Peer support volunteer volunteer volunteer roles

We’re looking for a new Brand, Communications and Creative Trustee who can use their skills to support our growing charity. In early 2026, CLAPA relaunched with a new brand identity. This role will ensure that our team are supported in brand and content strategy and making the most of the new brand for growth and engagement.

The Brand, Communications and Creative Trustee will participate in all areas of the charity’s governance with a special interest in brand strategy, content, communications and creative to support with the Board’s understanding and interpretation.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity, developing CLAPA’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, legal and regulatory guidelines. You would be joining our board at an exciting time, as we continue to implement our 5-year strategy for 2025-2030.

About CLAPA

The Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is the national charity for people affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom.

CLAPA supports people affected by cleft to take control of their journey, connect with others, and use their voices to impact the future of care. Our vision is that no one affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom will go through their journey alone.

Lived Experience Community Ambassador

Please note, this will be based across Bedford

Purpose / Summary of the Role

Aquarius is a national charity working to reduce harm caused by drugs, alcohol, and gambling. We support individuals, families, and communities through prevention, early intervention, and recovery focused services.

The Lived Experience Community Ambassador role works alongside Youth Ambassadors and Aquarius practitioners. The role uses lived experience of substance use, recovery, or being affected by someone else’s substance use to support learning, engagement, and understanding.

You will contribute to peer informed education, community outreach, and parent engagement. Your experience supports honest conversation, reduces stigma, and helps families feel understood and informed.

Responsibilities

· Work alongside practitioners to support education and outreach activity

· Share lived experience appropriately within agreed boundaries

· Support school based sessions and parent focused learning

· Contribute to community outreach and awareness activity

· Support parents and carers with practical insight and reassurance

· Reinforce prevention, harm reduction, and recovery messages

· Follow safeguarding, confidentiality, and information sharing procedures

· Communicate concerns or disclosures to practitioners promptly

Description of Tasks

· Take part in planned lived experience talks and panel discussions

· Support PSHE lessons or awareness sessions alongside staff

· Share personal insight to support understanding of substance use and recovery

· Support parent sessions with perspective drawn from lived experience

· Attend community events to promote support and early intervention

· Work with Youth Ambassadors to model safe, respectful engagement

· Prepare for sessions with practitioners to agree focus and boundaries

· Maintain professional boundaries at all times

Time commitment

- Minimum 2 to 4 hours per month

- Sessions planned in advance

- Flexibility to support school and community activity

Training and support

· Mandatory volunteer induction

· Lived experience and boundaries training

· Safeguarding training

· Project specific briefing before sessions

· Named supervisor

· Ongoing supervision and support

Skills and qualities

· Lived experience of substance use, recovery, or being affected by another person’s use

· Ability to reflect on experience safely and constructively

· Comfortable speaking in groups or community settings

· Calm and reliable approach

· Respectful and non judgemental communication

· Ability to maintain boundaries and confidentiality

· Willingness to work alongside practitioners and follow guidance

Benefits to the volunteer

· Opportunity to use lived experience to support others

· Contribution to prevention and early intervention work

· Development of confidence and communication skills

· Experience within education and community services

· Training and development opportunities

· Support from experienced practitioners

· Reimbursement of agreed expenses

Reimbursement of expenses

Agreed out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed

· Public transport

· Mileage costs at 0.45p per mile

Local Information

Service Name – Bedford

Service Model / Project

Prevention, Early Intervention, and Community Outreach Services

Location

Schools, community venues, and outreach settings

Additional Information / Application procedure

· Application form

· Assessment meeting

· DBS and references

· Induction and training

Person Criteria

Approachable, professional, and reflective

Organised and reliable

Ability to practice patience

Able to maintain confidentiality

Able to understand and maintain boundaries

Able to communicate in a non-judgemental way

Ability to work as part of a team

Lived experience relevant to substance use or recovery

Good level of self-awareness

All activities carried out in line with Aquarius policies and procedures

You should not be an active client of Aquarius services

Do you want to take part in vegan volunteering around your local area?

You can do that – right here at The Vegan Society. 

We have an ever-growing Community Network of vegans just like you, who have a passion to volunteer and promote veganism where they live. 

Every month, our Network choose from a range of outreach tasks. These could include town centre stalls, writing to a councillor or MP, sharing our campaigns on social media or contacting local businesses. You're in control of how much or how little you do. 

As an Advocate, you will have a network of other Advocates and an Organiser in your area. Your Organiser will be your main point of contact. They will send you tasks every month and ask you to feed back on what you've completed and any positive outcomes. 

Why do we need you to volunteer?

As the vegan community grows, veganism itself becomes better understood. We're finding that more people are looking to The Vegan Society to find out what being vegan is all about.

Local communities are starting to see the vegan movement as something real and something that’s happening in their area. More people are embracing a vegan lifestyle, which we welcome. From new businesses, to families, to councillors, many people need support. This could be with a range of topics: going vegan, finding correct information around a vegan diet, providing vegan options in their business, MPs listening to vegan constituents, and learning about our work.

Local issues are often unique and more varied than national issues. Our volunteers from local areas are vital! They enable us to share our messages and campaigns in an effective way. Research tells us that people are far more likely to trust information from a peer rather than an outside expert, so community volunteering vastly increases the impact of our campaigns.

Our network of committed local vegans across the country is growing! The Vegan Society organises various outreach activities to influence change in every level of society. There are a range of activities going on all the time, from general educational stalls at events to meeting with local policy influencers.

Advocates are a crucial voice in their own community. They ensure that our campaign messages are spread far and wide. They provide a strong vegan presence in local communities.

What does the Advocate role involve?

Being an Advocate for veganism with The Vegan Society will mean communicating with people in your local community. You'll share the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. You will form part of a local group, headed up by a local Organiser. The Organiser will feed back your collective efforts to staff. You will also be invited to our private Facebook group, for vegan socialising and ideas sharing.

You’ll stay in touch with the Organiser and bring your passion to tasks. Activities can range from staffing a stall to giving a talk at an employee event. It could also mean writing to a local newspaper or lobbying an MP.

Messaging can differ every month. Part of our mission statement is to ensure people can remain vegan, so you might focus on getting more vegan options available in local businesses. Or within our Live Vegan for Less campaign, you may share cheap vegan recipes to help people with the cost of living.

When acting as an Advocate, you will use The Vegan Society’s branding and messaging guidelines. Your local Organiser will guide you in doing this, as they hold physical resources and handbooks. You can report any issues and feedback you have to your Organiser. You can also contact staff if your Organiser isn't available or you have any problems.

What training and support is available?

You will be provided with a big welcome and full induction from your local Organiser. They will introduce you to the group and any actions that are ongoing. Any training and development will be provided via your Organiser, and you can also ask for specific training on any areas that you need some development in.

What skills would be useful in doing this role?

• The ability to stay motivated in order to achieve the best possible outcomes
• Good email etiquette, responding in a timely manner
• Committed to veganism and the mission of The Vegan Society
• Ability to stay calm if confronted with differing opinions or challenges
• A good communicator, with the ability to be persuasive
• Confident in communicating with people from a range of backgrounds
• Experience of campaigning
• Any experience in talking with members of the public through customer/public service would be helpful
• Awareness of current affairs, especially those that relate to veganism
• Regular availability and a willingness to stay committed to actions
• Good team player

How much time do I need to invest? 

For Advocates, we ask for people to engage in a minimum of four to six actions per year. An example of an action could be writing to an MP or holding a stall. But the more you can do, the better! On occasion, there may also be online meetings to plan for actions or provide training.