Volunteer roles in north east

This is an amazing opportunity to work with a fantastic Trustee and staff team to help to lead a truly member-led, mission focused small charity, making a real difference to adoptive families

We are looking for an individual who shares our commitment to supporting adopters and prospective adopters throughout their adoption journey. Ideal candidates will have strong governance knowledge, the capacity to think strategically, work collaboratively and lead the Trustees in making significant contributions to our future.

You will join the Board as the organisation heads into its second decade, with established services, partnerships and a growing membership base. Our quality and consistency of service provision is leading to exciting conversations nationally, and we are looking for our new Chair to help steer us through this next stage of growth.

ROLE DESCRIPTION AND HOW TO APPLY

Key Responsibilities

To advise, govern, oversee policy and direction and assist with the leadership and general promotion of We Are Family to support the organisation’s vision, mission, values and needs.

• Contract: two years unless agreed otherwise on appointment. The Chair is eligible for re-election within their overall period of appointment as a Trustee.
• Hours: circa 8-10 hours per month (including evening meetings)
• Salary: n/a this is a voluntary role, with associated expenses covered
• Location: Remote (UK-based), twice yearly in-person meetings in London

Commitment

• Chair 4 Board meetings per year
• Attend 4 Sub-Committee meetings per year
• Help plan and chair 2 Board away days per year (on a Saturday)
• Regular check-ins with the Director
• Induction meetings with new Trustees as required

Board and committee meetings are held in the evening via Zoom and dates of meetings are distributed a year in advance. The away days are held in person in central London.

Skills and knowledge

All applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Extensive charity governance knowledge;
• Skills or experience in strategic planning, setting targets and monitoring and evaluating performance;
• Good organisational and communication (written and oral) skills;
• Proven track record in senior governance roles;
• Previous Chair or Deputy Chair of a Board of Trustees Experience (desirable); and
• An interest in and understanding of the challenges faced by adoptive parents

Express an interest 

If the opportunity to join an exciting, rapidly growing charity appeals to you as someone able to make a valuable contribution, we would love to hear from you! Please follow the link to our website for further information and details about how to apply.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 3rd October 2025. Please click on 'redirect to recruiter' to visit the volunteers section of our website for further details. 

Volunteer Family Mentor – Southend-on-Sea

Organisation: Volunteering Matters
Location: Southend-on-Sea, Essex (and surrounding 3-mile radius)
Commitment: Part-time, flexible – around 1–2 hours per week
Duration: Minimum 6 months
Expenses: Travel and out-of-pocket costs reimbursed
Training: Full training and ongoing support provided

Make a Lasting Impact – One Family at a Time

Are you a good listener with a few hours to spare each week? Do you live in or near Southend-on-Sea? Join the Family Mentors project and support local families facing challenging times.

As a volunteer Family Mentor, you’ll build a trusting relationship with a parent or carer, offering emotional support and practical help. You’ll visit them weekly and walk alongside them as they build resilience and confidence.

No experience is needed – just compassion, reliability, and a commitment to making a difference.

What You’ll Do:

• Visit a local family weekly (in-person)

• Provide emotional and practical support

• Help parents build confidence and access local services

• Be a consistent, friendly presence during tough times

What You’ll Gain:

• Full training and 1:1 support

• Experience working with families and community services

• The satisfaction of helping a local family thrive

• Reimbursement for travel expenses

Who We’re Looking For:

• Aged 18+

• Friendly, patient and non-judgmental

• Able to commit for at least 3 months

• Living in Southend-on-Sea or nearby (within 3 miles)

About ShowerBox

ShowerBox is a registered charity dedicated to providing free, safe showers and essential supplies to people experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to create a welcoming environment that restores dignity, improves wellbeing, and helps to reduce isolation. We also connect our guests with health clinics and other vital services, supporting them to make long-term, positive changes in their lives.

Founded by our CEO, Sarah Lamptey, in response to the urgent need for accessible hygiene facilities, ShowerBox began in 2018 as a grassroots initiative and became a registered charity in 2021. Since then, it has grown into a multi-site service, operating both independently and in partnership with other organisations.

What are we looking for?

We are seeking a dynamic and committed Chair to lead ShowerBox into its next phase of growth. Building on the success achieved since becoming a CIO and expanding to three locations, the Chair will work closely with the CEO to shape the organisation’s future and strengthen its impact.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing effective strategic leadership to the Board, ensuring sound governance and clear direction.
• Supporting and constructively challenging the CEO, while holding them accountable for delivering agreed objectives.
• Ensuring the Board remains effective and diverse, with the right balance of skills, knowledge, and experience.
• Acting as an ambassador for ShowerBox, representing the charity externally and serving as a spokesperson when appropriate.
• Safeguarding the charity’s values, reputation, and financial sustainability.

We are looking for someone who can bring:

• A strong commitment to supporting people experiencing homelessness and hygiene poverty.
• Previous experience as a Trustee or Board member (experience as a Chair of a voluntary organisation is highly desirable).
• A solid understanding of the legal, financial, and governance responsibilities of trusteeship.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to chair meetings effectively.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with a collaborative approach.
• The time, energy, and commitment to support a small but growing charity.

Time commitment and terms:

• The Chair of Trustees is appointed for a renewable term of two years.
• Expected time commitment: up to two days per month, with flexibility for additional time during new projects or unexpected challenges.
• Board meetings are held four times a year (mostly online), with occasional subcommittees and events depending on interest and expertise.
• This is an unpaid voluntary role; reasonable expenses are reimbursed.

Please send your CV and a short cover letter outlining why you are interested in working with ShowerBox. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

***Please note that this is an opportunity based in Nottingham (shire) in the United Kingdom and we don’t offer sponsorship or accept overseas applicants***

Age UK Notts are seeking individuals who would like to be considered as a volunteer for our Companion Service.

Volunteers will be supporting people in their own homes and in the community within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and ideally, we ask all applicants to provide a minimum of 1 hour volunteering a week.

The companion service volunteer can choose to be:                                                           

• A companion within the person’s home

• A companion outside the person’s home

Examples of the type of support the service offers include:

• Supporting an older person/s hobbies and interests or simply chatting with them in their own home on a regular basis.

• Supporting with digital access & building confidence skills & motivation to access the opportunities of the internet.

• Supporting the person outside of their home e.g., by accompanying them on a walk, to the shops, to a café, garden centre, theatre or cinema or other social activities / community groups. 

• Where appropriate, supporting the older person to access other services through information and signposting or referring to the Companion Service Coordinator for support.

We are looking for the following skills/interests:

• Individuals with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of older people who are committed to volunteering on a regular basis.

• Commitment to complete our Volunteer Report Form accurately and regularly. 

• Ability to travel for visits in the local community either by car or public transport for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.

• Digital literacy for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.

We are looking for volunteers with good daytime availability in specific areas of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Please contact the volunteering team for further information on where specifically in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

At Finance Innovation Lab we believe in a financial system that serves people and planet. Our financial system has become disconnected from the real needs of people, the environment, the wider economy and society. It doesn’t have to be this way. Could you help us change it?

About the roles

We’re looking for up to three new trustees to join our board from January 2026. Fully remote participation is possible.

You'll use your expertise to help the Lab be more effective and impactful, while gaining insights into our work and experience of charity governance and leadership. During 2026, there may also be an opportunity to take on the role of Chair, co-Chair, or Vice Chair.

All roles are voluntary, with reasonable expenses reimbursed, including childcare or other caring costs if this is needed to attend meetings.

Who are we looking for?

We’re looking in particular for people with experience in:

• Financial sector policy: at the Lab, we work to change the policies and rules which shape and govern the financial system, so it can deliver more socially, economically and environmentally just outcomes. Do you have experience developing, influencing or driving government policy, legislation or regulation for the financial sector?  This could be either from within or outside the mechanisms of power. Could you help us to achieve our goals?

• Communications: effective communications are key to our work, and an area where we're looking to grow and improve. If you've got experience in media or digital comms, and would be willing to support and mentor the team as we develop our skills and capacity, we'd love to hear from you.

• Fundraising: the majority of our funding currently comes from trusts and foundation grants, plus we’re working on building our earned income streams. In future we’d also like to explore individual giving. Do you have relevant experience in these areas you’d enjoy sharing?

We’re also keen to hear from candidates with the relevant expertise to join our Finance and Operational Risk Committee, and/or our Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion working group. You can read more about these in the attached Trustee Recruitment Pack.

We recognise that people's backgrounds and the identities they hold have a significant effect on the ways that they experience and are impacted by the financial system. We know that our own work will be stronger if it is directly informed by a diversity of perspectives, including from those most negatively impacted by the current financial system. We therefore particularly welcome applications from people with backgrounds or identities that are currently under-represented on our board and team, including those from Global Majority backgrounds, neurodivergent people, disabled and/or chronically ill people, those with lived experience of financial exclusion, and women and non-binary genders. For info, you can find the results of our 2024 diversity survey results on our website.

You must feel confident in supporting the team and the board by providing advice and input on your areas of expertise, based on your experience. However, previous experience of serving on a board of trustees is not required, and we provide training and mentoring on fulfilling the obligations required of a trustee.

Our Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We believe that justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to what we are trying to achieve.

We are committed to providing equality and fairness for all and not to discriminate on any grounds, including gender, marital status, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, mental health, religion or age.

You can read more about this, including the concrete steps we commit to during this process, in the Trustee Recruitment Pack.

Campus Cares

Campus Cares is building a movement to improve the mental well-being of Nigerian university students, where suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people and nearly one in five shows signs of anxiety or depression. Barriers like stigma, underfunded campus counseling, and economic hardship prevent most from seeking help. 

Campus Cares tackles these challenges through a youth-centered model that combines peer-led workshops, free counseling, and digital outreach. Student “Mental Health Ambassadors” lead stigma-breaking sessions, while licensed therapists provide confidential drop-in counseling and tele-health support. Digital campaigns and resource toolkits extend impact to thousands more students. During exams, stress-management programs create safe spaces for coping and connection. 

By integrating awareness, access, and advocacy, Campus Cares ensures no student suffers in silence—building a culture where mental wellness is a right, not a privilege, and driving systemic change aligned with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Graphic Designer

• Design engaging visual content for social media campaigns, toolkits, and reports on mental health awareness.
• Create infographics that simplify complex mental health information for young people.
• Support branding for events, workshops, and our digital mental health hub.

Minimum Hours per Week

2-3 hours per week

Duration

3-4 weeks

Campus Cares

Campus Cares is building a movement to improve the mental well-being of Nigerian university students, where suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people and nearly one in five shows signs of anxiety or depression. Barriers like stigma, underfunded campus counseling, and economic hardship prevent most from seeking help.

Campus Cares tackles these challenges through a youth-centered model that combines peer-led workshops, free counseling, and digital outreach. Student “Mental Health Ambassadors” lead stigma-breaking sessions, while licensed therapists provide confidential drop-in counseling and tele-health support. Digital campaigns and resource toolkits extend impact to thousands more students. During exams, stress-management programs create safe spaces for coping and connection.

By integrating awareness, access, and advocacy, Campus Cares ensures no student suffers in silence—building a culture where mental wellness is a right, not a privilege, and driving systemic change aligned with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Fundraising & Partnerships Associate

- Identify grant opportunities, corporate sponsors, and donor prospects aligned with youth mental health. - Develop creative fundraising campaigns (online & offline) to sustain Campus Cares programs. - Build and manage partnerships with organizations and stakeholders to expand reach and credibility.

Minimum Hours per Week

7-9 hours per week

Duration

3-5 months

East Durham College seeks to appoint new Governors who will bring strategic experience and curiosity to their Corporation and contribute to their Audit & Risk Committee.

Applications close: 9 a.m. Friday 3rd October 2025

Location: County Durham, North East

Time commitment: 6 – 10 hours per month

About East Durham College

East Durham College is a college deeply rooted within its local communities. Working across three sites in Peterlee and Houghall, we provide a broad and diverse range of education and training to almost 6,000 students each year. We have been consistently rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, most recently in April 2024, when we were also judged to be ‘Outstanding’ in the areas of Behaviours & Attitudes and Personal Development.

We deliver a broad curriculum, offering vocational provision, A Levels, apprenticeships and T Levels for our learners aged 16-18, as well as vocational, academic and professional development provision for adult learners. Our provision also includes higher education, courses for those with high needs and for those aged 14-16, making us one of the largest providers of foundation learning in the county.

All of our provision is designed to support the learning and development needs of our communities whilst continuing to be a lead contributor in supporting local employers and regional prosperity, something we continue to do with great success. Through all of our work, our staff team, led by our Principal & CEO, Scott Bullock, continue to drive us towards our mission to enrich lives through transformative education.

About the roles

Our Board of Governors is known as ‘the Corporation’. Governors play a vital role in shaping our strategic direction and in helping to set our organisational culture and ethos whilst demonstrating our values of excellence, respectful, sustainable and student-focused.

Led by our Chair, James Bromiley, we have recently completed an external review of governance in which our Corporation was recognised as high performing, and one which puts the success and well-being of students first.

As a governor of East Durham College, you will have the chance to shape the future of education and training across the region, supporting Scott Bulllock and his senior leaders to develop and deliver a strategy which positively impacts the futures of thousands of students, local employers and our local communities.

You’ll have the chance to be involved in the further growth of our college, support the development of new and innovative curriculum and help safeguard the financial future of the organisation.

Who we are looking for

As we enter a new academic year, and having already appointed new Governors recently, this recruitment process represents an opportunity for us to identify new board colleagues who can help bring the skills and expertise we believe we are still lacking as a board. We plan to welcome new candidates to our full Corporation as well as to our Audit & Risk Committee.

Firstly, we will be welcoming applications from qualified, experienced finance professionals. You will be working at a senior level and be able to bring a curious approach to our financial position and related reporting.

In addition to this, we will also be welcoming applications from candidates who have experience in the following areas:

• Qualified audit, risk and compliance professionals to help us safeguard our financial health and remain compliant.
• Those with business development acumen who have experience of income diversification.
• Candidates with expertise in cyber security, data protection and IT systems.

Candidates could have experience at a senior level in a range of sectors and professional contexts, which may include educational settings, the public sector, corporate settings and those based within local employers.

Peridot Partners and East Durham College are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.

Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Friday 3rd October 2025.

About Us

My Black Dog is a charity that offers anonymous, peer to peer mental health support through our web-chat service. We are committed to making a positive impact on mental health in the UK as we tackle an epidemic that millions of people face.

We were founded on the motto "talk to someone who gets it". We want to connect people who share lived experiences to provide an empathetic, non-judgmental space where everybody understands how it feels to experience mental health struggles.

Position Overview

Our web-chat service is run by our Volunteer Pack, each of whom have their own lived experience of mental health challenges. In addition, each shift has a 'Leader' and a 'Mentor'. These are Volunteers who carry out specific roles during the shift and, together, ensure its success:

• Leaders - Managers of the shift. There to ensure the shift runs as it should. They support and guide Volunteers through chats and follow safeguarding processes when an alert is raised. They escalate safeguarding alerts to the shift's Designated Safeguarding Lead (a trained professional). They also complete a 'Shift Handover' document once the shift is completed.
• Mentors - There to support and guide Volunteers through chats. Will take over from the Leader if there are safeguarding issues that need the Leader's attention and/or if the Leader needs a break.

As My Black Dog looks to expand our opening hours, we are looking to recruit additional Leaders and Mentors who can run shifts and cover additional shifts as necessary. We are looking to fill the following positions and shifts:

• Leader, Mondays (5pm - 7pm)
• Mentor, Mondays (5pm - 7pm)
• Leader, Thursdays (5pm - 7pm)
• Mentor, Thursdays (5pm - 7pm)
• Mentor, Fridays (7pm - 10pm)
• Leader, Saturdays (TBC*)
• Mentor, Saturdays (TBC*)
• Leader, Sundays (5pm - 7pm)

*We are currently finalising future opening hours on Saturday. Please apply for this particular shift if general availabilty on Saturdays is good.

Leaders and Mentors will be assigned a shift based on your availability and preference. The expectation is that Leaders and Mentors will form a ‘pair’ and, together, will do one shift at the same time each week. This is to provide stability, predictability and to encourage community-building between Volunteers. Shifts are 2-3 hours long. We may ask you to cover another shift when we are short, but you will never do more than 6 hours per week.

Training will be provided and you will be supported on shift by a Designated Safeguarding Lead, who will manage all safeguarding issues.

The work you will do as Leaders and Mentors will ensure we provide the best possible service to our Guests. You will also be helping our Volunteer Pack to do what we do best: helping those in need by speaking to someone who 'gets it'.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for people who have experienced their own journey with mental health and are in a strong position to support others. We ask that our Leaders and Mentors:

• Are strongly committed to helping others
• Have experienced mental health issues in order to relate to those seeking help
• Are collaborative and enjoy working with others
• Are encouraging and supportive
• Are organised and can monitor several things at once
• Can remain calm and focused during busy times and when safeguarding alerts are raised
• Are 18 years and over 
• Can commit the time to a regular weekly shift

Role Responsibilities

1. Supervise and support Volunteers whilst on shift with general enquiries, positive feedback and signposting.
2. Assist with general volunteering enquiries whilst on shift. Provide time for guidance, instruction and de-briefing for Volunteers if required.
3. Follow Leaders & Mentors processes including unexpected absence reporting, Volunteer check-in and check-out, and completing Shift Handovers.
4. Monitor web-chat conversations and ensure all chats are tagged.
5. Maintain ability to listen, remain calm and provide intervention if necessary.
6. Be able to have difficult and often complex conversations about mental health, including Guests experiencing crisis and first-stage intervention support.
7. If a Leader, work alongside the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) when safeguarding risks are identified and, if a Mentor, take over responsibility for shifts when Leader and DSL have to address a safeguarding crisis.
8. Exercise discretion in handling confidential situations and information, conveying sensitive information in a timely manner to necessary individuals.
9. Provide written follow up of shifts via handover, ensuring all necessary information is handed over at the end of the shift.
10. Adhere to all standards, policies and procedures of My Black Dog.

Please note: An Enhanced DBS Certificate is required for this role. If you do not have one, My Black Dog will arrange the DBS Check for you.

With an ageing population, more and more older people are at risk of isolation and loneliness as partners and friends pass away, children and grandchildren move away and the community around them changes at a fast pace.  As a Befriender you will become part of the solution to tackling the issues of isolation and loneliness by developing strong relationships with clients and encouraging them to engage in a variety of ways.

Main activities/tasks:

• Visit an older person in their home once a week for up to 2h
• Spend time getting to know them and to understand what things they may like to do at home (e.g. chess, knitting, reading)
• Offer healthy and fun conversation and encourage them to talk
• Give support to enable them to get out in the community and encourage participation in activities.
• Promote healthy living and wellbeing.
• Accompany on hospital visits or to the GP. Go for a walk, or shopping
• Support older person to find information as requested.
• Make monthly reports on visits carried out