Advice information volunteer roles

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Are you passionate about helping people from Afghanistan feel welcome and supported in the UK? Do you have the language skills and cultural understanding to assist Afghan refugees as they navigate the challenges of building a new life? If you’re adaptable, resilient, and dedicated to making a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

About us

Gulab Sorkh Foundation (GSF) is an independent charity supporting Afghan nationals resettled in the UK under the ARAP scheme. We are a small but impactful organisation, dedicated to helping those who worked closely with British forces in Afghanistan and their families integrate successfully into British life.

Job description

We are looking for two volunteer interpreters—one fluent in Dari and one fluent in Pashto — to join our team at the Gulab Sorkh Foundation (GSF). You will play a key role in supporting Afghan refugees who have resettled in the UK, assisting them in accessing essential services and communicating effectively in their daily lives.  This is an influential volunteer opportunity where you will make a real difference by helping Afghan refugees integrate into British society, providing crucial interpretation during interactions with service providers such as healthcare professionals, housing officers, and legal advisors.

As a Volunteer Interpreter, you will:

• Provide interpretation services (Dari or Pashto) to Afghan refugees, ensuring clear 
• communication between them and various UK service providers.
• Assist refugees in understanding key information related to housing, healthcare, 
• education, and other public services.
• Facilitate communication during meetings, appointments, and community events to 
• support their integration journey.
• Offer support and cultural understanding to ensure refugees feel comfortable and 
• respected throughout their resettlement process.

Key responsibilities:

• Interpret accurately and sensitively between Dari/Pashto and English during one-on-one 
• and group interactions.
• Help beneficiaries understand and complete necessary paperwork or official forms in 
• both languages.
• Collaborate with case managers and external partners to ensure the refugees’ needs are 
• effectively communicated.
• Be aware of and sensitive to the needs of individuals who may have experienced trauma 
• and displacement.
• Follow data protection laws and policies

Essential skills:

• Fluency (written and verbal) in Dari and/or Pashto and in English.
• A high level of cultural sensitivity and empathy towards Afghan refugees.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information clearly 
• and accurately.
• Ability to remain neutral and impartial in all interactions.
• Commitment to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and confidentiality.

Desirable skills:

• Level 3 in Interpretation.
• Previous experience working with refugees or vulnerable communities.
• Knowledge of UK systems such as healthcare, housing, and immigration.
• Understanding of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Please note:

This is an unpaid voluntary position, offering flexibility to fit around your other commitments.

This is a completely remote role, and as such you will need to ensure that you have access to a confidential, quite space during your working hours.

To apply please upload your CV and covering letter (max. 2 A4 pages each) 
In your application, please explain how you meet every point on the essential criteria with examples. If you meet any of the desired criteria, please do the same for these.  We actively encourage applications from individuals with lived experiences of migration or refugee resettlement.

Please get in touch with us if you have any queries.

We look forward to hearing from you

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Role – Community Engagement Volunteer

Are you passionate about supporting the Armed Forces Community? Could you help to raise awareness for SSAFA in your local area? You don’t need a military background, just the ability to get on with all kinds of people and some occasional free time.

What is a Community Engagement Volunteer?

As a community engagement volunteer, you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. We want to ensure that our Armed Forces community knows that SSAFA is here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

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.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families.

A varied programme of awareness raising also keeps the SSAFA profile high in the local community, so everyone knows who we are and how we can help.

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

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

Event Champions

Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.

Activity Organisers

Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.

Promoting SSAFA Services

Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.

SSAFA Storytellers

Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.

Community Connectors

Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects

Fundraising Heroes

Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.

Administrators

Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.

• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.

• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.

• 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 

• 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 of e-learning courses and marketing materials.

• Access to support from across SSAFA.

• 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 people.

• Confident people who feel happy to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and

SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.

• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and keep information safely.

• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.

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? No

Join our amazing volunteer team to raise awareness of sight loss and RNIB services at local events. You will give talks in person or virtually, sharing your own story to improve understanding of sight loss to local service providers and community groups. You’ll be making a real difference to people living with sight loss by helping to improve accessibility and inclusivity, creating a world without barriers.

What you’ll be doing:
• Giving talks to groups of people to raise awareness of sight loss in your local community by sharing your story to audiences, for example, local businesses, community and voluntary groups.
• Delivering Talks to raise awareness of RNIB services as a trusted source of support for blind and partially sighted people

• Representing RNIB as an Ambassador for the Community Connection service

What you’ll gain from the role:
• An opportunity to give something back.
• A chance to build a strong community.
• A sense of achievement through the difference you make.

• A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people
• An opportunity to develop and explore different roles with RNIB, including our internal job vacancies.

In return for donating your time we will provide:
• A supportive route to building your confidence in presenting and sharing your story with an audience.
• A rewarding experience.
• A great Induction and training.
• A supportive manager.
• Regular updates and catchups.
• Expenses.
• An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Month

Key requirements

• 1 reference

Location

Region

• Northern Ireland

Additional location information

• Currently looking for applicants within the Belfast Area only!

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• • Lived experience of issues affecting blind and partially sighted people • Be comfortable speaking to different audiences to share your story, or a willingness to try with our support. • Able to communicate effectively. • Have an outgoing, friendly approach to meeting new people.

We're keen to hear from you if you'd like to share your experiences as a blind and partially sighted person and help build a world which understands the impact of living with sight loss.

In this role, you will be:

• Delivering talks to groups of sighted people about your lived experience of sight loss to challenge their perceptions and behaviours. Audiences will vary but may include local businesses, community, faith and voluntary groups.

• Making links with your own existing groups and networks in your local community that may want to be involved in reducing barriers to blind and partially sighted people.
• Building relationships with people or local businesses you know.
• Taking part in and sharing information about specific campaigns and initiatives to help remove barriers to blind and partially sighted people.
• Delivering talks on behalf of RNIB’s Social Action Team.

What you'll gain from the role:
• A chance to make a difference to the lives of blind and partially sighted people with a sense of achievement.
• A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people.
• To make an impact by speaking to groups of people.
• An opportunity to develop your role into delivering talks independently as your confidence and skills grow.
• An opportunity to improve public understanding, helping change perceptions and behaviours, building a world which understands sight loss.
• An opportunity to explore different volunteer roles within our organisation and have access to internal employment opportunities.

In return for donating your time we will provide:
• Induction to the role and organisation.
• Training in public speaking and telling your story.
• A supportive volunteer manager.
• Regular catch-ups.
• Expenses.
• An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.

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

As a charity we are able to help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations we receive from members of the public. Our fundraising volunteers use their passion for cats and people to raise the vital funds needed to help more cats and kittens in need. As a fundraising volunteer we want to support you to fundraise in whatever way suits you best, whether that’s organising a fundraising event, fundraising online, promoting fundraising activities on social media, completing administration or supporting the development of new fundraising ideas! Whatever your skill set, this could be the role for you! 

What 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

A bit more information about this role and the team

Please note you need to be over 18 for this role.

What we need from you

This is a really flexible role – you can choose what you’d like to get involved with, for example:

• face-to-face fundraising. Organising or helping with fundraising events, running supermarket collections and fundraising stands, monitoring collection tins 
• online fundraising. Setting up online appeals and writing impactful cat case studies that maximise donations
• marketing. Spreading the word about our fundraising activities, for example on social media and with the local press
• completing administration. Processing donations, sorting and recording donated goods, completing Gift Aid paperwork
• championing our work. Getting involved with developing new fundraising ideas and increasing community engagement
• photography. Capturing images of cats in care, cats we are helping, events and all things Cats Protection
• You’ll need to be aged 18+ to volunteer in this role. If you’re aged 16-17, you’ll need to be supervised by a friend, family member, or guardian over the age of 18 in order to carry out any fundraising activity.

Time expectation

This is a flexible role that can fit around your other commitments to suit you. You’ll be part of a team raising vital funds while having fun in the process!

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.

Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) is recruiting six volunteers to sit on our new Advisory Council, which will support the work of the organisation by helping to guide our strategy and direction, develop new thinking around our grassroot activism, research, campaigning and advocacy work, and strengthen our solidarity networks, coalitions and allyships, especially with and amongst marginalised and racialised communities. 

The Advisory Council will complement our governing board (the Steering Committee). The aim is for the Council to take a broader, more long-term and strategic view of CAAT’s activities, provide fresh perspectives, and expand our networks. The Advisory Council will not have responsibility for financial, legal, or HR oversight of CAAT.

We are particularly warmly inviting those with lived experiences of international conflict and structural violence, and those involved in anti-militarist and intersecting social activism in collectives and movements. We also warmly encourage applications from people from marginalised communities and groups, including but not limited to LGBTQ+, BIPOC, neurodiverse, and disabled people.

More details are available in the attached Recruitment Pack or on the CAAT website. 

Why we want you

As a community engagement volunteer you and your fellow branch members will create a range of activities to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community to ensure that that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

This role is diverse and allows for you to focus on the areas that you have skills or interests in. The role has flexibility and can work around your other commitments.

Below are some examples of possible activities you can take on or be a part of as a SSAFA Community Engagement Volunteer.

What you will be doing

• Activity Organisers - Love planning? Help coordinate amazing events like charity dinners, carol concerts, and local fairs.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Event Champions - Be the friendly face of SSAFA! Help at events, chat with visitors, sell merchandise, and spread the word about our work.
• Promoting SSAFA Services - Help provide a warm, welcoming presence at Veterans Breakfast clubs, cafes or hubs - offering information about SSAFA services and signposting as appropriate.
• SSAFA Storytellers -Deliver engaging talks to organisations and groups, sharing SSAFA’s incredible history and mission.
• Community Connectors - Collaborating with the Community Engagement Manager to establish a local network, promote SSAFA's services, and respond to community opportunities such as gardening projects.
• Fundraising Heroes - Whether it’s rallying local businesses, organising events, or getting creative with unique fundraising ideas, you’ll play a crucial role in keeping SSAFA’s support going strong.
• Administrators - Are you detail-oriented and love keeping things organised? Assist with branch and event administration, manage schedules and branch calendars, and ensure everything runs smoothly currently being undertaken.

The skills you need

• Be friendly and approachable.
• Confident to engage with the public, potential clients, volunteers and SSAFA colleagues face-to-face.
• Reliable attitude, staying connected with your Branch and/or Community Engagement Manager about your availability.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to events if necessary.
• Basic IT skills would be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others and make a difference.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising awareness of SSAFA.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and SSAFA Community Engagement Manager.
• 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!

Disclaimer

SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.