8 Campaigns and public affairs officer volunteer roles

Women at The Well is a London-based women's organisation working with women facing disadvantages. We have special expertise in supporting those affected by sexual exploitation. We are a friendly and driven team, and we're looking for new trustees who share our values and want to help guide our work, with an extra call out for a Treasurer if you have some finance skills. Please get in touch if you'd like to know more, we really welcome enquiries. 

The RSAA is seeking up to four new trustees to join its board at the most exciting moment in the Society’s recent history. In our 125th anniversary year, we are renewing our mission:  promoting Asian Studies and deeper public understanding of Asia, and we are looking for exceptional people to help us deliver it.

About the Society

Founded in 1901, the RSAA is an independent, international network for informed debate about Asia, engaging experts, policy makers and the wider public with experience, analysis and scholarship. Our geographical remit runs from the eastern Mediterranean to the Pacific. We publish the quarterly journal Asian Affairs (in print continuously since 1914), the Asian Review of Books and the magazine Caravanserai.  We run a programme of public lectures and events in London and online, are digitising our historic archive, and support younger scholars through our awards and recently created mentoring scheme. The Society is wholly independent: it accepts no state funding and takes no institutional positions on issues of public policy. It is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (no. 1179300).

A new chapter

The board has set an ambitious direction for the Society’s next quarter-century: building the RSAA into a leading force for the study and understanding of Asia in the UK. Plans include a permanently endowed programme of research and travel awards, strengthened publications, and expanded collaboration with leading institutions in Asia and the United States. To underwrite this, the Society is preparing a major philanthropic fundraising programme. Alongside it, the board and executive will together shape a new five-year business plan to take effect from 2028.

Who we are looking for

We wish to strengthen the board with senior figures who share our commitment to Asia and can bring some of the following:

· Fundraising leadership. Substantial experience of philanthropic fundraising: major gifts, trusts and foundations, or corporate giving,  and the appetite to play an active part in a significant campaign alongside the President, Chairman and CEO.

· Networks and standing. Strong personal connections in philanthropic, business, academic, diplomatic or cultural circles in the UK, in Asia or in the United States, and the credibility to open doors at the most senior level.

· Commitment to the field. A demonstrable commitment to Asian Studies, whether from an academic, publishing, cultural, business or public-service background, and enthusiasm for deepening understanding of Asia.

· Strategic planning. Experience of setting strategy and building organisations, to help the executive draft and deliver the Society’s next five-year business plan.

We would also particularly welcome candidates offering skills in charity finance and accountancy, charity law and governance.

What is involved

The board meets quarterly online, with additional work through sub-committees and involvement in fundraising activity and events.  Trustees are appointed for a term of three years, renewable once. The role is unremunerated; reasonable expenses are paid.

 Diversity

The RSAA seeks to reflect, in the diversity of its board, the breadth of the communities, regions and disciplines with which the Society engages. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, and particularly from people of Asian heritage.

How to apply

Please submit a CV and a short covering letter, explaining what you would bring to the board by Friday 30 October 2026. Candidates are warmly invited to have an informal, confidential conversation with the Chairman or the CEO before applying.  To arrange one, please get in touch through the contact page on our website.  Interviews for shortlisted applicants will be held in November.

Join us as a Trustee and contribute to our campaigning journey to help make the food system healthier and fairer. Be part of the creative, agile and growing team behind Bite Back’s exceptional teenage activists from England and Scotland. Work with a vibrant, dynamic and youth-led organisation that is committed to advancing child rights and creating healthy futures for children across the UK and abroad by improving our global, national, and local food systems.

Trustee Role & Responsibilities

As a Trustee, you will share collective statutory responsibility duties for the governance and strategic direction of Bite Back:

● Strategic Oversight: Ensure Bite Back pursues its charitable objectives by approving and monitoring our long-term strategy and organisational goals

● Compliance & Governance: Ensure that compliance with governing documents, charity law, company law, safeguarding standards, and all relevant statutory regulations in England & Wales, and Scotland.

● Financial Stewardship: Protect and manage the charity’s assets, ensuring financial stability, proper investment, and exclusive application of funds toward our charitable mission.

● Risk & Performance Management: Evaluate performance against agreed strategy, monitor organisational risks, and ensure proper internal controls and policies are in place.

● CEO Support & Governance: Provide support, constructive challenge, and oversight to the Chief Executive Officer.

In addition to statutory duties, Trustees act as critical friends and champions for Bite Back. You will draw on your professional skills, networks, and lived experience to advise the Board and Senior Leadership Team, scrutinise board papers, and support key strategic initiatives.

Person specification

Following a recent governance review and skills audit, we are seeking up to three new Trustees to join our Board during an exciting phase of expansion across the UK. Candidates should bring deep expertise in at least one of the following core priority areas:

1. Scottish Youth Charity & Governance Expertise: Senior leadership experience from across Scotland’s charity sector (ideally, but not necessarily, within the children and young people’s sector), with strong professional networks across Scottish government, civil society, and funders to help guide our growing footprint and programmes as a registered Scottish charity (SC055240). In addition to strong Scottish safeguarding and child protection experience, and Scottish charity governance knowledge.

2. Youth Voice / Education Charity Leadership Expertise: Senior leadership experience within the youth sector (youth voice / development / advocacy) or education sector working with young people, or experience scaling high impact social ventures that improve lives of young people, or movement building, or philanthropic and donor networks to support income generation, organisational growth, and governance trajectory. In addition to strong child safeguarding experience.

3. Political Strategy & Campaign Expertise: Expertise in building high-impact strategic campaigns to influence policy, with strong PR/media/political professional networks to support Bite Back’s young campaigners’ efforts to hold Big Food accountable via fresh, innovative, and digital-forward ways.

Core Qualities Required for All Trustees

● A deep commitment to Bite Back’s mission, values, and youth-led ethos, alongside the strategic vision to help steer a dynamic, growing national movement

● Good, independent judgement and thinking, and the willingness to speak your mind candidly while constructively challenging executive leadership

● A clear understanding and acceptance of the statutory duties, responsibilities, and legal liabilities of trusteeship under charity and company law

● An ability to think creatively, embrace fresh perspectives, and navigate complex policy public health, and campaigning landscapes

● An ability to work effectively as an active member of a team, building strong, supportive relationships with fellow Trustees, Youth Activists, and executive leadership

● An openness to leveraging personal and professional networks to support elevating the voices of Bite Back’s young people and their campaigns.

● A genuine willingness to devote the necessary time, energy, and effort to prepare for board meetings, advise on sub-committees, and champion the organisation externally

● A steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging alongside full alignment with Nolan’s Seven Principles of Public Life (Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership)

Time Commitment & Location

● Board meetings: 4 meetings per year (held virtually or in London, with hybrid access)

● Sub-Committees: Participation in one Board sub-committee where relevant

● Ad-Hoc Support: Occasional strategic guidance, reading time, and attendance at key Bite Back events or youth showcases

Our Organisation & Governance

Bite Back is a registered charity in England & Wales (1180969) and Scotland (SC055240). Bite Back is led by young people - not consulted as an afterthought, but led. Over 70+ core youth activists who sit on our Youth Board directly shape our strategy, campaigns, and communications, supported by thousands of young people engaged across our UK networks.

Our staff team of about 30 people works in partnership with our Youth Board, using their professional networks and expertise to create platforms for young leaders to drive systemic change.

Bite Back is overseen by a dedicated Board of Trustees, led by Chair Dr. Dolly van Tulleken.

The Board is responsible for ensuring the charity fulfills its mission, remains strictly youth-led, and maintains robust financial and operational governance. Our Board currently includes experienced professionals across health, education, finance, campaigns, and youth engagement, alongside Youth Trustees who bring essential lived experience to our governance. Our Board has a Finance Sub-Committee to support specifically with the long-term financial sustainability of the charity.

Everything we do is guided by the core values developed by our Youth Board: Fresh, Resilient, Energetic, Real, and Respectful.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI-B)

As part of our commitment to making meaningful progress towards a movement where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered, Bite Back’s DEIB vision statement has been co-developed by Bite Back’s young people, staff and trustees:

A fair food system means our working culture and values - Real, Respectful, Resilient, Fresh and Energetic - reflects this vision. We support our staf , ambassadors and trustees to live Bite Back’s values in their work.

At Bite Back, DEIB means that our people are able to join and navigate the workplace, trusting they’ll be supported to thrive, and that we’ll respond with compassion and make change when things fall short. We recognise the systems of oppression which keep marginalised groups from power, and seek to proactively build equity. We are intentional about representation. We actively recruit under-represented voices, ensuring our staf team and youth board are representative of a wide variety of lived experiences.

We push to improve outcomes for those kept furthest from power, celebrate differences and ensure accessibility is built in, not added on. Our aspiration and intention is that Bite Back is an organisation that recognises, shares and acts on its power and responsibility to young people, employees, community and wider society, driving equity and inclusion in every space, and in every decision.

You can read more about how we approach DEI-B on our website.

We are intentional about representation and equity:

● Youth-Led Representation: We ensure our core movement including over 70+ Youth Activists and thousands of young campaigners across England and Scotland reflects the rich diversity of young people most impacted by food insecurity and junk food marketing.

● Proactive Inclusion: We actively recruit under-represented voices to our staff team and Board of Trustees, celebrating difference and embedding accessibility into everything we do by design.

● Continuous Improvement: We continually review and embed inclusive practices across our recruitment, organisational culture, campaign priorities, and board governance.

***Please note: this is not an internship***

Role Purpose:

Trustees provide strategic leadership, ensuring that St. George's Crypt fulfils its charitable objectives, makes a postive impact in the Leeds community, and remains financially sustainable. Trustees act collectively to safeguard the charity's values, reputation, and long-term effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities:

Governance & Strategic Leadership

• set and review the charity's strategic direction in alignment with its mission to support homeless and vulnerable individuals in Leeds
• ensure that all activiites deliver public benefit and comply with charity law, the governing document, and regulatory expectations
• monitor risks and ensure that robust governance structures are in place
• support and review the work of the Head of Finance and finance team
• oversee the external audit process, from appointment of auditors to implementation of any recommendations

Financial Oversight:

• oversee financial performance, ensuring funds are used responsibly and transparently in line with donor expectations and regulatory requirements
• review budgets, annual accounts, and financial policies, ensuring sustainability of services such as emergency shelter, addiction recovery programmes and meal supervision
• ensure effective oversight of the Crypt's financial affairs and its financial viability

Support for Senior Leadership

• provide guidance and constructive challenge to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team
• ensure leadership decisions reflect the charity's values and strategic propositions

Advocacy & Representation

• act as an ambassador for St. George's Crypt within Leeds and beyond, promoting awareness of its services and impact
• represent the charity's values of compassion, dignity and hope 

Compliance & Accountability

• ensure the charity meets all legal and regulatory obligations, including those set by the Charity Commission
• uphold confidentiality, ethics, and good governance practice at all times
• ensure the Crypt fulfils its mission and values, taking advantage of new opportunities and navigating challenges and managing risks appropriately
• ensure the Crypt has sound financial policies, controls and governance in place, and complies with these

Monitoring Impact

• evaluate the effectiveness of programmes such as residential support, training opportunities, and health and wellbeing initiatives
• ensure all services remain responsive to the needs of homeless and vulnerable people in Leeds
• give clear strategic direction, setting overall policy and goals, and monitoring progress and impact
• understand the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) and provide guidance on accounting and financial reporting for the charity

How to apply

To make an application, please:

• download our Finance Trustee application pack 
• complete application form
• send CV 
• contact Martin Barry 

Recruitment timeline

Closing date: Monday 28 September2026

Shortlisting & Interviews: October 2026

Role overview

Trustee — Policy, Advocacy & EDI

About us: Could you help us get millions of separated children Back to Family?

Orphanages don’t protect children, they harm them. Put simply: the last thing an orphanage can provide is the first thing a child needs - someone to love them. 

Right now, 5.4 million children around the world are locked away in orphanages — even though over 80% of them are not orphans. Orphanages expose children to abuse and trafficking, and physical and psychological trauma that can last a lifetime. A century of evidence shows that the bond between a child and their family is what every child needs to grow, thrive and be safe. 

The role

As our Policy, Advocacy & EDI Trustee, you will help shape and strengthen HHC's influence on the global stage, bringing senior expertise to bear on the policy and financing decisions that determine the pace of care reform worldwide. Working closely with our Chair, CEO and senior advocacy and programmes colleagues, you will contribute to our ambitious 2030 goal by:

• Advocacy strategy — providing strategic guidance and constructive challenge to strengthen HHC's global advocacy approach, helping sharpen our positioning, messaging and campaign strategy on care reform. 
• Policy and financing influence — advising the Board and Executive on opportunities to influence the decisions of governments, regional bodies and multilateral institutions, and supporting efforts to shift public and donor financing away from orphanages and towards family-based care. 
• EDI leadership — championing equity, diversity and inclusion across Board governance, organisational culture, safeguarding, and HHC's external voice, including how we portray the children, families and communities we support. 
• Stakeholder relationships — using your personal networks and credibility to open doors with policymakers, multilateral bodies, coalition partners and international fora relevant to care reform.

Who we are looking for

You will bring senior-level experience in public policy, government relations or international advocacy, ideally connected to child protection, social welfare or human rights, and a demonstrable track record of influencing policy or financing decisions at national, regional or international level. Beyond that, we are looking for someone who brings:

• A strong, practical understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion principles and how to apply them to governance and organisational culture
• An active network among policymakers, multilateral institutions, donors or the wider international child rights community
• Experience working across cultures and in international contexts, including in lower income countries and fragile and conflict-affected states
• The ability to translate specialist expertise into clear, practical guidance the Board and Executive can act on

Above all, you will share our belief that every child deserves to grow up in the love and safety of a family, and our commitment to driving that change with courage, integrity, excellence and being deeply human. 

What we offer

This is a voluntary, unremunerated role. In return you will:

• Engage with our work across nine countries 
• Contribute to systemic change at global scale, helping to shape the future for separated children worldwide
• Be part of an organisation approaching its 2030 goal — a worldwide consensus that orphanages have no place in any child's life

Time commitment

The role requires approximately 12–18 days per year, comprising:

• Four Board meetings per year (in person, London or virtual)
• Five subcommittee meetings per year (virtual), as a key member of our Programmes, Advocacy, Research and Accountability Committee (PARAC)
• An annual two-day awayday, which may take place in one of our countries of operation
• Additional time for preparation, ad hoc queries and induction in your first year

The initial term of office is three years, with the possibility of two further three-year terms by mutual agreement.

Closing Date: The final cut off for applications is 17.00 UK time on Thursday 8 October 2026 so please get in touch if you have the right skills, experience and passion for our cause.

To apply, please upload your CV and a brief covering letter indicating why you are interested in joining the Hope and Homes for Children Board and how your experience, skills and values map to the requirements of this role.

Diversity

Hope and Homes for Children actively encourages equity, diversity and inclusion, and we look to recruit a diverse range of people to reflect the communities in which we live. We are keen to see a diverse membership of both the trustee body and committees as we believe diversity brings us closer to our mission of eliminating orphanages.

Thank you for considering this role. Every child deserves to grow up in the love and safety of a family

Contract type

Volunteer

Hours

12 - 18 days per annum

Salary

Voluntary (expenses paid)

Summary

The Sussex Area of the Ramblers has two Countryside Officers, one for East Sussex and one for West Sussex. The main activity in the role is to act on behalf of members where a planning development is likely to have an adverse impact on the walking environment in the Sussex countryside.

Description

The Ramblers, the Sussex Area of which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, is the only charity dedicated to removing barriers so everyone can enjoy walking in green spaces, and to improving Britain’s most popular and least-known walking places. We’re committed to campaigning to keep our footpaths open to all and to fighting for the things that matter most to walkers. We lead the way, and the walks, for a vibrant community united by the joys of walking, helping everyone get more out of their walks. 

The role of East Sussex Area Countryside Officer involves reviewing planning applications published by Local Authorities and creating and submitting objections on behalf of Sussex Ramblers if an application is likely to have an adverse impact on the Sussex countryside and the places where people walk. Objections may be expressed in writing through a response to the planning process, but could also involve site visits and on occasion attendance at public hearings or meetings with representatives of Local Authorities or with other stakeholders such as Parish Councils and environmental and wildlife organisations.

The role holder will work closely with other Ramblers volunteers such as the East Sussex Area Footpath Officer, the West Sussex Area Countryside Officer and Local Footpath Wardens in East Sussex and where necessary will seek advice and guidance from Ramblers' Central Office. Other main contacts include the Local Authorities, Parish/Town Councils, the South Downs National Park Authority and the East Sussex Local Access Forum. The role holder will be a member of the Area leadership team (Area Council). You will need to be a member of the Ramblers and to live in or close to East Sussex.

What Impact will you have?

The Ramblers help everyone, everywhere, enjoy walking and protects the places we all love to walk. By volunteering as an Area Countryside Officer you will be playing a vital role in making sure we can achieve this by holding Local Authorities to account for planning decisions, and helping to ensure that our countryside and the places people walk, essential to health and wellbeing, are safeguarded.

Skills and Experience Required

You should have a passion for walking and for the preservation and protection of the natural beauty of the countryside and the special qualities of urban space, and a good knowledge of the county. Experience and knowledge of the Local Authorities' planning process is not essential but would be an advantage. The role is suitable for someone who is highly reliable, organised, capable of taking initiative and with an ability to articulate strategic issues clearly in written and spoken form. A desire and ability to work in a team environment is essential. You will also need to be comfortable using a computer and the internet, and managing information.

The National Forest is about so much more than trees; it is pioneering new ways of working to transform landscapes, lives and livelihoods.

The last three decades have seen the National Forest Company drive forward delivery of the National Forest, taking it from a leap of faith to the success story we see today: a restored forest landscape; an emerging visitor destination; and communities that are connecting with nature. With a new Vision to 2050 now in place, highly experienced and dedicated Trustees, and a small but exceptionally committed staff team, the NFC is well placed to meet the challenges ahead.

They are now seeking to appoint a new Trustee to bring enthusiasm, ideas and expertise to support the organisation to take forward its communities and enterprise work.

This role is unremunerated, with travel, training and other expenses paid 
Time commitment: Approximately 1 day per month
Remote/ hybrid, with quarterly Trustee meetings and ad hoc meetings in person
In person board meetings are on Fridays
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire

The successful candidate will have the right experience and outlook to steer work on communities and enterprise, including strategy and policy, major projects and evidence.

This role would suit a professional with expertise in one or all of the following:

• Community engagement
• Education
• Health & wellbeing
• Sustainable tourism

The role provides an exciting opportunity for an executive looking to develop further, an experienced non-executive director, or an individual pursuing a portfolio career. They will be a strategic thinker, have an understanding of governance and trustee responsibilities and an awareness of charity culture.

This is an opportunity to work with a highly professional organisation that is achieving extraordinary results through its passionate staff, Trustees, ambassadors, and supporters locally, regionally and nationally.

As a Trustee, this is an opportunity to enjoy a diverse and interesting programme, a stimulating environment, and a voice on the national stage.

For more information on the role, including how to apply, please view the full Appointment Brief

Recruitment timetable:

• Deadline for applications: 30 September 2026 (midnight)
• Informal discussions with the NFC: w/c 5 October 2026
• Panel interview, including a visit to the National Forest and informal meetings in person: Wednesday 21 October 2026

If you have any queries about the opportunity or for an informal conversation, please contact Louise Driver, Director of Operations, via email (see job pack for details).

The National Forest Company relies on the experience and commitment of people of all ages and backgrounds. It operates as an inclusive organisation and welcomes applications from all.