Volunteer volunteer roles in City of london, england

Do you love little ones and understand the importance of supporting new Mums through this significant life change? Are you looking for a new opportunity to contribute your time in a supportive and friendly organisation?

We are looking for kind, empathetic and committed women to join a team of volunteers at our Friday mum’s programme. Each Friday between 20 and 30 mums’ gather to share experiences, dance with their babies and drink great coffee. Due to the nature of the project, we can only accept applications from women and each successful applicant will need to complete an enhanced DBS check.

Time Commitment:

At least twice a month on a Friday.

There are two time slots available per Friday session.

• 9.15am - 2.15pm

• 12.30pm – 4.30pm

We are looking to build a team of warm, reliable and compassionate volunteers to support our Friday Mums project, which provides a welcoming space for mothers and babies during the first year of motherhood at The Bridge. At each Friday session, we are looking to have two volunteers to give their time alongside a session lead from our staff team.

 Due to the nature of the project, we are only accepting volunteer applications from women. All volunteers will need two references and we complete a Enhanced DBS check.

About Friday Mums at The Bridge 

Friday Mums is a free weekly group for new mums (and pregnant women) to connect, feel supported and spend time with others who understand this stage of life. Unlike many baby groups, Friday Mums is designed to support mums as people, not just parents. 

The Bridge is a women’s health and wellbeing charity based in Southwark working to create inclusive and welcoming spaces for women of all identities to connect and thrive for over 90 years. We believe in a fairer society where women’s voices are heard and their health and wellbeing are valued and respected. Through our women-only gym, community café, wellbeing programmes and support groups, we help women care for themselves, support one another and challenge injustices together. 

Desired volunteer skills 

• Warm, friendly and approachable manner that helps build trust and rapport with new mothers.

• Excellent listening and communication skills, with the ability to engage sensitively and respectfully with mums from diverse backgrounds.

• Genuine empathy, kindness and emotional intelligence when supporting mothers experiencing the challenges of early motherhood.

• Patient, caring and attentive approach when interacting with both mothers and babies. Ability to foster positive relationships and contribute to a supportive, non-judgemental community environment.

• Reliable and dependable, with a strong sense of responsibility and commitment.

• Positive attitude, enthusiasm, and willingness to contribute as part of a small, collaborative team.

Interests and values 

• A genuine interest in maternal, infant and family wellbeing.

• Passion for supporting women's health, reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for families.

• Interest in perinatal health, child development or community-based health and wellbeing services.

• Commitment to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces that promote physical, emotional and social wellbeing.

• Desire to make a meaningful difference through community engagement and compassionate support.

• Barista experience or training is welcomed but not required. 

Typical responsibilities 

• Help set up and manage a safe, welcoming, baby-friendly environment for weekly Friday Mums sessions.

• Provide informal support and conversation to mothers, listening and encouraging participation in wellbeing activities.

• Engage positively and appropriately with babies to enable mothers to take part in discussions and activities.

• Support the delivery of group sessions through practical assistance and general organisation.

• Help café team with making coffees and teas for the mums when they arrive to the café space.

• Work collaboratively with staff and other volunteers to ensure the smooth running of the Friday Mums project.

Purpose of the Role

The Strategic Partnerships Volunteer will support the organisation in identifying, developing, and facilitating strategic partnerships that respond directly to the needs and priorities identified by our delivery partners. The role focuses on translating on-the-ground demands into meaningful collaborations with institutions, organisations, companies, or networks that can add value beyond funding alone.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with the team to understand the concrete needs, gaps, and priorities identified by partner organisations.
• Research and map potential strategic partners (e.g. NGOs, corporates, foundations, universities, public bodies) aligned with those needs.
• Identify partnership opportunities that may include in-kind support, technical expertise, training, resources, visibility, or long-term collaboration.
• Support the preparation of short concept notes or partnership briefs linking partner needs with potential collaborators.
• Assist in initiating and nurturing conversations with prospective partners, where appropriate.
• Maintain a simple tracking system of potential partnerships, contacts, and progress.
• Contribute ideas on how partnerships can be structured in a way that is ethical, balanced, and mutually beneficial.

What We Are Looking For

• Strong interest in partnerships, collaboration, and social impact.
• Ability to think strategically while remaining grounded in practical, partner-led needs.
• Good research and analytical skills.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Comfortable working independently, with guidance from the team.
• Sensitivity to power dynamics, context, and ethical considerations in international or community-based work.

Approach and Mindset

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with sensitivity to different cultural, social, and organisational contexts.
• Alignment with Disability Africa’s vision and way of working, including the Social Model of Disability, and a willingness to apply this ethos in practical partnership-building.
• An ethical and reflective approach to collaboration, grounded in integrity, transparency, and accountability.
• Commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities, and to approaches that expand access and participation for disabled children and young people.

Desirable (but not essential)

• Experience in partnerships, fundraising, business development, CSR, or NGO work.
• Familiarity with international development, disability inclusion, education, or community-based programmes.
• Experience working with or alongside grassroots organisations.

Time Commitment

• Flexible; typically 4–6 hours per week.
• Minimum commitment of 12 months.
• The role can be adapted to the volunteer’s availability and interests.

What the Volunteer Will Gain

• Hands-on experience in strategic partnership development within a values-driven organisation.
• Exposure to partner-led, community-based approaches to social change.
• Opportunity to shape real collaborations with tangible impact.
• Professional references upon successful completion of the role.

Location

• Remote / flexible.

Purpose of the Role

The Communications & Social Media Volunteer will support Disability Africa in strengthening its external communications and digital presence. The role focuses on translating programme realities into clear, consistent, and engaging content across social media and other communication channels, aligned with the organisation’s values and voice.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the planning and scheduling of social media content (primarily LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook).
• Draft posts that communicate programme updates, impact stories, partner highlights, and key milestones.
• Help ensure consistency of tone, messaging, and visual identity.
• Work with the team to translate project updates into clear and accessible communications.
• Support basic analytics tracking (engagement, reach, growth trends).
• Contribute ideas for campaigns linked to fundraising, events, or key moments in the year.
• Assist in maintaining simple content calendars and communication plans.

What We Are Looking For

• Strong written communication skills in English.
• Ability to communicate impact clearly without exaggeration or tokenism.
• Basic understanding of social media platforms and content formats.
• Organised and comfortable working to light deadlines.
• Creative but structured approach to storytelling.
• Comfortable working independently with guidance from the team.

Approach and Mindset

• Alignment with Disability Africa’s Social Model of Disability and rights-based framing.
• Strong awareness of ethical storytelling and representation.
• Care to avoid perpetuating traditional “aid” narratives that centre pity, saviourism, or deficit-based portrayals.
• Commitment to communicating dignity, agency, and structural inclusion.
• Respect for partner-led priorities and contextual nuance.
• Interest in inclusive communication and accessibility.

Desirable (but not essential)

• Experience managing social media for a charity, NGO, or small organisation.
• Basic design skills (Canva or similar).
• Familiarity with simple analytics tools.
• Interest in disability inclusion or international development.

Time Commitment

Flexible; typically 4–6 hours per week.
Minimum commitment of 12 months.

What the Volunteer Will Gain

• Experience shaping communications within a growing international charity.
• Exposure to programme-based storytelling grounded in dignity and inclusion.
• Opportunity to contribute to campaigns with real organisational impact.
• Professional reference upon successful completion of the role.

Purpose of the Role

The Fundraising & Grants Volunteer will support Disability Africa in identifying aligned funding opportunities and preparing clear, well-structured grant applications. The role connects donor research with proposal development, helping to strengthen the organisation’s funding pipeline in line with programme priorities and values.

Key Responsibilities

• Research and identify trusts, foundations, corporates, and other grant-making bodies aligned with disability inclusion, play, education, and community-based development.
• Assess eligibility criteria, funding priorities, grant size, and strategic fit.
• Prepare concise donor briefs summarising alignment and recommended next steps.
• Maintain and update a simple tracking system (deadlines, application stages, reporting requirements).
• Draft and edit sections of grant applications.
• Adapt core organisational content to specific funder guidelines and word limits.
• Support budget alignment in collaboration with the team.
• Contribute to building a reusable content library (programme summaries, impact statements, organisational descriptions).

What We Are Looking For

• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Excellent written English.
• Ability to synthesise complex information clearly and concisely.
• Structured, detail-oriented approach.
• Ability to work independently with guidance from the team.
• Comfortable integrating feedback into draft applications.

Approach and Mindset

• Alignment with Disability Africa’s vision and Social Model of Disability.
• Commitment to accurate, ethical, and respectful representation.
• Sensitivity to power dynamics in funding relationships.
• Respect for partner-led priorities rather than donor-driven agendas.
• Commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities for disabled children and young people.

Desirable (but not essential)

• Experience in fundraising, philanthropy, CSR, or NGO work.
• Previous exposure to trust and foundation applications.
• Familiarity with UK funding landscapes.
• Experience working with or alongside grassroots organisations.

Time Commitment

Flexible; typically 4–6 hours per week.
Minimum commitment of 12 months.
The role can be adapted to the volunteer’s availability and strengths.

What the Volunteer Will Gain

• Hands-on experience in live funding pipelines.
• Exposure to real grant applications and funder criteria.
• Insight into how strategy translates into organisational sustainability.
• Professional reference upon successful completion of the role.

Title: Day Care volunteer

Responsible to: Day Care Co-ordinator

Overall Purpose: To support the smooth running of day care sessions by helping create a warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all.

An exciting opportunity to work as part of this local charity, supporting vulnerable residents . 

·

Key responbilities

· Prepare and serve tea, coffee, and light refreshments.

· Greet guests warmly and engage in friendly conversation.

· Help create a welcoming and inclusive environment.

· Keep the kitchen and refreshment area clean, tidy, and well‑stocked.

· Wash up and maintain cleanliness of utensils and surfaces.

· Follow basic food hygiene and health & safety guidelines.

· Assist with setting up and packing away before and after sessions.

Skills and Knowledge

· Awareness of, or experience in, supporting adults with a range of care, support or health needs.

· Positive and welcoming interpersonal skills.

· Confident communication skills.

Attitude and Personal Qualities

 · Friendly, approachable, and reliable.

· Able to work well as part of a team.

A willingness to be flexible and perform varied tasks

Will you share your counselling or psychotherapy skills as a counsellor or therapist to join an online counselling service for patients and families affected by a chronic pain condition (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)?

We're looking for 3 qualified counsellors, psychotherapists or psychologists volunteers ideally with some experience of working with chronic pain patients or lived experience of chronic illness, who may want to volunteer their skills supporting our adult service users (aged 18 & over) and help us to continue developing a mental health support service. 

As a Volunteer Counsellor/Therapist you’ll be providing remote counselling/therapy support services to adults aged 18 and over many of whom are isolated and in need of mental health services. You’ll be providing one-to-one counselling/therapy sessions online via Zoom or by phone. With your recognised counselling qualifications and experience you will be an asset to our small charity and to our services users.  

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, our volunteer counsellors / therapists provide person centred counselling (general talking counselling) or integrative counselling, or specialist services such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), ACT, CFT and EMDR for CRPS patients, or their families & close relatives.

People will be referred both by health or legal professionals as well as having patients and carers themselves referring into to the service.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your counselling and therapy skills, organisation, communication and team working skills.

Most importantly you’ll be providing essential services that help make sure no one has to face CRPS alone. Be the hope for CRPS.

What the role involves

This role may vary depending on needs, but is likely to include:

• Undertake client assessments following triage by Clinical Lead, followed by counselling / therapy (via Zoom or phone) to our clients, offering up to 20 sessions for each client plus a check in and 4 psychometric assessments

• Providing one-to-one counselling sessions to clients aged 18 & over

• Update our database with the client’s information, sessional notes and session attendance

• Maintain succinct, relevant session notes and store these confidentially and securely in acccordahce with GDPR

• Attending and participating in monthly group supervision support of 1.5 hours a month

• Attend CPD training to ensure your knowledge stays current

• Participating in volunteer meetings
• Maintaining client confidentiality, upholding data protection and equal opportunities principles

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, including a full induction. You will have a chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us. We can offer you a supervisor as well as expenses for annual insurance and an external supervisor if required.

What you need for this role

Essential

• Be a member (including student membership) of one of the recognised membership organisations (see below)
• Level 4 Diploma level qualifications as a minimum (unfortunately no students at this time), Degree or Masters in Counselling, Counselling/Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Art Therapy, EMDR 
• Minimum of 100 hours supervised
• Proof of professional indemnity insurance annually - we may consider paying this as an expense but commitment to the charity is required
• A valid DBS certificate (enhanced version), which is less than three years old and renewed every three years (the charity can provide where necessary)
• Able to keep people’s personal data safe

• Willing and able to provide counselling via Zoom from a private location with a stable WiFi connection

• Able to support a minimum of 3 clients a week, being three hours of your time for therapy sessions plus time for administration and attending group supervision for 1.5 hours a month. We ideally hope you to offer the charity a minimum commitment of six months.

Desirable

• Knowledge of chronic pain or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Previous experience as a chronic pain or CRPS counsellor or psychologist 
• Committed to our values
• Willing to develop skills and experience
• Enjoy working as part of a team
• Effective administration skills, planning and organisation skills
• Approachable, presentable, enthusiastic

Once we’ve assessed your application, you may be invited for interview. If you are successful, we will arrange for you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service DBS or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check.

Recognised Organisations You Must Be A Member of:

• British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)
• EMDR Association UK
• Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
• British Psychological Society
• General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)
• British Society for Clinical Hypnotherapists (BSCH)
• National Council for Hypnotherapists (NCH)
• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• The National Hypnotherapy Society (HS)
• National Counselling Society (NCS)
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (APHP)
• National Register of Hypnotherapists & Psychotherapists (NRHP)

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

You will join the charity during a critical and challenging period where referrals are on the rise and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in not only developing a counselling service for our clients but also ensure we provide counselling services and mental health support to our CRPS patients & their families who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help we will expand our support and mental health services to ensure our service users receive mental health support that they may not have been offered.

What's in it for you as the volunteer? 

You would be a part of our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching people affected by this rare, painful and debilitating chronic pain condition and to provide them with psychological support whether they are patients, their partner, relatives, friends or carers. As this service is rapidly expanding, you would have a key role in developing our counselling and psychotherapy programme and to complement our support services that we offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference in our clients' life which is already isolated and painful, who may not have received any psychological support.

Are you interested in communication? Have you got experience of using Mailchimp? Help us engage our charity's audience by creating compelling email and newsletter content so that we can support more people affected by a complex, debilitating chronic condition as well as raise awareness of this rare disease. This is a great opportunity to assist a small but mighty charity.

Description

Our small charity delivers awareness campaigns and a range of support services to patients, relatives, partners and carers who have been affected by a debilitating chronic condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). We are urgently looking for 2 experienced email marketing volunteers to join our communications team.

You will be a big link to our charity's clients who are vulnerable and isolated, to them learning more about events, our latest articles, fundraising events as well as ensuring they are aware of the services that we offer that be of help to them. You will also be helping us to raise awareness of this devastating chronic condition.

Even though we are a small organisation we have big ideas and having regular contact through emails and newsletters will show consistency and know they can rely on us to be there for them.

We would like the volunteer to help with:

• Email content: Develop our communication & marketing content calendar, write compelling regular email content, including calls for donations & support, that is relevant and has clear a call-to-action and high click through rates;
• Email content (membership): Create a regular email newsletter for our membership scheme
• Create a number of automated email series - for donors, members, fundraisers and more
• Newsletter strategy: Help us plan and articulate how we can use emails and newsletters to strengthen our organisation, motivate our supporters and communicate with our sponsors;
• Design and implement campaigns and promotional activity

What are you looking for in a volunteer?

We are looking for 2 volunteers who have:

• Strong writing and editing skills
• Good communicator
• Good computer skills and a willingness to be contacted via email and/or video chat
• Experience using email marketing software - specifically Mailchimp
• Marketing skills
• Experience of working on marketing strategies
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our team, organisation and our services users (we are not expecting you to know about the condition we support)
• Can ask key questions to enable us to clarify requirements
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and is able to work with these
• Open to feedback
• A passion for marketing and email marketing
• Ability to work flexibly on your own or as part of a team with enthusiasm and commitment
• Ability to create email campaigns with little supervision (after initial support)

Skills

• Digital: Email Marketing
• Marketing and communications: Copywriting/Journalism

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

You will be joining a small charity during a challenging period and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in ensuring we reach the patients, relatives, partners and carers who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help we will expand our readership to ensure more people are aware of this condition, which will help those affected by it when they see a health professional.

What's in it for the volunteer?

You would be a part of our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching more people affected by this rare condition who may not know that we exist to support them. You would have a key role in developing a strategy to complement our awareness campaigns. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference in someone’s life which is already isolated and painful, but who may not know there is support out there and to then realise they’re not alone.

About the location

Where will the volunteer be working?

The volunteer will be working remotely, online and entirely from your own home.

Travel Limit

This role will be completely remote.

When will the volunteer be working?

Volunteer availability

• Either in or office hours - however we are flexible

Estimate the time commitment

• 3-6 hours / week - but this is flexible however ideally it would be 4 hours or over to ensure email campaigns are going out at the right time

To apply for the email marketing volunteer please send by email your CV together with a covering letter saying why you think you would be a good candidate for this position, via the Charity Job 'Apply Online' 

Are you a Child and Young Person Clinical Supervisor interested in supporting child and young person counsellors and therapists?

Burning Nights CRPS Support has a highly skilled counselling and therapy team who provide counselling and psychotherapy to adults and children who have been impacted by a debilitating pain condition, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This team is expanding rapidly and we are now looking for 1 volunteer Child and Young Person (CYP) Clinical Supervisor to join this team ensuring we can continue the provision of our vital emotional support services to this community specifically for young people. We would ideally like to take on 1 CYP Clinical Supervisor supporting a small group of CYP therapists who specialise in a range of modalities.

All our Counselling and therapy team help to develop our growing mental health support service for patients, families and carers affected by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). As a volunteer with the CRPS Counselling & Therapy Service, your skills and experience as a CYP Clinical Supervisor will be providing support to therapists who offer therapy to vulnerable children and young people aged 5-18.

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, you will provide group and 1-2-1 Supervision support for CYP counsellors or psychotherapists who provide counselling support or specialist services for children and young people. The service currently offers specialist support to anyone over the age of 5 who is affected by CRPS.

Key Tasks and Objectives

• Facilitate Clinical Supervision group sessions on a monthly basis (online) and be able to offer at least 1 or 2 supervisees on 1-2-1 basis mainly trainees

• Administer this supervision from invitation through to record keeping

• Take part in complex case allocation meetings with the Clinical Lead

• Maintain appropriate clinical records of all work and to report, along with any concerns on individuals or their practice to the Clinical Lead

• Commitment to ongoing supervision of supervision practice at Burning Nights CRPS Support as well as engaging in separate own personal supervision

• Work flexibly as part of a small team as necessary to provide maximum coverage for supervision, such as in the event of emergencies

• Abide by all Burning Nights CRPS Support policies and procedures

• Adhere to BACP, BABCP (or other appropriate therapies governing body) Ethical Framework

Key Skills, Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Psychotherapy/Counselling qualification with a minimum of 2 years post qualification experience in a similar field

• Qualification in Clinical Supervision - ideally level 7 or above (could also suit experienced counsellors who require a placement during Clinical Supervision placement, or experienced counsellors wishing to gain experience in supervision)

• Had experience of supervising CYP therapists 

• Accreditation/registration (or working at the level of or towards this qualification) as a Supervisor with BACP/HCPC/BABCP or equivalent

• Significant proven experience of supervising individual CYP counsellors/psychotherapists from a range of training backgrounds 

• Appropriate and proven clinical experience of working with young people with a range of difficulties including complex medical health issues, loss and bereavement. Ideally experience of working with children and young people living with or affected by chronic pain or chronic conditions

• Willingness to engage in any Burning Nights CRPS Support training

• Understanding of issues regarding confidentiality and management of risk within a counselling service

• Good administrative skills

• Understanding of the voluntary sector

• Commitment to on-going engagement in personal supervision

• Knowledgeable of and committed to equalities’ provision

Desirable:

• Appropriate and proven clinical experience of working with children and young people living with or affected by chronic pain or chronic conditions

• Being able to supervise CYP therapists in small groups

• Experience of working within a low-cost / free voluntary sector counselling setting

• Experience of working within the voluntary charity sector

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

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

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
• Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food
• Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

We are looking for  Indoor Fosterers

What we need from you 

• A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home or in a purpose-built pen in your garden provided by us
• Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction
• A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare
• Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home
• You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Time expectation

Our volunteer fosterers usually spend around one and a half hours per day (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care.

You may be just the volunteer we've been looking for! 

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

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

Unfortunately cats can occasionally stray or get lost, which can be extremely distressing for their owners. Our lost and found volunteers are passionate about reuniting lost cats and bringing families back together. They help cats and their owners by advertising lost cats and providing support, advice and guidance to people searching for their cats.

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 enquiries from the public about lost and found cats
• Keeping up to date records of lost and founds cats
• Matching cats that are reported lost with those reported found
• Advertising lost and found cats
• Providing help and information to owners about their lost cats

Time expectation 

Our lost and found volunteers usually spend between 2 to 3 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

You may be just the volunteer we’ve been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

A bit about this role

As a charity we can continue to help cats and kittens in need thanks to the donations we receive at fundraising events from generous members of the public. Our fundraising event helpers have the exciting and varied role of helping at local fundraising events - such as cakes sales, barn dances, quiz nights – and everything in between!
 

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

• help set up and/or man stalls at events
• help on collection days like supermarket collections events or street collections
• help at fundraising events such as quiz nights, cake sales and dances
• promoting a professional image of Cats Protection at events

Time expectation

This role is really flexible! You could choose to volunteer at one event for a couple of hours or attend multiple fundraising events.

We’ll keep you up to date with upcoming local events where volunteers are needed. You’ll then be able to choose which events you’d like to volunteer at and how many hours you’d like to give. However much time you can give, your contribution will help raise much needed funds to continue the work of Cats Protection.

You may be just the volunteer we've been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.F

Lead Volunteer

Mind Retail

About the role

Without the help and support we receive from our Lead Volunteers and volunteer teams we wouldn’t be successful at what we do. Our Lead Volunteers play a key role by supporting the shop management team with the day to day running and management of our shops - helping us to raise crucial funds from the sale of pre-loved, donated stock to fund Mind's vital mental health support services.

Our shops are vibrant hubs in local communities across England and Wales. In our Lead Volunteer role, you’ll play a key part in building this community, helping to create a culture where every person is valued and supported - and where people have fun!

You can gain a wide variety of knowledge, skills and experience by becoming one of our valued Lead Volunteers, including:

· Experience working as part of, and leading, a diverse team

· Shop management, retail management and key holder experience

· Opportunities to improve your management, leadership and interpersonal skills

· Stock organisation, processing, pricing and merchandising skills

· Cash handling skills, including management cash functions

· Understanding of sales information, including takings

· Commercial knowledge and skills

· Understanding of policies and procedures

· Administrative skills

· IT skills

· Additional learning and development opportunities, including your own eLearning account with access to personal and professional development courses

Our Lead Volunteer roles are also flexible, so they're perfect for fitting in around your commitments. We value any time that you can give us, so whether it’s a few hours a week or a few days – we’d love to hear from you!

We need great people like you to help us in the fight for mental health. Will you join us?

Click on the role profile to find out more about our Lead Volunteer role and read on to hear some stories from our existing Lead Volunteers!

About You

• Commitment to our values & behaviours
• Enthusiastic and committed to achieving shop targets
• Flexible and adaptable approach
• Ability to work as a team and on your own initiative
• Able to build good working relationships
• Ability to work within Mind Retail’s policies and procedures
• Willingness to learn
• Good customer service skills
• Good communication skills

About Mind Retail

Mind Retail are a network of almost 200 shops across England and Wales, generating a net income of around £21 million per year. We have ambitious plans to grow over the next few years and we're going to be fighting for mental health in a way we never have before. We won't stop until everyone with a mental health problem gets the support and respect they deserve.

Safer Recruitment at Mind Retail

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our employees and volunteers and we expect anyone working or volunteering with us to share this commitment. This role may involve the supervision of young volunteers who are under 18. Because of this, the minimum age for this role is 18 and under our Safer Recruitment Policy, you’ll also be required to agree to an enhanced DBS check.

Our Commitment

We embrace the different perspectives that each of us bring. We want our staff and volunteers to be authentic and bring their whole selves to work. We want Mind to be a workplace that truly reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the people we support. Where everyone is appreciated – regardless of race, gender, age, religion, identity and experience.

Hear from some of our existing Lead Volunteers…

Stuart, Lead Volunteer at our North Shields Mind Shop

Why did you want to become a Lead Volunteer?

I chose to volunteer at Mind, specifically because of the cause – I support the charity in what they want to achieve. Mind also supported me through the lockdown period during the pandemic, which I found very isolating.

I’ve volunteered for Mind for 20 years - I started volunteering for Mind in 2005. At the time, I had a full-time job, but I wanted to try volunteering. I’ve volunteered in a number of Mind shops, including Wallsend, Whitley Bay, Gateshead (which was where I became a Lead Volunteer) and finally, North Shields.

I wanted to become a Lead Volunteer to gain more experience, which I can then pass onto others. I now undertake key holder duties in my current shop. It was a little scary to begin with, but there was plenty of support from the wider region and I feel really proud to now be doing the role.

What knowledge and skills have you gained or developed whilst being in the Lead Volunteer role?

I’ve developed my technology skills – I’ve learnt how to use the till, how to use the computer including emails and Microsoft Teams, how to complete eLearning and the new Gift Aid hub. I struggled a bit before with technology, so it’s really helped me to be exposed to it more. I’ve also developed cash handling skills and how to deal with external contractors. My confidence has really grown and I’m also now able to cover local stores too!

What do you enjoy most about being a Lead Volunteer?

I really enjoy giving amazing customer service and working with the team of staff and volunteers – we have lots of fun whilst we work! The shop has a great atmosphere. My Shop Manager has said she couldn’t do without me! I would really recommend for anyone to come and volunteer with Mind – it’s a great way to meet new people.

Lead Volunteer at our Turnham Green Mind Shop

Why did you want to become a Lead Volunteer?

I wanted to become a Lead Volunteer because I wanted to take on more responsibilities and keep myself as productive as possible. By taking on more responsibilities, I’m able to support the wider team with certain activities within the shop. It’s also helped me become less focused on my myself and my own problems. I suffer from low self-esteem and felt that by becoming a Lead Volunteer, it would help strengthen my self-worth.

What knowledge and skills have you gained or developed whilst being in the Lead Volunteer role?

As I have never worked in retail, becoming a Lead Volunteer has given me more insight into how the retail industry and how Mind Retail operates day-to-day. I have become more patient and not as isolated as before. My communication skills have improved too.

What do you enjoy most about being a Lead Volunteer?

Certain customers are confiding in me about their mental health. I find it great to be able to assist and provide some support. We all just need an ear to listen…

It’s also great to be able to make decisions too. The team I work with at the shop are very supportive and understanding – they look after me and I feel like a belong to a small family. The team really understand that our shops are not just shops! They’re a place where everyone, including those with mental health problems, can feel safe and listened to.

We’re Mind, the leading mental health charity. We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect. We provide advice and support to empower anybody experiencing a mental health problem and we campaign to improve services, raise awareness, and promote understanding.

Our volunteers are a fundamental part of our shops. Any time which they volunteer at our shops, help us be there for more people who are experiencing a mental health problem. 

About the volunteer role

To provide our volunteers with opportunities to gain a variety of skills and experience, we offer them a range of volunteer roles to choose from, which include:

• Stock preparation volunteer
• Volunteer shop sales assistant
• Volunteer stock generation assistant
• Volunteer window dresser/Merchandiser
• Specialist knowledge volunteer (antiques and collectables)
• Specialist knowledge volunteer (books and entertainment)
• Housekeeping volunteer

Key tasks

There is a variety of tasks within the above mentioned roles that our volunteers get involved with, including:

• Welcoming and assisting customers with their purchases, providing them with great customer service and a delightful shopping experience
• Receiving donated items from members of the public
• Sorting, steaming, tagging and preparing donated items for sale
• Creating visually appealing window and in-store displays
• Keeping the shop floor well stocked, clean and coordinated
• Processing sales and serving at the till
• Signing up gift aid donors
• Stock rotation
• Identifying special or valuable items within donated stock

About you

• Passionate about customer service 
• Good communication skills 
• Friendly and helpful
• Respectful of others and their diversity

Experience & skills you will gain

• Experience of working as part of a team
• Retail experience 
• Stock organisation
• Selling skills 
• Customer service skills 

Our Commitment

We are committed to becoming actively anti-racist in everything we do. This is a critical priority for Mind. We embrace diversity and understand that being an inclusive organisation, recognising different perspectives, will enable us to provide excellent services. We are committed to ensuring all our employees are treated fairly and equitably at work and promoting equity in physical and mental health for all.

Voluntary HR Consultant (Volunteer Role)

Location: Hybrid – near West London area
Commitment: Flexible (approx 5–10 hours per month)
Duration: Ongoing
Reporting to:  Report to the Senior Management Team and Trustee Board.

About Us

Ealing Swimming Club (ESC) is one of the largest and most dynamic swimming clubs in the UK, with over 1,300 members training in seven pools across West London. We offer high-quality coaching and technique instruction for all ages and abilities, from beginners to international competitors. Our club is built on a strong sense of community, inspiring individuals to develop their skills, build confidence, and achieve their full potential. As a registered charity, we are committed to delivering inclusive watersports programs, including competitive swimming, masters, para-swimming, and water polo. Our passionate team ensures that every member has access to expert coaching and a supportive environment, fostering success in and out of the water.

Role Overview

We are seeking a skilled and motivated HR professional to join us as a Volunteer HR Consultant. This role will support the development and implementation of effective people practices, ensuring our charity operates in line with UK employment law and HR best practice.

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute your expertise to a meaningful cause while gaining experience in the charity sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on HR policies, procedures, and best practices.  
• Help develop policies on issues such as performance management, equal opportunities, disciplinary procedures and absence management.
• Review and update HR policies to ensure compliance with UK employment legislation
• Support recruitment and onboarding processes, including drafting job descriptions/adverts
• Advise on employee relations matters (e.g. performance, absence, disciplinary issues)
• Assist with drafting HR correspondence if and when required.
• Attend HR meetings if and when required. 
• Advise line managers in how to implement policies and procedures
• Assist with the development of staff handbooks and organisational policies
• Support trustees and leadership with HR strategy and workforce planning

Person Specification

Essential:

• Proven experience in HR (e.g. HR Advisor, HR Manager, HR Consultant)
• Knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and provide pragmatic advice
• Discretion and ability to handle confidential information

Desirable:

• CIPD qualification (Level 5 or above) or equivalent experience
• Experience working with charities or not-for-profit organisations
• Experience supporting small organisations or start-ups

What You’ll Gain

• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community
• Experience working with a charity and its leadership team
• Flexibility to fit around your schedule
• Professional development and networking opportunities
• Reference upon successful completion of the role

Additional Information

This is a voluntary, unpaid role. Reasonable expenses may be reimbursed in line with our expenses policy.

Please note:

Pre-employment checks: Two satisfactory references and existing right to work in the UK

Due to the high volume of applications, if you have not heard back within 2 weeks, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.