Volunteer roles in shropshire

Overview

Elevate your impact by joining the International Humanity Foundation (IHF), a distinguished 501(c)(3) International Non-profit, on a mission since 2001. We are actively seeking accomplished Graphic Design Firms and Individual At-Home Volunteers to join our dynamic Graphic Design Team. For over two decades, IHF has relentlessly pursued its mission to educate marginalized children, nurture communities, and enlighten global citizens about the realities of marginalized communities. Your creative prowess can make a significant difference in our global initiatives!

�� Our Commitment to Transparency

At IHF, we stand on the pillars of absolute transparency and unwavering dedication from hundreds of unpaid volunteers worldwide. Embrace a unique opportunity to leverage your creative skills and visual communication expertise to give voice to the voiceless.

��️ Volunteer Responsibilities

As an At-Home Graphic Designer, you'll collaborate directly with the Director of Fundraising and Marketing. Your responsibilities include:

• Elevating visual content for social media platforms and website design in collaboration with the Media Team.

• Crafting impactful materials for the Fundraising Team, from eye-catching posters to compelling infographics.

• Pioneering original campaign materials for volunteer recruitment.

�� What We Offer

• IHF provides comprehensive support and background information for your success in this position.

• Gain practical experience with an international organization, contributing to global marketing efforts.

• Join a distinguished network of IHF volunteers, augmenting your graphics CV while making a tangible difference in children's lives.

�� Eligibility Criteria

We seek individuals committed to dedicating a minimum of 2-4 hours per month, with a fervor for visual communication and inventive thinking. Ideal candidates possess:

• Proficiency with Canvas, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator (preferred).

• Strong English language skills (spoken and written).

• Proficiency in Google Suite applications (beneficial).

• Empathy for the challenges faced by impoverished children and their communities.

• Dedication to upholding our Core Values.

�� How to Apply

Submit your application and be a catalyst for positive change!
Benefits to join IHF's esteemed Graphic Design Team.

�� Join IHF - Where Your Creativity Fuels Transformative Change!

Seize this opportunity to showcase your talents on a global stage, creating a world where every child's happiness shapes a brighter tomorrow. Apply now and become the visual voice for those who need it most!

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 a Governance Officer, you will work closely with the Governance Lead to ensure strong governance practices across Roots Academy. Your role will focus on supporting governance frameworks, policies, and compliance measures to align with charity governance requirements and relevant regulations. You will also play a key role in embedding a culture of governance across the organisation.

Key tasks

Trustee Support

• Assist trustees with governance-related tasks and ensure they have access to relevant policies, guidelines, and resources.
• Direct trustees to appropriate regulatory frameworks, best practices, and governance training materials.

Governance & Compliance Support

• Support the onboarding process for new trustees, ensuring all necessary documentation is collected and securely stored.
• Assist in coordinating trustee meetings, including preparation of agendas, accurate minute-taking, and document distribution.
• Maintain key governance registers, such as the register of interests, policy register, and risk register, ensuring timely updates and compliance.

Policy & Risk Management

• Support the Governance Lead in developing and reviewing governance policies, including Conflict of Interest, Risk Management, and Whistleblowing Policies.
• Assist team leads in ensuring policies are implemented effectively and aligned with best practices.
• Help monitor compliance with Charity Commission regulations and the Fundraising Code of Conduct.

Embedding a Governance Culture

• Assist in raising awareness of governance principles across the organisation.
• Support the Governance Lead in organising training sessions or briefings on governance best practices.
• Help integrate governance principles into the organisation’s operations and decision-making processes.

What we’re looking for

▪ Interest or experience in charity governance, risk management, or compliance.

▪ Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.

▪ Excellent organisation and communication skills.

▪ Ability to work independently while collaborating with different teams.

▪ Familiarity with Charity Commission Regulations and governance best practices (desirable but not essential).

What we have to offer

▪ Be part of a dedicated team of 90+ volunteers across the UK.

▪ Contribute to a growing organisation that educates and empowers the Muslim community.

▪ Access to in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen.

▪ Receive continuous rewards for facilitating Islamic education through Roots Academy.

Please note: This is an unpaid volunteer position. Volunteers can claim expenses for food, travel, and equipment in line with the Expenses Policy.

MY NAME IS CLIMATE FILM FESTIVAL 2025

BIRMINGHAM JULY 11-12

Volunteer Photographer and Videographer wanted!

‪We are seeking photographers and videographers to help us document the "My Name is Climate" Film Festival 2025. The event will take place over two days on July 11 and 12 at The Best Western Plough and Harrow Hotel on Hagley Road, Birmingham. We will feature films addressing climate change, social issues, and animal and human rights, with Q&A sessions with filmmakers between screenings.

On Saturday, we will hold award ceremonies and networking opportunities following the screenings, along with photo sessions.

Volunteers are essential to our festival, which has been running since 2015, and we need your help to capture these moments. Please apply as soon as possible, and let us know what gear you have and your flexibility, as our schedule runs from 12:30 PM to 8 PM on both days. 

As a charity foundation focused on community awareness, your support will be greatly appreciated. You will be part of a collaborative team alongside other members.
 

We will cover food & drink expenses on site.

Thank you!

My Name Is Climate Team

About us

Penificent is a business seeking to address issues faced by young people and to provide a positive influence through comics and workshops. Our books contain thought-provoking discussion questions directly related to the topic of the book, e.g. mental health, Knife crime etc. The books also have activities for young people to go through during a workshop or at home with their parents,keyworker,appropriate adult. These activities range from colouring to creating your own story that tackles a young person’s choice. Through user feedback, we have learnt that our comic story structure with the questions and activities promote more profound thought in young people than the average workbook or mainstream comic book. We currently run workshops in schools with our comics either in person (before Covid-19) or via zoom due to the pandemic. We have also run workshops with BBC Newsround ( Search: Penificent BBC Newsround) Quotes from Anti Knife crime newsround workshop (Adam 16,:"Living in a notorious area I think it stops me from doing many things like leaving my house and going out.

"Girl 16, who didn't want to be named, said: "I feel like you hear so much about knife crime, people begin to think that it's normal but the characters in this comic tell you there's a different way."), gained support from the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Southwark and also been featured in the Sunday time (Search: Penificent Sunday times)

What you will do

We are looking for a Marketing & Communications Volunteer to join our team to drive the organisation’s exciting growth ambitions.

The role will report into the organisation’s founder and will be remote based.

We will offer you stimulating and meaningful work and the opportunity to make a real difference.

Create posts for each of our social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn,tictoc.

Analysis of the traffic on our social media and providing insights of our demographic.

Looking for ways on how to turn views into purchases from the posts.

Person specification

• Focused and driven

• Planning and organisational skills

• Good written and verbal communication ability

• Knowledge of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn

• Attention to detail

• Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines

• Working knowledge of Word and Excel

• Marketing experience or qualification (desirable not essential)

This is an exciting opportunity if you have some previous Marketing experience or are looking to move into a Marketing role.

This will also look great on your cv when applying for future jobs and we will provide a reference.

Will you share your counselling or psychotherapy skills as a child & young person's (CYP) counsellor or therapist to join an online counselling service for young patients with a pain condition (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)? We’re supporting patients, relatives, partners and carers affected by a debilitating condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

We're looking for qualified paediatric/child & young person counsellors, psychotherapists or psychologists ideally with some experience of working with chronic pain patients, who may want to volunteer their skills supporting our young service users and help develop a psychological support service. 

As a Volunteer Child/Young Person's Counsellor/Therapist you’ll be providing remote online counselling/therapy support services to young people aged 5 to 18 who are vulnerable, many of whom are isolated and in need of mental health services. You’ll be providing one-to-one counselling sessions online or by phone. With your recognised counselling qualifications and experience you will be an asset to our small charity and to our young services users. We will also consider therapists who are in need of a placement.

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, volunteer child counsellors / therapists provide person centred counselling (general talking counselling), integrative, pluralistic including or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), ACT and EMDR for young CRPS patients.

We are needing to expand this service to support our young clients as it has rapidly received a high number of referrals. People can be referred both by health or legal professionals as well as having parents/guardians referring them to the service.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your paediatric counselling skills, organisation, communication and team working skills. If you have experience in younger children please do get in touch.

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

What the role involves

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

• Undertake a child client assessments, followed by therapy (via Zoom or phone) to our clients, offering up to 20 one hour (or 45 mins age dependant) sessions for each client plus 4 assessments

• Providing one-to-one therapy sessions to young patients aged 5-18 (we will consider therapists who can only support primary or secondary school age)

• Update our database with the client’s basic information and session attendance

• Maintain succinct, relevant session notes and store these securely

• Attending and participating in meetings
• Project monitoring, creating, reporting and outcomes evaluation procedures

• Attend CPD training to ensure your knowledge stays current

• Participating in regular meetings with the Clinical Lead
• Maintaining client confidentiality, upholding data protection and equal opportunities principle

• Attend monthly internal group Supervision to ensure safe working practices

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, including an induction. You will have a chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us.

What you need for this role

Essential

• Be a member of one of the recognised organisations (see below)
• Level 4 Diploma level qualifications as a minimum, Degree or Masters in Paediatric Counselling, Counselling/Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, Dance & Movement Psychotherapy or Art Therapy 
• Minimum of 100 hours supervised
• Proof of professional indemnity insurance annually - we may consider paying this as an expense but commitment to the charity is required
• A valid DBS certificate (enhanced version), which is less than three years old and renewed every three years (the charity can provide where necessary)
• Able to keep people’s personal data safe

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

• Able to support a minimum of 2 child or young clients a week, being two hours of your time for counselling sessions plus time for administration. We ideally hope you to offer the charity a commitment of six months.

Desirable

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

We welcome trained paediatric counsellors, child therapists and counselling/clinical psychologists who are willing to give their time to support our valuable work.

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

Recognised Organisations

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

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

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

What's in it for you as the volunteer? 

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

Are you an enthusiastic and skilled funding grant writer? Be a part of our small but committed team as a pro-active grant writer volunteer for a small national charity supporting people affected by a debilitating pain condition.

We are looking for 2 skilled grant writer volunteers who can take the lead in researching appropriate funds and writing grant bids to help us continue offering our support services and resources and helping us create new programmes and services to support patients and their families who have been affected by a poorly understood chronic condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

As our Grant Writer you will be responsible for identifying appropriate grant opportunities, and managing the grant development and proposal process from research to submitting grant applications with any supporting documents.

As our grant writer, you will:

• Identify appropriate sources of funding where we fit their criteria 
• Write appropriately tailored grant/funding bids that meet funders’ interests and requirements and to write any additional documents in support of funding bids
• Help develop a Trusts and Foundations strategy to help create and maintain strong and diverse income that meets Burning Nights CRPS Support’s funding needs
• Create a calendar of grant deadlines and track submitted funding proposals
• Help us develop a case for support 
• Report on grant usage and impact
• Review all grant/bid feedback and ensure knowledge is shared, so that learning informs us for future approaches to grants

If you are an experienced grant writer or you just enjoy researching and persuasive writing then we would love to hear from you.

We are looking for a volunteer who has:

• Experience of being a grant writer, project proposal writer and editing skills
• Excellent writing, analytical, and research skills are essential
• Creative and persuasive written and spoken communication skills 
• Self-motivated and highly-organised
• Ability to work remotely
• Ability to search online databases and other sources to identify appropriate funds
• Ability to understand and appeal to funders’ differing needs
• Ability to organise your own work, track and report back regularly 
• Experience setting up funding email templates (desirable)
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our organisation  and our service users
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and can work with these
• Open to feedback
• Ideally have good network with people, organisations and charities which can help us to support our projects
• Determination to get the job done

Skills

• Project proposal writing
• Grant writing and knowledge of charity grant giving culture
• Good networking skills and contacts with grant giving organisation
• Marketing and communications
• Content writing and story-telling
• Good online fundraising skills
• Good editing and proof reading skills and attention to detail
• Team player who is comfortable working with various volunteers within Burning Nights CRPS Support to collate information required to write funding applications

If you don't have the exact experience, but are interested to volunteer with us, please apply! We would be thrilled to find out about how your interests and experience match with our needs or what we are doing.

Other Information

This role is done remotely using Zoom, Slack and email. You would be working closely with the charity’s Chair and with other trustees. However we would have regular updates and remote meetings as needed so we know you are getting the support you need.

We have an induction process that will help successful applicant to understand how our Charity operates and full support of all our volunteers.

Minimum of 3-6 hours per week for this role

Ideal commitment of 3 months or more (but not specific)

We are The Unseen Barriers Foundation – a new, disabled-led Scottish charity (status pending) tackling the invisible causes of exclusion. Shame, sensory overload, emotional exhaustion, disbelief. These are the things that stop people from showing up — to appointments, to events, to life.

The Foundation is built around two original lived experience contributions by our founder:

The Unseen Barriers Framework — a landmark conceptual model naming the distress-based barriers that keep disabled people locked out of support

Cùran — a green plush dragon created as a visual anchor for distress, shutdown, and solidarity

Both are licensed to the Foundation by the creator to ensure they serve a purpose-first, rights-based mission.

We are now looking for trustees to help shape this work from the ground up. This is a working board — not a figurehead role. Trustees will actively contribute to strategic direction, governance, and growth.

We are currently remote-first to ensure full accessibility, but will provide office space (Edinburgh/Glasgow area) once funded. You do not need to be based in either city.

Estimated time commitment:

Around 6–8 hours per month including preparation, meetings, and task-based input

Board meetings held every 6–8 weeks via Zoom

All access needs will be fully accommodated

We are especially keen to hear from:

Disabled people and unpaid carers

People with lived experience of distress, neurodivergence, or poverty

Individuals with skills in finance, charity governance, fundraising, legal oversight, or communications

If you believe in radical inclusion, and want to join something disruptive but grounded, get in touch.

We believe in finding the right people, not just filling seats. Informal conversations will take place on a rolling basis, and trustees will be appointed as and when suitable candidates are identified. Early expressions of interest are encouraged.

A bit about this role

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

You can expect us to

• make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You'll be

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

Time expectation

This role is really flexible! You could choose to volunteer at one event for a couple of hours or attend multiple fundraising events. The events will be based around the South Wirral and Chester area.

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

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

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

At St John Ambulance, we are looking to develop our volunteering offer and become an even more integral part of our communities through delivering community first aid and education.

We need people who have a passion for helping others, care about their communities and want to make a difference, supporting them to become safe and more resilient by sharing your first aid skills and knowledge. 

As a Community Volunteer you could contribute to raising first aid awareness in your community. You may also be involved in fundraising activity to support the work of St John. Delivering presentations to local groups and organisations, as well as finding opportunities to expand the reach of St John. You could also impact St John people by contributing to creating a welcoming and supportive environment.

Through supporting the growth of community partnerships, you will bring people along to our cause, growing our membership and fundraising base and spreading the message that First Aid Saves Lives.

Through volunteering as a Community Volunteer, you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering an essential service. It’s great for you, great for your community and great for our nation, and it requires only a small commitment of your time.

We will make sure you will have access to a proper induction to volunteering with SJA and the training you need for the role you take on. We will also provide you with a supportive environment while you are volunteering with us. Information about our volunteer roles are included in the role descriptions. What you can expect from SJA, and what we expect from those who volunteer with us, is included in the volunteer charter.

If you are successful you will need to undertake induction & training for role.

Closing date for these opportunities is: 07/06/2025

To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:

The Senior Researcher in an Initial Research Team is the operational lead for one
particular project at a time, they will work with the Research Manager and within
the Initial Research Framework in order to plan and execute the research. At the
conclusion of research projects the Senior Researcher is responsible for providing
an accurate research report which allows for consideration as to what happens
next with the research inline with our organisation's purpose.The role of Senior
Researcher is key in our organisation's progress and overall positive output as it is
the starting point for all of our work. It is therefore important Senior Researchers
are committed and capable.

Responsibilities may include:

• To oversee and take part in the planning and execution of initial research projects

• To supervise a team of approximately 4 research volunteers, delegating and creating tasks according to the research plan

• To work with and support the Research Manager, ensuring task coordination across platforms such as ClickUp and a high level of communication across the team 

• To ensure outputs such as literature reviews and surveys are completed to the highest standard possible, in line with ethical considerations if relevant

• To comply with and advise on using the OSCOLA referencing system

• To organise analysis of Freedom of Information request data sets

• To collaborate with the rest of the team and the RM to provide an internal research report at the end of the research project, including a summary and key recommendations for next steps

• To conduct 1-1s and lead team meetings where necessary

• To regularly communicate with team members about their task progress, welfare and support needs

Required experience and qualifications:

• To have experience in supervising or managing a group of people

• Clear communication skills and a demonstrable level of academic writing to a high standard 

• In depth knowledge of qualitative research methods and secondary data analysis, quantitative experience a plus

• To have knowledge on children’s human rights in the UK and other related areas

• To have an undergraduate degree, master’s degree a plus, in a related subject

A Little About Us!

Youth Advantage UK is a research-led, un incorporated un registered charitable organization. We use a research-led approach to protect the rights and interests of young people through positive action such as projects, policy work, research, services, events. We promote and empower change.

Why we need you!

Youth Advantage UK are in our early stages but are growing and looking for volunteers to help achieve our aims to become a registered charitable organization. Your skills and expertise are what we need to continue to grow. Without our volunteers we cannot grow and appreciate those who apply with us!

What we offer!

Anybody who wishes to help and contribute to a good cause are welcome to apply for one of our volunteering positions. We will speak to you about what your aims are to ensure that the volunteering position you are applying for is suitable. By volunteering you have the chance to learn something new and contribute to a successful organization who is looking to help young people in the UK.

Do you have a coaching qualification, or are you working towards one? Would you like to help managers across our organisation develop their skills and confidence? As a coach, you will support managers to improve their leadership abilities, build confidence, and enhance their effectiveness in their roles. Your coaching will help them tackle challenges such as personal effectiveness, leadership credibility, career development, and conflict resolution. By providing guidance and encouragement, you will play a key role in helping managers grow, develop new skills, and lead their teams more effectively.

What you will be doing

• Deliver coaching sessions for managers at various levels, from team leads to department heads.
• Provide a safe, open, and confidential space for coaching conversations focused on leadership, communication, conflict resolution, managing change, and interpersonal skills.
• Use clear and effective coaching methods and models.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow Hestia’s coaching programme guidelines.
• Define clear roles for both the coach and coachee, ensuring there are no conflicts of interest.

The skills you need

• A recognised coaching qualification (or currently studying towards one), such as ICF or EMCC, or significant coaching experience at a management level.
• Experience in the social care sector (desirable but not essential).
• Strong communication and listening skills.
• Willingness to participate in supervision and continuous learning.
• A friendly, approachable, and supportive manner.
• Understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries.

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications.
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

Thank you for your interest to become a Fosterer at Cats Protection! We are looking for volunteers to foster cats and kittens in the South Ayrshire area of Scotland.

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

• You must live in the South Ayrshire area of Scotland
• A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home (separate room minimum size 3.6m squared - essential to meet UK animal welfare standards)
• Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction
• A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare
• Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home
• You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Time expectation

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

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

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

Are you a parent, grandparent or have experience raising children? Do you have a spare 2-3 hours a week to support a local family in need? Are you passionate about ensuring children have the best possible start in life?

We stand alongside families so that parents do not feel alone in the critical task of raising children and support them to help children reach their full potential, have access to positive opportunities and enjoy childhood! We are recruiting volunteers to help us support families with young children facing challenges with parenting, helping to prevent family crisis or breakdown.

Providing practical and emotional support to local families with children under the age of 12 years, volunteers are matched with a family, visiting or keeping in touch by telephone weekly, offering tailored support which suit their needs. This is an in person role, where volunteers visit families in thier own homes and out in the local community. 

Our Family Support Volunteers: 

•  offer support, friendship and practical help to local parents and children
• visit families in their own homes, where the dignity and identity of each individual can be respected and protected
• reassure families that difficulties in bringing up children are not unusual
• emphasize the positive aspects of family life
• encourage parents’ strengths and emotional well-being for the ultimate benefit of their own children
• encourage families to widen their network of relationships and to use effectively the support and services available in the community
• attend an initial course of preparation, one day a week for 5 weeks
• visit families for a minimum of 2-3 hours per week according to the family’s needs
• receive regular support and supervision from the Family Services Co-ordinator
• be able to make a commitment to the scheme for at least 6 months. 

It is important that Family Support Volunteers: 

•  complete Safeguarding Level 1 training
•  be familiar with and committed to the Home-Start ethos and policies and practice
• share information with the Family Services Co-ordinator and contact the Family Services Co-ordinator immediately if there is concern about the physical or emotional well-being of any member of the family
•  take part in reviews with the family and Family Services Co-ordinator as requested
•  keep records of visits to families as requested by the Family Services Co-ordinator
• attend support, supervision and training sessions as arranged by the scheme
• have good communication skills with Home-Start staff and families.
•  have a friendly disposition and be open, honest and non-judgemental .
• have a DBS check and 2 references returned before supporting families in their own homes or group settings 

This is exciting and rewarding voluntary work which requires energy, commitment, reliability, creativity and a sense of humour. We offer all our volunteers opportunities for self-development and social contact with others within Home-Start. We offer work experience and shadowing opportunities with the Family Support team as well as ongoing training on a variety of topics relating to families, children and young people. 

About us

Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..

The role in a nutshell:

Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?

Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.

How would you be supported in this role?

When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.

Why do we need volunteers in this role?

Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.

Additional information:

We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.

What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.