, and supporting the development of initiatives that promote inclusivity and integration. We are seeking individuals with a range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences – whether in community work, finance, governance, fundraising, or marketing – who share our commitment to empowering minority groups and fostering a more connected, diverse community. 

If you are eager to contribute your time, expertise, and passion, we would love to hear from you!

At a time when we are experiencing the largest reforms to the welfare rights system in a generation, we believe this is an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in welfare rights work, to join a respected organisation working at the forefront of the advice sector.

The Welfare Benefits Unit offers specialist welfare benefits advice to those who work with members of the public. Our experienced advisers provide independent support through our advice line, publications, training, consultancy, campaigns and projects.

The Welfare Benefits Unit aims to maximise benefit take-up, helping to reduce the incidence and impact of poverty and in doing so improve health, well-being, financial and social inclusion. We are a registered charity based in York. We primarily operate in North Yorkshire and York although some of our services are accessed by organisations working further afield. 

We continue to aim towards a board that reflects the populations we work to support, and as such, welcome individuals from diverse ethnic communities, LGBTQIA+ groups, as well as younger people, those with disabilities, and those who have lived experience of the welfare benefits system.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

We welcome and support applications from those new to being a Trustee. We also know that studies have shown some people are less likely to apply for positions unless they believe meet every requirement in the description. The most important thing for us is to find Trustees that connect with our values and who can readily buy into our mission. Though we have suggested skills and experience areas below, which would be keen to hear from, we’re eager to meet people that believe in our mission and can contribute to our board in a variety of ways – not just candidates who tick all the boxes.

We’re keen to add these areas of skills and experience to our board:

• Financial, legal or HR matters (especially as they may apply to a small charity)
• Expertise in marketing, digital or similar technological areas
• Welfare benefits system and welfare rights advice or lived experience.

About the Role

All Trustee positions are voluntary with reasonable expenses remunerated. To be an effective Trustee, you will need to commit up to 1-2 days per quarter to attend and prepare for board meetings which are held virtually.

Effective Trustees support our work by:

• ensuring we are working towards our vision, mission and values in everything we do
• ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources, maintaining proper financial and regulatory oversight and best practice as a charity
• approving the annual budget, and supporting strategic decision-making by actively contributing advice and guidance
• appointing key personnel such as the Chief Executive, and determining pay and conditions for the wider team
• constructively guide the Senior Leadership Team in the delivery of the organisation’s strategy
• actively representing and championing the work of the Welfare Benefits Unit.

Web developers and designers wanted to support East London Waterworks Park in continuing to improve its website and digital infrastructure.

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

We are looking for web developers and designers to contribute to our community-led working group who are working on coordinating content and infrastructure for the East London Waterworks Park website. 

There is opportunity to lead on projects across web development and UX and web design, and facilitate the direction of the working group.

The Comms Circle currently meets fortnightly on a Tuesday evening on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely.

You should be experienced in HTML, PHP, CSS, Javascript and SQL, and or UX and web design. You should be comfortable with community-led processes. Our roles are quite flexible. We hope that people bring radical imagination, peace with nature, and courageous inclusiveness to the role. 

Contribute to the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. Your skills in web design and development will be crucial in creating a visually engaging and user-friendly online presence that effectively communicates the park's biodiversity and mission. By designing engaging websites and interactive platforms, you'll help us connect with our community, inspire action, and secure the necessary support for the park's future.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a charity at the very start and to make a difference in shaping how we move forward.

Living Reasons – What we are planning, who we are and where we are now:

What is the plan?

The person who is starting the charity up is autistic, has ADHD, CPTSD and also multiple physical conditions that effect daily life and is part of the LGBTQ+ community and has faced a lot of issues in life because of these things.

Living Reasons is being created to fix what we think is a challenging situation that is getting harder to achieve every week, month and year in the current economic, political, environmental and societal landscape. It is not easily defined but we hope the charity objects below will help put context to what we want to achieve, what we can say is that below are the issues we are trying to address, how we do this will change as quickly as society does, but the issues we want to tackle are these:

1) Outdated and damaging employment practices

2) Accessibility to services

3) Limited employment, training and education opportunities

4) Lack of support during times of crisis or need

5) Lack of equity and agency for many people in society

6) Institutional discrimination that is not challenged

7) Abuse of the legal system at all levels

8) Abuse of power in government bodies

9) Poor access to healthcare

10)  Unequal treatment of many people in society by large corporations

11)  Assumptions made by wider society based on incorrect, outdated or discriminatory rhetoric that is used in daily life

12)  Outdated company engagement with the public

13)  Lack of support that is not talked about and not being addressed

Who are we?

Well, it is a small operation at this point, there are three people that are working to set up the charity, but we are all neurodivergent and have disabling aspects to our lives and experienced lack of opportunity or presumed ideas based on others perception of us. We are just people who care in reality and want to make a true change in society for everyone we work with.

Where are we now?

We are ready to become a CIO; we want to go straight to a fully incorporated charity so that we are able gain the most support as possible and open up opportunities for growth from day one as well as ensure people know they can trust us.

We need 3 trustees to start and understandably, two of us don’t want to be trustees due to personal reasons, so we need at least another two, maybe more, trustees to start up. That is hopefully where you come in!

We have our governing document, and we are still completing the further documents we want to launch with. We hope that new trustees will add to the plan and bring fresh ways of us working and how communicate the message of the charity.

The charity objects

· To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.

For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental); substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment; poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards; crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society).

· The relief of financial hardship, either generally or individually, of people living in England and Wales by making grants of money for providing or paying for items, services or facilities

· The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by conducting or commissioning research on equality and diversity issues and publishing the results to the public; advancing education and raising awareness in equality and diversity and promoting activities to foster understanding between people from diverse backgrounds.

Our Living Values -

Creativity

1) Imaginative Development (Individual)

2) Instilled Collaboration (Internal)

3) Changing The Status Quo (External)

Prospectivity

1) What Can You Do (Individual)

2) What Can We Do (Internal)

3) What Can They Do (External)

Revolutionary 

1) Inspire With Confidence (Individual)

2) Boundaryless Innovation (Internal)

3) Challenge Traditions (External)

Attentivity

1) Analyse and Redesign (Individual)

2) Rebel and Reform (Internal)

3) Enquire and Reimagine (External)

So, who are we looking for?

The answer to this is complex. What we are looking for in a trustee is someone who is passionate about creating equity for everyone while sustaining equality, someone that has lived experiences that would mean they can relate to the objects of the charity, whether that be personally, as a support for someone that does or has struggled to be given equity in society or someone that works or has worked in an industry that has played a part in restricting others in society and want that to make real change.

We think this covers a large number of people.

The role of trustee in Living Reasons will always be a remote role, meetings will be held online as standard as we would like to have trustees that are from all areas of the UK and that anyone can be a trustee, regardless of any accessibility requirements.

Additionally, to the personal experiences, the below are also necessary for all trustees of all charities:

1) Must not have an unspent conviction

2) Must not be barred from working with children or vulnerable adults

3) Must not be in undischarged bankruptcy, or other debt management programme

4) Must not be barred from being a trustee or company director

The requirements of skills and understanding of the undertaking of trusteeship with Living Reasons:

1) Being a trustee comes with requirements and responsibilities in terms of acting in the best interest of the charity at all times in line with the law and the charity’s governing document, which will be supplied to all trustees before agreeing to be a trustee and will be discussed with any person selected to be a trustee before they agree to be a trustee.

2) An understanding of financial information is required, this is to ensure that financial reports are assessed correctly and that any anomalies are highlighted, this does not mean you need to have in depth accounting or finance experience by any means, but it is important that you are able to analyse financial reports and risk as they arise.

3) Specific to Living Reasons, you will need to be someone that thinks creatively and is not scared of challenging traditions and pre-existing ideas and open to hear from a wide audience to make informed but innovative changes that are sustainable, realistic but also dynamic and challenging the current societal norms.

Birkbeck Students' Union is looking for two exceptional individuals to join our Board of Trustees as volunteer Lay Trustees. This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on the student experience at Birkbeck, guiding our strategic direction and ensuring we continue to support and enrich the lives of our diverse student body.

Role Overview: As a Lay Trustee, you will attend and actively participate in five Board of Trustee Meetings and five Finance & Audit Committee meetings per year. Your strategic oversight and governance will help ensure the Students' Union operates in line with its mission, values, and legal obligations. You will provide guidance and insight based on your expertise in one of the following areas Cybersecurity; Fundraising; Legal; and Marketing.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and motivation for applying. Applications should be sent via email by 13th April 2025. 

Any questions about the role please email Yousuf Joondan (CEO).

Birkbeck Students' Union is committed to diversity and encourages applications from all individuals, regardless of background, who meet the role's criteria.

We are seeking a skilled and passionate Volunteer Trust & Grant Bid Writer to help secure funding that will enable us to continue and grow our life-transforming work in Christian mental health. Working with the Director of Development, the role will involve identifying funding opportunities, preparing compelling grant applications, and helping us build strong relationships with trusts and foundations aligned with our mission.

Mercy UK is a Christian mental health and wellbeing charity, committed to equipping people to live free and stay free through a range of trauma-informed, faith-based support services. From our flagship Freedom Journey programme to practical resources like Keys to Freedom, we support individuals navigating emotional and spiritual challenges and empower churches and Christian organisations to provide meaningful, transformational support.

Key Responsibilities

● Research suitable grant-making trusts and foundations, with a particular focus on those funding mental health, faith-based initiatives, and/or community wellbeing.

● Work closely with the Director of Development to maintain a pipeline of prospective funders.

● Draft high-quality, tailored funding applications that reflect the heart, outcomes, and impact of Mercy UK’s work.

● Collate and interpret project data, outcomes, and financial information to support applications.

● Support the development of template responses and maintain accurate records of submissions and outcomes.

● Assist in preparing follow-up reports or updates required by funders.

What We’re Looking For

● Strong written communication skills with the ability to craft persuasive and inspiring content.

● Attention to detail and the ability to work independently.

● Experience of fundraising through trusts and foundations, or equivalent transferable experience in writing bids or proposals.

● An ability to articulate and represent Christian values and ethos respectfully and effectively in written applications.

● Passion for mental health and wellbeing, and alignment with Mercy UK’s mission and values. 

What You’ll Gain

● The opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a growing, impactful charity.

● Experience in trust and grant fundraising, with support and guidance from our development team.

● A chance to use your skills to directly support the emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing of individuals across the UK and beyond.

● References and testimonials for future opportunities.

● Access to Mercy UK’s Employee Assistance Programme with Health Assured