Volunteer roles in south west

Title:  Communications volunteer

Summary

Help us grow and engage our audiences by creating communications materials for us to use externally and across our website, social media, print materials and newsletter, so that we can help support the mental health of more women across Sussex.

Description

Our charity delivers counselling and therapeutic groups for women across Sussex. We are looking for an experienced communications professional to work with to support with all or some of the following:

Communications:

· Help to create a communications plan with the CEO, mapping out key activities and campaigns over the year

Social media:

· Assess our current social media and make recommendations to improve content and engagement

· Design and create weekly posts and reels using Canva

· Create 1-3 social posts per week

Newsletter:

· Re-purpose key social posts for our monthly e-newsletter, using MailChimp

Outreach:

· Build a partner communication list and liaise with key organisations and share key materials with them, such as leaflets and information about our services to raise our profile

· Build contacts and reach out to potential press to raise awareness of our organisation

Events:

· Assist with fundraising events and promotion of these from the Brighton 10K run, our Christmas raffle and party.

You will be working with the CEO who will provide our existing brand/style/logo guidelines and brand research/user personas.

What impact will they have?

Your creative output will shape how we present ourselves to our clients and funders. With your help we will be able to continue to reach and support more women across Sussex.

About the volunteer

Description

We are looking for a volunteer who:

· Has experience in creating and writing communications materials such as social media posts

· Ideally has experience in Canva and MailChimp

· Has the ability to quickly understand the needs of our team / organisation / participants

· Has good communications and organisation skills

· Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and is able to work with these.

Skills

· Marketing and communications

Where and when

Location

Can be fully remote or partly remote if based near Brighton.

Time

Time commitment

· 0-6 hours / week – the role could be an ongoing role

Volunteer availability

Either inside or outside office hours.

Application details

Application instructions: please send published content examples (social, blog or e-newsletter posts) a CV and details of your availability and interest in the role 

The Network of Wellbeing (NOW) is seeking two new Trustees to help guide and support its team. In particular, the organisation is looking for one individual to serve as Company Secretary and another to offer guidance on the management of staff and volunteers.

About the Network of Wellbeing

NOW is committed to Building Wellbeing Together for People and the Planet. Its vision is a world where both people and the planet thrive.

The organisation’s mission is to connect individuals, support community projects, and inspire action to enhance the wellbeing of both people and the environment. This mission is pursued through hosting events, cultivating a network of wellbeing advocates, operating Eden Rise—a retreat venue set in the beautiful Devon countryside—and running community initiatives such as the Share Shed, a mobile library of things that allows people to borrow a wide range of useful items.

Trustee Opportunities

NOW is looking to appoint two new Trustees who are deeply aligned with its vision. The successful candidates will contribute to strategic oversight and governance, helping the organisation continue its work in supporting wellbeing across communities and ecosystems.

One Trustee will take on the role of Company Secretary, while the other will provide valuable input on the management and development of NOW’s staff and volunteers.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit an Administration Volunteer for the Salisbury and District Group. Our Administration Volunteers are the linchpin for our local groups’ activities. They act as the first point of contact and they make sure all relevant information is circulated to other volunteers and members. And they play an important role in keeping our data and details up to date to comply with data protection legislation.

In this role you’ll develop your administration and organisation skills. Most importantly you’ll be help your local group run efficiently, so they can keep providing valuable services to our MS community. 

Time Commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the area the group to carry out this role.

Please apply online.

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

As a Group Leader, you’ll play a key role in delivering our life-changing therapeutic services by co-facilitating weekly self-help groups. Using a proven model rooted in Exposure-Response Therapy and CBT, you'll help guide members through understanding their conditions and moving toward recovery.

We’ll train you to confidently co-lead sessions with another volunteer. All you need is empathy, warmth, and a genuine desire to support others. Lived experience of anxiety, OCD, or phobias is a bonus, not a must. We ask for a commitment of just 2 hours a week for at least 12 months.

You’ll be part of something truly meaningful—helping others while growing personally and professionally.

What will you be doing?

Therapeutic Responsibilities

• Co-facilitate therapeutic guided self-help groups every week.
• Interact with relevant service users to arrange their initial attendance at therapeutic groups.
• Consistently work within the scope of your training and recognise the limits of your practice.
• Liaise closely with the organisation's Clinical Director to discuss challenging cases and clinical concerns.
• Inform the Clinical Director of any expected instances of absence two weeks before the event. 
• Administrative Responsibilities
• Record service users' attendance every week.
• Maintain service user attendance databases to the highest possible standards of accuracy and detail.
• Disseminate psychometric measures to service users by the organisation's evaluation strategy
• Promote a culture of evaluation amongst service users attending your groups to enhance the amount of individualised feedback available to them.
• Respond to service user enquiries, and organisational communications, in an appropriately timely manner.
• Actively engage in the initial training workshops that are provided by the organisation.
• Maintain a commitment to continual personal development and engage in additional training opportunities when provided.
• Actively engage in organised peer reflective practices
• Make use of the organisation-wide digital communication channels to share and learn therapeutic practices. 

• Safeguarding - It is every volunteer's responsibility to safeguard and protect adults and children from abuse, regardless of the setting in which your care takes place. It is the volunteer's responsibility to be aware of the charity's policies and procedures and proactively maintain safeguarding procedural knowledge.

Additional Responsibilities

• Adhere to all organisational policies and procedures.
• Support the organisation's promotion of a positive approach to diversity and inclusion, treating others with dignity and respect.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, taking account of their age, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity status and any disability.
• Maintain an approachable nature, ensuring that your conduct towards colleagues is open and honest, dealing with differences in opinion in ways which avoid offence.

We believe everyone has a voice – on stage and in the boardroom.

The Choir with No Name is looking for new trustees to join our friendly and passionate board. We welcome applications from people from all walks of life, especially those with lived experience of homelessness or marginalisation. This is your chance to help lead a vibrant, music-making charity that’s transforming lives and building community.

The Choir with No Name runs choirs and builds joyful singing communities with people impacted by homelessness and marginalisation, around the UK. Our vision is that all people going through tough times find a place to sing their hearts out, among friends. We have bold ambitions and need the skills and guidance of an excellent and diverse board to help us get there.

In particular we are looking for people who:

• Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member.

• Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion.

• A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

• Enthusiasm for our vision and mission.

• Willingness to lead according to our values - family, fun, integrity and inclusion.

• Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Are you who we are looking for?

Specific skills we are hoping for include (but are not limited to):

• Finance skills (we are specifically looking for a treasurer)

• Artistic/musical skills (particularly, but not limited to choral or group singing environments)

• Social change/health and singing 

Closing date is: 1st June 2025

The Council of Deans of Health is a membership organisation and charity representing over 100 UK universities and colleges engaged in education and research for nursing, midwifery, and the allied health professions. At any one time, our members educate around 200,000 current and future professionals and carry out research that improves the population’s health and wellbeing.

Our Board of Trustees is responsible for oversight of the administration and management of the Council, which is led by the CEO who is accountable to the Board. This includes setting and monitoring the implementation of the Council's strategy, and ensuring its financial sustainability and its compliance with legal requirements. The Board of Trustees will play an important role in taking forward the Council’s strategy, overseeing the continued growth of the Council and ensuring its financial sustainability.

We are looking for a new trustee with a range of skills and different life experiences gained from a broader background and wider discipline to join our energetic board. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of charity law and regulation.

Key responsibilities:

· Contribute to the overall strategic direction of the Council, including taking forward the Council's agreed strategy.

· Ensure the Council complies with its governing document, company law, charity law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.

· Oversee the Council’s financial management with the overall aim of achieving financial sustainability.

· Safeguard the organisation and advise on diversification of income to support the Council’s development.

· Work effectively and collaboratively with the Chair and other Board members in providing support and effective scrutiny to the Council's senior staff team.

Some of the essential competencies we are looking for all Trustees:

· Demonstrate a commitment to understanding the Council's business, the sector context and wider policy issues across the four nations of the UK;

· Demonstrate excellent communication skills and an enabling, inclusive approach;

· Ability  to think strategically and offer advice, guidance, support and constructive challenge to oversee the effective delivery of the Council’s strategic objectives;

· Demonstrate a track record of collaborative working in an organisation with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders;

· Ideally, have experience at senior management or board level in other organisations and experience of charity governance.

Please apply by visiting the Thewlis Graham website and following the instructions in the candidate brief quoting reference AC0401. The closing date is 20 May 2025 at 4pm. 

The ASE is currently looking for a Trustee with a financial background to join our Trustee Body as Treasurer. This role will help to support the CEO, Director of Finance and Operations, Quality & Audit Committee and other Trustees in carrying out their financial responsibilities, in particular with respect to strategic financial planning.

Current focus remains on ensuring high impact, promoting membership growth and diversifying income streams.  As Trustee, you will help to shape and drive the strategy forward, ensure the association is financially stable, make key decisions on strategic and financial priorities, manage and mitigate risk, review and ensure policies and processes are fit for purpose and follow good standards of governance.  The Treasurer will work in consultation with and on advice from the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Operations. The role is one of strategic oversight rather than involvement in day to day financial tasks. 

The Trustee board is made up of experts from across the science education community - and includes teachers and retired teachers from primary, secondary and post 16 sectors as well as teacher educators, consultants and those working for voluntary organisations in the science education sector. 

The majority of the role will be fufilled in Trustee meetings - which meet up to four times per year (all scheduled to take place online)

Whether you are an experienced trustee or wanting to take your first step at Board level we would like to hear from you.

What will you be doing?

Cheltenham Almshouses and Aid owns and manages four sets of almshouses in Cheltenham, made up of a number of cottages dating back to 1914, flats (within a conservation area) and a converted large Edwardian house. Many of the properties we own are of older stock and there is a constant challenge to keep the buildings well maintained in line with current regulations whilst continuing to provide comfortable and affordable living. 

The charity aims to provide warm, safe, secure homes at an affordable cost for local people in housing need. Residents range in ages from 55 to 100 years.

Cheltenham Almshouses and Aid is run by a board of voluntary trustees, and administered in accordance with schemes prepared by the Charity Commission. The day-to-day supervision is undertaken by the Clerk (32.5 hours per week) and the Administrator (5 hours per week)  The charity is not registered as social housing.

We are looking for people to join our board of trustees to help take Cheltenham Almshouses and Aid forward.  We would particularly welcome those with experience of finance and investment. 

We have recently built four new wonderful apartments within a conservation area and may possibly in the future look at extending our current stock of properties with more new builds.

We have a healthy balance sheet and would look to new trustees to guide the charity with new investment opportunities.

Many thanks for your time reading this.

What are we looking for?

• Building and conservation, property and maintenance
• Health and Safety within housing
• Finance 
• Leadership 
• Communications and Marketing

What difference will you make?

This is an amazing opportunity to give a small amount of time, whilst knowing you are making a real difference to the lives of our residents. 

With you are on board as a trustee we can ensure that the Almhouses continue for many, many more years, helping those less fortunate by providing safe well maintained homes in wonderful communities, whilst ensuring the long term financial stability, governance of the charity and to help formulate the vision for the future.

Before you apply

Please apply through Reach in the first instance. Interviews will be in person at a convenient location, representatives from the board of trustees will be present with the Clerk.

Trustee – PR & Marketing Specialist

Help shape the future of deer conservation and education

The British Deer Society (BDS) is looking for a passionate and experienced professional to join our Board of Trustees, bringing expertise in PR and marketing to help us expand and diversify our reach.

Why join us?

As a Trustee, you will play a vital role in guiding BDS, ensuring we achieve our mission to educate, inspire, and advocate for deer welfare. You’ll provide strategic oversight, support our executive team, and help grow our membership by engaging diverse audiences across age, gender, and background.

About the role

Our Trustees share collective responsibility for the governance and administration of the charity. This includes ensuring BDS has a clear strategy, that our goals align with our vision, and that we operate effectively and ethically. Trustees act as a group, working collaboratively to support and challenge the leadership team.

What we’re looking for

We seek a Trustee with:
✔ Expertise in PR and marketing, ideally with experience in membership growth and audience engagement
✔ A strong understanding of governance and strategic oversight
✔ A passion for conservation, education, and wildlife advocacy

By joining BDS, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the future of deer conservation and education in the UK.

Interested? Apply now and help us take BDS to the next level! 

At MS Society all our activities and services are shaped by our MS community – people affected by MS, volunteers, staff and other experts.

We involve our community in every level of shaping our work – from consultation and engagement, to decision-making and insight groups. That’s how we make sure we meet the needs of our whole community and that what we do works for everyone.

We are looking for Co-production Champions so they can raise awareness about principles of involvement and co-production within the MS community, so that members of our Community can help us to ensure that co-production is at the core of all our activtites.

In this role you will:
 represent our MS community
 engage with and influence decision makers
 inspire people to get involved by delivering presentations at events
 and make sure our community’s voice is heard.

Patient and Public Involvement Volunteer

We’re the MS Society – a community of people living with MS, scientists, campaigners, listeners, organisers, ambassadors and fundraisers. Our volunteers are a key part of achieving our goals and their support is vital. Join us.

About this opportunity
We are looking to recruit a Patient and Public Involvement Volunteer, to join our project team looking at developing a payment for involvement policy. The MS Society involves people affected by MS in many aspects of work, often this involvement means that we share decision-making power with people affected by MS or we gain insights on living with MS which help shape our work. It is considered best practice across the involvement sector to reimburse people for their time when they contribute to our work in this way. The aim of this project is to establish a policy on how the MS Society should be reimbursing people for time spent on involvement activities.

Your role on the project group will be to represent the needs and opinions of the MS community on this topic. You’ll be asked to attend regular online project meetings (one meeting every 6 weeks). You’ll also be asked for feedback on ideas and the draft policy via email in between meetings. The project is expected to last until autumn 2025.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones.

About You
You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to get involved and represent us and our values. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS.

To Apply 
- Read through the role description carefully and apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

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 Data Protection Officer (DPO), you will be responsible for ensuring that Roots Academy complies with data protection laws and best practices. You will oversee data security policies, advise on compliance matters, and support teams in handling personal data responsibly. Your role is key in ensuring the organisation meets legal requirements and protects sensitive information.

Key tasks

• Compliance & Advisory
  • Ensure compliance with data protection regulations, including GDPR and other relevant laws.
  • Advise the Governance Lead and wider team on data protection policies and best practices.
  • Serve as the main point of contact for data protection queries and external regulators if required.
• Policy & Process Development
  • Develop and maintain data protection policies, privacy notices, and consent forms.
  • Ensure policies align with legal requirements and organisational needs.
  • Regularly review and update policies in response to regulatory changes.
• Training & Awareness
  • Provide training sessions for staff and volunteers on data protection principles and responsibilities.
  • Raise awareness about data security risks and how to mitigate them.
  • Develop guidance materials for teams handling personal data.
• Data Security & Risk Management
  • Support the organisation in identifying and mitigating data protection risks.
  • Conduct regular audits to assess data handling processes and compliance.
  • Assist teams in responding to data breaches, ensuring proper reporting and corrective actions.
• Record-Keeping & Documentation
  • Maintain records of data processing activities and ensure they are up to date.
  • Assist with data subject requests (e.g., access, rectification, and deletion requests).
  • Work with relevant teams to ensure secure data storage and handling.
• Third-Party Management
  • Assess and monitor the data protection practices of suppliers, contractors, and external partners.
  • Review contracts with third-party vendors to ensure appropriate data processing clauses and agreements are in place.
  • Work with legal and procurement teams to ensure compliance with GDPR and organisational policies when engaging external providers.

What we’re looking for

• Knowledge of data protection laws, particularly GDPR.
• Experience in data compliance, governance, or legal advisory roles.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate complex regulations in an accessible manner.
• Experience with risk management and security 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.

Asian MS is a national support group that offers tailored and culturally-sensitive services for Asian people with MS, their carers, friends and family. It's aimed at people whose heritage originates from South Asia.

As an Asian MS Community Engagement Volunteer you will the Group's local representative, helping us to find and attend events and reaching out to your local Asian MS community to raise awareness and extend the reach of the Group.

This role is very flexible, but there will be planning time (with your staff contact) and also attending events, meetings with networks and presentations. We would estimate the role taking no longer than 10 hours per month.

You’ll have support from a member of staff as well as a welcome and induction checklist which lists what resources are available to support you in your role.

As part of your role, you may have to complete some mandatory learning. Please refer to your welcome and induction checklist.

About you

Presentation Skills, confidence in speaking to new people, networking skills and the ability to influence would be fantastic. We would work to your strengths, however and some training will be available.

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Apply

Read the role description

All applicants will be contacted within two weeks of their submission.

General Election Volunteer 

We’re the MS Society – a community of people living with MS, volunteers, scientists, campaigners, listeners, organisers, ambassadors and fundraisers. Join us today so that together we can stop MS.

The UK General Election is on Thursday 4 July 2024. It’s an opportunity for us to campaign on the issues that matter most to people living with MS. And to engage with candidates across all political parties. We’re asking all our volunteers and local groups to make sure every candidate knows how they can speak up for MS, if they’re elected. 

What you need for this role

 Access to the internet, via laptop, mobile or tablet