Project support volunteer volunteer roles

Overall purpose

Assist the Activities Lead to support children and young people with complex medical needs and special educational needs (and their siblings) at our inclusive activity clubs. We currently run a weekly sports/games after school club.

What will you do?

• Assist with various sports, games and/or musical activities as requested by the children 
• Work with children 1:1 or in small groups depending on the needs of individual children
• Help set up and clear away at the beginning and end of the sessions
• Participate in a briefing and de-briefing session before and after the club to help evaluate the skills, strengths and weaknesses of the children after each session 
• Attend initial training (2 hours)
• Attend a 2 hour supervision monthly meeting
• Liaise with the Activities Lead in case of questions/difficulties
• Follow The Maypole Project policies and guidelines at all times whilst volunteering

Location

Activity Clubs – Bromley

Time Commitment

After-school clubs take place on Wednesdays 4.45pm - 6.15pm in term-time. Ideally we are looking for volunteers who are interested in volunteering every week at one or more of these sessions. We are happy to discuss other arrangements with individual volunteers. We also havea  youth club on Thursday evening. 

Benefits to the Volunteer

• High quality training and support
• Experience of working with children with disabilities 
• Experience in the field of sports development 
• Become part of a friendly staff and volunteer team at The Maypole Project

About The Maypole Project

The Maypole Project provides a lifeline of support for children with complex and life threatening illnesses and their whole family. We provide a range of support services to all members of the family from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.

Person Specification

Education & qualifications

• Good general education (essential)
• Coaching qualifications and badges (desirable)
• Counselling, and/or childcare qualifications (desirable)
• First Aid training (desirable)

Previous experience

• No previous experience is required as training is provided (essential)
• Experience of working with children and young people (desirable)
• Experience of sports training with children of mixed ability (desirable)
• Working with people from a diversity of backgrounds (desirable)
• Working with diversity of disability in families (desirable)

Skills & knowledge

• Good communication and interpersonal skills (essential)
• Teamwork skills (essential)
• Knowledge of disability and how it can impact on families (desirable)

Attributes

• Remain calm under pressure (essential)
• Ability to deal with challenging behaviours (after training and with support) (essential)
• Ability to empathise with families in difficult situations (essential)
• Discreet and able to adhere to confidentiality procedures (essential)
• Commitment to equal opportunities and a non-judgmental attitude (essential)
• Reliable and punctual (essential)

Thanks for your interest in volunteering for The Maypole Project

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.

About CARAS: 

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About Youth ESOL: 

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to young people at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling young people to do well at school or college.

About the Role: 

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our face-to-face study programme called ‘Get Ready for School.’ 

This programme is attended by young people out of education and is based in Tooting on Mondays and Wednesdays. Core delivery of the programme includes English, Maths, Digital skills, complemented by Reading and Writing for Pleasure.

Volunteers in this role are required to commit to at least one 2-hour session per week, during these times:

• Monday 10am - 3pm
• Tuesday 2pm - 6pm
• Wednesday 11am - 6pm

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

Volunteer  Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes;

• Help young people to build confidence in digital literacy;

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Engaging learners in informal conversations or games during breaks to help them practice their conversational English.

• Checking the session plan aims with the lead teacher and assisting learners achieve them;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session;

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class;

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project;

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential;

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements;

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential 

• To be 18 years or older;

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (travel and food expenses can be reimbursed);

• An interest in education and English language teaching;

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;

• To be reliable and punctual;

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;

• The ability to volunteer on Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons/evenings during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of four months;

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum seeker or refugee status

• Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check (DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a Caras community member who is more recently arrived in the UK);

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role 

Desirable 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months’ regular volunteering 

To Apply: 

To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form from the CARAS website using this volunteer role description to inform your answers with email subject header “Youth ESOL Teaching Assistant Volunteer”. 

Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with a member of the CARAS learning staff team and a community member. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP! 

 All volunteers must complete an enhanced DBS check for working with young people and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role. 

Marmalade Connections is a time-limited, one-to-one project covering most of the South West. Based on the enabling/empowering social prescribing model, trained volunteers make weekly calls to project members for up to 15 weeks, focusing on their specific needs and interests.  The project supports those in our community who are the most socially isolated, and who experience chronic loneliness (feeling lonely all or most of the time). 

Marmalade Connections is not a 'befriending call project'.​ These conversations lead to volunteers signposting the project members to local social activities and community support, to improve their social connections long term. 

As a Marmalade Companion Volunteer, you will support one or occasionally two of our project members (the people we support) for a period of up to 16 weeks. The role involves phoning a matched member once a week for a friendly call lasting about 30 minutes plus researching potential social connection and activity opportunities. You will receive training on how to build up a trusted telephone relationship with your project member(s) to enable you to support and signpost them to relevant services and activities. The aim of this project is to help reduce social isolation and loneliness and to support your project member(s) to discover lasting connections in their community. 

Purpose

Our Associate Counsellors provide emotional support to adult members of families where there is a child or children with complex medical needs.

Tasks

Families who have been assessed by an experienced therapist from the project will be referred to the Associate Counsellor who will:

• Make contact with families, organising timing and frequency of sessions
• Provide counselling/therapy sessions to a member of each family
• Undertake a minimum caseload of 2 clients
• Attend monthly, mandatory, group supervision (2 hours)
• Undertake The Maypole Project initial training (20 hours)
• Work to The Maypole Project model of support (including flexibility in location of sessions)
• Complete client notes and The Maypole Project paperwork as required
• Liaise with supervisor or the Lead Therapist in case of questions/difficulties
• Follow The Maypole Project policies and guidelines at all times whilst volunteering
• Attend service-wide activities including family activity events and fundraising events

For students: Please check whether your course placement requirements would enable you to provide counselling at external venues (clients home, hospitals, hospices etc). This would occur only after a settling in period and with additional training and support provided by The Maypole Project.

Support

Whilst volunteering you will have support from our Family Support Co-ordinator for day to day issues and our Lead Therapist or another qualified counsellor for monthly clinical supervision.

Location

At our offices in Orpington and Greenwich or, after a settling-in period, in local schools, hospitals, hospices and client’s homes.

Time Commitment

Volunteers days and hours are negotiable but, due to the long-term promise of support to our clients, a most valued aspect of our service, we do ask volunteer applicants to be available to volunteer for a minimum of 6 months from acceptance onto the volunteering programme at The Maypole Project. We would ideally like volunteers to aspire to offering 2 years commitment to the role.

Note

STUDENT PLACEMENTS ONLY: We will review your work with the project throughout your placement to your graduation. If appropriate after either 2 years experience volunteering with us in therapies OR 3 months minimum experience post qualification with The Maypole Project you will be considered for a sessionally paid role with the organization.

Person Specification

Education & qualifications

• Good general education (essential)
• Placement: Final year student studying on a counselling diploma (level 4) or a degree/masters in counselling or counselling/clinical psychology or psychotherapy OR Qualified counsellor, therapist or clinical/counselling psychologist (diploma or first degree or masters) (essential)
• Courses must be accredited by BACP or approved equivalent (essential)
• Associate Counsellor (essential)
• Qualified as outlined above (essential)

Previous experience

• Student placement: 20+ hours of support to adult clients (essential)
• Associate Counsellor: 100+ hours of counselling support to adult clients (essential)
• 20+ hours of face to face counselling experience to adult clients (desirable)

Skills & knowledge

• Good communication and interpersonal skills (essential)
• Person-focused approach (essential)
• Experience of supporting children and families (desirable)

Attributes

• Self-motivated (essential)
• Able to work flexibly (essential)
• Approachable (essential)
• Ability to empathise with families in difficult situations (essential)
• Discreet and able to adhere to confidentiality procedures (essential)
• Commitment to equal opportunities and a non-judgmental attitude (essential)
• Commitment to further training and personal development (essential)

Exemption clause

• 2 years without significant loss (including divorce/diagnosis of chronic illness)

Thanks for your interest in volunteering for The Maypole Project

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.

Brief

If your talents lie within an office environment and you are able to use a computer, why not join our administration team answering the phone, placing orders, filing and much more.

This back of house role is for you if you are computer literate, organised and communicative.

Purpose of Role

Under the direction of the Volunteer Officer there are several tasks that are carried out:

· Help to keep the office organised and running smoothly

· Assist in daily office tasks (i.e. filing, handling and managing data)

· Help out in other working areas, such as marketing, events and fundraising

Key elements

After relevant training has been provided:

· Working with other administrative staff

· Making and receiving phone calls

· Data entry, filing, typing and general office duties

· There may be occasions where you have the opportunity to get involved in other areas, including attending events or other activities

· To liaise with other departments/volunteers as and when necessary and provide additional admin support where appropriate

· Where applicable assist with the handling of both incoming/outgoing mail

Your profile

What we are looking for:

· Good communicator (verbal and written)

· Good interpersonal skills and good telephone manner

· Have a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and other applications

· Able and willing to work as part of a team and also be able to work independently

· Friendly and approachable

Throughout the UK, we provide essential services and support for individuals impacted by MS. We connect people to resources that foster a sense of belonging, community, and shared experiences.

 We are pleased to announce that we have secured funding from Wales and West Utilities for a 'test and learn' Community Connections project, which will operate until March 2026 and cover Wales and the South West of England.

 The goals of Community Connections are:

• To link individuals with, and affected by, MS throughout Wales and the South West of England (including Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire) to services, activities, and resources that promote living well with MS.
• To establish connections with local service providers that enable people with, and affected by, MS to access support and activities in their communities, while enhancing community connections.
• To offer information and guidance on various topics, including financial advice, cost of living information, energy efficiency tips, carbon monoxide awareness, and the Priority Service Register.

 As part of this initiative, we are seeking a Community Connections Volunteer to assist in directing people affected by MS to information about relevant local and national services. This could involve helping someone access information on benefits or supporting them with grant applications. This role will be conducted from home, providing assistance over the phone and via email.

 Here’s a summary of what the role entails:

• Guiding individuals to sources of support, such as our Living Well services, Helpline, health and social services, MS professionals, and local group activities.
• Referring any complex support needs to our Community Connections project team or Helpline.
• Occasionally assisting individuals who need help with grant applications and gathering necessary paperwork.
• Communicating relevant information to our Community Connections Project Administrator to maintain and update our service signposting lists.
• Staying in contact with referrals to ensure they are progressing with the support provided.
• Listening to and gathering feedback on the service as individuals conclude their involvement with the Community Connections project.

We will provide you with the necessary training and support to develop the skills required for this role, including an induction covering all outlined areas. Please note the role requires a DBS Check.

You will have the opportunity to discuss your role and any additional needs you may have with us.

Bring Our Vision to Life: Volunteer Graphic Designer at SUNSHINE

Are you a creative visionary with a passion for social impact? At SUNSHINE—a dynamic start-up charity on the verge of official registration—we’re looking for an inspired Volunteer Graphic Designer to help us SHINE. Your imaginative designs will promote our values, raise our profile, and rally the community’s support around our mission.

About SUNSHINE

At SUNSHINE, we believe that every connection has the power to transform lives. Our mission is to combat loneliness by creating environments where everyone feels seen and supported. As we build our charity from the ground up, we’re dedicated to igniting vibrant community spirit through innovative initiatives, events, and projects.

Your Role as Volunteer Graphic Designer

In this exciting volunteer position, you’ll be the creative force behind our visual identity, producing designs that capture the essence of our cause. You will collaborate closely with our team to craft impactful graphics that promote our brand and tell our story across various platforms. You can volunteer as a one off or help us on a regular basis if you prefer.

Key design projects include:

• Roller Banners: Create striking, large-scale designs for use at events and public spaces that instantly communicate our mission and who we are.

• A5 Booklets: Develop engaging, informative booklets that introduce SUNSHINE, outline our vision, and invite community support.

• Social Media Posts: Produce dynamic, shareable content that drives online engagement and spreads our message far and wide.

• Motion Graphics: Design lively animations that bring our story to life, perfect for digital campaigns and event promotions.

• Concept Images: Craft creative visuals for our events or office spaces that embody the warmth and ethos of our charity.

• Posters: Design eye-catching posters to promote our fundraisers, community initiatives, and volunteer opportunities.

What We’re Looking For

We need a design enthusiast who is passionate about both art and social change. The ideal candidate will have:

• A Strong Portfolio: Demonstrated experience in graphic design, with examples that showcase your creativity and versatility.

• Technical Expertise: Proficiency in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (or equivalent tools) and a knack for innovative visual expression.

• A Heart for Impact: A genuine passion for using design to drive social change, elevate community spirit, and tell compelling stories.

• Collaborative Energy: Excellent communication skills and the ability to work closely with our team, translating ideas into powerful visual narratives.

• Flexibility & Initiative: A proactive approach to tackling diverse design challenges in a start-up environment where every design matters.

Why Join SUNSHINE as Our Graphic Designer?

Stepping into this role means more than volunteering your design skills—it’s about becoming a key part of a movement for change. By joining SUNSHINE, you will:

• Shape Our Identity: Create visual materials that define our brand and inspire support for our innovative approach to tackling loneliness.

• Expand Your Creative Horizons: Build your portfolio with projects that challenge and inspire you while making a tangible impact in the community.

• Drive Social Change: See firsthand how your designs can spark engagement, boost our profile, and empower individuals and communities.

• Be a Part of Our Story: Collaborate with passionate individuals committed to transforming lives and creating a more connected, compassionate society.

Ready to Design a Brighter Future?

If you’re excited to use your creative talents to help raise SUNSHINE’s profile and promote our transformative mission, we want to hear from you. Join our team as a Volunteer Graphic Designer and help us build a visual identity that lights up lives and inspires collective change.

Welcome to SUNSHINE—where every design brings us one step closer to a London filled with connection, compassion, and creativity.

URBAN YOUTH - VOLUNTEER WITH US!

New Start-Up - New Beginning - Endless Opportunities

We're looking for an organised and enthusiastic individual to join us at Urban Youth in the volunteer role of Volunteer Coordinator, where you will play a crucial role in supporting our mission to make a meaningful impact on young people’s lives across London.

In this role, you will:

• Recruit and Onboard Volunteers helping to grow our team by attracting passionate and dedicated volunteers, facilitating the application process, and ensuring a welcoming and informative onboarding experience.

• Act as the Primary Point of Contact for our volunteers, ensuring they feel valued, motivated, and supported in their roles.

• Coordinate Volunteer Activities and organise volunteer schedules, assign tasks, and manage attendance to ensure smooth and effective running of our programmes and initiatives.

• Develop Training Programmes, including identifing training needs and organise engaging, interactive sessions to help volunteers thrive in their roles and develop skills.

• Promote Team Spirit by fostering a positive and collaborative environment among volunteers, organising team-building activities to ensure everyone feels part of the Urban Youth family. You will build a close knit team spirited community of volunteers.

• Maintain Records and keep accurate records of volunteer information and activities, ensuring compliance with Urban Youth's policies and procedures. This includes creating and maintaining the volunteer database and other files.

• Raise Awareness and represent Urban Youth at community events, helping to raise awareness of our work and attract new volunteers.

We're Urban Youth

Urban Youth is an exciting and vibrant new start-up youth work organisation based in London, passionate about empowering London's youth to get involved, discover their path, and shape their destiny. Our vibrant community organisation is dedicated to uplifting young people through engaging, impactful youth work activities that inspire growth, connection, and self-discovery.

JOIN US AT URBAN YOUTH

Get Involved | Discover YOUR Path | Shape YOUR Destiny

Patient and Public Involvement Volunteer

We’re the MS Society – a community of people living with MS, scientists, campaigners, listeners, organisers, ambassadors and fundraisers. Our volunteers are a key part of achieving our goals and their support is vital. Join us.

About this opportunity
We are looking to recruit a Patient and Public Involvement Volunteer, to join our project team looking at developing a payment for involvement policy. The MS Society involves people affected by MS in many aspects of work, often this involvement means that we share decision-making power with people affected by MS or we gain insights on living with MS which help shape our work. It is considered best practice across the involvement sector to reimburse people for their time when they contribute to our work in this way. The aim of this project is to establish a policy on how the MS Society should be reimbursing people for time spent on involvement activities.

Your role on the project group will be to represent the needs and opinions of the MS community on this topic. You’ll be asked to attend regular online project meetings (one meeting every 6 weeks). You’ll also be asked for feedback on ideas and the draft policy via email in between meetings. The project is expected to last until autumn 2025.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones.

About You
You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to get involved and represent us and our values. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS.

To Apply 
- Read through the role description carefully and apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

About Access Academia

Access Academia is the charitable umbrella which was created out of the creation of the student-led publication, the Journal of Intersectional Social Justice. When Journal of Intersectional Social Justice (JISJ) was created, there were not any expectations for the project to be any more than that: a student-led academic publication. However, as it rolled on, attention for the project widened and it began to cover other topics and get involved in other realms of knowledge sharing, activism, and content creation. The creation of the seminal Access Series on the Intersections blog springboarded the idea for the JISJ to turn into something much more than a simple academic publication. Now as we have restructured the JISJ into Access Academia, we are finalising our official registration as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) in the UK. 

Our core purpose is to Make Academia More Accessible. We plan to accomplish this by many different avenues, as obviously it is a very wide-ranging goal! The main ways we plan to do this are through encouraging Open Access academia and knowledge sharing through the Access Series, expanding the themes covered on Intersections with additions such as Mental Health Mondays and Colonialism in Subject, creating accessible content across our social media platforms which encourages truthful and accurate knowledge sharing and activism, running research events to encourage students to publish and interact with academia, covering inside stories of academia, running student engagement programmes to try and make academia less of an Ivory Tower, and much more!

What is a Volunteership?

A volunteership is a unique hybrid opportunity that combines elements of volunteering and interning. Participants commit to working with a charity or nonprofit organization for a specified period of time, fulfilling a set of responsibilities and expectations. In return, they gain valuable experience, receive a letter of recommendation, and are offered LinkedIn endorsements. Additionally, they may have the chance to continue working with the charity through future hiring cycles as long as they remain a student. This experience provides both personal fulfillment through giving back to the community and professional development for future career opportunities.

Volunteership: Outreach Coordinator
Duration: May to August 2025
Eligibility: Must be currently enrolled as a student

Requirements:

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate program.

• Strong interest in community engagement and networking.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to craft compelling emails and messages tailored to different audiences.

• Organizational skills to track outreach efforts and meet targets.

• Comfortable using email outreach tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Google Sheets, etc.) or willingness to learn.

• Experience with or interest in nonprofit work is a plus.

• Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple outreach tasks.

• Passion for contributing to social impact and building connections that support charitable initiatives.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Email Outreach:

  • Meet a monthly email outreach quota, targeting potential partners and other key stakeholders.

  • Craft personalized and engaging outreach emails to build and maintain relationships with various groups.

  • Follow up with contacts to nurture relationships and drive engagement with the charity's initiatives.

• Community Engagement:

  • Assist in developing and implementing outreach strategies to expand the charity’s network and reach.

  • Help coordinate outreach efforts for specific campaigns, events, or initiatives.

  • Track responses and report on outreach success rates, identifying areas for improvement.

• Research & Networking:

  • Conduct research to identify new potential partners, supporters, or collaborators for the charity.

  • Assist with compiling contact lists and gathering relevant information for outreach purposes.

• Campaign Support:

  • Support the development of email campaigns, including drafting email copy and ensuring timely distribution.

  • Help maintain and update the charity's contact database, ensuring accuracy and compliance with privacy standards.

• Post-Event & Programme Reporting:

  • Help in post-event evaluations, collecting feedback from participants, and reporting on outcomes.

  • Assist in maintaining and updating event and programme documentation for future reference.

• Collaboration & Teamwork:

  • Collaborate with internal teams and volunteers to ensure Access Academia's message is shared correctly and consistently.

  • Contribute and attend all meetings for the Outreach & Marketing team and directions from the Director of Outreach & Marketing.

  • Meet all given deadlines on time and consistently.

What You’ll Gain:

• Hands-on experience in outreach, community engagement, and relationship management.

• Opportunities to develop communication skills, including email marketing and networking strategies.

• A letter of recommendation upon successful completion of the volunteership.

• Certification of participation at the end of the volunteership.

• LinkedIn endorsements and the chance to be considered for future hiring cycles with the charity.

We are looking for someone keen to move into the area of advising small charities on management and governance issues and assessing their needs in these areas.

We are a very ambitious local grant-making charity that also offers various training, support and consultancy services to small charities and community groups in Ealing & Hounslow. Our broad-ranging plans are now beginning to bear fruit and so we need someone to help us in the following areas as demand for our services begins to grow:

• Supporting small groups and start-ups with basic governance and management issues
• Promoting our services to local groups and assessing their needs

Our ideal candidate would have a good all-round management or professional background gained over a number of years, but need not be experienced in the areas mentioned above. You'd be given full training, with the opportunity to shadow the people already working in these areas. Far more important is adaptability, initiative, an ability to get on well with people from all sorts of backgrounds, and good organisational and writing skills. Most crucially you would have a demonstrable commitment to our ideals of promoting a strong and influential civil society in West London. You will thrive on challenges and find rewards in seeing our objectives achieved.

The role would probably require an average of 1 day a week and would involve dealing with our clients during office hours, so you will probably be someone who is working part-time, or is perhaps retired or semi-retired, or is otherwise not in full-time employment.

Much of the work would be taking place from home, but it will also involve quite a lot of face to face contact with clients, so living in the Ealing and Hounslow area would be a definite advantage.

All reasonable expenses will be reimbursed and refreshments provided where suitable.

Healthwatch Greenwich use our website and social media to communicate what we do and where people can go to access the support they need.

As a Digital communications volunteer/social media volunteer you will be supporting Healthwatch Greenwich to manage our social media and website by creating and/ or reviewing content and responding to people’s comments or queries.

Why should you be a Healthwatch Digital communications volunteer/ Social Media Volunteer?

Stay up to date with the ways that social media and websites work. With an ever-changing environment, this opportunity will enable you to freshen up your digital skills. Working alongside Healthwatch staff, you will help to manage and contribute to our website, social media and other digital platforms. You’ll make a difference by helping to keep the public up to date with the latest news, enabling people to share their views and communicate the number of ways people can get the support they need.

What will the role involve?

• Assist in the creation and scheduling of social media posts for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

• Design high quality graphics for online and print promotion of our events (ideally using Canva)

• Help us increase our reach by writing engaging copy for our website and social media channels

As part of this opportunity, you will also:

• Develop graphic design and copywriting skills.

• Learn to manage cross-channel communication and gain project and time

management skills.

• Create new content that you will be able to add to your portfolio.

• Meet fellow like-minded people by joining the Healthwatch Greenwich volunteer community.

About Access Academia

Access Academia is the charitable umbrella which was created out of the creation of the student-led publication, the Journal of Intersectional Social Justice. When Journal of Intersectional Social Justice (JISJ) was created, there were not any expectations for the project to be any more than that: a student-led academic publication. However, as it rolled on, attention for the project widened and it began to cover other topics and get involved in other realms of knowledge sharing, activism, and content creation. The creation of the seminal Access Series on the Intersections blog springboarded the idea for the JISJ to turn into something much more than a simple academic publication. Now as we have restructured the JISJ into Access Academia, we are finalising our official registration as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) in the UK. 

Our core purpose is to Make Academia More Accessible. We plan to accomplish this by many different avenues, as obviously it is a very wide-ranging goal! The main ways we plan to do this are through encouraging Open Access academia and knowledge sharing through the Access Series, expanding the themes covered on Intersections with additions such as Mental Health Mondays and Colonialism in Subject, creating accessible content across our social media platforms which encourages truthful and accurate knowledge sharing and activism, running research events to encourage students to publish and interact with academia, covering inside stories of academia, running student engagement programmes to try and make academia less of an Ivory Tower, and much more!

What is a Volunteership?

A volunteership is a unique hybrid opportunity that combines elements of volunteering and interning. Participants commit to working with a charity or nonprofit organization for a specified period of time, fulfilling a set of responsibilities and expectations. In return, they gain valuable experience, receive a letter of recommendation, and are offered LinkedIn endorsements. Additionally, they may have the chance to continue working with the charity through future hiring cycles as long as they remain a student. This experience provides both personal fulfillment through giving back to the community and professional development for future career opportunities.

Volunteership: Events & Programmes Coordinator
Duration: May to August 2025
Eligibility: Must be currently enrolled as a student

Requirements:

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate program.

• Strong interest in event planning, programme coordination, and nonprofit work.

• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multitask and prioritize.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work independently as well as in a team setting.

• Prior experience in event planning or project coordination is a plus, but not required.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace.

• A passion for contributing to social impact and supporting charitable initiatives.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Event Planning & Execution:

  • Assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of monthly charity events. This is a minimum of 1 online event per month.

  • Work closely with team members to ensure events are organized efficiently, within budget, and aligned with the charity’s mission.

  • Help with logistics, setup, and support during events.

  • Manage guest lists, invitations, and event communications.

• Annual Research Programme Coordination:

  • Support the coordination of the charity’s annual research programme. This is currently an annual programme, the Social Justice Research Fellowship, running in 2025 from June 2nd - August 8th.

  • Assist in organizing logistics, outreach, and scheduling for research participants.

  • Ensure that resources and materials are available for programme participants.

  • Track the progress of the programme and report on key milestones.

  • Contribute to planing and logistical initiatives surrounding expanding the provisions of research programmes, including brainstorming and coordination for potential new programmes.

• Collaboration & Teamwork:

  • Collaborate with internal teams and volunteers to ensure smooth event and programme execution.

  • Participate in regular team meetings, contributing ideas and insights.

  • Provide feedback and suggestions for improving the efficiency of events and programmes.

  • Participate in Outreach & Marketing meetings and follow direction provided from Senior Staff.

• Post-Event & Programme Reporting:

  • Help in post-event evaluations, collecting feedback from participants, and reporting on outcomes.

  • Assist in maintaining and updating event and programme documentation for future reference.

What You’ll Gain:

• Hands-on experience in event management and programme coordination.

• Networking opportunities with peers, university departments and professors, and other charitiable groups.

• Opportunities to develop key skills in project management, communication, and teamwork.

• A letter of recommendation upon successful completion of the volunteership.

• Certificate of participation of the volunteership.

• LinkedIn endorsements and the chance to be considered for future hiring cycles with the charity.

Overall purpose

To support children (the child/ren who have complex medical needs and/or their siblings) in 1:1 sessions through the integration of counselling and play skills

Role responsibilities

Children, who have been assessed by an experienced therapist from the project and with parental consent, will be referred to the Child Therapist who will:

• Make contact with the client’s parent/guardian organising an initial 1:1 meeting with them to talk through the issues their child faces and establish the time, location and frequency of sessions
• Provide support through an integration of counselling and play skills
• Attend monthly group supervision (2 hours)
• Undertake The Maypole Project initial training (20 hours)
• Work to The Maypole Project model of support for children and young people
• Attend a training update session at least once per annum
• Complete client notes and The Maypole Project paperwork as required
• Liaise with their supervisor or the Clinical Supervisor in case of questions/difficulties
• Follow The Maypole Project policies and guidelines at all times whilst volunteering
• Attend service-wide activities including family activity events and fundraising events

For students: Please check whether your course placement requirements would enable you to provide counselling at external venues (clients home, hospitals, hospices etc). This would occur only after a settling in period and with additional training and support provided by The Maypole Project.

Support

Whilst volunteering you will have support from our Family Support Co-ordinator for day to day issues and our Lead Therapist or another qualified counsellor for monthly clinical supervision.

Location

At our offices in Orpington and Greenwich or, after a settling-in period, in local schools, hospitals, hospices and client’s homes.

Time Commitment

Volunteers days and hours are negotiable but, due to the long-term promise of support to our clients, a most valued aspect of our service, we do ask volunteer applicants to be available to volunteer for a minimum of 6 months from acceptance onto the volunteering programme at The Maypole Project. We would ideally like volunteers to aspire to offering 2 years commitment to the role.

Person Specification

Education & qualifications

• Good general education (essential)
• Final year student on counselling or therapies course; including study of child development and child therapies (essential)
• Courses must be accredited by BACP, IATE, BAPT or approved equivalent and require the student to engage in personal therapy across one year (essential)
• Qualified at diploma/degree or masters level in child and young person counselling or play therapy or equivalent (desirable)

Previous experience

• 20+ client hours supporting children and/or young people (essential)
• 20+ face to face client hours supporting children and/or young people (desirable)
• Experience of working with people impacted upon by complex medical needs/loss and bereavement (desirable)
• Working with people from a diversity of backgrounds (desirable)
• Working with diversity of disability in families (desirable)

Skills & knowledge

• Good communication and interpersonal skills with all ages – focusing on children and young people (essential)
• Child and Family centred approach (essential)
• Experience of supporting children and families (desirable)

Attributes

• Self-motivated (essential)
• Able to work flexibly (essential)
• Approachable (essential)
• Discreet, boundaried and able to adhere to confidentiality procedures (essential)
• Commitment to equal opportunities and a non-judgmental attitude (essential)
• Commitment to further training and personal development (essential)

Exemption clause

• 2 years without significant loss (including divorce/diagnosis of chronic illness)

Thanks for your interest in volunteering for The Maypole Project

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.