Volunteer roles for the Environment sector

Join Wild Magic! Help secure grants and funds to ensure our conservation work continues and develops. Collaborate with us to make an impact on our local community.

As a Grants and Funding Volunteer, you will play a vital role in supporting our work. You will:

• Identify and apply for funding opportunities through compelling proposals
• Craft engaging campaigns to attract donors and increase awareness
• Develop clear and impactful communication strategies to share our mission and successes with stakeholders, partners, and the public

You'll collaborate closely with the admin team, a small group of volunteers who work behind the scenes to enable our success with our project goals. You'll also liaise with our Project Director to align your work with the trust's aims and objectives.

This role is adaptable to your skills and interests. Whether your expertise lies in campaign writing, digital communications, or event-based fundraising, we’ll work with you to tailor the responsibilities and focus areas to make the most of your time and talents.

To thrive in this volunteer role, we’re looking for someone who has a mix of the following skills, experiences, and qualities. While we don’t expect you to have all of these, the more you can bring, the bigger your impact will be:

Skills and Experience (any of these):

• Grant Writing: Proven ability to identify funding opportunities and write compelling grant applications that secure essential resources.
• Fundraising Expertise: Experience in planning, managing, or supporting successful fundraising campaigns. This could include individual giving, events, or digital campaigns.
• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills to create impactful messaging across multiple platforms, such as social media, press releases, or donor communications.
• Digital Marketing and Social Media: Familiarity with digital marketing strategies, including using social media for engagement and online fundraising.
• Relationship Building: Experience in building and maintaining relationships with donors, corporate sponsors, or community groups.
• Project Management: The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality results.

Qualities:

• Self-Motivated: Proactive and able to work independently while staying aligned with organisational goals.
• Creative Thinker: A flair for developing innovative ideas for campaigns, proposals, and storytelling.
• Collaborative Team Player: Willing to work closely with others, share ideas, and contribute to a supportive team environment.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous and thorough, ensuring that all communications and grant applications are polished and professional.

This role is open to individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Whether you’re a seasoned fundraiser, a skilled communicator, or someone with a passion for helping others and a willingness to learn, we’d love to hear from you.

Job description

The Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA) is an African-led and inspired charity, established in 1989.  Its mission is to reduce poverty among the pastoralists in the Horn of Africa through the empowerment of communities and to foster sustainable and dignified livestock-based and non-livestock-based livelihoods. In the UK, it works with the Horn diaspora community through youth mentoring and leadership programmes. 

PENHA’s Aims and Objectives

• Sustainable livelihoods require a coordinated approach at the grassroots and policy levels. PENHA, therefore, commits itself to two goals:
• The social, cultural and economic integration of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa
• Dynamic, diversified and sustainable pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods, with expanded access to information, technology, education and training
• A full and equal role for pastoral and agro-pastoralist women in public and economic life
• Peacebuilding and conflict prevention
• Development of links with the diaspora in the UK

PENHA has a team in the London Office and country chapters in the Horn of Africa region – in Ethiopia and Somaliland but works with partners in Sudan, Eritrea and Uganda as well as international partners outside the Horn of Africa.

In the UK, PENHA has a Board of Trustees, a number of research associates, volunteers and an international Advisory Group. PENHA Board of Trustees is looking for three trustees to join the London-based Board with experience in one of the following areas:

• A legal background, with financial and risk management experience;
• Knowledge of branding, marketing and fundraising, including the use of social media;
• Knowledge of the charity sector and employment law in the UK.

In addition, candidates should have an understanding of the context within which charities operate, ideally with some experience of the Horn of Africa region.

The post is unpaid and the time commitment is four to six meetings per year, with attendance at other occasional meetings and events as a representative of the charity.

The Board is responsible for submitting the Annual Report and Accounts to the Charity Commission and to Companies House. As a small charity, trustees contribute actively as part of a team in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets. PENHA is currently undergoing a new strategy development process and the candidate will help steer the organisation through the challenges ahead.

In addition, Board members are responsible for:

• Ensuring that the organisation complies with its constitution/memorandum and articles of association, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations
• Ensuring that the organisation pursues its objects as defined in its governing document
• Ensuring that the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects
• Safeguarding the good name and values of the organisation
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation
• Ensuring the financial stability of the organisation
• Protecting and managing the property of the organisation, and to ensure the proper investment of the organisation’s funds
• Appointing the senior staff and  monitoring their performance

Application Instructions

Are you interested in the causes we stand for and in joining the PENHA Board of Trustees? Please send your CV and cover letter to our UK Office Manager before 10 August 2026. If deemed necessary, we may start actioning applications/interviewing before the closing date.

PENHA is a charity registered in England in 1992 with the Charity Commission Registration Number
1038957