Social care development volunteer roles

Are you a qualified Yoga Instructor who would enjoy facilitating weekly sessions to help individuals with their general well-being. This is an opportunity for you to share techniques with others.

Practicing yoga and mindfulness aim to quiet the mind in order to cultivate a deeper connection to and understanding of oneself. They both help with breathing techniques, pay attention to bodily sensations and learn to accept reality as it is in that moment. Mindfulness refers to focusing your attention on what you are experiencing in the present moment without judging yourself. Practicing yoga has been shown to increase mindfulness not just in class session, but in other areas of a person's life.

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

What you will be doing

• Design session plans enabling all group members to increase fitness, suppleness and help them relax
• Teach the group yoga postures and breathing techniques which allow a range of mixed ages and abilities to participate
• Inspire and motivate people to attend and get involved in the group activities where possible and encourage the group to help design future sessions
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team

The skills you need

• Skilled and qualified Yoga Instructor
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications.
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

Are you fluent in British Sign Language and would like to provide the opportunity for others to learn? This is a great chance to empower others to communicate and bridge the gap between hearing and deaf individuals!

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

What you will be doing

• Facilitate British Sign sessions for beginners or those looking to improve their skills
• Prepare session plans and involve participants in the planning of each session.
• Encourage practice and interaction among participants to develop their skills.

The skills you need

• Good communication skills
• Calm and patient approach
• Ability to provide supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Hold a BSL qualification/Fluent in British Sign Language
• BSL Level 3 qualified or above
• Good English-speaking skills

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Do you enjoy singing and listening to all genres of music? We have an exciting opportunity to facilitate a singing and music group!

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

What you will be doing

• To develop positive relationships with the service users
• Facilitate a weekly singing and music group with use of instruments
• Provide opportunities for the group to collaborate on agreed themes/ songs for future groups
• Coordinate and plan group sessions
• Inspire and motivate people to attend and get involved in the group
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback, and report any concerns to the staff team
• To use a range of skills and tools to make sessions interesting and fun

The skills you need

• Experience in music in either a professional, educational or personal level
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Calm and patient approach

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Do you enjoy meeting people and engaging with them? We are looking for volunteers to join our team to provide a friendly face as people arrive at our Services. You will support people to connect with others, make them feel welcome whilst assisting our staff to run services for people in crisis. Get in touch and make a difference!

What you will be doing

• Holding conversations with people using the Service, checking in on their wellbeing and providing a listening ear/friendly face
• Motivate and inspire people to take part in activities
• Support with ad hoc and administrative tasks to support the smooth running of the Service
• Opportunities to deliver activities alongside the staff team and other volunteers
• Work alongside staff to support people living in the service or accessing one of our drop-in sessions
• Welcoming and engaging people using the Service
• Support with preparing light refreshments to create a relaxed environment

The skills you need

• Good communications skills
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Calm and patient approach
• Maintain discretion and judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential information

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Join us in promoting health and wellness in our community! We are looking for a passionate volunteer to teach Online Tai Chi sessions for individuals with mixed abilities as part of our online groups programme. Your role will be key in supporting to reduce isolation and bringing people together! If you are qualified and would like to get involved, please apply now!

At Hestia, we support adults and children who have experienced crisis and trauma, to find safety, hope and purpose. We specialise in trauma and resilience informed support for people in crisis or who have experienced trauma – including survivors of modern slavery, adults and children escaping domestic abuse, people needing support with their mental health, and people leaving prison. We foster trusting relationships at crucial moments in their recovery, that empower individuals to

build a life beyond crisis.

What you will be doing

• Planning and deliver Tai Chi classes for diverse groups and skill levels.
• Create a welcoming environment which encourages participation
• Educating participants on the physical and mental benefits of Tai Chi.
• Providing guidance during practice, encouraging participants, and helping them achieve their goals.

The skills you need

• Qualified in teaching Tai Chi
• A friendly, approachable, and patient demeanour
• An interest in promoting health, mindfulness, and community well-being
• Excellent communication and listening skills

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications.
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

Do you have a passion for knitting and would like to share your skills with others? We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Knitting Volunteer to facilitate a Knitting group in one of our Domestic Abuse refuges. Knitting is good way to relieve stress, increase confidence and create a sense of purpose.

What you will be doing

• Supporting others to improve their knitting and crochet skills and adhere to all abilities
• Facilitate a fun and enjoyable interactive group
• Maintain strict confidentiality and good working relationships

The skills you need

• Good interpersonal & communication skills to give instructions clearly to service user
• Kind and patient nature
• Interest and experience in knitting and Crochet
• Helpful and motivating attitude with a supportive approach

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Biddulph Youth and Community Zone are seeking a Treasurer to join our dedicated Board of Trustees.

BYCZ is a registered community benefit society with charitable status. We work to create a safe, warm, and inclusive environment for young people, families, and the wider community, supporting personal development through confidence and resilience building. We host sessions for young people through our youth club, provide guidance and support for older community members, and have a range of targeted activities and a community food project. Over 4,000 local people access the Centre each year.

As treasurer you will ensure we deliver our high-quality programmes sustainably, guiding the financial decisions which can help us grow the Centre. Based in Biddulph, our board meetings are a bi-monthly commitment on the 3rd Wednesday of alternating months and are Hybrid. This will make the role a 6-8 hour per month commitment 

Role responsibilities:

· Oversee financial operations, budgeting, accounting, and cash flow.

· Present financial reports at board meetings.

· Play an active part in strategic planning and financial forecasting.

· Support fundraising efforts with financial insight.

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 charity that supports refugees and people seeking asylum who live in south London. We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a background of forced migration, providing them with tools to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for young people currently include: ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages), study group, youth club, swimming lessons and football.

About Youth Club:

Youth Club is a place for young people aged 14-19 to come and play games, learn new skills, make and strengthen friendships and build a sense of belonging. Regular activities include classic youth club games such as table tennis, pool, foosball, board and card games. We also work in partnership with a range of organisations to run a rich programme of workshops within our youth club. Some of these have included creative visual arts, drama, music and workshops on rights and entitlements of young asylum seekers. We also cook a hot meal from time to time and offer a range of snacks each week. Our casework team are also on-site to support young people with a range of advice and signposting needs, usually by-appointment.

Youth club takes place at Tooting Hub- Beechcroft Road, Tooting, SW17 7BU

About the role:

As a Youth Club volunteer, you would be helping young people to feel welcome, join in with activities and be a great role model.

Youth Club takes place every Wednesday at 6.00-8.30pm. We ask for a commitment of at least 2 sessions per month for a minimum of 6 months.

Tasks and responsibilities:

· To attend and contribute to volunteer de-briefs which occur 15 minutes after each session.

· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering with young people.

· To encourage and inspire young people to reach their full potential.

· To assist young people to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.

· To challenge young peoples’ negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manner.

· To adhere to CARAS Child Protection procedures, Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.

Requirements:

To be 18 years or older;

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

· To be reliable and punctual;

· Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English;

· The ability to volunteer on Wednesday evenings for a minimum of six months;

· Current resident of the UK;

· Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check;

· Able to attend compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding prior to the start of role

Volunteer induction training currently takes place online once a month on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6pm - 8pm. we offer the same trainings on Tuesday and Wednesday daytimes online between 12noon - 2pm once every 3 months.

Your availability to attend 1 general and 1 safeguarding online training session at these times within 3 months of your application would be a prerequisite of being accepted as a volunteer at CARAS.

Desirable:

· Knowledge of community languages, such as (including Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish).

Through volunteering with us you will:

· 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;

Are you looking for a joyful way to give back to the community? We are looking for a volunteer to promote mental wellness through laughter yoga, a blend of playful exercises and yoga breathing techniques. You will design uplifting sessions which build connections and reduce stress. If you’re interested, apply now!

At Hestia, we support adults and children who have experienced crisis and trauma, to find safety, hope and purpose. We specialise in trauma and resilience informed support for people in crisis or who have experienced trauma – including survivors of modern slavery, adults and children escaping domestic abuse, people needing support with their mental health, and people leaving prison. We foster trusting relationships at crucial moments in their recovery, that empower individuals to

build a life beyond crisis.

We are recruiting for a volunteer who would like to play a role in helping others to express themselves through writing. Would you like to support others to use their imagination to portray a message?

Creative writing is a great way to express yourself using your own creativity and imagination through story telling or poetry. It is an opportunity to reflect on your own experiences and put it down on paper. Creative writing has been shown to improve emotional and mental well-being. Through creative writing, we can gain insight into our emotions, develop self-expression and communication skills, cultivate empathy and understanding of others, boost our imagination and creativity.

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

We are recruiting for a volunteer who would like to play a role in helping others to express themselves through writing. Would you like to support others to use their imagination to portray a message?

Creative writing is a great way to express yourself using your own creativity and imagination through story telling or poetry. It is an opportunity to reflect on your own experiences and put it down on paper. Creative writing has been shown to improve emotional and mental well-being. Through creative writing, we can gain insight into our emotions, develop self-expression and communication skills, cultivate empathy and understanding of others, boost our imagination and creativity.

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

Are you a creative, friendly, open-minded person who wants to gain experience working with Children? Caudwell Children are looking for volunteers to help with our Short Break Activity Sessions!

Our Short Break Activity Sessions enable disabled children to access fun, inspirational and challenging leisure activities that build life skills and promote independence whilst providing carers with vital short break respite.

With our support, disabled children and young people get to explore their interests, talents and develop vital life skills. Activities can lead to ASDAN accreditation. Short break activities build future hopes and aspirations and provide children with the confidence to achieve their full potential.

Roles and Responsibilities:

- Assist Caudwell Children staff member(s) in running the short break activity sessions

- Help to ensure all children are safe during the activity sessions

- Support staff members with planned activities

- Participate in setting up an activity and helping with the set down

- Communicate and work with the children to ensure they have fun

Person Specification:

Essential Criteria

- Friendly and approachable personality

- Punctual and reliable

- Experience of working/ volunteering with children

- Creative personality

Desirable Criteria

- Experience of working/ volunteering with children with an additional need

- Experience of working/ volunteering in a charity/ third sector

- Experience of education or an educational setting

This role takes place on weekends only. We suggest a minimum commitment of 6 months for this role – full training and support will be provided.

How you can make a difference:

Are you a painter, illustrator, knitter or potter? You might be a sports teacher, a music student or even a professional writer. If you are dedicated to supporting young people and you’ve got a super skill you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you!

A sibling or young carer is a young person who lives with a family member with a disability, such as a parent or sibling, often providing support or care. Here at Sense, we know that it’s not always easy being a young carer, or the sibling of a disabled person. Their wellbeing and happiness are just as important. That is why we deliver activities and sessions specifically for young people aged 5-18, who have a caring role for a parent or have a sibling with a disability.

We run a wide range of virtual group sessions after school and at weekends. Our sessions are designed to meet the interests of the young people we support, supporting their wellbeing, giving them opportunities to socialise with other siblings and young carers, and providing a fun break that is just for them. 

We are looking for volunteers to share their skills and engage groups of young people through fun, interactive, and accessible Zoom workshops. Volunteers will have experience in one of the following skills, either through study, teaching, running a business, or delivering workshops. Please note you only need one of the following skill areas to apply, however if you have experience in more than one, please do let us know:

• Arts/drawing
• Crafts/creative projects
• Sports/fitness
• Music
• Graphics/design/animation
• Gaming
• Creative writing

We welcome your application if you have another area of expertise you believe would be a great opportunity for young people to partake in.

This a great opportunity to utilise your own skills and experience to deliver impactful recreational sessions to siblings and young carers across the country. You do not need to have previous experience working with siblings or young carers, we will provide you with training and ongoing support to equip you for your role.

Our staff team will be there to support you every step of the way. The volunteer role is really flexible – you might run workshops after school, evenings, or any time at the weekend – once a month, twice a month, or more if you’d like! You will build up a great rapport with the young people and gain amazing experience supporting them each month.

Benefits:

What can Sense offer me as a volunteer?

• A reference following your commitment (at least 6 months)
• Flexible volunteering hours
• Reimbursed expenses*
• Full training and ongoing support, as well as ‘upskill’ opportunities
• Joining a family of wonderful volunteers
• Learning about the experiences of siblings and young carers and those with disabilities

• Gaining experience of working with young people

  *Expenses have to be pre-agreed

Additional Information:

• Location: Virtual, so we’re keen to hear from people all around the UK
• Time commitment: Estimated 3–5 hours a month, depending on the activity
• Duration: minimum 6 months
• Age minimum: 18

Trustee - Rees Foundation (Scotland Based)

Are you committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of care-experienced individuals in Scotland?

Would you like to help shape the future of a growing charity dedicated to supporting those who have been in care? As we expand our work into Scotland, we’re looking for a new Trustee who shares our commitment to improving outcomes for young people and adults with care experience. With our recent entry into the Scottish Charity Register, this is an exciting time to join us and help shape our growth and strategy in Scotland, enhancing our ability to offer meaningful support where it is needed most.

About us

The Rees Foundation is a national charity based in Worcestershire, supporting adults who have experienced foster care or residential care at any stage in their lives. We focus on the often-challenging transition from care into adulthood and the long-term impact care experience can have. At Rees, we believe care does not end at 18, 21, or 25, it is a lifelong journey, and everyone deserves ongoing support and someone who cares.
We listen, offer practical and emotional help, and create projects that genuinely change lives for the better.

About the role

As a Trustee, you will play a key role in ensuring the charity stays true to its mission and values. Our Board of Trustees shares responsibility for guiding the organisation’s strategic direction, ensuring good governance, financial health, and compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

Board members are required to attend four quarterly meetings a year, which last for up to three hours as well as three of four times a year to review grant applications. They are currently held during the day.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has skills in areas such as governance, finance, advocacy, or community engagement.
• Can commit to attending regular board meetings (online and occasionally in person).
• Enjoys working collaboratively and has a forward-thinking outlook.
• May bring knowledge or experience of the care system in Scotland (lived experience is especially welcomed).

Want to know more?

If you think you could contribute to our Board, we would like to hear from you. For an informal conversation about the charity and the Trustee role, please contact Melody Douglas, CEO.

To apply, please email Kathryn Mylott, HR Generalist to request a recruitment pack with more details about the charity and the role.

We are delighted to have secured funding to deliver a 24-month befriending programme. This exciting opportunity will support the delivery of our ambitious five-year strategy by: 

• Promoting Independence - ensuring more older people can stay independent for longer 

• Providing Connection - enabling friendship and social connection for olderPeople 

The befriending service will be provided through 2 different strands which aim to support older people in different ways based on the needs identified via an assessment. 

Clients will enter the strand that is most appropriate to their needs.

• Strand A: We will offer a local face-to-face service of up to 1 hour for 26 weeks. Strand A provision would be appropriate for older people who have experienced a recent life event, such as a hospital admission, bereavement or home move and who need time limited support and guidance to connect with suitable services and activities.

• Strands B: We will offer ongoing support either face-to- face of up to 1hour or by telephone between 30 minutes and 1 hour. Strand B provision is for older people leaving Strand A that require long term support or for those who are identified as needing ongoing face-to-face or local telephone befriending support on entry to theprogramme. 

Purpose of Role 

• Arrange and carry out assessment for new service users within the befriending service using the Guided Conversation approach, in order to gather appropriate information about the older person, their needs, and what a befriender will be expected (and not expected) to do. 

• Ensure that the person wants a befriender, has given consent, confidentiality has been discussed, and the person is able and willing to join the service. 

• Ensure that volunteers and service users are well-matched and that the service runs safely, effectively, and in line with organisational standards. 

Key Tasks 

• Carry out a needs assessment for new service users referred to the befriending service. It could be a telephone-based discussion or review of a referral form or a home visit. 

• Gather key information such as visit preferences, activity interests, potential risks, and any unmet needs. 

• Complete assessment forms and input information into the online database 

• Refer service users to other services where appropriate 

• Match service users with suitable volunteer befrienders 

• Introduce befriender and service user, and carry out a 6-week review with both parties 

• Maintain accurate records and liaise with staff throughout the process 

Skills and attributes Required 

• Good communication skills with a friendly approachable manner. 

• Confident using IT 

• Empathy and understanding of older people. 

• Understanding loneliness and social isolation. 

• Consistency and reliability.

• Understanding of Confidentiality. 

• Understanding of and empathy with the needs of older people. 

• Patience and Sensitivity. 

• Confidence to deal with emergencies. 

• Record keeping.

• Ideal for students studying Health & Social Care, though open to all. 

Support Provided 

• You will be inducted in cohorts with other volunteers. 

• Training for the role is provided including Safeguarding, Making Every Contact Count, Sexual Harassment and Building a positive volunteering experience and other more. 

• Ongoing support including regular supervision by the Volunteer Manager. 

• Goup supervision with other volunteers. Groups supervision is a safe place where you can share experiences, challenges, and successes, process emotion and learn from each other. 

• Reimbursement of agreed expenses.

• Access to an AGE UK Discount portal provided by Aon.  

• Monthly volunteer newsletter. 

• We hold an annual Volunteer Award event where we celebrate and recognise the contribution of our Volunteers! 

• Access to in-house training opportunities 

• You will receive supervision and support throughout your course placement from your named supervisor 

Benefits 

• Make a Real Difference: Have a direct impact on the lives of Making a Difference: Volunteering allows you to have a tangible impact on someone's life, particularly those in vulnerable situations. Helping older people can provide a strong sense of accomplishment and purpose. 

• Emotional Rewards 

• Intergenerational Connections 

• Learning and Skill Development 

• Enhancing Career Prospects 

• Building Empathy and Compassion 

• Giving Back to the Community 

• Social and celebration events 

• Placement Support: Ideal for Health & Social Care students—gain placement hours with supervision and guidance from a named supervisor 

• Insight into Care Needs. 

Commitment 

• We expect a minimum of 6 months commitment but would ideally prefer more of a longer-term commitment.

• Weekly commitment 2 to 3 hours.