Social work volunteer volunteer roles

Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a UK-based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise. We are supported by an incredible team of prison volunteers who are the link between the charity and the stitchers we work with in prison. Our volunteers run fortnightly stitching groups in the prisons we work with to facilitate our stitchers’ production of high-quality needlework.

Our prison volunteers work in small teams to teach our stitchers’ embroidery and needlepoint, organise their group sessions, and liaise with the prison and FCW office.

What you will do as a prison volunteer:

• Teach people in prison how to stitch and support the completion of our premade kits in our cell groups, which consist of around 10-15 stitchers.
• Communicate with staff at our hub in Battersea to receive kits and supplies for your group and send back completed work for your stitchers to be paid.
• Encourage and help stitchers to complete our Open College Network certifications in creative needlework.
• Develop stitchers’ skills and confidence by encouraging them to take responsibility as peer mentors.
• Act as an ambassador for the charity and sharing our vision and values throughout your volunteering.

Who we are looking for:

• Skills in embroidery and/or needlepoint or a willingness to learn to stitch is essential for this role.
• Ideally some teaching experience or experience working with socially-excluded groups.
• Someone with a non-judgemental attitude and commitment to rehabilitation.
• Someone who is an excellent team worker.
• Someone who is good at observing personal boundaries.

Commitment: our stitching groups run for 2 hours every fortnight, so with travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

You must be over 18 for this role with the ability to travel to the prison. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our prison volunteers. 

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented amongst FCW’s prison volunteers. This includes applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, and male identifying applicants.

Dacorum Heritage is seeking a committed and people-focused Trustee to join its Board of Trustees and help shape the future of a charitable museum dedicated to preserving and sharing local heritage.

You will play a key role in supporting the people who make the Dacorum Heritage’s work possible. You will help ensure volunteers and staff feel valued, heard and well supported, while contributing to the Board’s wider responsibility for good governance, financial oversight and strategic direction.

This is an opportunity to bring your experience, judgement and enthusiasm to a small charity with an important community purpose. Working collectively with fellow Trustees, you will help ensure Dacorum Heritage remains legally compliant, financially sustainable and focused on delivering its charitable objects for current and future beneficiaries.

Purpose of the Role

· Help create a positive, inclusive and well-supported environment for Dacorum Heritage’s volunteers and staff;

· Provide Board-level oversight of volunteer engagement, staff and director recruitment, and relevant HR matters.

What You Will Do

· Work with the Museum Manager to identify volunteer and staff needs, and support best practice in recruitment, induction and retention;

· Support the development of and attend informal volunteer coffee mornings and other social events in person where possible helping volunteers and staff to feel included, informed and valued;

· Develop clear routes for volunteers to share feedback, ideas and concerns;

· Oversee recruitment, interviews and appointments for the museum manager and trustees if required;

· Act as a trusted link between the Board, employees and volunteers;

· Support proportionate, effective HR and volunteer policies aligned with Dacorum Heritage’s strategic plans;

· Contribute actively and constructively to Board discussion, challenge and decision-making;

· Share collective responsibility for good governance, risk management and strategic direction; and

· Represent Dacorum Heritage positively and help build strong relationships with stakeholders and the wider community.

Humanist Climate Action is a volunteer-led network of Humanists UK members and supporters committed to redefining lifestyles and campaigning for policies that promote low-carbon, ethical, and sustainable living in the light of the degeneration of the Earth’s climate and biodiversity. We aim to bring humanists together to facilitate individual and collective action on these issues.

The Steering Committee is responsible for planning and executing HCA’s work, in line with its aims and policy. The Committee is appointed by Humanists UK’s Director of Human Rights & Advocacy. Its members report to the Chair, and as a whole it is supported and overseen by Humanists UK’s Human Rights & Advocacy Administrator.

We are seeking a dedicated and driven Social Media Lead to join our Committee, to assist in delivering the activities of Humanist Climate Action.

The role will primarily support the committee’s social media output across all its channels, including custom feed posts, uploading images and videos, monitoring threads, posting group updates and news stories, as well as highlighting calls to action.

Prison-based volunteers are the backbone of Fine Cell Work (FCW). Supported by the Fine Cell Work programmes team and by other staff at the FCW office, they teach and administer FCW stitching groups in prisons.

Prison volunteers work in teams to organise classes and teach our stitchers, as well as providing information about the group to the prison and to the FCW office. The precise mix of skills will vary from prison to prison.

Volunteering in prison for Fine Cell Work requires ideally a good level of needlework skill (or a willingness to learn), some teaching experience and/or experience of working with socially-excluded groups. Volunteers must be patient and non-judgemental in order to work effectively. As a prison volunteer you will be:

• Developing skills and confidence
• Teaching prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects

It is essential for volunteers to support FCW's ethos, believe in rehabilitation, be an excellent teamworker, observe personal boundaries, be reliable and patient to ensure cell groups run smoothly, and have record-keeping skills and have some knowledge of needlework.

Volunteers work in prisons around the UK dependent on where groups are based, therefore it is requred that volunteers will be able to travel to the relevant prisons. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity. 

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our volunteers.

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in FCW’s workforce.

These include applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+, and male identifying applicants as these are currently under-represented in our volunteers groups.

Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a UK-based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise. We are supported by an incredible team of prison volunteers who are the link between the charity and the stitchers we work with in prison. Our volunteers run fortnightly stitching groups in the prisons we work with to facilitate our stitchers’ production of high-quality needlework.

Our prison volunteers work in small teams to teach our stitchers’ embroidery and needlepoint, organise their group sessions, and liaise with the prison and FCW office.

What you will do as a prison volunteer:

• Teach people in prison how to stitch and support the completion of our premade kits in our cell groups, which consist of around 10-15 stitchers.
• Communicate with staff at our hub in Battersea to receive kits and supplies for your group and send back completed work for your stitchers to be paid.
• Develop stitchers’ skills and confidence by encouraging them to take responsibility as peer mentors.
• Act as an ambassador for the charity and sharing our vision and values throughout your volunteering.

Who we are looking for:

• Skills in embroidery and/or needlepoint or a willingness to learn to stitch is essential for this role.
• Ideally some teaching experience or experience working with socially-excluded groups.
• Someone with a non-judgemental attitude and commitment to rehabilitation.
• Someone who is an excellent team worker.
• Someone who is good at observing personal boundaries.

Commitment: our stitching groups run for 2 hours every fortnight, so with travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

You must be over 18 for this role with the ability to travel to the prison. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

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 Furzedown Youth Centre. Welham Rd, London SW16 6TJ

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;

Prison-based volunteers are the backbone of Fine Cell Work (FCW). Supported by the Fine Cell Work programmes team and by other staff at the FCW office, they teach and administer FCW stitching groups in prisons.

Prison volunteers work in teams to organise classes and teach our stitchers, as well as providing groups information to the prison and to the FCW office. The precise mix of skills will vary from prison to prison.

Volunteering in prison for Fine Cell Work requires ideally a good level of needlework skill (or a willingness to learn), some teaching experience and/or experience of working with socially-excluded groups. Volunteers must be patient and non-judgemental in order to work effectively. As a prison volunteer you will:

• Developing skills and confidence
• Teach prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects
• Teaching prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects

It is essential for volunteers to support FCW ethos, believe in rehabilitation, be an excellent teamworker, observe personal boundaries, be reliable and patient to ensure cell groups run smoothly, and have record-keeping skills and have at knowledge of tapestry/needlework. . 

Volunteers work in prisons around the UK dependant on where groups are based, therefore it is requred that volunteers will be able to travel to the relevant prisons. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity. 

Please take some time to read the role description to find put more details about the role and what we offer to our volunteers. 

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in FCW’s workforce.

These include applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+, and male identifying applicants as these are currently under-represented in our volunteers groups.

Childcare Volunteer – Make a Lasting Difference in Ghana

Help children learn, grow and thrive

At SFLIG Volunteers, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, feel safe and reach their full potential. Since 2011, we have partnered with schools, childcare centres and community organisations across Ghana to provide educational support, care and encouragement to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Are you passionate about working with children and looking for a meaningful international volunteering experience? Join our team and become part of a programme that creates lasting change while allowing you to experience the rich culture and hospitality of Ghana.

About the role

As a Childcare Volunteer, you will work alongside experienced local staff in a childcare centre, supporting children's learning, development and wellbeing. Your encouragement, creativity and enthusiasm can have a positive impact on the lives of young children while giving you a rewarding international experience.

No two days are the same. You will build relationships with the children, assist with educational and recreational activities and help create a fun, safe and engaging environment where children can flourish.

What you'll be doing

You will:

• Support children with reading, writing and basic learning activities.
• Organise games, arts and crafts, music and educational activities.
• Help supervise indoor and outdoor play.
• Encourage children's confidence, creativity and social development.
• Assist local staff with daily childcare routines.
• Share your culture while learning about Ghanaian traditions and community life.
• Work respectfully within the local community and follow safeguarding procedures at all times.

Programme details

Location: Accra, Kasoa, Senya Breku, Kumas (All in Ghana)

Placement Type: Onsite international volunteer placement

Duration: Flexible placements available throughout the year

Accommodation: Volunteer accommodation provided from the program cost

Meals: Three meals per day included from the program cost

Support: Airport pickup, orientation, local SIM card, ongoing in-country support and a certificate upon successful completion.

This placement is for you if...

• You enjoy working with children.
• You are caring, patient and adaptable.
• You are enthusiastic about learning a new culture.
• You work well as part of a team.
• You are willing to contribute positively to the local community.
• Previous childcare, teaching or youth work experience is welcome but not essential.

Important information

This is an onsite, self-funded international volunteer programme in Ghana. Volunteers are responsible for their programme fee, international flights, visa, travel insurance and personal expenses.

Applicants must answer the screening questions as part of the application process. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted with further information about the placement and the next steps.

If you're ready to make a meaningful difference while experiencing the warmth, culture and beauty of Ghana, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and become part of the SFLIG Volunteers family.

Becky’s Child Foundation is a dynamic non-profit organization  in Uganda committed to uplifting vulnerable communities across society. We work with children, women, youth, families, and marginalized groups through education, healthcare, livelihood support, protection services, and community empowerment programs. Our mission is to create lasting impact by restoring hope, dignity, and opportunities to those who need it most.

Role Overview

We are seeking a creative, passionate, and digitally savvy Social Media Volunteer to amplify our voice online. You will help tell powerful stories, build meaningful connections with supporters, and drive engagement that translates into real-world impact for vulnerable communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage engaging content (images, reels, carousels, stories, and short videos) across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X (Twitter).
• Grow our online presence, increase followers, and boost community engagement.
• Create monthly content calendars aligned with our programs and fundraising campaigns.
• Identify trending topics and opportunities to raise awareness about vulnerable groups.
• Collaborate with the team to produce authentic, impactful storytelling content (with full consent and safeguarding standards).
• Monitor performance analytics and provide simple monthly reports.
• Support fundraising drives and donor engagement initiatives.

Who We’re Looking For

• Deep passion for social impact and supporting vulnerable communities.
• Proven experience or strong skills in social media management and content creation.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English (knowledge of other languages is an advantage).
• Proficiency with content tools such as Canva, CapCut, or similar apps.
• Self-motivated, creative, and able to deliver consistently with minimal supervision.
• Understanding of social media best practices, algorithms, and analytics.

Note: This is a volunteer role, but we provide:

• Official volunteer certificate and recommendation letter
• Professional experience and portfolio building
• The joy of making a tangible difference in people’s lives
• Pathway to future paid roles as the organization grows

How to ApplySend the following

• Your CV or Portfolio
• Links or samples of your previous social media work
• A brief note (maximum 200 words) explaining: Why you want to volunteer with Becky’s Child Foundation
• How many hours per week you can commit

Let’s use the power of social media to change lives.
Every story shared is a life touched.

Becky’s Child Foundation – Restoring Hope. Building Dignity. Creating Impact.

Volunteer Coordinator

Key Information

• Location: Windsor, Berkshire
• Working Pattern: Office-based
• Hours: Two days per week (9.00am–5.00pm, flexible)
• Contract Type: Voluntary
• Expenses: Agreed reasonable expenses reimbursed and laptop provided

About Us

The Almshouse Association is the national membership body representing almshouse charities across England and Wales and supporting the wider charitable housing sector. As part of this work, we support the Charity Housing Alliance (CHA), a growing network of charitable housing providers, housing trusts and not-for-profit housing organisations.

The Charity Housing Alliance works with members, partners and policymakers to raise awareness of the vital contribution charitable housing providers make to communities, while advocating for greater recognition and support for the sector.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to support a growing national initiative that is helping to shape the future of charitable housing.

Working closely with The Almshouse Association and Charity Housing Alliance leadership team, you'll play an important role in supporting membership engagement, communications, research and administration. You'll help build relationships across the sector, strengthen the Alliance's network, and support activities that raise the profile of charitable housing providers at both local and national level.

This is a varied and rewarding opportunity for someone who is organised, proactive and enjoys working collaboratively. Whether you're looking to develop new skills, broaden your knowledge of the housing and charity sectors, or use your existing experience to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

Membership Engagement & Development

• Respond to enquiries from members, stakeholders and supporters.
• Support initiatives to grow and strengthen the Alliance's network.
• Assist with outreach to potential members and partners.
• Help welcome and engage new members.
• Encourage participation and engagement across the network.

Communications & Awareness Raising

• Support the management of the Charity Housing Alliance website.
• Assist with social media activity and awareness campaigns.
• Contribute to newsletters, member communications and promotional materials.
• Monitor sector developments and identify opportunities to promote the Alliance's work.

Research & Policy Support

• Research policy, legislation and developments affecting charitable housing.
• Support the collection of case studies and sector insights.
• Monitor consultations, funding opportunities and sector announcements.
• Research new partnerships and opportunities for the Alliance.

Administration & Coordination

• Provide day-to-day administrative support.
• Organise meetings, events, webinars and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Maintain records and contact databases.
• Assist with reports, presentations and briefing papers.

About You

Essential

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence communicating via telephone, email and online platforms.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and use your initiative.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Interest in housing, charities, social impact, membership organisations or public policy.
• Enthusiastic, proactive and willing to learn.

Desirable

• Experience working or volunteering within the charity, housing or public sectors.
• Experience supporting membership organisations, networks or representative bodies.
• Knowledge of charitable housing, almshouses or community housing.
• Experience with websites, social media or CRM systems.
• Understanding of government policy-making or stakeholder engagement.

Why Volunteer With Us?

By volunteering with The Almshouse Association and Charity Housing Alliance, you'll become part of a growing movement helping to strengthen and champion charitable housing across England and Wales.

In return, you'll benefit from:

• A welcoming and supportive team environment.
• Opportunities to develop new skills and build experience.
• Exposure to housing, charity and public policy issues.
• The chance to work alongside sector leaders and housing organisations.
• A laptop for use in the role and reimbursement of agreed reasonable expenses.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to organisations providing affordable homes and community support across the country.

Would you like to help tackle loneliness, one conversation at a time?

Loneliness and isolation can have devastating effects on a person’s mental and physical health. We are a registered charity providing a pathway of support to alleviate the hurt and distress, and the impact on mental and physical health, caused by loneliness and social isolation. 

We are seeking Volunteer Drivers, to provide transport in their own vehicle, bringing Friends (people who use our services) to and returning them home from an Archway supportive social group. Occasionally we organise Archway Fundraising activities or events where may be asked to provide transport to an Archway Fundraising activity or event.  Some Archway Friends (people who use our services) are unable to attend a supportive social group independently, mainly due to physical barriers to public transport. Transport delivered by volunteers enables Friends to access the supportive social group, in turn alleviating loneliness. The groups may be the only opportunity for Friends to meet with others. Each Friend is invited to one group per month either in Oxford or Abingdon so transport volunteers usually offer one trip per month or more if they like.

We ask volunteers to think of this as a longer term volunteer role due to the training and time we take in order to give our volunteers, and Friends, the very best service. You will also need to consider occasional time spent in training for your role and for continuous development. 

For all our roles:

Due to our Safeguarding regulations, unfortunately we are only able to accept applications from UK residents. 

Enhanced DBS checks for working with vulnerable adults (formerly called criminal records bureau checks)  which we will organise (no cost to this) and two references are required.

For any roles involving driving Archway Friends, we will need to see evidence of insurance and driving license as well as MOT and tax documents for the vehicle to be used.

We will happily cover out of pocket expenses (eg mileage).

We provide training relevant to the roles as well as ongoing supervision, guidance and support for all volunteers.

At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe everyone deserves understanding, connection, and the chance to live a fulfilling life. Our volunteers play a vital role in supporting people affected by mental illness and helping create communities where no one feels alone. 

About the role

As a Community Support Volunteer you will: 

As a Community Support Volunteer, you will complete face-to-face befriending activities with service users. You need to be able to travel around the locality in which you live to be able to do this. Ideally, you will be able to commit to a minimum of 1/2 a day (3-4 hours) of volunteering per week on a flexible basis, with the option to increase.

You will be working alongside our team of community link workers.

There may also be the opportunity to also attend different community events to advertise the service.

There will be full training opportunities to ensure that you are successful in your volunteering role, as well as regular check-in meetings.

About the service  

The Empowering Minds Gloucestershire Service currently run group sessions for service users across Gloucestershire. 

Our team is dedicated to delivering a high-quality service that focuses on supporting individuals to achieve their recovery goals. The aim is to improve the lives and support independence for those living with a mental illness. The team will engage with other local providers to ensure a clear and seamless pathway for those that require support from multiple providers. 

What will make you a great fit for this role?  

It’s essentials to have the following:

• Lived experience of mental illness, whether that is caring for someone else or yourself.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Flexibility.
• Experience of working with people in some way, whether formally through employment or informally working as part of a team.
• Basic computer skills.
• Reliability and good timekeeping.
• Have a good understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding.

Although it’s not essential, you may also have:

• Experience of supporting someone with ill mental health / mental illness.
• Good knowledge of your local area and organisations. 

How to apply 

To apply, please click the “apply now” button and complete a short interest form. You will have the opportunity to upload a CV and/or cover letter however, this is not mandatory. 

A member of the team will review your application and be in touch to update you on the next steps. If your application is successful, you will be invited to take part in an informal volunteer discussion. 

If you have any questions about the role or would like to find out more before applying, please contact the volunteer manager: 

Who are we?  

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”    

It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.    

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion    

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.  

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation  

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.  

Stepping Stones Learning and Leisure is a small, friendly charity based in Southwark, providing inclusive activities for adults with learning disabilities. We believe everyone should have the chance to express themselves, connect with others, and take part in activities that bring joy, confidence, and new skills.

We’re currently looking for an enthusiastic and proactive Social Club Volunteer to support our weekly Thursday sessions (10.30-12.30). We are based at St Faith’s Centre, Red Post Hill, SE24 9JQ (close to North Dulwich and Herne Hill stations) however this role requires the ability to travel to other locations in the borough of Southwark. We're currently visiting Herne Hill Velodrome with Wheels For Wellbeing and we are looking for people who would be willing to participate alongside our learners.

About The Role

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys connecting with others. In Social Club you’ll support our tutor in encouraging learners to participate in a variety of fun activities which aim to nurture the supportive relationships between our learners and enhance their wellbeing, joy and sense of belonging.

As a Social Club Volunteer at Stepping Stones, you will:

• Assist the tutor in providing fun and stimulating activities
• Play a part in ensuring the health and safety of learners when offsite
• Offer 1:1 or group support where needed to help participants engage
• Help build a warm, inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels safe to express themselves

What You’ll Gain

Volunteering with us is a chance to:

• Contribute to a creative and meaningful community project
• Build relationships with and support learners to learn new skills and grow in confidence
• Experience working with adults with learning disabilities in a supportive setting
• Develop skills in teamwork, adaptability, communication, and creative problem-solving
• Have a place in a welcoming and friendly team of tutors, staff and volunteers
• Receive appropriate training and guidance from an experienced team

What We’re Looking For

At Stepping Stones we value:

• Good communication and a warm, encouraging approach
• Enthusiasm, patience, and a willingness to get involved
• A non-judgemental and inclusive mindset
• Reliability and commitment
• Flexibility and adaptability

Prior to volunteering, we ask all volunteers to:

• Attend an in-person session with the Stepping Stones team and learners
• Provide two references
• Complete a DBS check (we will arrange this)
• Commit to volunteering one session per week for 3 x 10 week terms throughout the year. For continuity for our service users, we ask that you commit to volunteering with us for one year.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and respond to the following questions (these will come up when you hit 'Apply Now')

• Why would you like to volunteer with Stepping Stones?
• What are the strongest attributes and values you feel you'll bring to this role? 

Befriending Volunteer 

Would you like to offer companionship to someone who feels lonely, help them rebuild confidence, reconnect with their community, or simply brighten their week with a friendly chat? 

What do Befriending Volunteers do?

Our volunteers support older people (50+) who may be feeling lonely, isolated, or cut off from their usual activities. Volunteers help clients rebuild confidence, reconnect socially, and enjoy meaningful conversation. 

Support can take different forms depending on the client’s needs: 

Short-term Face-to-Face Support (up to 6 months) 

• Visiting someone regularly to help them work towards personal goals 

• Encouraging confidence to get out and about again 

• Supporting them to re-engage with interests, community groups, or social activities 

Long-term Befriending (for those most isolated) 

• Providing stable, ongoing social support 

• Regular facetoface or telephone companionship 

• Building a consistent and trusting relationship 

National Telephone Befriending 

• Offering friendly conversation over the phone 

• Providing regular social contact for people unable to meet in person 

This is a rewarding and varied volunteer role where every person you meet will be different — and you’ll have the chance to make a meaningful difference to their wellbeing. 

What you will get out of it

• A chance to support older people and make a real positive impact 

• A meaningful role where relationships grow and confidence returns 

• Opportunities to meet new people and experience new things 

• Being part of Age UK Buckinghamshire’s volunteer team 

• Full training, ongoing support, and guidance from your Outreach Support Worker 

Our volunteers tell us they find befriending incredibly fulfilling and often get as much from the relationship as the client does 

What is expected of me?

• We will talk you through each potential match before you decide to take it on 

• Most volunteers commit around 1–2 hours a week 

• Shortterm matches typically last up to 6 months; longterm befriending is ongoing 

• Time may be spent visiting someone at home, accompanying them to a local activity, or chatting with them by phone 

• Volunteers complete a short online training program and provide references 

• A DBS check will be required (provided at no cost) 

Who can volunteer?

If you are warm, friendly, patient, and enjoy chatting with people, this could be the role for you. You do not need any formal qualifications, just a desire to support someone who is feeling vulnerable or alone.