Area manager volunteer roles

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

We need people who have a passion for helping others, care about their communities and want to make a difference. Through volunteering as an Emergency Responder, you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering essential first aid and lifesaving clinical care at community and major events in your areas, including at sporting events, concerts, community festivals.

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

Volunteers would be expected to commit 100 hours of volunteering a year in a clinical capacity. They will also be expected to keep in regular contact with their line manager and keep up to date with their training.

This role will require an in-person interview, which will take place provisionally in Birmingham City Centre. Interview dates/times will be emailed to you should your application be successful. Please ensure that you are able to attend an in person interview in Birmingham before submitting your application.

Once your screening for role has been completed, you will be invited to attend your local St John Ambulance Network for a Welcome and Induction.

Training for this role consists of online learning modules and a 6 day in-person course, normally spread across three weekends. Your local Network will support you through the training process.

Closing date for these opportunities is: 01/12/2026

To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:

Are you passionate about health justice? Medact is seeking a new Chair of the Board to help oversee our governance and support our work.

About Medact

Medact organises the health community to work towards a world in which everyone is able to live healthy, dignified lives, supported by political and economic systems that centre health justice. Our priority work areas are some of the most pressing threats to health and wellbeing, including ending state violence, housing & energy justice, and migrant access to healthcare. Medact seeks systemic solutions to major social problems, and is unafraid to hold decision-makers to account. We launched our new five-year strategy at the end of 2025, embedding our vision for how we win and how we grow.

We’re member-led, and our membership spans a range of people who work in health, including nurses, doctors, midwives and clinical researchers, as well as people from the wider health community. 

We are now looking for a new Chair of our Board of Trustees. If you share our vision and passion, why not join our Board and help us fight for health justice?

About the role

Our Board of Trustees provides guidance, governance and final sign-off on major decisions on behalf of our membership. Trustees are collectively responsible for the governance of the organisation in line with the requirements of the Charity Commission. Trustees also contribute to the development of Medact's strategy and participate in a range of other activities to support the Director and staff with our work.

There are four planned board meetings per year, which are hybrid, and it is expected that each Trustee will attend most Board meetings. Trustees are also sometimes asked to give their views or sign off on issues between Board meetings if an issue cannot wait. It is hoped that each Trustee will have the capacity to use their unique skills to support the team more broadly with Medact’s work.

As Chair, you will support the Executive Director and staff to help build on our achievements and realise Medact’s vision. You will work with fellow Trustees to make up a strong and effective Board governing the Charity. 

Acting as a Trustee is a voluntary role but reasonable travel expenses can be paid. 

Who we are looking for

Our current Board brings a broad range of skills, but we recognise that we do not yet reflect the diversity of the health community. There are also specific types of experience and expertise we would like more of on the Board. In particular, we are looking for potential Trustees with one or more of the following attributes:

• Lived experience of an issue that Medact campaigns on, for instance the Hostile Environment, the health impacts of economic or housing injustice, the health impacts of armed conflict or UK security policies

• Experience as a frontline health worker of any sort, preferably current

• Legal and safeguarding expertise

• Fundraising expertise, particularly individual giving or major donor fundraising

• Human resources expertise

As Chair, you will be actively networked within the health community or broader social justice movement and highly experienced in governance or strategic leadership of a charity or NGO. You will have the skills to line-manage the Executive Director. And you will have the ability to advocate on behalf of Medact’s work, as well as helping to build the membership and public image of the organisation. 

We hope all Trustees will: 

• Share our vision for a fairer and safer world, and our analysis of the transformational change needed to get closer to it

• Approach Board discussions and conversations with the team with an open mind, able to listen to and genuinely engage with others’ views

• Display collaborative behaviours which promote harmony and good team working which supports Medact to be an effective, well-governed organisation

Previous experience on a charity board or in another governance role is useful but by no means essential. If you are interested in becoming a Trustee but aren’t sure you have the right skills and experience, or would like an informal conversation with an existing board member before applying, please get in touch.

Timeline

Applications are open until 9am on Monday 9th March. 

We aim to interview candidates in March. Please let us know when applying if you are unavailable during this period.

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

We need people who have a passion for helping others, care about their communities and want to make a difference. Through volunteering as an Emergency Responder, you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering essential first aid and lifesaving clinical care at community and major events in your areas, including at sporting events, concerts, community festivals.

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

This vacancy is for across the West Midlands County, with volunteering opportunities across Birmingham, Solihull, and the Black Country.

Volunteers would be expected to commit 100 hours of volunteering a year in a clinical capacity. They will also be expected to keep in regular contact with their line manager and keep up to date with their training.

This role will require an in-person interview, which will take place provisionally in West Bromwich. Interview dates/times will be emailed to you should your application be successful. Please ensure that you are able to attend an in person interview in West Bromwich before submitting your application.

Once your screening for role has been completed, you will be invited to attend your local St John Ambulance Network for a Welcome and Induction.

Training for this role consists of online learning modules and a 6 day in-person course, normally spread across three weekends. Your local Network will support you through the training process.
 

Closing date for these opportunities is: 01/12/2026

To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:

Join FARA, a charity with over 30 years of experience and 39 charity shops across London. Our shop Streatham is looking for a creative and detail-oriented Visual Merchandiser Volunteer to help us create an inspiring, welcoming, and engaging shop environment.

By volunteering with us, you’ll directly support our mission, help promote reuse through donation and recycling, and contribute to a positive shopping experience for our customers. 

The Role: 

As a volunteer, your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

• Curating engaging in-store displays in key “hotspot” areas
• Organising continually changing merchandise into attractive and logical groupings
• Assisting in planning and executing occasional window displays
• Ensuring shop floor presentation is tidy, visually appealing
• Greeting and assisting customers in a friendly and professional manner
• Supporting sustainable practices by ensuring items are displayed appropriately and unsellable items are redirected responsibly

The Volunteer: 

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a creative eye for presentation and visual detail
• Has an interest in fashion and/or a passion for products and merchandising
• Is friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic
• Is reliable and able to work as part of a team
• Has experience in visual merchandising (a bonus, but not essential)

What’s in it for You?

At FARA, our shops are run by welcoming and collaborative teams. You’ll gain hands-on experience in visual merchandising while working alongside supportive colleagues. Full training is provided, and we offer a positive, inclusive, and safe volunteering environment.

Your Time:

Our shop operates from 10:00 to 18:00, and we’re looking for someone who can volunteer for a minimum of 4 hours a day, either in the Morning or Afternoon at least once a week, by arrangement with the shop manager.

FARA is committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

If this sounds like the role for you, please “Apply” for an opportunity to join us.

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about physical activity and community wellbeing.

Project Resilience provides easily accessible opportunities for our hostel residents to take part in a variety of social and sporting activities to boost overall health and wellbeing.

You will play a key role in promoting healthy lifestyles by delivering fun, inclusive, and accessible physical activity sessions for people of all ages and abilities.

We would welcome qualified instructors from a range of activities such as:

·Boxercise

·Yoga

·Pilates

·Dance

·Football

·Basketball

·Circuit Classes

·Supported Gym workouts

However if you have another sport or activity that you would like to offer our residents, please get in touch!

This role offers a dynamic and rewarding opportunity to inspire and mentor vulnerable residents, contributing to their health and personal growth. Your commitment to excellence in coaching and resident engagement will not only enhance your professional skills but also make a significant impact on the community. 

You will :

·Plan and lead, safe, engaging fitness sessions for small groups of residents

·Adapt exercises to suit varying levels of mobility, ability, and health conditions.

·Monitor participants' safety and wellbeing during sessions.

·Encourage participation and build confidence through motivation and support.

·Log attendance and feedback as required.

·Work in line with safeguarding, health and safety, and risk assessment protocols.

Skills required:

·Recognised Fitness Qualification, Exercise Class Qualification or Sports Qualification, recognised in the UK 

What we will provide:

·Access to communal garden area and nearby fields for outdoor activities

·Access to a small internal gym (bench, weights, exercise equipment)

·You will be required to undertake mandatory e-learning and a menu of optional training will be made available

·Ongoing supervision and support from your line manager

·Travel expenses reimbursed (if applicable).

·Access to events, networking, and training and development opportunities.

Please note, you will be required to undergo a DBS check and we will need details of 2 x referees.

The purpose of the role is to design and facilitate gardening activities at our community allotment with refugees and people seeking asylum, alongside our other gardening volunteers.

The role includes:

• planning and facilitating seasonal gardening activities with small groups
• supporting participants to bring their own ideas, work independently or lead their own activities where appropriate, providing support and guidance as needed
• fostering a positive culture of support and community
• raising any safeguarding or support concerns with our People Support Team
• setting up/packing down around sessions, generally contributing to the smooth running of sessions
• maintaining tools
• contributing to overall running of the charity (attending monthly online meetings, taking on organisational tasks)
• maintaining participant confidentiality
• attending training sessions as needed

At the garden we run gardening, art and craft activities. Through these sessions we maintain our beautiful community garden, grow and harvest vegetable/fruit crops and create wildlife and social areas. We always try to make sure there are a range of activities to choose from to fit with a range of energy/ability levels. All new ideas for activities to do at the garden are welcome!

Our sessions are on Tuesday mornings and afternoons and Friday mornings

Gardening expertise is not necessary for this role, although it is always very welcome.

As this is an on site role we will consider applicant who are based in Greater Manchester,UK. 

Description

You'll be raising awareness, & improving understanding of sight loss through delivering RNIB’s Awareness to Action sessions in your local community. Through these engaging sessions, you'll inspire participants to make small changes to their behaviour that make a massive difference in the day-to-day lives of people with sight loss. As a Community Change Champion, this will involve:

• Talking directly with community leaders, businesses, & local groups about ways they can get involved & inviting them to join an Awareness to Action session.
• Delivering RNIB’s Awareness to Action sessions either in person or online, using our resources. You may do this on your own or with a team of other local volunteers, both sighted and with sight loss.
• Sharing RNIB’s information & initiatives so people know we’re here for them.
• If you have a personal link to sight loss, sharing your experience during the session to help give a tangible example of how local people can make a real difference.
• Telling us about any activities you have engaged in via a Microsoft form.

What will you gain from the role?
• First-hand experience in grassroots community engagement & charity outreach.
• The opportunity to develop communication & networking skills.
• Support to learn & or use presentation skills to deliver the Awareness to Action Session in person and virtually.
• If you have lived experience of sight loss, support to tell your story to make the most positive impact.
• Know that your efforts are improving the public’s understanding, perceptions & behaviour towards blind and partially sighted people.

We will provide:
• Induction to the role & organisation.
• Training and support to help you thrive in your role.
• A resource pack/toolkit to help deliver the message.
• Opportunities to connect with other RNIB volunteers across the UK.
• The chance to get involved in other activities that interest you & to apply for our internal-only job vacancies.
• Support from a volunteering manager.

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Action

Key requirements

• One reference 

• Additional location information

  • Home and local area.

We’re looking for an Assembly chair who is motivated by playing a leading role in maximising the potential of the whole CPRE community to strengthen its voice and activities for the benefit of the countryside.

The Assembly meets quarterly, usually mid-week, for about three hours. The meetings are held online. There’ll be preparation and liaising to undertake ahead of meetings, so we expect this role will require a time commitment of half a day a week, two to three days a month.

The chair of the Assembly is elected annually, can serve for a maximum of three years, and attends the trustee board meetings of the national CPRE charity

The Assembly meets quarterly, usually mid-week, for about three hours. The meetings are held online. There’ll be preparation and liaising to undertake ahead of meetings, so we expect this role will require a time commitment of half a day a week, two to three days a month.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) – VOLUNTEER

5–10 hours per week | Shoreditch, London | Start‑Up Youth Social Mobility Charity

About REMIX

REMIX is a start‑up, youth‑led social mobility charity transforming young lives across London. Based in Shoreditch, we empower young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to unlock their potential, build confidence, and develop essential life skills through nurturing mentorship, inspiring role models, and transformative opportunities.

We are in the exciting early stages of building something bold, vibrant, and community‑powered — and we’re looking for a passionate, entrepreneurial COO to help shape REMIX’s operational heartbeat from the ground up.

The Role

We are seeking a driven, organised, and people‑centred Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead REMIX’s operations and work closely with the CEO to guide the charity through its start‑up phase and beyond. This is a hands‑on, strategic, and highly collaborative role for someone who thrives in early‑stage environments and loves turning vision into reality.

As COO, you will help build the systems, processes, culture, and operational foundations that will allow REMIX to grow sustainably and deliver high‑impact programmes for young Londoners.

Time commitment: 5–10 hours per week, including:

• Bi‑monthly Board meetings

• Working groups and leadership sessions

• COO duties, operational planning, partnership building, and organisational development

Key Responsibilities

As COO, you will:

• Lead REMIX’s day‑to‑day operations, ensuring smooth, effective, and values‑driven delivery.

• Work closely with the CEO to develop and implement organisational strategy, systems, and processes.

• Build operational frameworks for programmes, safeguarding, volunteer management, and quality assurance.

• Support the development of policies, procedures, and internal structures as the charity grows.

• Oversee operational risk management and ensure compliance with charity regulations.

• Foster a positive, collaborative culture across volunteers, mentors, and Trustees.

• Drive innovation, problem‑solving, and continuous improvement across all areas of the charity.

• Represent REMIX with professionalism, warmth, and credibility when engaging with partners and stakeholders.

This role blends leadership, operations, people management, and strategic development — perfect for someone who enjoys variety, pace, and impact.

What We’re Looking For

You don’t need previous COO experience — we welcome people stepping into senior leadership for the first time. What matters most is your passion, your drive, and your ability to lead with purpose.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about social mobility, youth empowerment, and fairness.

• Entrepreneurial, proactive, and excited by building something new.

• A strong communicator with excellent people skills.

• Confident working collaboratively with the CEO, Trustees, volunteers, and partners.

• Equally comfortable working independently and taking initiative.

• Organised, reliable, and able to create structure in a start‑up environment.

• Compassionate, emotionally intelligent, and community‑minded.

Experience in operations, programme delivery, charity management, safeguarding, or organisational development is beneficial — but not essential if you bring strong leadership potential and a willingness to learn.

Why Join REMIX?

• Play a central role in shaping the operational foundations of a start‑up charity with huge potential.

• Help build a movement that champions equity, compassion, and opportunity.

• Influence culture, systems, and long‑term sustainability from day one.

• Work with passionate Trustees and volunteers who care deeply about young people.

• Gain senior leadership experience in operations, strategy, and organisational development.

• Make a meaningful, lasting impact on the lives of young Londoners.

This is your chance to build the engine of a movement.

CLOSING DATE: Monday 30th March 2026, before 6pm

REMIX

To empower. To inspire. To transform.

Roots Academy’s Vision.

A generation of young Muslims who embody and promote a God-centred way of life.

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 Mission is to deliver a structured and transformative education in the Essentials of Islam in a way that lowers barriers to access, develops a deep certainty, and inspires action.

Why Does Roots Academy Exist?

Crisis of Faith: 1 in 4 young Muslims are leaving the religion due to various factors, primarily the pervasive anti-religious content and temptations they encounter online and offline.

Roots Academy exists to bridge this gap by providing a structured and transformative Islamic education that speaks directly to the needs and challenges of young Muslims today, delivered in an engaging and accessible form that removes barriers to access and provokes thought and action.

Role Summary

The Events Team Lead will perform a team leadership role related to all Roots Academy Events. This entails both event management - overseeing, planning, and running successful events, and team management - such as working with the Onsite Programme Lead to plan and achieve yearly strategic Event objectives and Event team management. The role will involve cross-functional cooperation with other Roots teams including the Finance and Marketing teams.

Key tasks

• People management for the Event team and volunteers
• Strategic planning of a yearly calendar of Roots Events
• Event logistics - planning, budgeting, running events

What we’re looking for

• Experience with events management and running events
• Experience with working with vendors and providers of events logistics e.g. caterers, venues, activity providers
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience navigating an asynchronous online working environment
• As a team leader role, there are steeper accountabilities in the areas of Ihsan, Ownership, Responsiveness, and seeing beyond the immediate role and where one can add extra value in Roots

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 40+ dedicated volunteers from across the country.
• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform.
• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.
• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen.

* Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position. Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy.

Become a Cadet Unit Leader – Inspire. Support. Lead.
Opportunity in Basingstoke: Volunteer Police Cadet Unit Leader

Are you looking for a role where you can make a real and lasting difference to young people in your community? We are currently recruiting Volunteer Police Cadet Unit Leaders for our Basingstoke unit.

This is a unique opportunity to guide and inspire young people while developing your own leadership, communication and organisational skills.

Why Become a Unit Leader?

As a Unit Leader, you will play a vital part in supporting young people during some of the most important years of their development.

You will help cadets to:
• Build confidence and resilience
• Develop transferable life skills
• Feel supported by consistent, positive adult role models
• Understand and contribute to their community
• Explore future opportunities, including potential careers in policing

The role also makes a meaningful contribution to community safety by supporting engagement events, crime‑prevention activities and early‑intervention opportunities.

What the Role Involves

You will be responsible for:
• Planning and coordinating weekly cadet sessions
• Delivering an engaging, inclusive curriculum
• Organising and supporting community safety and engagement events
• Acting as the main point of contact for parents and guardians
• Promoting the cadet unit within the local area
• Managing records, budgets, and risk assessments
• Ensuring the welfare, safety, and development of all cadets and volunteers

This is a varied and rewarding role where you can genuinely shape the experiences of young people and fellow volunteers.

Who We Are Looking For

We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, prior cadet or youth‑work experience is not required. What matters most is your ability to:
• Communicate effectively
• Motivate and support young people
• Demonstrate patience, empathy, and commitment
• Uphold the constabulary’s values of respect, empathy, courage, and public service

Training and Support

All volunteers receive:
• Safeguarding training
• A full induction
• Ongoing CPD and skills development (e.g., first aid, conflict management)
• Support from the wider Cadet Team and fellow leaders

Help us support young people as they grow, learn, and contribute to their communities.

Could you help to raise vital funds for SSAFA in your local area? You don’t need a military background, just the ability to get on with all kinds of people, some basic I.T skills and good written and spoken English. If you already have some fundraising experience that would be great too but it’s not essential.

What is a Fundraising Coordinator?

As Fundraising Coordinator, you would work with your local SSAFA branch to develop a Fundraising Plan. You would be central to delivering this local plan to raise funds through a range of local sources including grants, trusts, appeals, collections, and events.

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. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

SSAFA branches rely on a regular charitable income to fund all the necessities behind our support for clients. This includes volunteer travel expenses, phone bills, publicity, and grants for clients in urgent needs. A varied programme of fundraising also keeps the SSAFA profile high in the local community. We’d love to hear from you if you could help by coordinating this vital aspect of your local SSAFA branch.

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

As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but many volunteers are based at home. You would also be out and about at events and meetings. This role would suit someone looking to give a regular time commitment to SSAFA although when and where would be flexible to suit you.

What would you be doing?

• Developing an ethical fundraising plan based on the needs of the branch and choosing a mix of sources.
• Working with the branch secretary and Regional Fundraising Manager, recruit a team of fundraising volunteers to support events, appeals and collections.
• Working with the Regional Fundraising Manager, support national fundraising campaigns.
• Working with the Branch Publicity Officer, develop opportunities to combine awareness and fundraising.
• Planning and running local appeals, collections, and events
• Identifying and submitting applications to appropriate trusts and grant funding organisations
• Working with Marketing staff at central office check that all fundraising materials meet SSAFA branding style and current key messages.
• Liaise with Regional Fundraising Manager when pursuing opportunities beyond local sources e.g., corporates.
• Evaluate fundraising activities and provide reports and information for the branch.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA including all sections of the community in awareness raising
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA including observing our policies such as the Volunteering policy and data protection policy (these will be covered in your training and local induction.)

The remit of this role may change over the next 12-18 months depending on the outcome of a trial currently being undertaken.

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Give tangible and practical support to your local branch by raising funds used directly to support clients.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• 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?

• 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.
• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role - Fundraising workshops. 
• Access to a range of e-learning courses, fundraising guidance, and marketing materials
• Fundraising Manager (per region)
• Fundraising and Marketing teams based at our central office.
• 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 with good communication skills including written and spoken English.
• Confident to deal with the public, potential clients, volunteers, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues – face-to-face, by phone, email or via social media.
• Experience of running events and or submitting funding applications would be welcome but not essential.
• Ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address.
• Ability to make enquires about fundraising opportunities by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms
• Reliable attitude, keep appointments, update the branch regarding your availability.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and keep information safely.
• Access to public transport or a car to get to meetings and events.

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

Gift of Friendship Programme Volunteer Befriender  

Background

Age UK Croydon has received a generous donation from The Julia Rausing Trust as part of its wider partnership with Age UK, the national charity, to help fund its crucial friendship services that support older people in the local area.

This ‘Gift of Friendship’ from the Trust aims to help older people experiencing loneliness and isolation. Loneliness often stems from factors like bereavement, living alone and declining health. Loss of mobility or senses can leave many older people feeling disconnected, while financial worries can increase existing feelings of isolation. This can have serious consequences, undermining resilience and increasing risk of physical and mental illness.

Volunteers Befrienders are offering support and company to people who may need that extra confidence to attend a local activity in Croydon. You could accompany someone to a local lunch group or activity or even just going with them to a park for a nice walk. They build relationships in the process, which enable meaningful conversations and help to identify support needs and other services and activities that will help maintain their clients’ mental health. A key aim of the role is to support people with achieving their goals to live a happier life, accompany them, and build their confidence back to get out into the community and feel more independent.

Commitment 

Minimum of 6 months from start of the GoF Befriending match, includes:

· 30-minute informal interview.

· Willing to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

· 1-hour core induction.

· Mandatory training sessions.

· Up to 1-2 hours a week engagement with your befriendee

· Weekly accurate records of interactions with your befriendee

· Regular check-in calls with Befriending Coordinator

Purpose of Role

Staff will assess the client and you will be given their profile and a support plan. Core tasks will include:

· Weekly companionship contact in person.

· Encouraging and accompanying to visits to other social events and activities in the local area e.g., a walk, GP, an IT class.

· Spotting additional needs and identifying services and activities to address these.

· Submitting a weekly report on the contact to include contact type, signposting and any concerns.

Support Provided 

• Full remote training and induction provided.
• We will complete the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application with you.
• Supervision and direct contact with the Befriending

Co-ordinator/Manager.

· Join and participate in peer support groups and meet other volunteers to share experiences and good practice.

Skills and attributes Required

· Good communication with a friendly approachable manner

· Solution focused.

· Comfortable working alone.

· Good record keeping.

· Good listening skills

· Reliable and committed to do at least 1 visit a week for the committed period.

· Applicants must be over the age of 18.

· Basic IT skills may be required depending on client’s needs.

Benefits

· Learn new skills.

· Enhance career prospects.

· Meet people.

· Make a difference.

· Gain confidence

· Travel expenses and hot drinks reimbursed

· Social and celebration events

· Exclusive invites to join and support community projects

If you share the belief in the transformative power of education, bring your experience and knowledge of post-16 education to help Derwentside College realise its vision of creating positive futures for its learners, community and region.

Applications close: 9 a.m. Monday 2nd March 2026

Location: Consett, County Durham

About Derwentside College

Derwentside College is not your traditional FE college.

Located in a semi-rural location, high on the edge of the Pennines, the College is based on a single site in the heart of the town of Consett. We offer a diverse range of provision to young people and adults from across the local, predominantly rural, community. We currently deliver education and training to around 4,000 learners across over 200 courses, supported by around 170 staff.

Whilst we deliver a broad range of 16-18 classroom-based provision, including construction, engineering, hairdressing, beauty therapy, catering, health and social care and digital technology, along with maths and English, the majority of our students, 55%, gain their education through apprenticeships. Our differing mode of delivery is one of the things that sets us apart from other colleges across the northeast of England. Indeed, through this, we deliver more apprenticeships than other local colleges.

Graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2022, and with a refreshed strategic plan that will take us to 2031, we have a firm base from which to progress with our ambitions for growth, development and excellence.

About the role

Our board is led by our Chair, David Allsop, who has worked tirelessly with our Principal & CEO, Chris Todd, and other colleagues across our leadership team and board to refocus our direction and culture and to grow our aspirations as a college.

Part of this process has seen David and Chris work together to build a renewed sense of collegiality across our board. We have appointed several new and experienced members, successful experts in their respective fields who are already offering a new level of challenge, scrutiny and support. This is resulting in driving a more inclusive culture of successful governance.

Given the depth of our ambitions and considering our future strategic priorities, we are now seeking to recruit a further governor to our board.

Who we are looking for

To achieve our organisational aims, our board must continue to consist of experts and experienced professionals who can provide the appropriate levels of challenge and questioning to enable us to grow, develop and improve.

Following recent successful governor recruitment and further consideration of the expertise we need across our board, we have identified that it would be helpful to us to deepen the education expertise within our membership.

We will welcome applications from candidates with:

• Expertise in the areas of FE quality improvement and assurance
• Experience as a senior leader of FE curriculum and more broadly, FE institutions
• Experience and knowledge of inspection and compliance requirements relating to the FE sector
• Extensive experience as a strategic leader within the post-16 sector
• Experience of the development of study programme for young people and/or adult learning

We seek candidates who can bring their professional expertise to scrutinise our practice and offer insights on how we can be more innovative in this area of our delivery.

Peridot Partners and Derwentside College are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.

Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Monday 2nd March 2026