Volunteer roles in newcastle upon tyne, essex

African Development Choices (ADC) is a UK-based Social Enterprise on a mission to reduce poverty by empowering communities to make more informed choices in the management of public resources.

ADC’s purpose is to enable communities to independently meet their needs for essential services, such as clean water and safe sanitation and improve lives in Africa.

At ADC we encourage a working culture of seeking and giving input, showing and taking initiative, and commitment to the organisation and its purpose.

We now have an exciting opportunity for a volunteer Social & Content Manager to join ADC

Main purpose of job (brief summary): Develop and implement our social media & content strategy in order to increase our online presence and drive stakeholder engagement.

Division: Operations

Department: Marketing & Communications

Position reports to: Head of Marketing & Communications

Who reports to this position: N/A
 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop a content calendar across all social platforms ensuring a constant supply of relevant content (1 post per week on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram – initially) 

• Collate content for, prepare and publish the monthly volunteer newsletter through MailChimp 

• Identify and engage with key social influencers to create beneficial relationships and strong networks and grow the ADC brand 

• Perform social listening across all social platforms by monitoring and responding to relevant brand mentions and identifying opportunities for engaging in related topics/discussions 

• Define social media KPIs, measure and optimize social media performance metrics, and develop enhanced reporting 

• Manage and oversee social media content

• Develop and implement E2E fundraising campaigns in collaboration with the fundraising team

​Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Essential 

• 3+ years of experience in social and content management 

• Experience using MailChimp or similar software 

• Experience in designing, managing and executing successful fundraising campaigns 

• Excellent knowledge of Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms 

• Experience of forming relationships with key influencers on social media 

• Good understanding of SEO metrics and social media KPIs 

• Ability to come up with creative content (text, image and video) 

• Available to volunteer at least 7 hours a week 

• Ability to actively take initiative and help set things up in a start-up environment 

• Ability to actively seek and give input in a collaborative team environment 

• A committed team player with good communication skills. 

Desirable 

• Experience of establishing online communities on social media 

• Experience working in an early stage start-up and gone through a scaling phase 

• Passion for the start-up life and comfortable in a role with a little ambiguity 

What ADC Offers You

This is a volunteer, remote and unpaid position with the following benefits: 

• Professional learning and career development opportunities 

• An opportunity to build on your work experience within your profession 

• An opportunity to be part of a diverse team representing different parts of the world that is helping to deliver systemic social change in Africa 

• An opportunity to help shape a start-up social enterprise 

• We provide work reference

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal ccountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved. 

Here at African Development Choices, we celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our teams are made up of people from all over the world and we welcome all applications. If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition, and you require any reasonable adjustments for your application with us, please let us know by contacting recruitment(at)africandevelopmentchoices(dot)org.

Social Media Analyst Volunteer

Team:                      Marketing

Location:                Either remote working or from our offices in Leeds

Time commitment:  1-2 days a month

_________________________________________________________________________

About Candlelighters

Candlelighters provides financial, emotional and practical support to families affected by childhood cancer in Yorkshire. We support around 150 new families each year and our work ensure the whole family unit is supported in these extraordinary circumstances.

We support children and their families from diagnosis and throughout their journey, including financial support, practical help in hospital, much needed breaks, as well as emotional and well-being support at our Family Support Centre (The Square) and in local communities across Yorkshire. 

Purpose of the Role

At Candlelighters we utilise social media to increase awareness of the charity and childhood cancer. We use it to attract new supporters, and encourage existing supporters to actively take part in activities to make a difference for children with cancer and their families – whether that be donating, fundraising or volunteering. We would love a volunteer to help analyse the effectiveness of our social media each month to help us continue to improve the effectiveness of our social media marketing.

Key Activities

-Download data from each social media channel to produce a report on key metrics such as reach, engagement, and followers.

·Identify trends in performance by comparing monthly and annual results.

·Identify types of posts that have performed well or not.

·Make recommendations for future posts and strategies.

Volunteer Requirements

·Experience of social media analytics.

·Ability to use Microsoft word, excel and outlook.

·Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

·Knowledge or experience of marketing.

·Good working knowledge of social media.

·The ability to use their own laptop for the work.

Support and Benefits

You will receive:

· Thorough induction & training to give you the confidence to perform your role well and to the best of your ability

· Opportunity to develop new and existing skills to help you beyond your involvement with Candlelighters

· Ongoing support from the Fundraising and HR teams

· The opportunity to meet lots of new, friendly people

· The opportunity to expose yourself to new experiences

· Mileage (reimbursed at HMRC rate) and other reasonable expenses reimbursed, in accordance with our Expense Policy

· Regular reviews with your Volunteer Supervisor to help you develop in your role

· Satisfaction in knowing you are making a valuable contribution to supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer

· We can be a reference once you’ve volunteered for three months

· Access to the MINDFUL EMPLOYER+ 24/7 mental health hotline

· Charity Worker Discount card

· Access to The Company Shop

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

Thousands of cats each year rely on the help of animal charities because they have been abandoned, they have strayed or because there has been a change in their owner’s circumstances. Becoming an administration volunteer is just one way you can help improve the lives of cats in your local community. Our administration volunteers help provide vital admin support to our volunteer groups and teams across Cats Protection. They help keep up to date records of the number of cats that have been rehomed, collate supporter details and send out newsletters. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administrative experience, a passion for cats, or both!

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:

· Recording relevant information related to your volunteer group

· Signposting enquiries to the relevant teams within Cats Protection

· Sending information to supporters, volunteers and to our Head Office

· Distributing information leaflets if required

Time expectation

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

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

Thousands of cats each year rely on the help of animal charities because they have been abandoned, they have strayed or because there has been a change in their owner’s circumstances. Becoming an administration volunteer is just one way you can help improve the lives of cats in your local community. Our administration volunteers help provide vital admin support to our volunteer groups and teams across Cats Protection. They help keep up to date records of the number of cats that have been rehomed, collate supporter details and send out newsletters. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administrative experience, a passion for cats, or both!

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:

· Recording relevant information related to your volunteer group

· Signposting enquiries to the relevant teams within Cats Protection

· Sending information to supporters, volunteers and to our Head Office

· Distributing information leaflets if required

Time expectation

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

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

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.

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

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.

About Roots Academy 

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries.

Our vision is enabling university students to live God-centred lives, so we teach structured, engaging and transformative face-to-face foundational Islamic education to over 1,800 students across the UK.

Role Summary

As part of teaching at Roots, instructors are supplied with many teaching resources to help them teach the Roots way, such as instructor slides, teaching notes and walk-through videos.
Your role at Roots is to produce well-curated teaching notes, to ensure instructors understand the content and know exactly what is being taught.

Key tasks

• Assessing the current standard of teacher note 

• Taking on the role of editor/proofreader of all academic content

• Have a keen eye for detail such as grammar, language and punctuation

What we’re looking for

• Has a keen eye for detail

• Has experience in copy editing 

• Able to prioritise and organise workload

• Has some experience in assessing the quality of educational material

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 100+ dedicated volunteers from across the country.

• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform. 

• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.

• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen. 

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position. 

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy. 

About us

We smash barriers to work. Too old, too young, “wrong” background, messy CV? We don’t buy it. With tailored support, our Practice Hub, we help jobseekers show off their strengths and land the jobs they deserve. 

The opportunity

We are after savvy business developers who have experience of networking and building partnerships. As a volunteer Business Development Lead, you’ll open doors, build partnerships, and fuel the impact of our programmes.

The difference you’ll make

Every connection you spark = more resources, more Skillathons, more chances for overlooked talent to shine.

Next steps

Send us a quick cover letter outlining why you are excited by the role, then a relaxed online chat with our Director, and let’s get started.

Kimedes

Kimedes AI develops AI-powered IoT solutions to detect water leaks in infrastructure, optimizing water management and reducing environmental impact.

kimedes AI addresses the global challenge of water loss in infrastructure, where leaks cause significant resource waste, financial losses, and environmental damage. With climate change intensifying water scarcity, inefficient water management threatens both urban resilience and sustainability. By leveraging AI and IoT, we help cities and businesses detect leaks early, reduce water waste, and promote responsible resource management, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Kimedes AI combines AI-powered analytics and IoT sensors to detect water leaks in infrastructure with high precision. Our technology provides real-time SaaS monitoring and predictive insights, allowing utilities and businesses to identify and fix leaks before they cause significant damage or waste. By optimizing water management, we reduce costs, conserve resources, and support sustainable infrastructure development.

Intelligence Research Volunteer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

About Kimedes

Kimedes is a purpose-driven WaterTech startup tackling one of the world’s most pressing challenges: water scarcity. Through our AI-powered leak detection technology, we help municipalities and industries reduce water losses by up to 30%, supporting a more efficient and sustainable use of water resources.

We are currently in our market expansion phase across Spain and Catalonia, building partnerships with municipalities, water utilities, and industrial players. We welcome motivated volunteers and interns who want to contribute to sustainability, technology, and climate impact while gaining real-world experience in a dynamic startup environment.

Role Summary – Intelligence Research Volunteer

As an Intelligence Research Volunteer, you will support Kimedes in gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing critical market insights. Your work will focus on tracking technologies, competitors, policy frameworks, and sector trends in the water management and climatetech space. These insights will directly inform Kimedes’ go-to-market strategy, fundraising narrative, and product positioning.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research on emerging technologies in leak detection, water management, and climatetech.
• Map and analyze competitors, startups, and incumbents in the European and global water sector.
• Track market trends, regulations, and funding opportunities relevant to water technology adoption.
• Prepare concise reports, briefs, and dashboards to share insights with the CEO and COO.
• Support strategic projects such as pitch decks, grant applications, and partnership proposals by contributing research-based insights.
• Monitor industry news, conferences, and innovation clusters to identify opportunities for Kimedes.

Requirements

• Strong analytical and research skills, with ability to process and synthesize information clearly.
• Familiarity with market research methods and business intelligence approaches.
• Interest in climatetech, water management, or smart infrastructure.
• Ability to work independently in a remote setup and deliver on agreed timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English (Spanish/Catalan a plus but not required).
• Bonus: Experience in competitor analysis, trend reports, or academic/consulting research projects.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to shape the strategy of a fast-growing climatetech startup.
• Direct collaboration with the Founder/CEO and COO on high-impact projects.
• A chance to contribute to real-world solutions tackling climate change and water scarcity.
• Mentorship and exposure to startup operations, fundraising, and market strategy.
• Certificate and letter of recommendation upon successful completion.
• Potential to evolve into a paid strategic role as Kimedes secures its Seed Round funding.

Weekly Time Commitment

2-3 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

3-5 months

Rural Watch Africa Initiative (RUWAI)

Rural Watch Africa Initiative (RUWAI) empowers rural communities to fight poverty, restore degraded land, and build climate resilience through sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, and eco-friendly livelihoods. By addressing deforestation, climate vulnerability, rural unemployment, food insecurity, and gender inequality, RUWAI equips farmers, women, and youth with the skills and tools to regenerate ecosystems while boosting local economies. Its programs include land restoration with agroforestry, sustainable beekeeping to protect pollinators, climate-smart agriculture, and green livelihoods like agro-processing and eco-tourism. Through training, youth engagement, and policy advocacy, RUWAI promotes inclusive, community-driven development—creating a future where people and nature thrive together.

Grant Specialist

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Grant Writer/Fundraising Volunteer

Role Description

Rural Watch Africa Initiative (RUWAI) is seeking a passionate and skilled Grant Writer/Fundraising Volunteer to support our mission of restoring ecosystems, empowering rural communities, and advancing climate resilience in Nigeria. The volunteer will play a vital role in identifying funding opportunities, crafting compelling proposals, and building relationships with donors and funding partners.

Key Responsibilities: Research Funding Opportunities: Identify and monitor grant opportunities from foundations, international donors, corporations, and government agencies aligned with RUWAI’s mission. Proposal Development: Draft, edit, and submit high-quality grant proposals, concept notes, letters of inquiry, and donor communications. Donor Engagement Support: Assist in developing pitch materials, case statements, and progress reports to engage current and prospective donors. Collaboration with Team: Work closely with program leads to gather relevant data, impact stories, and budget details for funding proposals. Grant Calendar Management: Help maintain a calendar of deadlines and reporting requirements, ensuring timely submissions. Reporting and Documentation: Contribute to writing donor reports, impact summaries, and narrative updates to strengthen funder relationships. Fundraising Strategy Input: Offer ideas to diversify and strengthen RUWAI’s fundraising efforts, including exploring crowdfunding, partnerships, or campaigns. Ideal Candidate Should Have: Excellent written communication and storytelling skills. Experience in grant writing, fundraising, or nonprofit communications (preferred but not required). Strong research and organizational abilities. Passion for sustainability, rural development, and environmental justice. Self-motivated, collaborative, and detail-oriented.

Weekly Time Commitment

10+ hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

AlumUnite

AlumUnite connects schools, alumni, and donors through data-driven solutions to bridge education funding gaps and drive sustainable impact. Our foundation, a 501 (c) (3)- registered organization, facilitates funding, a crucial first step towards multiplying our impact, in collaboration with our partners.

AlumUnite tackles Africa’s education funding gap by leveraging data-driven insights and community engagement to drive resources to underserved schools. Enhancing transparency and mobilizing alumni and private sector support ensures equitable access to quality education, fostering inclusive learning and workforce readiness for the next generation.

AlumUnite connects schools with alumni and private sector funding using AI-powered needs assessment and data-driven insights. Our platform and suite of products (Circles, CodED, and Endowment Fund Builder) enhance transparency, mobilize resources efficiently, and ensure impact tracking—empowering schools with sustainable funding while improving education quality and workforce readiness across Africa.

Grant & Proposal Writer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

• Draft concept notes, RFP responses, budgets; maintain boilerplates.
• Source grants particularly from development partners (Canada, US, UK, Australia) website, especially those not typically publicised
• Maintain grant CRM
• Commissions may be discussed (where preferred) for grants won.

Weekly Time Commitment

4-6 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

AlumUnite

AlumUnite connects schools, alumni, and donors through data-driven solutions to bridge education funding gaps and drive sustainable impact. Our foundation, a 501 (c) (3)- registered organization, facilitates funding, a crucial first step towards multiplying our impact, in collaboration with our partners.

AlumUnite tackles Africa’s education funding gap by leveraging data-driven insights and community engagement to drive resources to underserved schools. Enhancing transparency and mobilizing alumni and private sector support ensures equitable access to quality education, fostering inclusive learning and workforce readiness for the next generation.

AlumUnite connects schools with alumni and private sector funding using AI-powered needs assessment and data-driven insights. Our platform and suite of products (Circles, CodED, and Endowment Fund Builder) enhance transparency, mobilize resources efficiently, and ensure impact tracking—empowering schools with sustainable funding while improving education quality and workforce readiness across Africa.

Partnerships & Fundraising

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Support with unlocking corporate-matching initiatives across FT1000 employers and employees, particularly in the US.

Source aligned CSR/ESG partners, set up intro calls, and maintain partner CRM.

Support with reachouts to large foundations, NGOs, development partners, with interest in Education or interventions that can improve educational outcomes e.g.., sports, energy, technology, and internet, etc.

Weekly Time Commitment

2-3 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

AlumUnite

AlumUnite connects schools, alumni, and donors through data-driven solutions to bridge education funding gaps and drive sustainable impact. Our foundation, a 501 (c) (3)- registered organization, facilitates funding, a crucial first step towards multiplying our impact, in collaboration with our partners.

AlumUnite tackles Africa’s education funding gap by leveraging data-driven insights and community engagement to drive resources to underserved schools. Enhancing transparency and mobilizing alumni and private sector support ensures equitable access to quality education, fostering inclusive learning and workforce readiness for the next generation.

AlumUnite connects schools with alumni and private sector funding using AI-powered needs assessment and data-driven insights. Our platform and suite of products (Circles, CodED, and Endowment Fund Builder) enhance transparency, mobilize resources efficiently, and ensure impact tracking—empowering schools with sustainable funding while improving education quality and workforce readiness across Africa.

Finance/Admin Volunteer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Light bookkeeping support, donation reconciliation, grant reporting schedules.

Weekly Time Commitment

2-3 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

Foundation First Ghana

Foundation First Ghana is a community-rooted non-profit founded in 2017, dedicated to improving early childhood education for children aged 2–8 in underrepresented communities. The organization addresses challenges such as low literacy and numeracy, teacher disempowerment, gender bias, poor social-emotional development, poverty, and unsustainable teaching practices. Their unique approach empowers educators with innovative teaching techniques, locally sourced materials, and holistic child development strategies, while also promoting environmental literacy from an early age. By equipping preschool handlers and managers with best practices and practical resources, Foundation First nurtures young minds, strengthens families, and lays the groundwork for a more equitable and prosperous Ghana.

E-Learning & Instructional Design Specialist

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Job Description

Position Overview Foundation First Ghana is seeking an E-Learning & Instructional Design Specialist to lead the transformation of our existing Preschool Teacher Training and Coaching Programs into a dynamic, interactive, and certificated online course. This role will also integrate our innovative preschool Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) and training videos into a world-class digital learning experience accessible to teachers across Ghana and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Course Development & Instructional Design

• Structure Foundation First’s preschool teacher training modules into a comprehensive online certificated course.
• Convert in-person training content into engaging online learning experiences, including modules, quizzes, assignments, and assessments.
• Develop learning pathways that ensure teachers build practical knowledge and demonstrable classroom skills.

Multimedia Integration

• Incorporate Foundation First’s innovative teaching and learning materials into the course design.
• Edit and embed existing training and classroom videos into the course platform.
• Recommend and apply interactive tools (animations, simulations, voiceovers) to enhance teacher engagement.

Platform & Certification

• Identify and manage a suitable Learning Management System (LMS) (e.g., Moodle, Teachable, Thinkific, or similar).
• Ensure courses are user-friendly, mobile-accessible, and scalable for national and international audiences.
• Develop mechanisms for certification, tracking progress, and reporting outcomes for teachers.

Capacity Building & Collaboration

• Work closely with Foundation First’s program and training teams to align content with the PreCARE Initiative and organizational goals.
• Provide training and handover sessions for internal staff to manage and update the online course.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong background in instructional design, e-learning development, and online pedagogy.
• Proficiency in LMS platforms (Moodle, Teachable, Thinkific, Canvas, etc.).
• Experience creating teacher training courses or education-focused online programs.
• Skills in video editing, multimedia integration, and digital learning tools.
• Ability to translate classroom-based training into impactful, interactive online modules.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.

What You Bring

• A passion for transforming teacher capacity-building through technology and innovation.
• Creativity in using multimedia and interactive learning methods.
• A strong commitment to Foundation First’s mission of empowering preschool teachers and improving learning outcomes for children.
• Experience working in education, teacher training, or nonprofit program design is an added advantage.

Start Date: September 2025