Advice information volunteer volunteer roles

VICE CHAIR / CO‑CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (VOLUNTEER ROLE)

SUNSHINE Charity – Because No One Should Live in Lockdown Forever

Do you remember lockdown?

1. The silence.
2. The uncertainty.
3. The ache of missing people.
4. The feeling of being cut off from the world.

Now imagine living like that every single day — not because of a pandemic, but because loneliness has quietly become someone’s whole life.

At SUNSHINE, we refuse to let that be anyone’s reality. Not in London. Not in our communities. Not while we’re here.

We’re here to bring back joy, connection and human warmth — and we need a compassionate, steady, visionary leader to help guide us at the highest level.

Who We Are

SUNSHINE is a brand‑new, grassroots, 100% volunteer‑powered charity on a mission to brighten the lives of people experiencing loneliness and social isolation. We’re small, passionate, and building something hopeful from the ground up. We’re awaiting our charity number — but our mission is already alive, growing and ready to shine.

Now we need someone who can help steer us with wisdom, integrity and heart.

Your Role: Vice Chair / Co‑Chair of the Board

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the governance, direction and future of a charity from its earliest days.

As Vice Chair / Co‑Chair, you will be the right hand to our Chair and a key partner to our Founder & CEO. You will help ensure SUNSHINE is well‑governed, well‑led and always guided by compassion, purpose and good practice.

You will:

• Support and deputise for the Chair, helping lead the Board with clarity and confidence

• Provide strategic oversight, ensuring SUNSHINE grows safely, ethically and sustainably

• Champion good governance, safeguarding the charity’s mission, values and beneficiaries

• Support the CEO, offering guidance, challenge and encouragement as we build our foundations

• Help shape long‑term strategy, ensuring our services, culture and impact stay true to our purpose

• Be a visible leader, representing SUNSHINE with warmth, professionalism and heart

• Foster a positive, inclusive Board culture, where collaboration and kindness are central

Your leadership will help ensure SUNSHINE becomes a trusted, respected and impactful charity that people feel safe turning to.

Who You Are

• You’re someone who leads with both head and heart.
• You understand governance, responsibility and accountability — but you also understand people, community and compassion.
• Maybe you’ve been a trustee before.
• Maybe you’ve chaired meetings, led teams or guided organisations through growth.
• Maybe you’ve worked in charity, public service, community leadership or strategic roles.

What matters most is your integrity, your steadiness, your belief in our mission — and your desire to help build something meaningful from the ground up.

Why Join Us Now?

Because this is the moment everything begins.

You won’t just be joining a Board — you’ll be helping to shape it. Your leadership will influence our culture. Your decisions will guide our future. Your presence will help us bring sunshine into lives that have been dark for far too long.

If you want to be part of something hopeful, human and life‑changing, this is your moment.

How to Apply

Send us your CV and a short statement about why this role speaks to you.

We welcome people from all backgrounds, experiences and walks of life.

Let’s build a charity full of sunshine — together.

Fight for Home Group Member [Birmingham] 

Are you keen to use your creative energy or organisational skills to bring people together to fight for home? 

Information about the role 

This role gives you the chance to work as part of a team to come up with ideas, plan, organise and deliver fundraising events. As well as raising funds, you’ll also be sharing awareness of the local housing emergency within your local area.

Location: Birmingham

Suggested contribution: It’s flexible, but at least once a month, with potential for more volunteering in the lead up to an event.

Availability: This is a flexible opportunity, with meetings and events likely to take place in evenings and weekends. 

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now or read on more for details.

Main activities may include: 

• Support with planned Shelter activity including fundraising in your community

• Generating fundraising ideas with the group 

• Organising and hosting your own fundraising events 

• Inspiring your network of contacts to support the fight for home 

• Attending local events, such as Rotary meetings or community fairs, to raise awareness of Shelter and collecting donations 

• Speaking about what we do and promoting national campaigns in your community 

• Raising awareness of our local Community Hubs 

This role fights the housing emergency by raising funds that enable Shelter to provide advice and support and campaigning for change. The events you’ll be attending are also great for raising awareness of the housing emergency and how people can get involved to help tackle it.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter 

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering. 

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity. 

Your skills and experience  

Creativity and organisational skills may be useful, and you’ll need to be willing to collaborate as part of a team. But the most important thing is that you are passionate about joining our fight for home! 

Supporting you 

• You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook. 

• The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences.

• You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance.

• You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders. 

Next steps 

After you reply, we will get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further. 

Upon offer of role, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean you can’t volunteer with us. We will have a conversation with you to discuss the convictions in relation to the role you have applied for. Sometimes it may limit the ways you can get involved.

Please contact us if you require more information. 

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Are you passionate about using your skills and expertise to help support and develop a UK-wide relationships and sex education charity?

Sexpression:UK provides high quality, comprehensive relationships and sex education workshops to young people between the ages of 11-18 in schools and youth groups. We operate across the UK through our unique network of affiliated branches and volunteers based at universities and students’ unions in 15 towns and cities.

You will have strong empathy with our mission to educate and empower young people to make individual, informed decisions about their bodies and their health. You will be committed to using your expertise to contribute to the future development of the charity and ensuring high quality governance of the organisation.

We are looking for a motivated individual with demonstrable experience in leadership or governance to join our board as Chair of Trustees.This is an exciting time to join our charity with the opportunity to contribute to a unique youth-led charity playing a leading role in some of today’s biggest issues.

We are looking for someone keen to move into the area of advising small charities on management and governance issues.

We are a very ambitious local grant-making charity that also offers various training, support and consultancy services to small charities and community groups in West London. Our broad-ranging plans are now beginning to bear fruit and so we need volunteers to help us in the following areas as demand for our services continues to grow:

· Supporting small groups and start-ups with basic governance and management issues

· Assessing the impact of our services on groups

· Outreach to new groups

· Possibly helping out with grant application assessments when needed

Our ideal candidate would have a good all-round background in management, consultancy or organisational professional services gained over a number of years, but they need not be experienced in the areas mentioned above. You'd be given full training, with the opportunity to shadow the people already working in these areas. Far more important is adaptability, initiative, an ability to get on well with people from all sorts of backgrounds, and good organisational and writing skills. Most crucially you would have a demonstrable commitment to our ideals of promoting a strong and influential civil society in West London. You will thrive on challenges and find rewards in seeing our objectives achieved.

You would ideally be able to commit an average of 1 day a week and the work would involve dealing with our groups during office hours, so you will probably be someone who is working part-time, or is perhaps retired or semi-retired, or is otherwise not in full-time employment.

Much of the work would be taking place from home, but it will also involve some face to face contact with clients, so living in or around the Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon boroughs would be an advantage.

All reasonable expenses will be reimbursed and refreshments provided where suitable.

We’re looking for an outstanding trustee who is a bold and visionary leader in their field to join our Board of Trustees. You will help us achieve our vision of making sure our members have an outstanding experience during their time at UCL and at one of the best student unions in the world.

We’re looking for an inspirational leader in a field related to one of our services or values to join us in our mission. That mission is to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for better.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the mission, vision and values of the Students’ Union and for ensuring the delivery of organisational purpose through our 2025-2030 Strategy, Making More Happen. The Trustees ensure development of, and agree, a long-term strategy and approve and monitor plans and budgets to deliver the strategy. There are five meetings a year, and as an External Trustee you will work with our Board and Senior Management Team to affect change and ensure everything we do for our 50,000 members is led by our values to be Community Building, Empowering, Inclusive, Democratic, Bold, Sustainable and Fun.

To apply please send a CV and cover letter by email no later than 17.00 on Tuesday 5 May 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview on Tuesday 19 or Thursday 21 May 2026 and will join our Board for a four-year term beginning in June 2026.

Please note that this position is only open to candidates who are neither a student, alumnus or employee of UCL.

Family Friends carefully recruit, train, and match volunteers with families in Central-West London. Our volunteer befrienders offer practical and emotional support based on each family's unique needs and potential. We offer two volunteer opportunities - Big Buddies and Parent Buddies.

Volunteers will aim to help parents to discover their strengths, build confidence, and resolve difficulties. Volunteers meet with their match weekly for a period of up to 12 months.

Activities might include:

• Supporting a parent to take their children on days out.
• Helping to strengthen family relationships.
• Providing a listening ear.
• Helping parents to build confidence in themselves.

Essential Criteria:

• You must be able to commit to the Parent Buddy programme for a minimum of 6 months.
• 18+
• Must have lived in the UK for the last 2 years

What we provide in return:

• Full induction training and ongoing training
• DBS check
• Weekly supervision and support
• The chance to learn new skills
• References provided after 6 months' commitment
• Reimbursement of travel and session expenses

We are an equal opportunities charity and value the principles of diversity and inclusion, which is central in providing successful support to our families. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people who identify as LGBTQI+ and individuals from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds.

In the first instance, please register your interest in becoming a volunteer with us - you can do that by contacting us here to receive the application form.

Once we've reviewed your application, a member of our team will be in touch with next steps.

Family Friends carefully recruits, trains, and matches volunteers with families in Central-West London. Our befriending volunteers offer long-term practical and emotional support based on each family's unique needs and potential. We offer two befriending volunteer opportunities with us-, Big Buddies and Parent Buddies.

Our Big Buddies support young people, aged 10-18, for a few hours each week over a period of up to 12 months. With encouragement and support, volunteers will aim to help young people to discover their strengths and build confidence.

Support may look like:

• Helping to strengthen family relationships.
• Providing a listening ear 
• Taking young person to the cinema, museums, libraries - broadening their horizons!

Essential Criteria:

• Can commit to the Big Buddies programme for a minimum of 6 months
• 18+
• Must have lived in the UK for the last 2 years

What we provide in return:

• Full induction training and ongoing training
• Full DBS check
• Support and supervision
• The chance to learn new skills
• References provided after 6 months' commitment
• Reimbursement of travel and session expenses

We are an equal opportunities charity and we value the principles of diversity and inclusion, which is central in providing successful support to our families. We welcome and would like to encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people who identify as LGBTQI+ and individuals from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds.

In the first instance, please register your interest in becoming a volunteer with us by contacting us here for an online application form.

Once we've reviewed your application, a member of our team will be in touch with next steps.

About the Role 

We are Buttons & Bubbles C.I.C. We aim to increase inclusion and representation for the disabled community across society. We have several different services including bespoke characters, workshops, free resources, events, sensory trails and more. 

As we continue to grow, we are on a mission to make finding and accessing information around everything to do with disability easier. Hence, we're putting together a brand-new team of volunteers who are passionate about content and using the power of social media for good

Who Are We Looking For?

·Someone who is passionate about our mission of inclusion, representation, and belonging.

·Having social media skills is helpful, but enthusiasm for creating and editing content, building online communities, and supporting our digital presence is essential.

·You should enjoy research, taking on challenges, and bringing a creative mindset to your work.

·Be willing to learn or have knowledge of editing and posting videos.

·Be able to support our online initiatives while collaborating with our team.

What Do We Expect?

·Must be willing to undertake our training programme, which will be completed virtually at a time that suits you.

·Have a DBS check (preferably be on the update service) or be willing to complete one with us.

·Sign our volunteer contract. (If you disagree with anything in it, please discuss it with us; we’re happy to make small changes where appropriate.)

·Have a positive attitude toward disability and illness.

Benefits of Volunteering with Buttons & Bubbles C.I.C 

·Make a difference in your community. 

·Have a positive impact on people’s lives. 

· Develop your current skills and gain new ones. 

· Demonstrate your commitment and reliability to future employers. 

· Show your ability to balance and manage your time effectively. 

· Build your confidence. 

· Explore new areas of interest by taking on additional tasks if you wish. 

Role Purpose

The Chief Governance & People Officer (CGPO) is a senior C-suite executive responsible for ensuring the organisation operates with strong governance, legal compliance, and a healthy, engaged volunteer culture. The CGPO provides strategic leadership across governance, legal support, HR, culture, learning, and volunteer experience. They oversee multiple Heads of Department, set strategic direction for their portfolio, and collaborate closely with the CEO, Trustees, and other C-level Officers to drive organisational performance and long-term development.​

Key Responsibilities

1. Executive Leadership & Strategy

• Lead governance, legal support, and HR strategy across the organisation.

• Drive portfolio performance and ensure alignment with organisational goals.

• Contribute to C‑suite decision‑making and long‑term planning.

2. Governance Leadership

• Maintain an up‑to‑date governing document and ensure regulatory compliance.

• Oversee GDPR and data protection standards.

• Support Trustees with governance advice and reporting.

3. Legal Support Oversight

• Oversee legal risk management and compliance processes.

• Review key legal documents and guide legal research.

• Strengthen organisational understanding of legal responsibilities.

4. HR Leadership & Culture Development

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and volunteer checks.

• Provide strategic oversight of conduct, standards, and people policy.

• Promote a positive volunteer culture and engagement.

• Lead development of training pathways and HR policies.

5. Portfolio Management & Line Management

• Line‑manage Co‑Heads of HR and the Head of Governance & Legal Support.

• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and performance oversight.

• Ensure effective cross‑department collaboration and clarity of roles.

6. C‑Suite Collaboration & Organisational Leadership

• Work closely with the CEO, Deputy CEO, COO, CPO, and Trustees.

• Shape organisation‑wide policies, frameworks, and strategic initiatives

Person Specification (Applicant Criteria)

Essential Criteria

• Strong understanding of governance, compliance, or legal frameworks.

• Experience in HR, people management, or organisational culture development.

• Ability to lead multiple departments and manage senior volunteers.

• Excellent communication, judgement, and decision‑making skills.

• Ability to interpret policies, regulations, and legal documents.

• Experience handling sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organisational goals into actionable plans.

• Demonstrated commitment to ethical leadership and safeguarding good practice.

• Ability to work collaboratively at executive level.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working with Trustees or governance boards.

• Knowledge of GDPR, data protection, and risk management.

• Background in law, HR, organisational development, or compliance.

• Experience in volunteer‑led organisations or the charity sector.

• Ability to design and deliver training or learning programmes.

• Experience managing organisational change or culture initiatives.

We’re Searching for a Changemaker — Could It Be You?

Our new East London charity is building something powerful: a movement that helps adults unlock confidence, skills, and real opportunities through career coaching, employability training, mentoring, and community support. We’re here to open doors that have been closed for too long — and we’re doing it from the ground up.

To make this vision real, we need someone with heart, curiosity, and a passion for people.

We’re looking for a volunteer Careers & Employability Skills Programme Development Manager

Just a few hours a week — but with the potential to transform hundreds of futures.

This is your chance to design and shape the programmes that will support adults across East London to step into new careers, build confidence, and access opportunities they’ve never had before.

What this role means

• You’ll help us create a programme that is practical, empowering, and rooted in the real needs of our community.
• You’ll bring structure, ideas, and insight to the workshops, mentoring pathways, and employability support we’ll deliver.
• You’ll help us build something that doesn’t just tick boxes — it changes lives.

Who we’re hoping to find

Someone who:

• Has experience within the careers/employability skills sector or area

• Cares deeply about people and community

• Believes in second chances and fresh starts

• Loves developing ideas and turning them into something meaningful

• Wants to give back in a way that creates long‑lasting impact

• Can offer a few hours a week to help shape a programme with purpose

Why your contribution matters

Your work will become the backbone of our charity — the programmes, sessions, and support that help adults gain confidence, skills, and direction. You won’t just be volunteering. You’ll be building a pathway to opportunity for people who need it most.

If you’re passionate about people and want to make a real difference in East London and beyond, this is your moment.

Join us. Help design the programme that unlocks someone’s future.

Join the small, diverse and friendly team of an independent advocacy charity in Lewisham as Trustee. Lewisham Speaking Up is a rights-based organisation that speaks up for independence and power for people with learning disabilities and/or autism. You will contribute to the governance of a grass roots local charity with a great track record. There will be opportunities to meet with beneficiaries and learn about their lives. You will be helping to address the discrimination and inequalities faced by adults with learning disabilities.

We all work together towards our vision for a society where people with learning disabilities are listened to, recognised, respected and included in all decisions about their lives. We are looking for trustees who are committed to helping the organisation achieve this. Our beneficiaries are included at all levels of the organisation from being Board members to being paid staff, volunteers and participating in all our services.

A Trustee must be willing to offer scrutiny, assistance and advice to support the charity's operations, stability, and growth.  You will work with other board members and the charity’s Director in achieving this.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a friendly, patient, and non-judgemental person with an interest in disability rights and equality who is passionate about and committed to the organisation's mission, vision, and values.

Some of our board members have a learning disability (known as experts by experience) and we expect all board members to support and give positive encouragement to our board members with learning disabilities. We need trustees who will show commitment to the charity's vision and mission and are willing to understand the issues affecting the people we work with. Experience or knowledge of people with learning disabilities would be useful but is not essential. Previous charity experience or knowledge would be useful but is not essential. 

We require a trustee with at least 3 years' proven experience and skills in one or more of the areas listed below:

• Human Resources (HR) - processes, policies and recruitment
• Media/Digital - support website, social media, communications
• Legal - support with the charity's legal obligations
• Management – project/programme management and coaching/mentoring

Opportunity: 

• Help shape our strategic direction, enabling us to expand our reach

• Join a friendly and diverse team with opportunities to engage beyond core responsibilities. 

• Opportunities to network with other organisations and people 

• Personal growth and confidence building. 

• Opportunities to be part of the activities of the charity. 

Commitment: 

Available for online Board (1.5 hrs) and online Finance Subcommittee (1 hr) meetings, both happen 5 times a year. 

Attending in-person Board and staff Away Day (usually a Saturday in July), and the in-person Annual General Meeting (AGM) during November/December. 

Local candidates preferred (Southeast London based).

Holyport C of E Primary School is seeking to appoint governors who have a particular focus on maintaining the Christian ethos of the school and to play an active role in the strategic direction of the school, which is part of the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust.

Volunteering as a governor provides the opportunity to contribute to the local community. In return, we can offer the chance to:

· develop leadership and networking skills;

· support a local school and its wider community;

· work as part of a team who are passionate about providing the best possible opportunities for children and young people.

Holyport's governing body meet up to 6 times a year, and governors also attend committee meetings and can take on specific areas of responsibility. No previous experience or involvement in a school setting is necessary, and training would be available, at both school and trust level.

The school’s vision is to provide an inclusive and quality learning environment that bases relationships on Christian values. The curriculum is rooted in the vision of ‘life in all its fullness’ and is designed to equip children to be curious and confident independent learners but also active, healthy, responsible and caring citizens in their community. 

If you are interested in finding out more about the role please contact our Chair of Governors, Paul Mew, using the contact details on the school's website.

Cardinal Hume Centre is looking for two new trustees to help break the cycle of homelessness for children, young people and families.

Based in Westminster, we support more than 1,400 children, young people and families each year who are facing homelessness and poverty. Through personalised, wraparound services, we work alongside people to build stability, confidence and the foundations for longterm independence — tackling homelessness now to prevent it in the future. 

We are recruiting for two complementary trustee roles: 

• A trustee with lived experience. 
  We are looking for another trustee whose personal experience of challenges such as homelessness or insecure housing, migration, poverty or longterm unemployment can help ground our decisions in what truly works. Your insight will strengthen the voice of past, present and future clients at Board level and help us become a more inclusive, responsive organisation. 

• A trustee with senior estates, building or facilities expertise. 
  The Centre owns a large site in central London and is developing a longterm vision for how it can best support our mission over the next 10–15 years. We are seeking someone who can guide, support and challenge our thinking as we plan for the future of our buildings and facilities. 

We are deeply committed to building a Board that reflects the diversity, experience and strength of the community we serve.Around 85% of our clients are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and many live with disabilities — perspectives that are not yet fully represented on our Board.We strongly encourage applications from people whose experiences or backgrounds are underrepresented in charity leadership. 

Trustees receive a full induction, training and ongoing support. We cover all reasonable expenses — including travel and caring costs — and can learn and make adjustments so every trustee can participate fully, confidently and on an equal basis. 

If you share our belief in dignity, welcome and potential- and want to help shape a compassionate, inclusive Centre - we would love to hear from you. 

The role closes on Monday 11 May 2026. For further information, please read the job pack.You can contact the CEO for an informal conversation

Volunteer Opportunity: Fundraiser

Are you enthusiastic, outgoing, and passionate about supporting a good cause? We’re looking for a Volunteer Fundraiser to help raise vital funds and support our ongoing work.

Role Overview:
As a Fundraiser, you will actively support fundraising activities by engaging with the community, promoting campaigns, and helping to generate donations. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys interacting with people and wants to make a direct impact.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support and participate in fundraising events and campaigns

• Engage with the public to raise awareness and encourage donations

• Promote fundraising initiatives through social media and word of mouth

• Assist with setting up and running events or collections

• Build positive relationships with supporters and donors

• Help meet fundraising targets and contribute ideas for new initiatives

What We’re Looking For:

• Confident and friendly communication skills

• Enthusiastic and motivated attitude

• Ability to engage and connect with a wide range of people

• Team player with a proactive approach

• Reliable and willing to take initiative

• Interest in fundraising, events, or community work

What You’ll Gain:

• Hands-on experience in fundraising and community engagement

• Development of communication and interpersonal skills

• Opportunity to build confidence in public-facing roles

• Enhanced CV with practical experience

• A chance to make a real difference by supporting a meaningful cause

Time Commitment:
Flexible, depending on events and campaigns.

Location:
[Insert location or specify if remote/hybrid]

Join us in raising the funds needed to support and grow our impact.