Volunteer Group Facilitator Volunteer Roles

Men Who Talk is a UK registered charity, running twice monthly online peer-to-peer support groups for men aged 18+ across the UK. The groups take places between 7:00 - 8:30pm during week nights.

Our groups are supportive spaces for men aged 18+ to come and talk openly about what's on their mind. All groups are free to attend and follow the evidence based model of peer support. 

Volunteers are required to be online from 6:45pm to 8:45pm, and are required to facilitate around 1 group per month. Volunteers are asked to commit to an a minimum of 6 months of volunteering in the initial stage. 

All groups are facilitated by 2 facilitators, and follow a semi-structured pattern.

We are looking for passionate men with some experience of groups facilitating or working in mental health settings to come join us as facilitators. Experience in using online platforms such as zoom is essential. 

A degree in psychology is preferred but not an essential requirement.

Why Join MWT? 

Men Who Talk is an exciting, fast growing charity, creating new spaces for men to talk openly about what's on their mind. 

We have a diverse team full of talented and passionate individuals who are committed to changing the face of mens mental health across the UK. 

As well as the opportunity to join the organisation at an exciting stage of it's development, volunteers also have the opportunity to develop their own skills and have regular chances to feed into the creative and strategic development of the organisation. 

PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to accept applications from individuals who already have the right to live and work in the UK. 

You will be supporting people to express their emotions, provide a time for people to relax and feel proud of their final music pieces! We are recruiting for a volunteer to support and facilitate a Music Group.

What you will be doing

• To prepare music sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop their musical skills, assisting them in the creation of their projects and supporting them to brainstorm and use their own initiative
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities

The skills you need

• Experience of Music either in a professional, educational, or personal level
• Able to collaborate with individuals to plan a music group session and facilitate confidently
• A calm and patient manner
• Ability to provide a trusting, open, kind-hearted atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• An effective communicator with a patient and sympathetic nature
• Ability to handle individuals with complex needs and work with a person-centred approach

What's in it for you

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

Description

We’re currently recruiting LGBT+ Group Facilitators to join our amazing and dynamic volunteer team at elop!

elop is an award-winning LGBT Mental Health and Wellbeing Charity with 29 years’ experience of supporting LGBT+ communities across London and surrounding areas.

Joining our LGBT+ Group Facilitators team, you will be part of an enthusiastic and dedicated team who value & appreciate the benefit of supporting others to  socialise & network, supporting LGBT+ people to come together in a welcoming, safe and supportive environment with opportunities to meet new people, form new friendships, gain peer support and much more. 

Each of elop’s dedicated groups or meet-ups run planned activities that supports shared interaction, positive identities and a feeling of being valued.

Duties

Volunteering in this role will give you opportunities to contribute & support the planning & promotion of group programmes, help in organising & facilitating sessions, along with supporting & enabling the involvement, voice & inclusion of all members attending, ensuring a welcome, supported, safe and comfortable environment for all.

Our activities are delivered on various days and times across the week and weekends, so there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. 

You may already have some previous experience of activity facilitation, which is fantastic; however it isn’t necessary to come with all the skills & experiences already on board, just a friendly & outgoing personality with good communication abilities, the rest you’ll be supported to develop. 

Respecting diversity, understanding and upholding professional boundaries and confidentiality are fundamental to all of our work and you will be required to support this. 

Are you a good listener?  We need you to facilitate one of our weekly telephone groups that offer blind and partially sighted people the opportunity to socialise with others.  You will contribute to the group to ensure that all participants feel comfortable and the group conversations run smoothly.

We are particularly looking for volunteers to support in the following;

*Craft group – someone with an active interest in any sort of craft e.g. knitting, crochet, embroidery, card making etc

*South Wales Valleys group – someone from or with knowledge /experience of the area

*Powys - someone from or with knowledge /experience of the area

Do you enjoy walking, meeting others and having a good chat? If so, we have the perfect volunteering role for you?

What you will be doing

• Coordinate and facilitate weekly walks in local parks to the service alongside other volunteers
• Meet with the walking group weekly
• Hold conversations with people attending the group, checking in on their wellbeing and providing a listening ear/friendly face
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback, and report any concerns to the staff team
• Meet at a designated point and travel via public transport to a local park

The skills you need

• Inspire and motivate people to attend the walking group
• Ability to identify, manage any possible risks that may arise during the walking group. Training will be provided
• Willing and able to go on a weekly walk lasting approximately 60-90 minutes
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages participation
• Calm and patient approach

What's in it for you

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

Facilitating a weekly walking group, you will contribute to a timetable to support people to reduce isolation, improve their physical activity, self-care and create a community for them to come together to build connections and friendships.

UK Reads is looking for passionate individuals to join our team as Volunteer Literacy Workshop Facilitators. As a Workshop Facilitator, you'll have the rewarding role of delivering engaging literacy workshops to children and young people in schools, primarily focusing on the East London area.
 

About us:

Established in 2013, the United Kingdom and Europe World Literacy Foundation have been dedicated to building strong communities through literacy and education. In 2018, UK Reads was introduced to provide literacy support through distributing books and resources nationwide while delivering author-led workshops to children to inspire the next generation of readers who lacked resources and opportunities to develop and excel. Additionally, UK Reads works to facilitate a global pen pal project, inspiring young writers and offering them a platform to connect, fostering cultural awareness and enhancing writing skills.

About the Project:

UK Reads: Literacy Impact East London specifically  focus on children and young people aged 11-18 years. The project is designed to reach young people from diverse, low-income backgrounds and ethnic minorities. We have observed that approximately 85% of our beneficiaries come from low-income families, 10% of our users are students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), reflecting the diverse range of learners we aim to support. Additionally, 45% of our beneficiaries come from Black minority communities, highlighting the importance of promoting inclusivity and addressing potential disparities in literacy outcomes.

We acknowledge that low literacy rates often vary through boroughs and are committed to reaching the most underserved, underrepresented, and marginalised young people across East London. We collaborate with schools and community organisations to implement a tailored intervention that addresses the specific needs of each group, offering a diverse range of services to expedite the development of foundational literacy skills. 

Responsibilities:

Support in delivering literacy workshops to children and young people in schools, creating a safe, collaborative, and enjoyable learning environment.
Offer encouragement and motivation to participants to enhance their literacy skills and confidence.
Assist in setting up activities and managing logistics to ensure smooth workshop days.
Implement workshop activities safely and professionally.
Reflect on workshop practices with school staff to identify areas for growth and improvement.

Requirements: 

Individuals from educational backgrounds, teaching, youth support roles, and tutoring may find this role particularly compelling.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage and motivate participants.
Genuine passion for supporting disadvantages children and young people.
Valid DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance or willingness to undergo checks.

If you're passionate about literacy education and making a positive impact in the lives of children and young people, we encourage you to apply for this exciting volunteer opportunity.

Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones.  Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well.

Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include:

• Peer Support Groups (in-person and online)
• A call-back Peer Support Line
• Our eCommunity

In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself.

How volunteers support us

We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email.

Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more.

Our commitment to volunteers:

We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously.

 To support you, we will:

• Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles
• Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy
• Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR
• Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff
• Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role
• Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning
• Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation
• Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance
• Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity
• Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development

Training and development

All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate.

Who can volunteer?

As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees.

Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures.

Skills and experience

We look for people who:

• Communicate well
• Enjoy teamwork
• Are able to adapt and willing to learn
• Are reliable, punctual and good at time management
• See situations with objectivity and compassion 
• All our volunteers must be 18 or older.

Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation.

We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work.

What we ask of volunteers:

We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two to four hours a week for our phone/email service or up to 4 hours per month for our support groups, for at least six months wherever possible.

We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar.  All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services.

Volunteers should:

• Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it
• Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others
• Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing
• Communicate effectively with the team
• Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies
• Have basic IT skills and computer literacy 

Our volunteering roles:

• Support Group Co-facilitator (online)
• Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person)
• Support Group Administrator
• Peer Support Line Volunteer
• Media Ambassador
• Fundraising Assistant
• Events Assistant

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?

What you will be doing

• To prepare creative writing sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop and expand their capacity to think creatively, improve their ability to put their thoughts and feelings into writing and allowing others to find their voice
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team

The skills you need

• Experience of creative writing either in a professional, educational or personal level
• Able to collaborate with individuals to plan creative writing sessions
• A calm and patient manner
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good communication skills

What's in it for you

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

You will be supporting people to express their emotions, provide a time for people to relax and feel proud of their final art products! We are recruiting for a volunteer to support and facilitate an art and craft group.

What you will be doing

• To prepare arts and craft sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop their arts and craft skills, assisting them in the creation of their projects and supporting them to brainstorm and use their own initiative
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities

The skills you need

• Experience of arts and/or crafts either in a professional, educational, or personal level
• Able to collaborate with individuals to plan an art group session and facilitate confidently
• A calm and patient manner
• Ability to provide a trusting, open, kind-hearted atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• An effective communicator with a patient and sympathetic nature
• Ability to handle individuals with complex needs and work with a person-centred approach

What's in it for you

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

We are seeking a dedicated and passionate individual to join our team as a Volunteer for Community Events. In this role, you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact by attending and facilitating community events for LGBTQIA+ Muslim groups in Manchester. Some of the responsibilities include, but aren't limited to:

● Assist the Community Trustee in researching and planning events for the hub in Manchester, London and Scotland

● Communicate with members on our Discord channel to coordinate attendance and activities

● Liaise with speakers, performers, and workshop facilitators to ensure their needs are met and their contributions align with the goals and values of the community.

● Set up and take down meeting rooms including workshop materials, refreshments and other ops as required

● Engage with attendees, volunteers, and stakeholders during events to ensure a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

● Record attendance collect feedback and evaluate the success of each event, making recommendations for improvement.

● Assist workshop leaders and Trustees in delivering activities

● Assist with special projects and initiatives as directed by the Trustees

How much commitment is required?

We are flexible around your schedule. However, the following commitments are in place for volunteers.

● Attend monthly meetings to update on tasks, progress etc.

● Aim to attend all other planning meetings as necessary

● Attend all Hidayah Hub events

● Attend other Hidayah events where geographically possible

● Add to and maintain the administration of our file-sharing system ‘Google Drive’ to ensure it’s up to date with clear records, templates and forms

● Check and respond to emails in a timely manner

● Contribute to the communications group (via Discord) and stay up to date with Hidayah developments

● Keep up to date with Hidayah communication and organisational developments

What do we expect from a volunteer?

Qualities:

● Strong commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of LGBTQIA+ Muslim individuals.

● Knowledge or understanding of the specific challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ Muslims in Manchester.

● Excellent organizational and time management skills.

● Effective communication and interpersonal skills.

● Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

● Flexibility and adaptability to meet the evolving needs of the community.

● Previous experience in events or coordination is preferable but not mandatory.

● Join Hidayah Membership and Hidayah Discord server

● Participating and contributing to discussions on the Hidayah Discord server

● Read all Hidayah policies, keeping up to date with any changes

● Read, understand and agree with the constitution of Hidayah (available on our website)

● Working knowledge of Google Suite, Microsoft, as well as project management, web and comms tools 

 

Personality:

● A self-starter who can volunteer with minimal supervision

● Friendliness, enthusiasm, dedication, responsiveness, flexibility and eagerness in supporting the aims, vision and mission of Hidayah

Personal Skills:

● Confidence taking the lead with plans and ideas at Trustee meetings

● Ability to resolving conflict situations if needed

● Professionalism in all situations

Please ensure you do not have a conflict of interest with your current role and check this prior to applying for this role.

Benefits to volunteering with Hidayah

Volunteering with Hidayah brings a range of a benefits such as:

● Contributing to Hidayah’s cause

● Supporting vulnerable communities

● Connecting with like-minded, passionate people

● Experience working in community events

● Development of professional networking skills

●       Travel expenses reimbursed (capped at £20)

What you will be doing

• To prepare sewing/knitting/crochet sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible .
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop their sewing skills, assisting them in the creation of their projects and supporting them to brainstorm and use their own initiative
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities

The skills you need

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

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.

You will be supporting people to express their emotions, provide a time for people to relax and feel proud of their final art products! We are recruiting for a volunteer to support and facilitate an art and craft group.

What you will be doing

• To prepare arts and craft sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop their arts and craft skills, assisting them in the creation of their projects and supporting them to brainstorm and use their own initiative
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities

The skills you need

• Experience of arts and/or crafts either in a professional, educational, or personal level
• Able to collaborate with individuals to plan an art group session and facilitate confidently
• A calm and patient manner
• Ability to provide a trusting, open, kind-hearted atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• An effective communicator with a patient and sympathetic nature
• Ability to handle individuals with complex needs and work with a person-centred approach

What's in it for you

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

Could you use your communication skills and to support a group for people looking to make changes to their alcohol or drug use?  The Pier Road Project is jointly delivered by Humankind, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and St. Giles, to support people in Bexley to reduce or stop their drug or alcohol use.

 We help people with:

· one to one support and group programmes

· support to improve mental and physical health

· methadone or buprenorphine prescribing and community alcohol detox

· needle exchange

· recovery community

· advice on benefits, housing and finances

· friends and family support

Details of the role:

This role involves assisting the team to support people in group settings, by co-facilitating a group alongside a staff member, either remotely or in person.  A number of groups are delivered in a hybrid way, with some people joining online via video call, and we would love some help to ensure these people feel engaged.

There is flexibility around the groups the volunteer could support; these include:

Harm Reduction Group – Monday 11.45 – 13:00
Motivation to Change – Tuesdays 13.15 – 14.30
Relapse Prevention – Fridays at 13.45 – 15:00

There is also the opportunity for the volunteer to experience and get involved with other parts of the service, depending on own goals.

Activities may include:

• Co-facilitating a group session for people seeking to make changes to their substance use
• Helping to make sure people can access and engage with the group via Zoom / Microsoft Teams, if a hybrid group
• Generally listening and being empathetic to others, and speaking positively about treatment / recovery
• Signposting to other activity / support the service and partners offer

· Liaising with staff and service users to gain feedback about the service which helps inform decisions and support

· Adhering to policies related to areas such as safeguarding, information governance and health and safety

Timings: Pier Road Project is open Monday – Friday 9.30 – 4.30, there is flexibility in the timings of this role as there are a number of groups a volunteer could support.

Location: Pier Road Project is a short walk from Erith train station, in the borough of Bexley

Training: Volunteers have access to Humankind’s training platform, Learningkind, and will be asked to complete some training modules within their first 3 months, most of these are e-learning modules.

We would love you to bring to this role:

• Clear verbal/written communication skills
• A confident and friendly approach
• Moderate confidence at using Zoom and IT – we can help you build on skills
• An understanding of the importance of guidelines and procedures relating to key areas such as safeguarding and information governance
• Be respectful and non-judgemental
• Willing to attend and complete relevant training
• To participate in regular supervision sessions with your supervisor

What Volunteers can expect from Humankind:

· Regular supervision and support

· Induction and access to training

· To learn and practice new skills within a team-work setting

· To feel part of a team and the wider Humankind organisation

· Reasonable travel expenses reimbursed with proof of journey

Our workplace values are:

· Honest: we are open and realistic, building trusted relationships in which we challenge, collaborate and change.

· Committed: we are passionate about being the best that we can be, and we do this by keeping people at the heart of everything that we do.

· Inventive: we are ambitious, drawing together skills and resources to innovate and adapt in determined pursuit of our mission.

Our weekly art class provides space and opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to express themselves through creative activities. The group has diverse interests and needs, and we are looking for a volunteer to join the sessions to support people to get the most out of each sessions.

Your role could include setting up activity areas, working 121 with individuals, or in small groups. The class is led by an experienced tutor, and some members of the group also receive support from their support workers.

We are based in a multi-purpose community centre near North Dulwich. You will be part of a small and friendly staff and volunteer team that are all committed to supporting adults with learning disabilities to fully participate in the activities that are important to them.