Victim support volunteer volunteer roles in central london, greater london
The Night Stars is a volunteer night-safety initiative run by Westminster City Council. The program aims to provide a welcoming place for all and collaborate to ensure that Westminster’s nightlife remains a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors alike. Volunteers are there to help anyone who finds themselves in a vulnerable situation, whether they need water, someone to talk to, or a safe place to sober up. It is delivered across the West End, and focuses on areas such as Soho, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, and Embankment, and operates on Fridays from 19:00 pm to 04.00am.
This is great opportunity for students to gain volunteer experience and key skills necessary for future success. We have many volunteers, and it is a wonderful way for them to make friends and new connections, as well as learn more about London's night-time economy.
The role is highly flexible, but your aim will be to:
- Act as an ambassador for the night-time economy and interact with visitors and local businesses to create a safe and enjoyable experience.
- Provide information, advice and practical support to visitors and vulnerable people
- Signpost people to support services if required.
- Be part of the wider strategic partnership in the area which is supporting and protecting visitors. In other words, interacting with emergency services such as the police, ambulance services, BIDS, and council enforcement staff, to ensure that Westminster remains safe.
- Look after those who are unable to keep themselves safe, and support them to get home without coming to harm
During patrols, volunteers may engage with:
- Intoxicated or Lost Individuals in need of assistance
- Victims of Crime, such as theft and assault
- Individuals in Need of Emotional or Mental Health Support
- Venue Security and Emergency Services
- Council Enforcement Staff, such as City Inspectors or Anti-Social Behaviour Officers
Skills Required
- Empathy for the needs of vulnerable people.
- Excellent team player.
- Outgoing, friendly, and positive character.
- Good communication skills.
- Able to use your own initiative but able to ask for help when needed.
- Willing to work unsociable hours.
Training and support
- Alcohol and Drugs Awareness: Handling intoxication situations.
- Conflict Resolution: Managing aggression.
- Adult and Child Safeguarding: Ensuring safety and protection.
- Women’s Vulnerability Awareness: Intervening in vulnerable situations.
- Anti-Sexual Harassment: Preventing and addressing harassment.
- Communication: Effective interaction techniques.
- Emotional Support: Assisting distressed individuals.
- First Aid: Basic emergency medical skills.
- Equipment Use: Proper handling and operation.
- Counter Terrorism: Guidance on safety procedures.
- Employee Assistance: Access to the council's support services.
These trainings ensure that volunteers are well-prepared to handle various situations effectively and safely.
Benefits to volunteers
- The satisfaction of knowing that you are making a difference to vulnerable people.
- Building self-confidence and the ability to work flexibly.
- Ability to undertake specific training and gain experience of supporting the vulnerable and conflict resolution.
- Opportunity to meet new people and learn more about London’s night-time economy.
- Working as part of the team and wider strategic partnership for the night-time economy.
- Offers great experience to anyone considering a career in the social sciences, health or social care, medicine, public engagement, crime prevention or a career that requires effective communication, dynamic problem solving, and teamwork.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Who are we?
Switchboard LGBTQIA+ exists to provide members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their friends, family and those supporting them, with a listening service that they can contact via phone, instant message and email between the hours of 10am to 10pm every day.
We are happy to talk to service users about any topic they wish. Topics we often talk to service users about include: sexual health, safer sex, relationships, coming-out, gender identity, transitioning, mental health, experiences of hate crimes, support for meeting other LGBTQIA+ people and making friends, and much more.
However, we want to also be upfront and transparent about the fact that not all of our conversations are positive or constructive. Our volunteers can also be exposed to abuse from the public, manipulative callers, sexual fantasies and safeguarding concerns.
Training for POC volunteers
At Switchboard we are working to ensure that our volunteer membership reflects everyone within the LGBTQIA+ community. We want service users to be able to speak with volunteers who can empathise with their experiences and volunteers to connect with folks from a wide range of different backgrounds, cultures and identities.
To help enable us to do this even more, we have created brand new dedicated training groups for different identities within the LGBTQIA+ community.
This group training group is specifically set up for people of colour. By joining this group, you'll undertake our Core Acceptance Training programme which equips you with the skills needed to support those contacting us via phone and instant message. Our hope is that this safe space enables you to freely ask questions, put our listening toolkit into practice and discuss approaches to different scenarios in an engaging, enjoyable way.
Who are we looking for?
To ensure we can provide a high quality service to those who contact us, we are looking for volunteers who:
-
Simply put, like communicating and chatting with other people (you’re most likely a people-person who feels energised by this type of communication)
-
Feel comfortable taking calls and speaking over the phone to people you do not already know
-
Are familiar with different instant messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp and other chat tools) and the types of communication they might receive
-
Are able to read between the lines to decipher messages
-
Are good listeners who let others lead conversations and instead create the space they need
-
Are able to ask broad, open questions to keep conversations flowing
-
Understand the importance of using the right tone when communicating in writing, and are able to flex their writing style to suit different people
-
Have a strong attention to detail, with a particular focus on spelling and grammar
-
Are able to evaluate sources of information and identify those that can be trusted, from those that cannot
-
Know when to challenge and when to step back
-
Have essential digital literacy skills (such as using email tools such as gmail and outlook, search the web for information and copy and paste website URLs)
-
Understand and support our mission
-
Have an awareness of the challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community
-
Are empathetic in nature
-
Agree to uphold our values of being non-directive and non-judgemental
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you passionate about helping women build their lives beyond crisis? We are recruiting for volunteers to support victims of Domestic Abuse on a 1 to 1 basis. This is a chance to empower other inspirational women by building their confidence and teaching them new life skills in order to achieve their ambitions and goals. You will be supporting women and children to rebuild their lives free from fear!
What you will be doing
- To develop and promote a positive relationship with the service user through regular meetings
- To encourage service users to engage in social activities and supporting them in doing so
- To support your befriendee in developing their goals and social skills
- Encourage your befriendee to make links with community services, based on their identified goals
- To support and help the service user to get familiar with their new environment/area/community and show them where the local shops, GP, etc are located
- To plan activities with your befriendee, such as a walk, visiting museums
- Manage appropriate boundaries
The skills you need
- Have good listening and communication skills
- Be non-judgmental and motivational in approach
- Willingness to engage in activities in the community
- Able to maintain strict confidentiality and follow operating guidelines
- To be consistent and dependable when working with a service user
- Lived in experience and ability to speak another language such as Hindu, Urdu, Farsi, etc would be desirable but not required
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, 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.
Registered Charity
0
We deliver services across London as well as campaign and advocate nationally on the issues that affect the people we work with.
Thank you!
Would you like to help change the lives of people affected by crime? This is a unique and exciting opportunity to shape the future of a national charity at the forefront of promoting Restorative Justice across the UK. We’re seeking an inspiring individual to lead our well-established Board of Trustees. If you believe in the power of Restorative Justice, are committed to Why me?’s mission, and bring life experience and leadership insight to the table, we’d love to hear from you. By becoming our Chair, you’ll help transform lives and give a voice to those affected by crime.
About Why me?
Why me? is a leading UK charity promoting Restorative Justice, a process that brings together those harmed by crime and those responsible for it, fostering healing, understanding and accountability.
The Role: Chair of Trustees
Our Board comprises the Chair, Vice-Chair and seven Trustees. The Board meets quarterly, typically for two hours at our Brixton office with some Trustees joining remotely if necessary.
As Chair you will also meet with the CEO regularly and may serve on subcommittees supporting specific elements of the organisation’s work. This is a voluntary role; reasonable travel and other expenses will be reimbursed.
We are looking for someone who:
- Is aligned with Why me’s? vision and mission
- Understands and is passionate about Restorative Justice and it’s impact
- Has the time and energy to be an active, engaged leader
- Appreciates the responsibilities and legal duties of charity governance
We are particularly keen to hear from applicants with the following skills and experience:
- Strategic thinking with a future focused mindset Independent judgement, political impartiality and the ability to think creatively and solve problems
- Expertise in income generation strategies, including fundraising and income stream diversification
- A strong understanding of sustainable funding models and financial resilience in the charity sector
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Tact and diplomacy with a willingness to challenge constructively
- Prior experience of committee/Trustee work
- A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion across all aspects of our work.
Registered Charity
1 - 5
Why me? is a leading national charity in the promotion of Restorative Justice in the UK.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Who are we?
Switchboard LGBTQIA+ exists to provide members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their friends, family and those supporting them, with a listening service that they can contact via phone, instant message and email between the hours of 10am to 10pm every day.
We are happy to talk to service users about any topic they wish. Topics we often talk to service users about include: sexual health, safer sex, relationships, coming-out, gender identity, transitioning, mental health, experiences of hate crimes, support for meeting other LGBTQIA+ people and making friends, and much more.
However, we want to also be upfront and transparent about the fact that not all of our conversations are positive or constructive. Our volunteers can also be exposed to abuse from the public, manipulative callers, sexual fantasies and safeguarding concerns.
What is our over 50's club?
Our over 50's club is a new initiative for Switchboard.
We want to create a space that enables older members of the LGBTQIA+ community to volunteer with us on our phone lines and instant messaging service, whilst providing a social element that encourages volunteers to come together at our London HQ.
This club will meet on both Mondays and Tuesdays during the day (you can choose which day works better for you), completing a shift either between 10am to 1pm or 2:00pm to 5:00pm. You can join us weekly or bi-weekly, whichever you prefer.
We then come together between 1pm and 2:00pm to have lunch (paid for by us) and a good natter!
Volunteers who support Switchboard in this capacity are trained to take both phone calls and respond to instant messages. They do not respond to emails, however.
Who are we looking for?
To ensure we can provide a high quality service to those who contact us, we are looking for volunteers who:
-
Simply put, like communicating and chatting with other people (you’re most likely a people-person who feels energised by this type of communication)
-
Feel comfortable taking calls and speaking over the phone to people you do not already know
-
Are familiar with different instant messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp and other chat tools) and the types of communication they might receive
-
Are able to read between the lines to decipher messages
-
Are good listeners who let others lead conversations and instead create the space they need
-
Are able to ask broad, open questions to keep conversations flowing
-
Understand the importance of using the right tone when communicating in writing, and are able to flex their writing style to suit different people
-
Have a strong attention to detail, with a particular focus on spelling and grammar
-
Are able to evaluate sources of information and identify those that can be trusted, from those that cannot
-
Know when to challenge and when to step back
-
Have essential digital literacy skills (such as using email tools such as gmail and outlook, search the web for information and copy and paste website URLs)
-
Understand and support our mission
-
Have an awareness of the challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community
-
Are empathetic in nature
-
Agree to uphold our values of being non-directive and non-judgemental
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.