Safeguarding volunteer roles

About

blink blink mental health is a registered charity in England and Wales, and we are on a mission to help hundreds of thousands more people get timely, appropriate, and personalised mental health support.

We do this by:

• increasing access to support, making sure financial barriers aren’t a limitation

• providing personalised support when it’s needed, not limited by waiting lists

• normalising talking about mental health, reducing the stigma and taboo

• creating supportive and inclusive spaces at events and festivals across the UK, where people can be heard, connect with others, and reconnect with themselves.

blink is a small volunteer-powered organisation with three trustees, around 150 volunteers, and no paid staff. We’re growing, both in reach and in ambition, and we’re looking to expand our Trustee board to help guide us through this next chapter.

Our services at UK festivals:

Free, instant-access talking therapy with a fully-qualified therapist Up to 50-minutes with an experienced therapist who can support and guide people in the ways that feel most useful to them - like signposting, giving advice or simply offering an open, non-judgemental space to talk.

A calm, inclusive space to chill out and chat openly Whether festival-goers want a quiet space to switch off and nap, a place to connect with others, to explore the benefits of therapy or share the emotional weight they’re carrying, or just a safe-haven for a while – our bell tents are ready. Lined with comfortable bean bags and cosy blankets, we create the perfect environment to relax in.

Mindfulness activities facilitated by volunteers Puzzles and colouring books are available to unwind from the busy-ness outside. Our Wellbeing Support Volunteers are always available to have conversations, book therapy sessions, and signpost those who may be struggling or need some extra support.

Long term blink aims

Our work at festivals is hugely successful, and we are changing hundreds of lives a year. In the future, we hope to build on this experience and success by developing a programme of pop-up mental health workshops, events and free personalised therapy in other settings across the country.

Time Commitment

• Approx 5-10 hours per month. A greater time commitment may be required in the initial months to enable a smooth induction period

• Approx. 6–8 Board meetings per year

• Quarterly meetings with the Clinical Lead

• Additional time for reading and preparation

• Occasional involvement in urgent safeguarding matters or training.

• Optional opportunity to volunteer at festivals with blink, if that’s of interest Optional additional involvement blink is a small but growing mental health charity with huge ambition.

As we continue to develop, there is an opportunity for trustees to take a more ‘hands-on role’, if this is of interest. This could include things like, supporting volunteer recruitment, delivering training, helping with specific projects, or joining us at festivals. That said, this level of involvement is entirely optional. We know everyone’s capacity is different, and we want trustees to contribute in ways that feel sustainable and enjoyable for them.

Lead Safeguarding Trustee Purpose of the Role

The Lead Safeguarding Trustee plays a pivotal role in ensuring that blink upholds the highest standards of safeguarding for everyone it works with, including volunteers and members of the public. This trustee leads the Board's oversight of safeguarding policies, practices, and culture, ensuring that safeguarding remains a priority for the charity.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Oversight: Champion safeguarding in all blink’s activities, ensuring the charity maintains a proactive and preventative approach to safeguarding risks. Advise the Board on safeguarding trends, risks, and implications for strategic decision making.

 • Governance & Compliance: Ensure that blink complies with all relevant legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice in safeguarding. Work closely with other trustees and key volunteers to ensure safeguarding governance arrangements are robust and effective.

• Culture & Accountability: Champion a positive culture of safety, wellbeing and inclusion, where transparency, learning, and continuous improvement in safeguarding practice is encouraged. Support the blink team to ensure safeguarding is embedded in service delivery, policy, recruitment, and training.

• Risk & Incident Management: Work closely with key volunteers to provide appropriate support, challenge and scrutiny regarding how safeguarding concerns or incidents are reported, escalated, and managed. Monitor safeguarding reports and trends, ensuring that systemic risks are identified and mitigated.

• Support & Collaboration: Act as a point of contact for other trustees on safeguarding matters. Engage with external stakeholders, regulators, or legal advisors when appropriate to ensure the charity is responding appropriately to safeguarding challenges. Person Specification This is blink’s ‘wish list’, but we don’t expect you to tick every single box in order to apply. We welcome applicants with diverse lived and learned experiences and are particularly keen to hear from individuals from marginalised and minoritised communities.

Experience:

• Direct professional senior-level experience of safeguarding for example in a charity, social care, health, education, youth work, or a related field.

• Prior experience as a trustee or non-executive board member desirable. Knowledge and understanding:
• Understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and reputational impact for safeguarding within a charity. • Commitment to blink’s vision, mission and values.

• Demonstrable commitment to social justice, anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion.

 Skills:

• Able to distil complex information and bring a pragmatic approach to its application.

• Ability to engage with complex or sensitive safeguarding issues in a supportive and trauma-informed way.

• A collaborative, calm, and reflective approach to team working, with the ability to inspire trust and confidence quickly. • Empowering and coaching interpersonal style to support & develop the blink team.

• A proactive approach to CPD.

What difference will you make?

• Play a key role in ensuring blink is protecting everyone who comes into contact with the charity

• Support and influence the charity to thrive, building our reputation and impact.

• Have a direct positive impact on thousands of people’s lives

What's in it for you?

You will have the opportunity to:

• Be part of a friendly, passionate and values-driven team

• Shape and improve safeguarding practice in a grassroots mental health charity
• Guide and lead blink’s development at a time of exciting growth

• Deepen your skills and experience by applying this to a different sector and/or organisation

• Develop leadership skills in supporting and empowering both volunteers and wider trustees in a key role on the board

• Represent blink at charity sector events

• Benefit from a structured induction and ongoing support, training and networking opportunities

To Apply

If you’re interested in joining blink as a trustee, please apply through here with a short expression of interest, outlining your experience and why this role feels like a good fit for you.

We are happy to receive applications in word or PDF (no more than 2 A4 sides), or video presentation.

You are welcome to contact us for an informal chat before applying, and to let us know if you have any support or accessibility needs. 

Release Counselling and Therapy for Women (Release) is a small charity in Sussex with a big impact and have been supporting the mental health of thousands of women, since 2013. We specialise in supporting the mental health of women at key moments in their lives from parenting to peri/menopause.

Founded in 2013, our charity is led by women, for women. Women are at the highest risk of suicide up to a year after giving birth and during perimenopause. And we provide mental health support for women at these key times in their lives.

We offer therapeutic groups for mums and birthing parents and women in midlife, along with wellbeing days and a women’s one-to-one online counselling service.

As a small evolving charity, we work closely as a team and there are opportunities to help shape our future.

To help our mission, we are looking to appoint a Trustee with experience in clinical work such as counselling or social work to oversee the safeguarding of our charity.

* This post is only open to female applicants as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded women-led, women-centred, and trauma-informed charity.

Responsibilities 

The Board and CEO meet quarterly for Board meetings and once for an annual strategy day in Brighton.

The safeguarding trustee works closely with the CEO, the designated safeguarding lead, to ensure our organisation’s strategic plans reflect safeguarding legislation, regulations specific to our activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charities Commission.

The role will help champion a safeguarding culture across the organisation, ensuring there are regular reviews, training, and that policies and the risk register are up to date, alongside advising on any safeguarding concerns that arise.

There are also other opportunities to get involved with fundraising events, speaking at conferences, and each Trustee takes on a committee lead role, in their area of expertise, taking an oversight of that area.

What difference will you make? 

Your support will help improve the mental health and wellbeing of women by reducing isolation and empowering women to bring about positive change in their lives.

Person Specification 

Essential

 · Qualified clinical practitioner such as counsellor, psychologist or social worker accredited by a recognised body such as BACP, UKCP, BABCP, BPS or HCPC

· Current DBS check or willing to have one carried out

· Experience in overseeing and leading safeguarding procedures within an organisation

· Experience working with female clients with a range of issues

· Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

· Good communication and leadership skills

· A team-oriented approach to problem solving and to management.

Desirable 

· Dedicated to the organisation’s cause and objectives and willing to act as the charity’s ambassador to external bodies, charities and companies.

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 31st December 2025

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 8th December 2025

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 8th December 2025

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 8th December 2025

Are you committed to driving excellence and innovation? Do you have experience working within practitioners of Safeguarding?

As a County Safeguarding Officer, you will play a vital role in supporting and enhancing a national community of practice. You will focus on specific activities or areas within the community, ensuring that efforts align with national standards and priorities while avoiding duplication.

As a County Safeguarding Officer, you will:

• Support the Community of Practice Lead in coordinating the community.
• Focus on specific activities or areas within the community of practice.
• Assist in delivering impactful initiatives and projects.
• Foster collaboration and strengthen professional engagement.
• Champion inclusivity and provide support to community members.
• Contribute to the overall success and development of the community.

For more information about this role, please see the role description.

The closing date for this vacancy is the 30/11/2025

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 28th February 2026.

Join Roots Academy, and use your skills to contribute to the Muslim Ummah!

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries.

We are currently recruiting a Safeguarding officer to join our people team in the UK.

This is a remote/homebased long-term volunteer position that will be part of the core team at Roots Academy, and we are looking for someone that can volunteer approximately 3-8 hours per week.

About Roots Academy

Roots Academy provides structured and transformative Islamic education that speaks directly to the needs and challenges of young Muslims today, delivered in an engaging and accessible form that removes barriers to access and provokes thought and action. Roots started in the UK in 2020, and has grown steadily since. Our UK office currently has several teams including Education, Programmes, Marketing, Fundraising and Events. We are also expanding internationally into Ireland, Canada, US, Australia and Türkiye.

About The Role 

The Safeguarding Officer will work with the People Team Lead and the Trustee Board in ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place for keeping students, volunteers and team members safe at Roots Academy.

You will promote the safety and welfare of young people involved in Roots Academy’s activities at all times.

Key tasks

• Support with developing, reviewing and implementing Roots Academy’s safeguarding policies and procedures: ensuring all safeguarding issues concerning students and volunteers who take part in Roots Academy’s activities are responded to appropriately.
• Make sure that everyone working or volunteering at Roots Academy, including the board of trustees, understands the safeguarding policy and procedures and knows what to do if they have concerns about a student or volunteer’s welfare.
• Develop and deliver safeguarding training.
• Make sure students and young people who are involved in activities at Roots Academy know who they can talk to if they have a welfare concern and understand what action the organisation will take in response.
• Receive and record information from anyone who has concerns about a student or volunteer who takes part in Roots Academy’s activities.
• Responding to information that may constitute a safeguarding concern, including a concern that an adult involved with Roots Academy may present a risk to children or young people. This includes:

a. assessing and clarifying the information

b. making referrals to statutory organisations as appropriate

c. consulting with and informing the relevant members of the organisation’s management

d. following the organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures.

• Liaise with, pass on information to and receive information from statutory agencies such as the police. This includes making formal referrals to agencies when necessary.
• Store and retain safeguarding records according to legal requirements and the organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
• Work closely with the board of trustees the People Team Lead to ensure they are kept up to date with safeguarding issues and are fully informed of any concerns about organisational safeguarding practice.
• Report regularly to the board of trustees on issues relating to safeguarding, to ensure that safeguarding is seen as an ongoing priority issue and that safeguarding requirements are being followed at all levels of the organisation.

What we’re looking for

• The Safeguarding Officer must have received relevant safeguarding training
• Experience as a qualified social worker or safeguarding lead desirable
• Understanding of safeguarding in further education desirable
• Strong understanding of Islam and the Muslim community essential

At Roots Academy, we are committed to providing accessible Islamic Education to individuals from all backgrounds. To achieve this, we are working to build an inclusive and welcoming workplace, reflective of the students we serve.

We strongly encourage applications from Muslim women and Roots students or alumni that have benefitted from a Roots Class, as well as individuals that bring experience from the education sector or charity sector.
 

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of over 100+ dedicated volunteers from around the world.

• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from Roots classes.

• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots level.

• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen. 

• Gain hands-on experience, with plenty of opportunities to progress.

• The chance to make a real impact for the Muslim Ummah. 

How to Apply

If you're ready to help make a difference, we'd love to hear from you! 

• To apply, please submit your CV and Cover letter via the application link. 

• In your cover letter, please outline what attracted you to Roots Academy, and what skills have that would make you a good fit for the role.

• As we are working to improve diversity and inclusion within the organisation, we encourage candidates to voluntarily complete an optional anonymous survey ( application instructions). This will allow us to monitor our progress and identify where we can improve.

Roots Academy is committed to safeguarding, diversity, equity, and inclusion. All successful candidates may be required to undergo safeguarding training and relevant background checks before starting their role.

Roots Academy is committed to providing an environment free from harassment and discrimination. We strive to provide equal opportunities and ensure that decisions regarding recruitment, compensation, performance evaluation and terminations are made fairly and transparently.

If you wish to contact us to request any accommodations or additional support during the recruitment process, raise any related concerns, make suggestions or provide feedback, please email us.

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position.

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy.

Overview:
Oversee and maintain robust safeguarding standards across all CWV activities, ensuring children and families are protected and supported appropriately.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for the organisation

• Maintain and update safeguarding policies and training

• Ensure all staff and volunteers receive safeguarding inductions

• Handle safeguarding reports and referrals in line with policy

• Work with programme leaders to embed welfare practices in all delivery

Skills & Experience:

• Safeguarding Level 3 (or willing to complete training)

• Experience in child protection, social work, or education

• Strong understanding of confidentiality and record-keeping

• Empathetic, calm, and professional under pressure

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 8th December 2025

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 30th November 2025

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are looking for people with excellent interpersonal skills to join our Safeguarding team. Safeguarding is central to the work of St John Ambulance because it ensures that the diverse range of services we provide to children and adults at risk of harm, are delivered safely. Safeguarding Team Members do this in a number of ways e.g. by monitoring the implementation of the safeguarding policy, by responding to questions regarding and giving guidance etc.

 Learning is at the heart of St John Ambulance and we offer a very large range of learning and developmental opportunities to our volunteers, including the full professional training that is essential for our Safeguarding Team Members:

·  Safeguarding Awareness

·  Safeguarding in Practice

·  Working safely with Children and Adults at Risk of Harm

This role is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitations Offenders Act.

Closing date for this vacancy is the 8th December 2025

Are you committed to driving excellence and innovation? Do you have experience working within practitioners of Safeguarding?

As a County Safeguarding Officer, you will play a vital role in supporting and enhancing a national community of practice. You will focus on specific activities or areas within the community, ensuring that efforts align with national standards and priorities while avoiding duplication.

As a County Safeguarding Officer, you will:

• Support the Community of Practice Lead in coordinating the community.
• Focus on specific activities or areas within the community of practice.
• Assist in delivering impactful initiatives and projects.
• Foster collaboration and strengthen professional engagement.
• Champion inclusivity and provide support to community members.
• Contribute to the overall success and development of the community.

For more information about this role, please see the role description.
Please note that this will be a shared role.

The closing date for this vacancy is the 15/12/2025