Support volunteer volunteer roles in loughton, essex

Watford and Three Refugees Partnership is a charity offering practical and emotional support to asylum seekers, migrants and refugees in Watford and Three Rivers. We are looking for someone who has a couple of hours a week to help some of our clients.

Would you like to join the ESOL team within our charity that provides English language and literacy support to our clients?

Role description:

You will be teaching literacy to 1 or 2 clients a week. This will be face to face teaching at St Mary’s Church, Watford between 12.15 and 1.30pm but times can be subject to change.

Essential:

• A teacher specialised in Adult literacy with a minimum of Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) or equivalent
• Previous experience
• Familiar with students whose English is not students’ first language.

Person Specification:

· Friendly, approachable, and respectful with good interpersonal and communication skills

· Patience, empathy, and a non-judgmental attitude

· Commitment to equality, inclusion, and safeguarding

What We Offer:

· Induction, training and ongoing support

· A welcoming and inclusive team environment

· The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others

Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:

1. It's fun

2. It's flexible

3. You'll learn and share skills

4. You'll be making a difference

5. You'll work with a great team

We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital funds for our work and act as incredible advocates for the rights of children both in the UK and around the world.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Volunteering in the shop

Mary’s Living & Giving Kew has become a much loved destination for followers of pre-loved fashion and a community hub for the wonderful residents of Kew. Located minutes from world famous Kew Gardens we welcome lots of UK and international visitors too.

Our Kew Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.

It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied.

Why volunteer with Save the Children?

In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.

Skills and experiences we seek

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children. 

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.

What happens next?

After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related). 

How to apply

Express your interest on email via the apply button. 

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

A bit about this role

We need Fundraising Volunteers to help in and around the Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough area. The postcode areas we are active in are TN1, TN2, TN3, TN4, TN5, TN6, TN7, TN8, TN9, TN10, TN11, TN13, TN14, TN15, TN16, TN17, TN18, TN19, TN20, TN21 and TN22.

We are a movement of people championing the welfare of cats. We lead society in a richer understanding of all cats and care for those that need our help. 

Our Volunteer led branches operate within local communities nationwide and rely on funds donated by generous members of the public to continue to help cats and kittens in need of new homes, supporting owners with neutering, managing trap, neuter and return programmes and educating people about cat welfare. 

Our fundraising volunteers are part of a passionate team that help raise funds to help cats. They help plan and deliver exciting and varied fundraising events, which can be anything from craft fairs, cake sales, sponsored abseils – and anything in between!

What can you expect to be doing?

• Helping organise fundraising events in your local area 
• Championing our cause and making a better life for cats
• Getting involved with new and exciting fundraising ideas 
• Engaging communities, spreading awareness and starting conversations
• Promoting National fundraising initiatives where appropriate

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and help raise funds that will make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens in need. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good communication skills
• Responsible to handle money
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Confidence in speaking to members of the public
• Knowledge of local community networks (would be an advantage)

Time expectation 

Our fundraising volunteers, on average, usually spend 2 to 3 hours per week in this role. You can offer your time flexibly, seasonally or remotely and it can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed and you can encourage others to join us too. 

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

Shout is the UK’s only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. When people text 'Shout' to 85258, they are connected to a Shout Volunteer for a text conversation. Our volunteers provide a safe space for people to share what's causing them distress, while showing warmth and compassion.

Tasks and Responsibilities

If your application is successful, you’ll be enrolled in a training group. New groups start every two weeks.

Shout Volunteers receive 25 hours of free training in communication, listening, managing and assessing risk, and problem solving. The training is self-paced and done online. You’ll learn how to bring people in distress to a place of calm and practice skills that will be useful to you throughout life.

As we are investing in you throughout your time with us, our hope is that you will complete the training in a timely manner and look at this as a longer term commitment. The experience you gain over time is valuable and our goal is to have volunteers commit to 200 hours on the platform, which can take up to two years to complete, as we ask you to take one 2-4 hour shift per week. 

Our Volunteer Training Support team is here to support you, answer any questions and provide feedback during training and throughout your time with Shout. You’ll be joining an incredibly supportive volunteer community and have access to the resources you need to do your role.

As a volunteer, you’ll be supporting people in distress, so it’s important we see the skills required to do that while you are in training. While most trainees complete the training and go on to volunteer, not everyone will pass the training. If this happens, there are other ways you can still support us.

Selection Criteria

A Shout Volunteer is kind and compassionate, a good listener, and has the ability to remain calm when supporting people in crisis. You will also:

• Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend

• Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing

• Be open-minded

• Be supportive

• Be reliable

• Be discreet and able to respect confidentiality at all times

• Be accepting and non-judgemental

• Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout

• Adopt a growth mindset, and be willing to accept feedback

Requirements

• You must live in the United Kingdom or New Zealand while volunteering. 
• You must be over 18 years of age.
• You will need a reliable internet connection and a private place to take your shift.
• All of your volunteering must be done using a laptop or desktop computer and Google Chrome.

It’s worth spending time thinking about the nature of the role, and whether it’s right for you. We support all texters, regardless of race, religion, sexual identity or issue. You will need to be comfortable addressing topics frequently discussed with texters (suicide, self-harm, depression, etc.) without compromising your own mental health. 

Before you apply, please consider whether either of the following applies to you:

• Have you recently experienced grief, loss or change issue/s? For example; someone close to you has been ill or has died, you’ve lost your job, your relationship has ended.

• Is your current mental health and wellbeing in a place such that the stress and pressure of listening to the challenges of others would bring additional burden to you personally?

Benefits to Volunteers

The role is rewarding and can save lives. Shout Volunteers tell us they gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and purpose from taking conversations. They also tell us that their own wellbeing increases, they learn valuable skills and gain experience they can use at work and in their personal lives.

Volunteering can also be a great addition to your CV. You do not need to have any past experience in mental health to be a Shout Volunteer - we’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to do the role.

Application Process

You will need to create your account and fill in the application using a laptop or desktop computer and in a Google Chrome browser. This is a standard requirement for all of our systems at Shout, from the application through to the platform.

You should leave up to an hour to complete the form. As Shout is a text based service and we do not conduct in person interviews for our volunteer candidates what you write in your application and the strength of your references are how we get to know you. 

We appreciate when candidates take the time to write thoughtful, considered answers. We recommend you review your application with an eye toward things like spelling, grammar and punctuation. While some of our texters will occasionally reach out using more informal text speak, our volunteers respond in full sentences and double check their messages for accuracy before hitting send. 

Your application will be reviewed once we have received responses from both of your references. We ask for a personal reference and a professional reference. The personal reference can be a friend or colleague but the other must be someone who knows you professionally or has supervised you in some way. 

This could be a manager or supervisor from where you work or a teacher or educator from where you study. We recommend you choose references who are able to speak to your ability to fulfil the selection criteria outlined above.

We do not accept references from family members. This includes your partner or their relatives, your children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or godparents. 

Please allow up to a month for us to review your application and return a decision. 

If your application is approved, you can book your place on training. Training groups usually start every two weeks and spaces are available to book a couple of months ahead. While you are in training and before you are allowed on the platform we will carry out a background check.

We are recruiting Volunteer Team Leaders to lead and inspire! This is your chance to meet new people, gain new skills and experience and have fun whilst being part of a great cause.

Location: London, working from home 

Recruiting for various Team Leaders for- so please specify.

- West London Sister Team Leader

- North London Brother Team Leader

- Slough Brother Team Leader

- South London Brother Team Leader

- Tower Hamlets Sister Team Leader

- Newham Sister Team Leader

Expenses: This is a voluntary position, but we reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in line with our policy

Main tasks

We need individuals who can manage a group of volunteers within their region and work with Human Appeal staff members to ensure volunteers’ active involvement in events and campaigns.

 Recruit new volunteers and lead current volunteers who will be allocated to your team

 Communicate important campaign-related information to your team

 Organise 2 Fundraising events or community projects with your team within an assigned budget in the year.

 Actively attend and participate in Team Leader meetings and complete any actions allocated to you E.g Recruiting volunteers for online fundraising.

 Work with the Human Appeal staff team to deliver campaigns and 2 in-person events for the year.

 Organise and attend Monthly Meetings with your Volunteers

 Where possible, support with Team Leader recruitment by joining the interviewing panel

Knowledge/Experience/Skills

We will provide you with the tools, training and support you need but here are a few things we are looking for:

 Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing, innovation and interpersonal skills

 Willingness to learn and develop as an individual and accept constructive feedback

 Ability to build and maintain relationships with all levels of people 

 Ability to support and coordinate a diverse group of individuals

 Ability to prioritise workload and work well in a team

Learning and Development

To enable you to take part in this opportunity Human Appeal will provide:

 Leadership training to help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to fulfil the role

 A dedicated member of staff to provide ongoing support and supervision

 Payment of “out of pocket” expenses in line with Human Appeal’s expenses policy

 Webinars to provide you with the information you require for the campaign

 A volunteer handbook that outlines the policies and procedures you need to be aware of whilst volunteering

Benefits of volunteering with us

By volunteering in an international charity, you will gain valuable skills, experience and knowledge. We will also offer:

 Opportunities to take part in Human Appeal events and training programmes

 Opportunity for you and your team run your own event for a Human Appeal project of your choice

 Support from our HR Team in developing your CV and interviewing skills 

 Experience of operating within an international humanitarian charity

 Offer to provide references after 3 months of volunteering 

 Excellent support as part of a friendly team with fun away days

 Develop knowledge and skills in people management, social media, recruitment and project management 

Volunteer your time at Hestia to make our gardens a beautiful place for our service users to enjoy all year through! Are you green fingered and have a passion for gardens and outdoor spaces?

At Hestia we have gardens and outdoor spaces which require your support to bring these back to life by keeping them maintained. We are recruiting for volunteers to motivate and inspire staff and people living in our services to get involved in gardening. 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

• Inspire and motivate staff and people in the services to get involved in maintaining and growing the garden
• To provide tips on how to maintain and grow the garden - sowing seeds, planting bulbs, taking cuttings
• Provide basic maintenance such as cutting the grass, emptying bins, managing weed control and leaf raking
• Lead in planting and nurturing new trees, flowers, and various plants
• Provide best practice on how to use the correct gardening tools
• Inspire people in our services and staff to maintain a clean garden
• Advise staff on the costs of plants and garden necessities

The skills you need

• A basic knowledge/ experience of plant care and use of gardening tools7
• Calm and patient approach
• 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 - 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

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.

What you will be doing

• Lead and facilitate a weekly Creative Writing Group, encouraging participants to explore their thoughts and feelings through writing exercises, prompts, and storytelling.
• Guide a subsequent Feelings Forum where participants can share and discuss emotions sparked by the writing session or current experiences in a respectful and supportive atmosphere
• Foster an inclusive, non-judgmental environment where all voices are heard and valued
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to the organisation’s safeguarding and mental health protocols
• Prepare session materials and adapt activities to meet the needs of diverse participants

The skills you need

• Prepare session materials and adapt activities to meet the needs of diverse participants
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with sensitivity to mental health challenges
• Ability to facilitate group discussions and manage diverse emotional responses constructively
• Patience, empathy, and a non-judgmental approach.
• Training or experience in mental health, counselling, social work, or a related field is advantageous but not essential

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.

AHO Head of Fundraising (unpaid, Volunteer role)

Responsibilities and Duties

The Volunteer Head of Fundraising assists the Director of Fundraising in developing and implementing a comprehensive multi-year funding strategy that encompasses diverse income streams, working collaboratively with senior leadership to coordinate efforts and maintain an up-to-date funding pipeline. 

The Volunteer Grants Head assists the Director of Fundraising to:

• Develop and drive a multi-year fundraising strategy to support the organisation's growth ambitions.  To include a mix of both existing and new income streams and the resources needed to reach the goals.
• Work with the CEO, Director of Fundraising, and Grant Managers to implement the strategy in a coordinated and effective way.
• Create and maintain the fundraising pipeline, keeping it up to date in the CRM, in collaboration with other Volunteers and staff members.
• Lead on fortnightly Business Development meetings to keep everyone aligned and updated.
• Lead the development of new income streams, including government procurement opportunities and individual donations.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure alignment between income generation and programme delivery.
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to establish and leverage networks and opportunities.

Essential Skills, knowledge, and behaviours:

• Proven track record of developing and delivering successful fundraising strategies at a senior level.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding income targets across multiple income streams.
• Experience managing multiple income streams, including statutory income, individual, corporate, and grant fundraising
• Strong leadership and people management skills with experience developing high-performing teams
• Excellent relationship-building skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders
• Financial acumen, including budgeting, reporting, and performance analysis
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including bid writing and donor presentations
• Strategic thinker with a proactive, innovative, and resilient approach
• Knowledge of fundraising regulation, GDPR, and best practice in supporter stewardship

Please note that this is an unpaid role. Don't apply if you plan to negotiate a pay or deal.  Volunteering allows people to give their time for free to society while gaining the experience they need when applying for future paid jobs.

For the full role description and other volunteer opportunities, please visit our website.

How to apply

Please apply by submitting your CV and cover letter using the Charity Job system.  If you use any method other than the one specified, we will not review your application.

Here at Youth4Youth, we have grown a strong, tight-knit community of individuals who are passionate about making a difference and improving the lives of young people across the UK. Our growing team of volunteers all contribute, significantly, to the impact that we have as a charity on our direct beneficiaries, regardless of the department that they work in of the level of time that they are able to commit. Our services primarily offer a peer-support network to young people right across the UK, allowing them to access a peer mentor who is of a similar age to them and somebody that they feel more comfortable speaking with.

If successful, you will be joining a growing team of diverse, but likeminded individuals, collaborating to increase the reach of the Charity and improve support provisions available to young people. All of our volunteers and employees are remote workers, but that doesn't stop us keeping in touch and maintaining a strong positive culture amongst our whole team.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Executive Leadership Team here at Youth4Youth to drive positive change in all things volunteer engagement. As an entirely volunteer run organisation, positive engagement with volunteers is absolutely fundamental in allowing Youth4Youth to achieve its mission. It is so fundamental that one of our overarching strategic goals is to ensure that all volunteers have a positive and meaningful volunteering experience when working with us. The Volunteer Experience Director will play a critical role in setting strategy and executing solutions to improve the overall volunteer experience. 

Responsibilities 

Short term objectives:

• Define the volunteering proposition for the Charity, helping new and existing volunteers to understand the impact of working with Youth4Youth
• Manage a project to understand gaps in volunteer engagement and experience, generating recommendations back to the ELT
• Develop a volunteer experience strategy that improves engagement and the overall volunteering experience of all involved with Youth4Youth

Overall objectives and responsibilities:

• Lead a team of volunteers who are involved in supporting a positive volunteering experience with the charity
• Develop and execute a volunteer experience strategy that seeks to attract, engage and retain high-quality volunteers into all teams across the charity
• Partner effectively with the broader charity leadership team to understand engagement challenges and implement solutions to close engagement gaps
• Report to the CEO and the Board of Trustees on any strategic progress made around improving volunteer engagement

Skills 

• Ability to manage complex projects, including the direct and indirect management and coordination of people resources
• Ability to understand complex problems and articulate solutions in a clear, concise and understandable manner
• Demonstrable blue-sky thinking that encourages the implementation of new solutions that may not have been considered before
• Ability to influence both with and without authority to drive positive and meaningful change at all levels and across all departments

Our mission is to continue to grow towards becoming one of the best charities in the UK. Our aim is to do this by building a diverse team, rich with different backgrounds and perspectives. Therefore, even if you feel you only are a 75% match, we would still love to hear from you. Skills can be learned, but diversity cannot.

Benefits of volunteering with Youth4Youth

We recognise that you will be joining us and giving your time as an 'in-kind' donation, but there must be benefits for you too. When joining our team, you will be open to the following benefits:

• Professional and personal development opportunities in a variety of skill areas through volunteering in real roles. This may be general development or tailored to your specific needs or ambitions
• Becoming a member of a strong network of likeminded individuals, spread across the UK, who you can connect with and collaborate with both within and outside of the Charity
• Access to bespoke discounts, specifically designed for non-profit workers and Youth4Youth volunteers
• Opportunities to truly shape the future of the Charity, having a direct influence over the impact that Youth4Youth has on its direct beneficiaries

The hiring process

Our hiring process typically has two stages 

1. Video or Written Application (when applicable) 
2. Interview with the Volunteering Coordinator for that role

Some roles will have extra stages but we’ll let you know as early as possible if so.

Please let us know if you require any accommodations for the interview process, and we’ll do our best to assist.

Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:

1. It's fun

2. It's flexible

3. You'll learn and share skills

4. You'll be making a difference

5. You'll work with a great team

We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital fun

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

Volunteering in the shop

Mary's Living & Giving for Save the Children is unique - a vibrant result of the generous gifts of local individuals and companies being turned around by the skills and passions of volunteer teams, to create a destination retail experience. Selling womenswear, menswear, shoes, and bags to household goods, our shops can be found in the London villages and bring in vital funds for Save the Children.

Our East Dulwich Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.

It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied. We would also love to hear from people willing to volunteer on Sundays. 

Why volunteer with Save the Children?

In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.

Skills and experiences we seek

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children. 

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.

What happens next?

After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related). 

How to apply

Express your interest on email via the apply button. Please let us know if you are willing to volunteer on Sundays.

Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests. 

The role in a nutshell: 

Lead volunteers help to keep Age UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of our retail division. Our charity shops raise vital funds, which aid and support a wide range of services which Age UK delivers. If you have some free time available and have a passion for retail management, we can help you find a new sense of purpose in your life. 

What will you be doing? 

As this is such a key role, the task list for this role is understandably lengthy.
Key activities include but are not limited to the following:
•To assist in the security of the shop and its stock, and bank takings when required. Opening the shop or securing the shop at close of business when required. 
•Ensure cash handling processes and procedures are adhered to and exchanges and refunds actioned promptly. 
•Ensure Health & Safety regulations are understood and complied with; Alcumus (incident reporting and health & safety check recording system) understood and completed.
•Ensure compliance with all organisational policies and procedures.
•Always deliver great customer service.
•Support other volunteers, ensuring gift aid is captured on both donations and sales.
•Provide training and support on the till to other volunteers as required. 
•General retail duties - again not limited to but including- accepting donations (stock or cash), promote gift aid, operate till, take phone calls and deal with enquiries, keeping the shop clean and tidy, pricing, displaying and sale of donated goods and merchandise.  Deal with refunds and customer complaints.
•Live Age UK’s values; follow our code of conduct and our Diversity; Equity and Inclusion policy. 

How would you be supported in this role? 

When you become part of our team, you will receive a mixture of e-learning and ‘on the job practical training,’ to get you started. As you progress in the role, you will receive refresher training and ongoing support. We will also reimburse ‘role-related expenses’ and provide further opportunity to shape the volunteering that you do. To be a Lead Volunteer we do have a specific training plan we would need you to complete. 

Why do we need volunteers in this role? 

Lead volunteers have an important part to play in the ongoing success of our retail division, as they help us raise funds though our shops, to reach and support more older people. Occasionally we find ourselves in a position where no paid staff are available to open the shop which disappoints customers and donors alike; and decreases the funds we can raise to support people in later life. Lead volunteers give an additional layer of flexibility to help us keep our doors open. 

Additional information: 

We offer a wide variety of flexible shifts for volunteers, to fit around your personal circumstances. However for this role there will be times when we do make a specific ask of you. 

What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role? 

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. For this role, previous experience of working in retail would be a real advantage; and you would need to show commitment and regular attendance to ensure you are fully up to speed with our policy and procedures; and what’s going on in the shop. If you are looking for a career in retail and looking to gain some crucial experience this could be the ideal role for you-equally if you are retired but keen to keep your hand in; we could really benefit from your experience! Therefore, if you are a team player and open to learning whilst following Age UKs policies, you will be an excellent addition to our ever-growing team of amazing volunteers. Our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do our absolute best to find a role that works for you. 

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Our cat admissions volunteers ensure the smooth running of our admissions process, helping our volunteer groups and teams admit cats into our care in the most effective and stress-free way possible for both people and cats. This role is undertaken from your own home. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administration experience, a passion for cats, or both!

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection, we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Responding to email and telephone enquiries regarding cats coming into care
• Managing the cat waiting list and prioritising accordingly
• Liaising with other volunteers, employees, local vets and members of the public
• Using our administrative systems to record cats coming into care

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care. We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.

A bit about this role

As a charity we are able to help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations we receive from members of the public. Our fundraising team leaders have the exciting and varied role of inspiring our fundraising volunteers to plan and deliver local fundraising events. Using their passion and imagination, they oversee a small team of fundraising volunteers who come together to raise the vital funds needed to cover costs such as veterinary bills and food. Our fundraising team leaders support their team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure our volunteers are happy, confident and supported.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Supporting and encouraging a team of fundraising volunteers in the Mid-Sussex area
• Planning fundraising events and activities with your team
• Allocating tasks before and during fundraising events
• Keeping financial records from fundraising events
• Encouraging and promoting a professional image of Cats Protection 
• Following policies and guidelines and ensuring licences and permits are obtained for events

A bit more information about this role and the team

• This is a flexible role. The amount of time you offer can work to your availability and convenience.
• There may be opportunities for your activities to be fully remote and/or admin based if you'd prefer.
• You will need your own transport if you wish to attend events, ideally a car or van since items, stock and equipment will usually be needed.
• We ask that you complete training to support you in your role. This can be completed online if you have access to the internet and the necessary device (computer/laptop/tablet etc). Support can be offered or paper versions of much of the training if needed.

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by helping raise funds and awareness through organising local events. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Great people skills and the ability to bring out the best in others
• Excellent organisational skills
• The ability to prioritise and delegate
• An appreciation of the importance of handling money and charity resources responsibly
• Fine-tuned communication skills and a passion for engaging with people within your local community
• Basic IT skills to use Cats Protection systems - training and support can be provided
• Committee volunteers need to be aged 18+

Time expectation

Our fundraising team leaders usually spend three to four hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

Applicants will be asked to complete an application form and provide details for two references

Trail Coordinator

Role Type: Volunteer
Time Commitment: Flexible – typically 1–2 events per month
Location: In-person (various walking/hiking spots)

About the role:
As a Trail Coordinator, you’ll support the planning and smooth running of our mindful strides walks and hikes. This might mean choosing beautiful, accessible routes, helping with safety checks, welcoming attendees, or guiding the group on the day. You don’t need to be a super experienced hiker, just confident, calm, and happy being outdoors with others.

You might enjoy this role if you:

• Love walking, nature, and exploring

• Are organised and enjoy thinking about logistics

• Feel confident leading small groups or supporting someone who does

• Care about creating safe, inclusive outdoor spaces