Volunteer roles in dakar

Our shop in picturesque Bradford on Avon is seeking friendly volunteers to engage with customers on the shop floor and assist with behind the scenes tasks. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to expand and develop your retail skills within a charity environment and gain work experience, transferable to your CV. This voluntary role is a great way to meet new people, be part of a team, gain self-confidence and be a major part of helping unwanted and abandoned animals in need. There are plenty of opportunities here to meet your interests and availability. 

We are particularly interested in hearing from people available to volunteer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. 

Role Profile

Our shop volunteers play an integral role in the day-to-day running of our charity shops and the maximising of sales to support Bath Cats & Dogs Home. Whether you prefer working behind the scenes or on the shop floor in a customer facing role there are plenty of tasks to get involved with.

Your activities could include:

• Assisting and serving customers on the till
• Providing excellent customer service on the shop floor
• Creating attractive displays and assisting with the visual merchandising of the shop
• Receiving donations from the public and promoting our Gift Aid scheme
• Other daily tasks including cleaning, tidying, dusting and hoovering

About You

You will be an enthusiastic individual with a love for animals and charity shops. You will be well presented, friendly and enjoy meeting new people. It is vital you are reliable and trustworthy and able to offer a regular set of hours each week to fit with shop needs. Previous retail experience is an advantage but is not essential. There is a manual handling element to the role so this should be considered on application.

Full in person training will be provided for donation sorting and retail guidelines, as well as our waste management and recycling processes. 

All staff and volunteers are required to complete online Health & Safety training prior to their start date. Due to insurance restrictions, we can only take on volunteers over the age of 18. 

This collections volunteer role involves managing all static collection tins within your local area including identifying opportunities to place a collection tin, emptying the tin and banking the money.

There is no minimum time commitment, but the role requires a level of regular commitment to ensure that tasks are completed.

Canine Partners is a registered charity that transforms the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs. Our amazing dogs bring a greater independence and quality of life to their partners, offering support, security, companionship, and practical help with everyday household tasks.

By volunteering at Canine Partners, you contribute to something incredibly special - ‘transforming the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs’

By volunteering you will:

• Be a valued member of our Charity
• Can work with dogs without lifelong commitment or costs associated with dog ownership
• Be able to meet like-minded people
• Gain practical experience in the field of canine care and welfare.

‘With out the continued hard work and support from our volunteers, we would not be able to provide our clients with our life changing dogs’

What we require from you

• Age 18 or over
• Access to your own transport with flexibility to visit different locations
• Polite, confident and personable manner
• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent record keeping skills

Support and Training

• Public Liability Insurance
• Payment of expenditure such as mileage to and from a talk.
• Volunteer clothing and ID badge
• Dedicated point of contact in the fundraising team
• Guidance on cash handling
• Income monitoring sheet provided
• Access to our volunteer portal with many resources for your use.
• Invitation to join our Official Canine Partners Community Facebook Group

Do you want to help promote social mobility, and diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)? Can you play a valuable strategic leadership role in a charity that supports young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds to achieve their potential and progress to careers in STEM?

Remuneration: The Trustee role is not remunerated, travel and other reasonable expenses may be claimed.

Location: Remote, with one in person strategy meeting in London per year.

Time Commitment: Four board meetings per year, plus up to three virtual committee meetings per year (depending on committee membership) and a small amount of support and advice as required between meetings.

Application Submission: The application deadline is 17:00 on the 2nd of June 2025 

Overview of In2scienceUK

In2scienceUK is a charity with a mission to empower young people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to achieve upward social mobility by unlocking their potential to access degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). 

Responsibilities

The role of a Trustee is to ensure that In2scienceUK fulfils its duty to the young people with whom it works and delivers on its vision. The trustees of In2scienceUK fulfil an essential and influential role, and have the opportunity to both support the activities and strategic decision making of the charity.

Trustees have collective responsibility for the strategy and oversight of the charity and the trustee board works as a team to fulfill its statutory role, to provide help and advice to the staff team, and to represent the organisation in their respective networks.

The expected duties of an In2scienceUK trustee are:

•  To contribute actively to teamwork within the Board of Trustees, providing strong strategic direction to the organisation in line with its mission and purpose.
• To safeguard the reputation and values of In2scienceUK and ensure the effective and efficient administration and financial stability of In2scienceUK.
• Support the effective running of the organisation, by scrutinising the work of the leadership team in a way that is supportive and motivational. Trustees collectively hold executive staff to account for their performance, are involved in executive appointments as appropriate and appoint a Chief Executive Officer whenever necessary.
• Serve in one or more subgroups of the board for a deeper dive into Income/Growth, Operational Assurance, Evaluation & Learning, and People.
• To ensure that in2scienceUK complies with articles of association and fulfils charity commission responsibilities.

Experience and skills

The most important characteristic of our trustees is a commitment to helping young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds access social mobility through careers in STEM, and so helping to ensure that the STEM professions are populated by people reflecting diverse backgrounds, in all respects including socio-economic background.

We need the right mix of skills overall and anticipate making 4-6 appointments in this round who will work collaboratively to ensure good governance and the success of the organisation. Specific areas where we would like to strengthen the team, bearing in mind our natural turnover and our strategy for the future, are listed below. If you are able to contribute in one or more of these areas, please make this especially clear in your application.

Lived experience: Personal experience of transitioning into STEM degrees and careers from an underrepresented background.

• We are interested in applications from young people still going through this transition, for example undertaking undergraduate study, and for whom we can provide additional support in the trustee role as needed; we see this as an excellent development opportunity and a chance to get governance and leadership experience on the CV in line with our overall mission.

• We would welcome applications from current In2scienceUK participants and alumni. Trustees are required to be 18 years or older.

• We are also interested in hearing from people with current experience of working with young people undertaking this transition.

Professional expertise:  Finance, Communications, HR, Governance, Entrepreneurship, Fundraising and philanthropy, Career advice/coaching

• The whole of the board is responsible for key decisions such as budget setting, strategy, policies and prioritisation, however it is useful to have subject experts who can take a functional lead on helping ensure colleagues are asking the right questions and getting good answers.

Commercial contacts:  An understanding of corporate social responsibility and sponsorship, networks in industries and organisations that employ STEM professionals

Subject areas: Personal experience and industry or academic contacts in the following subject areas 

• Maths/Computing/AI, 

• Life Sciences, 

• Physical Engineering.

Treasurer: We are currently seeking a Treasurer to join the board of Trustees and take the lead on finance. This is an immediate vacancy with our current Treasurer coming to the end of their term. The Treasurer will be a qualified accountant. We are looking for people who have pre-existing experience or desire to support an organisation of our size. As such, the role will be both providing financial oversight and governance as well as providing advice, support and guidance to our executive team. Those applying without prior charity accounting experience should be willing to undertake any relevant training.

Chair succession: While not an immediate appointment, as part of managing Chair succession we are interested in people who would be candidates for a chair designate role and chair in due course, probably via an initial Vice Chair position within the organisation. 

For those who have any further questions or would like an initial discussion about these roles with our current Chair, Jonathan Flowers, please contact us. ( Our email address can be found in the documents under 'Application resources').

Recruitment Process

The application deadline is 17:00 on the 2nd of June 2025 

Please send a covering letter and CV about how you would contribute to the work of the trustee board . Please ensure you set out specifically how you would want to contribute and the experience, skills or insights you would offer us, based on the list of skills and experiences above. We would like each applicant to include a concise (no more than 2 sides of A4) cover letter that goes beyond repeating their CV.

Equal opportunities

In2scienceUK is committed to promoting diversity and equality of opportunity for all staff and trustees. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of ethnicity, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.

As part of our commitment to creating a more inclusive environment, we ask all applicants to complete an equality and diversity monitoring form ( link can be found in the 'How to apply' section on Charity Job). This information is collected anonymously and used solely for monitoring and reporting purposes. It helps us to better understand who we are reaching, identify gaps in representation, and ensure that opportunities at In2scienceUK are accessible to all. All responses are kept confidential in line with data protection regulations.

Governance

We kindly ask all prospective trustees to complete a Declaration of Interest form as part of the application process. This helps ensure transparency and allows us to assess any potential conflicts of interest, ensuring the best governance for our charity. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work to strengthen our board and further our mission.

Interview and selection

Successful candidates from the application stage will be interviewed by existing trustees.  The interviews will all be held via Zoom and take place between the 7th and 21st of July.

Safeguarding

In2scienceUK is committed to our responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults as outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children. We are committed to recruiting trustees who share this commitment to safeguarding, and therefore we apply robust recruitment and selection procedures to ensure that the people selected are right for the job, and that all candidates are appropriately screened prior to appointment. 

The following checks will be undertaken as applicable:

• References 

• DBS check and/or Overseas criminal records check where applicable

• Self-Disclosure 

• Identity check 

• Confirmation of registration with applicable registered body where applicable 

Further information can be found in the documents below.

Are you looking for a Fundraising role that makes a real difference to a local charity? 

 At Acorns we provide care and support for life limited or life threatened children and their families. We are a charity, and our fundraising is vital to enable us to continue providing care and support to the children: it costs around £13 million a year to run our care services. 

We are looking for volunteers to join our fundraising team at Morrisons (Evesham) on Thursday 17th July  and make a difference. We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us collect donations from shoppers, supporting our cause in a rewarding environment. 

 How much time will it take?  

The collection is from 10.00am – 3.00pm, but you can join us at any point for an hour or two.

 Am I right for the role? 

• We’re looking for volunteers who are
• Approachable and happy to raise awareness about Acorns
• Versatile and willing to adapt and help out 

  Why volunteer at Acorns? 

• To help a local charity and make a difference in your community
• Connect with likeminded people and make new friends
• Learn new skills to boost your CV
• Opportunities to progress to other roles
• Access to free online training courses
• Retail discounts

• Participation in our volunteer recognition schemes and rewards.

  We can only accept volunteers who are 18 years of age or older. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must also apply as they need to accompany you for the duration of your volunteer activities.

A Peer Mentor is a volunteer who has experienced similar challenges and experiences as the person they are supporting. Being a peer mentor is seen as a positive and secure way to progress towards education, work, or employment.

Volunteers who take on peer support roles can feel empowered, have a greater confidence and a more positive sense of identity.

Could you provide an authentic voice that our clients can relate to?

· Do you have 1-2 hours a week to support a client

· Can you inspire others, give them hope through self-disclosure and by being an example of recovery?

· Build relationships based on trust, acceptance, understanding and an empathy from a shared lived experience?

· Can we rely on you to tap into your own experiences to help us identify barriers and gaps in our services and how we can be improving and identify good practice?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

· Inspiring service users by using your own life experiences and by being a positive role model

· Providing a safe sounding space, listen in a non-judgemental way

· Helping to improve wellbeing, confidence, and independence by exploring activities that promote this

· Assist service users to engage with formalised support

· Attend appropriate training and development opportunities as required

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Now that spring has sprung, we have an excellent seasonal opportunity for those who love the great outdoors and wish to support the animals in our care. If you love to be outside and enjoy gardening, why not consider joining our team as a Gardening Volunteer, supporting our small but mighty Grounds & Maintenance team who look after our 10 acre site. 

About the Role

Based in bucolic Claverton Down, we are lucky to have several large green spaces in which to excercise our dogs - and a brilliant cat garden for our feline friends! This takes a lot of looking after though and we are keen to hear from potential volunteers who would like to take on a specific area of our site as a project, tending to it on a weekly basis and seeing it flourish throughout the summer. There are several areas to choose from, including our Enrichment Paddock, Behaviour Cabin Garden and Pet Cemetery. There are also general gardening tasks to crack on wtih, such as sweeping the Summer House, mowing and strimming, and tackling weeds in the kennel block paddocks. 

This is a rewarding role as you will be able to see at the end of your shift the results of your hard work! You will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you have directly impacted the lives of the animals in our care by creating a safe outside space for them to enjoy off-lead play time and exploration, keeping their bodies active and their brains engaged. 

About You 

You will be a motivated and enthusiastic individual with a love for animals. This role requires elements of manual handling so you will need to be physically fit and this should be considered upon application. You will be a team player who is able to carefully follow instructions and relevant health and safety requirements for the position, for example the use of appropriate PPE. 

Full in person training will be provided by the maintenance team. Your hours will be flexible in line with current staffing levels, but during the spring and summer a weekly requirement of at least 2 hours is required, weather-dependant. 

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Volunteer Handyperson – Help Us Keep Our Facilities in Top Shape!

Location: RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch – Community-based

Role Type: Volunteer – Handyperson

Manager: Operations Manager

Do You Enjoy DIY and Fixing Things?

Would you like to use your practical skills to help improve the environment for rescued animals and support our charity shops?

At RSPCA Buckinghamshire South Branch, our volunteer handypersons play a crucial role by:

● Repairing and maintaining small animal pens and hutches to ensure they are safe and comfortable.

● Installing shelves, notice boards, and basic fixtures in our charity shops.
Carrying out general maintenance tasks at our shops, storage facilities, and animal care locations.

● Assisting with minor repairs, painting, and basic carpentry tasks as needed.

If you have basic DIY skills, some spare time, and want to make a real difference, we’d love to have you on board!

Why Volunteer With Us?

As an RSPCA volunteer handyperson, you will:

● Meet a variety of RSPCA staff, volunteers, animal carers and people from our community.

● Help create safer and more comfortable environments for animals.

● Support the smooth running of our charity shops and animal care sites.

● Enjoy a rewarding role that makes a tangible difference in your local community.

What We’re Looking For:

● Aged 18 or over with practical DIY skills.

● Ability to use basic tools safely (drills, screwdrivers, hammers, saws, etc.).

● Comfortable lifting, carrying, and handling materials.

● Reliable, responsible, and able to work independently.

● A problem-solver with a can-do attitude.

What You’ll Be Doing:

● Animal Pen & Hutch Repairs: Fixing broken enclosures and ensuring they are safe and weatherproof.

● Shop Maintenance: Putting up shelves, assembling furniture, and installing small fixtures.

● General Repairs & Upkeep: Basic painting, minor carpentry, and fixing small issues.

● Storage & Organisation: Helping maintain our storage areas and ensuring everything is tidy.

● Ad Hoc Jobs: Supporting the team with various maintenance tasks as needed.

What’s in It for You?

● Meet new people and be part of a passionate team.

● A comprehensive induction and training relevant to your role.

● The chance to make a meaningful difference to the welfare of animals.

● Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses incurred while volunteering.

Practical Considerations:

● Health & Safety: Volunteers must follow RSPCA safety guidelines for DIY work.

● Physical Requirements: This role involves lifting, carrying, and working with tools.

● Equipment Use: Tools and materials will be provided where needed.

● Volunteers must use equipment safely and responsibly.

● Training & Support: You will receive a volunteer handbook and guidance from our team.

Canine Partners are looking for volunteers who can provide loving homes for our young dogs, aged 14 months upwards, whilst helping to train them to be canine partners.

By volunteering you will:

• Be a valued member of our Charity
• Know that you are integrally involved in the care and training of a dog that will change the life of a person waiting for their Canine Partner
• Benefit from the companionship and enjoyment of having a dog in your life without lifelong commitment or costs associated with dog ownership
  • Meet like-minded people
  • Can develop your knowledge of puppy development and training.

 ‘With out the continued hard work and support from our volunteers, we would not be able to provide our clients with our life changing dogs.’

What is involved

• Commitment to providing a loving home, care, and training for a dog for the duration of their time in training.
• We consider this a full-time role as you, or another approved adult member of the household, will be required to care for the dog for much of the day and overnight.
• Our trainers need access to the dogs during weekdays for training purposes. We ask that you commute to and from our training centre when required to drop off/collect the dog. Drop off and collection times are between 7.30 - 9.30am and 4-6pm. We try to be as flexible as possible with the times that are best for you.
• Availability to attend pre-arranged training sessions at your home, in your local area, and at our training centre.
• Attend an Introduction session before we coordinate a dog into your care
• With our guidance, and using positive training methods, to continue the training of the dog in various areas. For example:
  • Home behaviour
  • Social behaviour
  • Behaviour around other animals
  • Walking on a lead
  • Off lead exercise
• Maintaining the dog’s health and welfare and, via support and training, to recognise behaviour/health concerns and report them immediately to the dog’s trainer.

What we require from you

• You live within a 30-minute drive of our training centre (post code LE12 9SR)
• That you, as the dog's main carer, are over 18 years of age
• You have a dog friendly secure garden
• Though desirable, prior dog ownership is not required.
• All members of the household are keen to foster.
• There is no more than one pet dog living in your home. The pet dog must be over 12 months of age and would need to undergo our pet dog suitability assessment
• Have the time and ability to commit to the training and care of a young dog. This is a physical role
• Have access to a suitable vehicle to transport the dog
• That you or other approved adult member of the household are at home most of the day, and overnight, to care for the dog
• Attend two training sessions each year
• Understand that the dog in your care remains under the ownership of Canine Partners

Support and Training

• Induction process which includes telephone assessment and home visit
• On-going Instruction and support from our dog trainers. This will be in person, via video link, phone calls, handouts etc.
• Holiday cover and appointments cover can be arranged.
• Payment of expenditure such as mileage to and from a training session with a Canine Partner representative
• Access to our volunteer portal with many resources for your use.
• Invitation to join our Official Canine Partners Community Facebook Group

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.

Canine Partners is looking for a Volunteer Photographer to photograph newborn litters, dogs in training and partnerships as well as event photography

By volunteering you will:

• Have the opportunity to work with dogs
• Be able to meet like-minded people
• Gain practical experience in the event, dog and puppy, brand/corporate and portrait photography
• Build your own portfolio  

‘With out the continued hard work and support from our volunteers, we would not be able to provide our clients with our life changing dogs’

What is involved

• Adhoc photoshoots which will primarily be based at our National Training Centre but may also be on location.
• Opportunity to photograph newborn litters, dogs in training and partnerships as well as event photography.
• Editing images for use within promotional materials and on digital channels
• Images taken will be licenced for use and owned by Canine Partners.

What we require from you

To be a professional photographer or be able to show us a portfolio of experience in one or more of the following photoshoots:

• Events
• Pet photography (Dogs specifically would be ideal!)
• Brand/corporate
• Portraits
• Photojournalism and documentary
• Editorial
• Access to own digital photography and editing equipment, but we can give access to our studio and photography equipment if required
• To be proficient in editing photographs.
• Not an essential but ideally be able to do studio photography, this would include editing white background and cut out PNGs for use in design.
• Understand that it will involve adhoc photography jobs, dependent on needs of the charity
• Ideally be local to or able to travel to the National Training Centre
• Comfortable with indoor and outdoor photography
• Have knowledge of GDPR and consents/permissions
• Be comfortable with us completing a DBS

Support and Training

• Reimbursement of pre-approved expenses if requested
• Invitation to join our Official Canine Partners Community Facebook Group
• A point of contact who will support you in your role
• Volunteer clothing and ID badge

Location

To be based near or willing to travel to Canine Partners National Training Centre, Ashby Road, Loughborough, LE12 9SR.
On shoot locations possible to be agreed upon.

Other locations across the UK will also be considered but please note, these will be on an adhoc basis dependent on need of photography in that area so opportunities may be fewer.

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

The Together Project

Established in 2018, the Together Project is a community outreach project delivered by a team of volunteer vets and non-clinical volunteers to provide non-judgmental veterinary advice, treatment and care to the pets of vulnerably housed and homeless people in Bath. Working in partnership with local homeless charities Julian House and Genesis Trust, the team understands the strong bond between an owner and a pet, and that for many, a pet can be a lifeline, so they aim to do whatever they can to keep these beloved pets together with their owners.

We are seeking kind, empathetic and understanding volunteers to join our award-winning Together Project team and would love to hear from vets and vet nurses (RVN) interested in joining the project. 

About the Role

Currently the Together Project team run two clinics per month, one at Genesis on the Canal in Widcombe on a Friday morning, and the second on a Saturday afternoon, where they take to the streets to seek out service users who may not have made it to the Friday clinic, as well as raise awareness of the project. During a clinic, the volunteers will:

• Earn trust from people in marginalised communities by demonstrating true care for their pets
• Register new service users and encourage their attendance at monthly clinics, promoting responsible pet ownership regardless of living situation
• Catch up with service users and their pets, building relationships and ensuring consistency of treatment where possible
• Provide preventative treatment such as vaccinations and parasite treatment
• Provide treatment for illness and injury, as well as emergency intervention when necessary
• Act as ambassadors for the project and Bath Cats & Dogs Home

About You

We would love to hear from vets and vet nurses who can give 2 hours per month to support the Together Project. You will need to be outgoing, approachable and have an understanding nature as trust from Together Project service users is hard-won and not guaranteed.

This is an exciting opportunity for vets and vet nurses interested in applying their knowledge and experience to an outreach programme aiming to improve the lives of marginalised people and empowering them to best care for their beloved pets. Taking your clinical knowledge out of the practice and into the community, you will be reaching out to people who love their pets wholeheartedly but may not feel able to ask for help.