Policy and research volunteer volunteer roles in edinburgh

The country’s only dedicated ancient tree charity, the Ancient Tree Forum (ATF), is looking for a new Trustee with Fundraising Experience.

About us – The ATF seeks to secure the long-term future of ancient trees through advocacy of no further avoidable loss, good management, and the development of a succession of future ancient trees. The ATF is needed now more than ever – this is a critical time for ancient trees, the habitats they support and the landscapes in which they can survive and flourish. Their protection is crucial, not least because these living monuments represent a globally important resource, for biodiversity, cultural connection, mental & physical health, carbon capture, and soil conservation.

The profile of the ATF continues to grow, and its expertise is sought at the highest level. We raise awareness and understanding of the value and importance of ancient and veteran trees to biodiversity, soils, landscape, heritage, and climate. We work with a mix of national charities, landowners, land managers, local authorities, and policy makers in national government and offer specialist training, advice, guidance, and outreach projects. 

What we’re looking for – Do you have the ability, empathy and commitment to make a major contribution to the protection of the oldest trees in the country, and all their associated wildlife, history and carbon impact? 

Are you an experienced fundraiser from the environmental or wider charitable sector? 

If so, we encourage you to consider applying. 

If you also understand current ancient and veteran tree-related challenges and issues this would be an advantage, although a background in the wider environment sector and in charities at a relevant level is more important. 

Najimudu Empowerment Initiative

Najimudu Empowerment Initiative empowers communities through climate-resilient health solutions, civic education, and sustainable development programs.

Najimudu Empowerment Initiative addresses the dual challenge of climate change and social justice by advocating for climate-resilient communities and equitable access to health and environmental resources. Climate change disproportionately affects marginalized populations—women, youth, and persons with disabilities—who often bear the brunt of environmental degradation, food insecurity, and health crises caused by extreme weather events.

We work at the grassroots level to bridge these gaps through climate education, policy advocacy, and community-driven solutions. Our programs include tree-planting initiatives to combat deforestation, sustainable menstrual hygiene campaigns to reduce plastic waste, and health camps that integrate climate adaptation strategies. By empowering underserved communities with knowledge, resources, and a platform to influence policies, we promote climate justice and equitable sustainability.

Najimudu Empowerment Initiative addresses climate change and social justice by integrating climate resilience into public health and community-driven sustainability efforts. We provide climate-adaptive healthcare interventions through free health camps, educating communities on climate-related health risks while promoting sustainable water management and heatwave response strategies. Our eco-friendly initiatives include tree-planting projects to combat deforestation and sustainable menstrual hygiene programs to reduce plastic waste and ensure menstrual equity. Through civic education and advocacy, we empower youth, women, and persons with disabilities to demand climate justice and influence policies that promote equitable resource allocation. Additionally, we establish community-led technical working groups and provide training on climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and sustainable livelihoods to enhance long-term resilience. By combining direct interventions, policy advocacy, and grassroots mobilization, we ensure that vulnerable communities are not only protected from climate change but also actively shape solutions for a sustainable future.

Fundraising Officer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

• Identify and research potential donors, partners, and funding opportunities.
• Develop and submit compelling grant proposals and fundraising applications.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with existing and prospective donors.
• Plan and coordinate fundraising campaigns, appeals, and events.
• Maintain accurate donor records and generate timely reports.
• Collaborate with program and communications teams to align fundraising efforts with organizational goals.

Weekly Time Commitment

4-6 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

1-2 months

We are looking for individuals to join our Board in 2025. In recent years we’ve increased and diversified the membership of the Board including the launch of our Associate Board Member programme in 2023. We are looking to continue this work with dynamic and committed people to support further growth and development, building on our achievements.

We want to recruit new Board Members, alongside an opportunity for two Associate Board Members.

Being a Board Member

Board Members play an integral role in providing robust governance and stewardship, in externally supporting future development through advocacy with regional, national and international stakeholders, potential funders and partners from the public and private sectors. Board Members benefit from working with a small, creative and enthusiastic team on the strategic development of the organisation.

What is an AND Associate Board Member?

We have developed a 12 month programme for two Associate Board Members. These roles will work alongside the AND Board of Trustees, and have been designed as a development  programme aimed to support potential candidates who do not yet have (sufficient) board-level experience, or the required availability, but have the passion and potential to be a future AND Board member.

The Associate Board Member roles have been created to support individuals who are currently under-represented in the cultural sector, providing greater access to training opportunities, and to add further diversity and richness of perspective to the organisation.

Associate Board Members will:

• bring unique experience from their field of expertise 
• share our passion for new ideas and artforms
• place inclusion and engagement at the heart of our culture and vision
• be provided with relevant shadowing, mentoring or training opportunities to support their skills development over 12 months
• attend quarterly AND Board meetings (without legal responsibility or voting rights) 
• have the opportunity to apply to become a Board Member after 12 months

It is not necessary to have governance/board-level exposure or experience, but a general understanding of how boards work is required.

If you feel that you don’t quite meet the person specification in the recruitment pack but you’re excited and interested in the opportunity, please get in touch following the application process outlined below.

Joining the AND Board as a Trustee

We are currently looking for individuals to join the AND Board with experience in the following areas: 

• Strategic Regional Public Sector Knowledge
• Environmental Sustainability
• Charity Finance 
• PR / Digital Communications
• Regional commercial business knowledge across the creative sector, immersive and digital technologies

This isn’t an exhaustive list, and we’re interested in hearing from anyone who believes they have skills or experience to positively contribute to the organisation. We’re also looking for candidates interested in exploring a Vice Chair role with a view to future succession planning for AND Chair. We’re committed to opening up opportunities to people who are currently under-represented in the cultural sector, and we particularly welcome applications from candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds, Disabled candidates and candidates under 30.

What is it like to be on the AND Board?

Read an interview with our Trustees Sam Bompass and Katie Moffat about being on the AND Board.

About AND

AND is an arts organisation known for creating radical, site-responsive projects at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture.

Working across the UK and internationally, AND commissions artists to explore the social, environmental and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Our portfolio includes large-scale outdoor artworks, exhibitions, research programmes, residencies, online projects and our flagship AND Festival — a nomadic biennial bringing cutting-edge digital experiences to diverse locations.

Our work often takes place in unexpected settings, from post-industrial towns to natural landscapes, creating space for bold experimentation and critical reflection. At our core, we champion interdisciplinary collaboration and are committed to inclusive, sustainable practices that challenge what is considered ‘normal’ in culture today

Practical Details

AND’s Board currently meets for a minimum of four times a year, through a mix of online, and in person meetings in Manchester (UK). There are additional, occasional meetings and sub-committee groups which can be attended via video call. We are particularly interested in hearing from North-based candidates, especially those with regional public sector or commercial business expertise, although we are open to applications from candidates from across the UK.

This is an unpaid role. You’ll need to commit around a day a month to the role. AND will reimburse reasonable travel expenses to meetings in full.

How to apply

• Read our AND Board Membership Recruitment Pack or our AND Associate Board Membership Pack
• If you’d like to speak informally about becoming an AND Board Member or Associate Board Member, you are welcome to request a conversation by Friday 30 May 2025
• Following this, we ask for a CV along with a short written statement (max 1 page) / video (max 3 minutes) to be submitted by Midnight Sunday 22 June 2025 with AND BOARD MEMBER ROLE or AND ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER ROLE as the subject field.
• Complete an Equal Opportunities Form (submitted anonymously)

Trustees

Type: Voluntary Position

Location: Hybrid/Fife

Make a Lasting Impact in Your Community

Are you passionate about inclusion, accessibility, and empowering others to live full, independent lives? Would you like to use your time, skills, and experience to make a tangible difference to people in Fife?

Fife Shopmobility is seeking new Trustees to join their Board and help guide their charity into the future. This is a rewarding opportunity to support a small but vital organisation that plays a big role in helping people with mobility challenges access their communities with dignity and freedom.

About Fife Shopmobility

Fife Shopmobility is a local, user-focused charity providing free and low-cost mobility equipment loans — such as powered scooters, wheelchairs, and walking aids — from key town centre locations across Fife, including Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, and Glenrothes.

Every year, they help hundreds of people with disabilities, long-term health conditions, and temporary injuries to get out and about, shop independently, attend appointments, and stay connected with their community.

Their service isn’t just about transport — it’s about freedom, confidence, and equality. They also advocate for accessible public spaces and inclusive design, working in partnership with local authorities, shopping centres, and community groups to improve accessibility across the region.

What You’ll Do as a Trustee

As a Trustee, you will be part of a small, supportive Board responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity. Working closely with the staff team, you’ll help ensure Fife Shopmobility remains sustainable, impactful, and responsive to the needs of our users.

Key responsibilities include:

• Shaping and supporting the strategic direction of the organisation
• Overseeing governance, risk, and regulatory compliance (including OSCR obligations)
• Championing accessibility and inclusion across Fife
• Advocating for the charity in the wider community and supporting fundraising initiatives
• Supporting our dedicated staff and volunteers in achieving their goals

The Board meets around four times per year, with occasional involvement in subgroups or specific projects between meetings.

What can you bring?

Fife Shopmobility welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences, particularly those who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. You do not need previous board experience — training and support will be provided.

They are especially keen to hear from those with experience or knowledge in:

• Finance or accounting
• Legal, HR, or charity governance
• Fundraising or bid writing
• Disability advocacy or lived experience of disability or caring
• Marketing, PR, or digital communications
• Health and social care
• Community transport or mobility services
• IT and Technology

What matters most is your passion for the mission, a willingness to contribute, and a commitment to upholding the charity’s values of dignity, equality, and community.

Why Join the Team?

• Be part of a charity that helps people live with greater freedom and confidence
• Gain valuable experience in governance, strategy, and leadership
• Meet like-minded people and contribute your voice to meaningful conversations
• Learn new skills and make a real difference in your local area
• Join a friendly, committed team that values your time and input

This search is being conducted exclusively for Fife Shopmobility by BTA (Bruce Tait Associates). Our leadership team have all worked in the voluntary sector and we use this experience to match organisations and individuals to create great appointments.

As part of our ongoing commitment to strong and effective governance, we are actively seeking passionate and dedicated individuals to join our Board of Trustees. This is an exciting opportunity to play a vital role in shaping our organisation’s future and making a meaningful difference for children and young people with cancer and their families. 

CCLG is a leading children and young people’s cancer charity, funding research and supporting families. We are also the professional association for those working in children and young people’s cancer in the UK and Ireland.

We’re looking to expand our Board of Trustees, increasing the overall number and planning for the future as a number of longstanding members of the Board approach the end of their terms of office.

It’s an exciting time to be joining us as we have just launched our new brand and a new bold and innovative research strategy, and we’re just getting to work on developing our next organisational five-year strategy.

Our Board of Trustees has an important part to play in helping us to achieve our ambitions of creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. If you join our Board of Trustees, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact and be part of our success story.
 
CCLG is committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and flexible environment. We would very much welcome applicants from all backgrounds and as our current Board is not as diverse as the communities that we work in, we would be particularly interested in applications from underrepresented groups.
 
We're looking for individuals who can bring their skills and experience to support the governance and strategic leadership of CCLG, whether those are professional skills and experience that relate to our main areas of activity, or to organisational governance and leadership, or lived experience of children and young people's cancer.

For more information about the role of a Trustee at CCLG, please download the information pack below.

Do you have professional expertise you could use to help a good cause? Are you passionate about animal welfare? Trustees manage the affairs of our local RSPCA Branch to promote and provide animal welfare within the branch area. 

We are the Surrey East Branch of the RSPCA, and it's our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion. 

Main activities: 

• To be familiar with and support the aims and policies of the RSPCA. 

• To be familiar with our branch rules and follow them at all times. 

• To work with your fellow trustees and branch officers to jointly act in making decisions for the best interest of our branch and the RSPCA. 

• To ensure the branch meets all the minimum animal welfare standards (MAWS). Where they are not met, work with national RSPCA staff to meet the standard as soon as practicable. 

• In conjunction with your fellow trustees and Branch support specialist (BSS), to write, adopt, monitor and review a branch development plan setting out the short and long-term aims of our branch. 

• To actively participate in branch committee meetings and attend the branch annual general meeting, and regional conference. 

• To be aware of the outcome of regional board meetings and support regional initiatives. 

• To attend the trustee training course. 

• To actively promote and advertise the society in an ongoing programme to recruit new branch trustees and volunteers. 

• To welcome new trustees and volunteers to the branch. 

About the RSPCA

We’re proud to be the oldest welfare charity in existence

• We were the first to introduce a law to protect animals and we work hard to ensure that all animals can live a life free from pain and suffering. 

• Through our campaigns we raise standards of care and awareness of issues for the animals who have no voice. We push for laws to be changed, improving the welfare of animals on farms, in research labs, in the wild, in paddocks or in our homes. 

• Through investigations and prosecutions, we stand up to those who deliberately harm animals to send out a clear message - we will not tolerate animal abuse. 

• Our highly trained officers tackle neglect and cruelty at every level and are working hard to stamp out large-scale serious, organised and commercial animal cruelty. 

• We believe every animal has the right to be counted as an individual. Animals can rely on us to rescue them when they need us most. To rehabilitate them wherever possible, provide them with the very best veterinary care and to find them new homes, either through rehoming or release.

What are we looking for? 

• Most people aged 18 or over are eligible to become a trustee. You will need to become a member of the RSPCA. Good interpersonal skills are important. You do not need to be an expert, although commitment, common sense and the ability to be objective is vital. 

• Specific skills such as finance, fundraising, project management, business experience, and awareness of employment and/or charity legislation can be useful, but not essential. 

• Trustees must sign a Trustee Declaration of Willingness to Act to clarify that they are not disqualified from being a trustee and that they accept the post. 

• In addition to our standard declaration of willingness, trustees also need to complete a declaration from the Charity Commission and read their guidance for individuals on who can’t be a trustee or senior manager of a charity. 

What can we offer you? 

• It’s a great way to meet like-minded people who share your enthusiasm for animal welfare. 

• You will have the opportunity to gain new skills and develop existing ones, whilst making a real difference to the lives of animals. 

• New RSPCA trustees are provided with a document “Trustees handbook” and asked to attend a training course which provides information and guidance about a trustee’s role and responsibilities. 

• Ongoing support is also provided by regional and national RSPCA staff in addition to any additional training provided by the relevant branch. 

• Volunteer at the heart of the local community. 

Become our Trustee Tresurer and chair our Finance Committee.We need a Trustees with energy, enthusiasm and commitment to help accelerate our influcence on wildlife and nature recovery issues in the country and beyond.

With a refreshed 3-year strategy (23-26), “A Wilder Herefordshire, More Nature Everywhere” we’re working hard to recover nature at scale through deeper collaborations, working with local community organisations and networks to develop a clear plan for nature’s recovery. We are also working with neighbouring Wildlife Trusts, river partnerships and national partners such as the Woodland Trust, National Trust, and Duchy of Cornwall.

So, with lots happening, it’s an exciting if challenging time for the Trust.  Urgent action is needed to address the decline of wildlife in our beautiful county – and we need to muster all the resources and skills we can to succeed.

We are a welcoming board who support and challenge each other to do better for wildlife.

We look to recruit trustees from a range of backgrounds, life stages and skills to join us.

At this time, we wish to recruit someone to take on the role of Treasurer, and chair our Finance Committee. You would need the following skills and qualities:

· A strong commitment to wildlife conservation and the Vision of the Trust;

· Demonstrable experience of financial management;

· The skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences;

· A good understanding of governance, gained either as a Trustee of another charity, a director of a company, or as a manager who has worked with Boards;

· The ability to apply clear logical thinking and creativity to developing our strategy

If you are successful, you will be welcomed and supported by a talented and committed board of trustees, a strong and experienced staff team and an active and expanding band of volunteers and by the wider Wildlife Trust movement. We hope you are inspired to apply, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Alison McLean OBE, Chair, March 2025

Join us as Dog A.I.D.'s new Honorary Secretary and you would be joining the Board at an exciting time as we have launched the charity’s Strategic Plan with a new CEO supported by a small but strong team, which we will be building further this year. As Honorary Secretary you would be using your skills and experience to support the leadership and strategic direction of our charity as we look to achieve ambitious strategic growth targets over the coming years, becoming a larger, more robust charity with increased profile and reach.

Dog A.I.D. empowers physically disabled people by coaching them to train their own pet dog to become an accredited Assistance Dog. By focusing on the existing pet/owner bond, outcomes for our clients include:

 · increased independence and self-confidence

· improved mental well-being

· reduction in social isolation

· reduced reliance on family members and/or carers.

· increased opportunities, with many of our clients being able to return to work or education, supported by their accredited Assistance Dog.

We are looking for an active and well-organised Secretary who can provide support for our governance functions. You will be required to attend and minute online quarterly Board meetings and other ad-hoc meetings and strategic discussions.

The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) was set up in June 2005 in memory of legendary campaigner, Sheila McKechnie.Campaigning is vital to a healthy society. We help campaigners to thrive. In a free and hopeful society, people need to know they have the power to make a difference: that they are able to envisage change and can push for that change to happen. For nearly two decades, we have helped all sorts of individuals, causes and charities to find their power as changemakers – as campaigners. We support, connect and champion these campaigners, equipping them to go after the social change they seek.

The Chair will hold the Board and staff team to account for SMK’s mission and vision, provide inclusive leadership to the Board and ensure that Board members fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of SMK. The Chair will line manage and support the Chief Executive and ensure that the Board functions as a unit and works closely with the Chief Executive and staff team to achieve agreed objectives. They may also be asked to act as an ambassador and a public face of SMK in partnership with the Chief Executive and the Board.

For further information, see our website and the recruitment pack. 

Please read the attached Trustee Information Pack for more detail

As a Trustee, you will play a crucial role in the governance and strategic oversight of the charity, ensuring that we operate effectively, achieve our mission, and comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Trustees are collectively responsible for safeguarding the charity’s assets, ensuring they are used exclusively to further our objectives, and overseeing the charity’s financial health, including budgets, financial controls, and reporting. Acting with integrity and in the charity’s best interests is at the heart of the role.

To strengthen our board and support the growth of our charity, we have identified three key areas where additional expertise is needed:

• Marketing
• Legal
• Fundraising

Each of these areas play a vital role in helping us achieve our mission, enhance our impact, and ensure the charity’s sustainability for years to come. In the attached Recruitment Pack, we have outlined individual role profiles for each of these specialisms.

We welcome candidates from diverse professional backgrounds who share our commitment to supporting those affected by Body Dysmorphic Disorder. If your current or previous skills or experience align with any of these profiles, we encourage you to apply and join us in driving meaningful change.