Volunteer Roles in Cumbria

Lonlon Farms seeks to be a centre for learning and innovation in food production and agriculture in general. We aspire to be an incubator for young farmers and enthusiasts, fostering innovation in agriculture, agribusiness, and agri-tech. Lonlon Farms provide practical training, recruitment and create an incubatory environment for the agricultural value chain in Sierra Leone.

BUSINESS DEVELOPER

• Help us build a business case for investors and supporters. This role also involves researching funding sources among others for Lonlon Farms.
• Volunteer 2-3 hours per week remotely

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

Lonlon Farms seeks to be a centre for learning and innovation in food production and agriculture in general. We aspire to be an incubator for young farmers and enthusiasts, fostering innovation in agriculture, agribusiness, and agri-tech. Lonlon Farms provide practical training, recruitment and create an incubatory environment for the agricultural value chain in Sierra Leone.

COMMUNITY MANAGER

• We are building a community of students, supporters and clients and we like our community manager to help keep our community active, engaged and supportive of our work through workshops, trainings, videos, newsletters and other community engagement tools.
• Volunteer 2-3 hours per week remotely

Noms makes daily cooking easy. They solve the question “What’s for dinner?” by automatically converting online cooking content into intuitive, easy-to-follow and step-by-step recipes. With the app, individuals can search for recipes by what’s in their fridge, customise recipes to suit their needs, swap ingredients that they do not like or have, and display quantities in intuitive measurements (handfuls, spoons, etc.). Individuals. Individuals can then cook these recipes with their  easy-to-follow format that shows only essential information (no ads, long descriptions, or touching the phone). And, they can optimise their  groceries to make more food with less money and zero waste. 

RECIPE EDITOR

• The responsibilities for this role may change all the time but tasks you may be doing are: uploading recipe videos to our app, using our unique editor to turn cooking reels into step-by-step recipes and checking a creator's original recipes and editing the step-by-step recipe to be easy-to-use and accurate.
• Volunteer 7-9 hours per week remotely for 1-2 months.

Hekima is a small organization in Tanzania that promotes children rights, and youth through nurturing that enables children, families and communities in ending Violence Against Children (VAC). Hekima achieves this through community accountable where children and young youth demand their rights; strengthening child protection and participation systems and structures.

PROGRAMME SUPPORT

• We are looking for a Programme Support Volunteer to understand the organization and its programs; review the current strategic plan; prepare meetings with the team; prepare a logical framework; and, elp create a theory of change.
• Volunteer 4-6 hours per week for 3-4 weeks.

Join Us in Shaping the Future: Bring your passion for eye care and diverse expertise to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those in need. Become a Trustee of Vision Care for Homeless People!

• Are you passionate about ensuring everyone has access to essential eye care services, regardless of their circumstances?
• Are you eager to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those experiencing homelessness?
• If so, we invite you to consider becoming a Trustee at VCHP, where we're dedicated to providing vital eye care to those in need.

About Us

At VCHP, we believe that everyone deserves the right to clear vision and eye health. Since 2003, we've been on a mission to provide comprehensive eye care services to individuals experiencing homelessness across the UK. From eye exams to prescription glasses, we're committed to ensuring that no one is left behind when it comes to their vision. Now, as we look to the future, we're seeking dynamic individuals to join our board and help guide our strategic direction.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board. Do you know how to positively challenge the status quo? At VCHP, we're on a mission to provide essential support to those experiencing homelessness, and as we move forward, we recognise the importance of having a diverse and skilled board to guide our efforts effectively. We're currently seeking individuals who can bring specific expertise to address the existing skills gaps on our board. We're particularly interested in candidates who possess one or more of the following skills and experiences:

• Board Experience: To provide strategic leadership and governance oversight.
• Digital Skills: To navigate the digital landscape and leverage technology for organisational growth.
• Cybersecurity: To ensure the security and integrity of our digital infrastructure.
• Lived experience of homelessness or experience as a service user: To offer firsthand insights into the needs and challenges of our service users.
• Charity Law and Compliance: To ensure that we operate in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Policy Development: To develop robust policies that align with our mission and support our organizational objectives.

By adding individuals with these specific skills to our board, we aim to enhance our capacity to fulfil our mission and serve our community more effectively. For the full role description, which outlines essential skills and responsibilities, please contact us.

Why Join Us

• Make an Impact: As a Trustee, you'll have the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve and contribute to positive change in our community.
• Professional Development: Joining our board offers valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth, including leadership development, networking, and learning from experienced colleagues.
• Be Part of Something Meaningful: Join a dedicated team of like-minded individuals who are committed to making a difference and creating a brighter future for VCHP and those we support.

How to Apply

If you're ready to embark on this rewarding journey and help shape the future of VCHP, we'd love to hear from you!

To apply, kindly detail your alignment with the desired skills and experiences and articulate your motivation for seeking the role of trustee at VCHP within a concise response of no more than 2 pages. Please accompany this with your CV, if you have one.

If you want to learn more or have questions before applying, please contact Anna, who will be happy to assist you. Please note: If you would like to submit an application or express your interest in an alternative format such as audio or video upload or require any adaptations for your initial engagement with us, please contact Anna who will be happy to advise on this.

Closing date for applications: 31st May 2024, with the possibility of interviews conducted on a rolling basis.

Interview dates: July 2024. While this role can be carried out remotely, please note that there will be one annual face-to-face meeting.

ACEVO is the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, and we exist to help civil society leaders to make the biggest possible difference. For nearly 40 years we’ve been there to inspire and support our members by fostering connections, refining skills and building influence. ACEVO's network of over 1,700 individuals includes the leaders of every shape and size of civil society organisation and at every stage of the leadership journey.

More than a membership organisation, we are a strong, supportive community, and are often our members’ first port of call for help and advice from their peers.

Civil society is under greater pressure than ever before, from a range of sources, and we are proud that our response has been characterised by imagination and ambition. Our outgoing chair, Rosie Ferguson, has played a crucial role in strengthening and consolidating our position over the past few years, and as her term of office concludes she leaves a very strong legacy for her successor. But we also know that there’s no room for complacency, and we are looking for a new chair to take up the challenge of leading us into the next phase with energy, commitment and rigour.

Candidates will share our passionate commitment to the power of civil society, and our vision for extending and deepening our reach within the sector. A skilled governance practitioner, able to work effectively with an engaged and expert board and a high-performing executive team, you’ll have a nuanced understanding of our business model and of how we can build on the progress of recent years. You must be eligible for membership of ACEVO, and experience of leading within our sector is essential.

With a significant amount of external change likely to take place in the early stages of the next chair’s tenure, we will look for a track record of working with agility and strategic creativity. You’ll need to balance your professional expertise with personal humility and curiosity, and current, practical knowledge of our sector across England and Wales would be a significant asset. An exceptional communicator, and passionate about the benefits of membership, you’ll ensure ACEVO remains the go-to organisation for leaders, aspiring leaders and stakeholders alike.

Trustees (four roles), MyBnk
Unremunerated – c. 12 days per year

Being confident about managing your own money might not sound unusual. But for many young people, it’s a real challenge, and one which holds potentially major risks. Knowing where to go for money advice, and who to trust, is so much more than just good personal admin – it’s a building block of social mobility.

MyBnk is a leading financial education charity, working towards the creation of a financially capable generation across all four nations of the UK. We support young people between the ages of 5 and 25, with a particular focus on those who can’t afford for things to go wrong. Our award-winning programmes are highly effective and well-regarded, and we’ve grown rapidly in recent years, but there’s still much more to do. Today’s young people face a far less predictable job market, with high rents, economic uncertainty, and an increasingly complex financial marketplace. So we want to extend our reach and impact by an order of magnitude in the next few years: and to do that, we want to strengthen our Board with a number of new Trustees.

We have four opportunities to help guide and steer this exciting, high-growth charity into its next phase. Two of this round of appointments will be qualified accountants, ideally with experience in a Big Four firm or corporate environment. Our rapid recent growth – from £1m to £4m turnover in just a few years – has been enabled and underpinned by strong financial controls, and we will also ask these trustees to join our Finance Committee. We also want to appoint two charity specialists – one of whom will have executive experience of working across the regions and nations of the UK, and one with an excellent understanding of the safeguarding requirements of working with young people. Both of these Trustees will also bring a nuanced knowledge of charity governance and strategic planning.

Our Board is an expert and committed group, with a distinctive culture and energy. It’s an open, friendly environment, where your contribution is always respected and valued. MyBnk is dedicated to building an inclusive culture and working environment that promotes a sense of safety and belonging for our staff to feel supported to achieve their potential. We’re striving to be an actively anti-racist organisation, and actively encourage applications from diverse, under-represented and racialised groups, including those with lived experience of the social cause we seek to address.

Closing date: 1 May 2024.

Voluntary role
Responsible to: Chair of Trustees
Base: the Board works remotely 

Main Responsibilities and Duties

• Ensure that SEED and its representatives function within all legal and regulatory frameworks continually striving for best practice in governance.

· Comply with SEED’s Code of Conduct and policies, providing leadership on its value base and organisational behaviour, including safeguarding, human resources and financial management.

· Work alongside fellow Trustees and the Senior Management Team in developing SEED’s strategic direction, promoting and developing this through good governance and clear strategic planning. To evaluate progress made towards achieving the strategic objectives.

• Ensure that SEED operates within its Charitable Objectives and organisational strategy in order that its work remains focussed and makes the greatest impact to those it serves.

• Actively contribute to the development of SEED’s business plan, monitoring and evaluating performance against agreed objectives.

• Prepare for and participate fully in board meetings reviewing all reports coming to these meetings.

• To undertake training when required.

• Use any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the Board of Trustees reach quick and sound decisions and participate in sub-committees.

· Support the recruitment of senior staff and offer on-going support and monitoring of their work.

· Assist in the recruitment, on-boarding and support of new Trustees when required.

· Act reasonably in decision making and leadership of the organisation and manage risks with a considered, proportionate and balanced approach.

· Maintain sound financial management of SEED’s resources, ensuring expenditure is in line with the organisations’ objects and that assets are protected and managed to ensure the proper investment of the charity’s funds.

· Act as a counter-signatory on charity cheques and any applications for funds.

· Ensure the effective and efficient administration of SEED including having appropriate policies and procedures in place. These policies and procedures are reviewed and signed off by the Trustee Board.

· Ensure that SEED has robust safeguarding policy and procedures in place and that safeguarding is embedded across the organisation

· Safeguard the good name and reputation of SEED, acting in the best interest of the charity, staff and beneficiaries at all times.

· Promote the work of SEED externally seeking opportunities that might further the work and visibility of the Charity.

·  Support the Managing Director in leading the Charity, providing advice and practical help and participating in their annual evaluation.

· Maintain absolute confidentiality about all sensitive or confidential information received through carrying out the duties of a Trustee.

· Remain open and accessible to SEED’s staff through occasional communication and site visits.

Accountability:

As a Trustee you are responsible and liable for the governance and functioning of the charity and are accountable in varying degrees to a variety of stakeholders including: service users, members, funders, the Charity Commission, and Companies House.

SEED Trustees should uphold the fiduciary duty required of all charity trustees to act in the best interests of both current and future beneficiaries of the charity, being held personally liable for any breach of that duty.

Support regarding this is given by fellow Trustees, the Managing Director and the Senior Management team.

Required skills & experience:

The successful applicant will:

• Demonstrate a passion for and sound knowledge of development and/or conservation issues facing least developed countries such as Madagascar.

• Demonstrate sound knowledge and keen interest in at least one of SEED’s core areas (community health; sustainable livelihoods; environmental conservation) or in a key functional area (management, finance, marketing).

• Have a reasonable level of understanding of legal, financial, audit and other regulatory requirements of a charity, ideally through experience as a trustee.

• Show commitment to SEED and have sufficient time and willingness to contribute effectively to board proceedings and sub committee work.

• Be able to make quick and sound decisions based on an analysis of information presented to them.

• Have the confidence to both advocate for or challenge ideas and can remain independent of any influence from other organisations or individuals.

• Be able to work effectively as a member of a team and independently.

• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to SEED’s Code of Conduct and values and be a good ambassador for the organisation at all times.

• Demonstrate the ability, social skills and confidence to give clear guidance and support to other Trustees or members of staff in respect of the philosophy and procedures of SEED in order to protect the reputation of the NGO.

• Be able to work to and advocate for all of SEED’s policies and procedures, working within SEED’s Code of Conduct, safeguarding those that SEED works with and reporting any concerns appropriately.

• Have empathy with those living and working in a developing country with the ability and desire to work with teams from different economic and cultural backgrounds.

• Have excellent listening and verbal communication skills and a flexible and patient attitude.

Join Our Team!
Are you passionate about making a meaningful impact in your community? Do you have skills or would like to develop skills in governance, finance, or strategic planning? We're on the lookout for dedicated individuals to join our board of trustees!

As a trustee, you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of our branch and drive positive change. Whether you're an experienced professional or a newcomer eager to contribute, we welcome diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

Why Become a Trustee?
* Make a difference: Influence the direction and impact of our organization.
* Network: Connect with like-minded individuals passionate about our cause.
* Personal growth: Develop leadership, governance, and strategic planning skills.
* Rewarding experience: Experience the satisfaction of contributing to a cause you believe in.

Responsibilities:
* Provide strategic guidance and oversight.
* Ensure financial sustainability and accountability.
* Support fundraising efforts and community engagement.
* Advocate for our mission and values.

If you're ready to take on a rewarding challenge and drive positive change, we want to hear from you!

Together, let's make a difference!

We are recruiting several board member roles including Secretary and Treasurer and general Non-Executive Director. All board members share these responsibilities and requirements:

~ Provide governance oversight over our legal and financial duties as a Community Interest Company. 

 ~Guide OSN staff, team leaders and contractors, to deliver our mission and strategy. 

For some responsibilities on the Board i.e.the legal, finance and fundraising, will require a degree of management of our delivery due to these being underdeveloped areas within the organisation.

Responsibilities:

• Updating the events calendar

• Planning events in advance - particularly face-to-face events

• Promoting events through email

• Assisting with the monthly newsletter, including the latest events and liaising with IT to get it sent out

• Creating graphics on social media for events and partnerships with other organisations

• Liaising with the social media team, ensuring that events are promoted on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram

• Thinking up new event ideas

• Working to ensure the smooth running of the monthly book club

• Identifying new organisations and individuals who are queer Muslims and allies to collaborate with

• Contacting organisations and venues

• Working with others in the team to arrange in-person events

• Sending thank-you emails after all events

• Updating contact/partner database

Experience/skills required:

• Working in a team but also independently, using initiative

• Organisation and time management skills

• Ability to use OutSavvy, Google Suite (including Google Calendar and Google Meet), HootSuite and Discord (or willingness to learn)

• Familiarity with social media platforms (or willingness to learn)

• Teamwork and collaboration with other individuals and organisations

• Strong communication

Reporting to: Programmes Officer

Trustee 

Project: Mind in Somerset  

Supervisor: Geoff Pateman 

Location: Somerset 

Hours: Your availability to support our organisation is to be discussed with the Chair of Trustees 

 Would you like to be part of our future? 

After 3 years of sustained growth Mind in Somerset are seeking to recruit a further trustee to the Board.

We are a local mental health charity serving the people of Somerset. We are part of the national Mind network, and, like other local Minds, we run as an independent charity with our own strategy, funds and leadership. As a Trustee, you will be joining a charity in a strong position with a turnover of over £3 million and with an ambition to build on our successes and growth over the last few years. We will be looking to build on existing activities and also by bringing in innovative new projects.

Trustees are our most senior leaders. They set our strategic direction, make sure we’re using our resources effectively and ensure we’re having the greatest possible impact on our community. Trustees are expected to undertake duties in a manner that reflects Mind in Somerset’s values and ethos.

We are a friendly and welcoming organisation and are passionate about what we do. You’ll be joining our Board of Trustees at an exciting time with lots of opportunities to build on our success over the next few years. If you have the time and enthusiasm to be part of something amazing, please get in touch.

Scope: Mind in Somerset have the expectation that all who Volunteer for us always live our organisations Values, we ask that you be; 

Collaborative – work better together 

Respectful – treat people how we like to be treated 

Accountable – are responsible for our own actions 

Inclusive – respect everyone’s uniqueness 

Compassionate – empathise, care and support 

Person Specification 

Essential: 

We are particularly looking for a Trustee with local knowledge of the North Somerset area, possibly with experience in local government or mental health provision.

Desirable; 

-To have experience within Charity sector

Equal Opportunities:  

Mind in Somerset is fully committed to the principle of equal opportunities in employment and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination, direct or indirect. All employees and volunteers are expected to promote and work fully in line with the company’s Equal Opportunities Policy. Mind in Somerset is a Disability Confident employer and welcomes applications from disabled people. If disabled applicants meet the minimum criteria for the job, they can request and will be offered a guaranteed interview. Should applicants require reasonable adjustment support for the interview/Volunteer meeting, please contact Mind in Somerset via the Message function.

Criminal Record: 

Due to the safeguarding nature of our work, the successful candidate/volunteer may need to complete a disclosure and barring check (DBS) prior to starting with us. A criminal record will not automatically mean withdrawal of an offer, however, to safeguard our staff, volunteers and clients, further discussion or investigation may be required so that an informed decision can be made as to your suitability to work with vulnerable people to ensure that we are not putting service users at risk. For Volunteers there are occasions when a DBS will not be required, however a risk assessment will be conducted, and the form completed and placed within the Volunteer’s electronic file.

Do you like dogs? Do you like people?

Your community needs you!!

Walkie Dogs is a weekly social group located in the UK that brings local communities in every city together to walk their dogs and make connections. We support mental health organisations and work towards reducing knife and gang crime throughout the UK. As a volunteer-led organisation, we provide training to ensure that our volunteers are equipped to offer support and resources to our members. Our online retail store offers the best products on the market to promote the health and well-being of dogs in the UK, with exclusive discounts for our members. We also provide educational tools, travel advice, training, and more to the dog community.

Role Description

This is a full-time, on-site role as a Volunteer Walk Leader at Walkie Dogs. As a Volunteer Walk Leader, you will be responsible for organising and leading dog walks for our social group. Your day-to-day tasks will include coordinating meet-up locations, ensuring the safety and well-being of participants and their dogs, providing guidance and support during walks, and fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere within the group.

Qualifications

• Experience leading group activities and events
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Passion for promoting mental health and reducing knife and gang crime
• Knowledge of dog handling and safety
• Ability to provide guidance and support to members
• Reliability and punctuality
• Strong organisational skills
• Familiarity with the local area's, 74 cities in the UK. (anywhere with a cathedral)

Collaborating with Mental Health organisations across the UK we aim to support and spread awareness of the importance of mental health and well-being

Each volunteer will receive full walk leader training, access to the our website, discounts and walks across the UK.

We require an up to date DBS check and a minimum of of 20 walks per year