Chair and members of the board of trustees volunteer roles

Volunteer Academic Member of the Research Governance Committee

Shooting Star Children's Hospice

Remote

Unpaid role, expenses paid

Voluntary

Actively Interviewing

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Job description

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is seeking an experienced and dedicated academic with a strong interest in paediatric palliative care, or related field to join our Research Governance Committee as a Volunteer Academic Member. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the strategic development of research at a research active children’s hospice, to ensure that our research activities meet the highest standards of integrity, ethics and governance.

You will work with the Committee Chair, the Research Fellow, and other committee members to support research that makes a meaningful difference to children with life-limiting conditions and their families as well as bereaved families, including those where a child died unexpectedly.

Appointment to the Committee will be subject to confirmation by the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices Trustee Board.

Duties and key responsibilities

· Participate in quarterly meetings: Attend and contribute to online committee meetings held four times per year (papers and slide deck will be prepared by the Chair).

· Review research proposals: Provide expert review of project proposals, contributing to the assurance of ethical and governance standards.

· Support research oversight: Help ensure that all research complies with regulatory and ethical requirements and reflects best practices.

· Contribute academic expertise: Share your knowledge and experience to strengthen the quality and impact of the charity’s research portfolio.

· Promote collaboration: Encourage partnerships between Shooting Star Children’s Hospices and wider academic, clinical, and research communities.

· Champion good governance: Actively promote equity, transparency, and excellence in research oversight.

Essential skills and experience

· Proven experience in academic research, research governance, and research ethics.

· Strong academic background in higher education, and health or social care research.

· In-depth understanding of research compliance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, HRA, UKRIO, Caldicott Guidelines, or equivalent).

· Ability to evaluate research proposals and provide constructive feedback.

· Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

· Confidence using virtual meeting platforms and digital collaboration tools.

Desirable attributes

• Academic research background with a track record of publications in the area of paediatric palliative care or related field.

• Previous experience serving on or chairing a research committee or governance board.

• Commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in research.

Commitment

• Quarterly committee meetings (Approximately 1 hour per meeting).

• Reviewing project proposals (Approximately 1 hour per month).

• Email communication and ad hoc queries (Approximately 1 hour per month).

• 2–3 years in the role would be appreciated for both parties to gain the most out of this experience.

• This is a voluntary role. Reasonable expenses related to attendance and participation will be reimbursed.

Organisation

Shooting Star Children's Hospice View profile

Registered Charity

101 - 500

We believe every life-limited or dying child and their family should have the opportunity to make every moment count and get the support they need.

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Posted on: 27 February 2026

Closing date: 27 May 2026 at 12:30

Tags: Health / Medical, Research

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.

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Trustee with experience of the Criminal Justice System

Step Together Volunteering

Remote

Unpaid role, expenses paid

Voluntary

Actively Interviewing

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Job description

We're looking for a trustee with experience or knowledge of working within the criminal justice system. This is an important area of our work that isn't currently represented on our board.

Step Together Volunteering is a small but mighty charity. Through our unique, person-centred approach we support people to build the confidence and skills they need to look towards a positive future.

We work with young people, people in contact with the justice system, and the Armed Forces community, through 1-1 support, coaching and volunteering placements in the community. Our support doesn't have a time limit, we work with our clients until they have the confidence and skills they need to look forward to a more positive future.

We work nationally, our Head Office is Bristol, and our frontline staff are home-based in the regions they cover.

As a trustee, alongside your fellow board members you'll be responsible for the strategic leadership and administration of Step Together, and we're keen for you to contribute your perspectives and experiences to discussion. Alongside this, we'd specifically like you to:

Provide expertise relating to the criminal justice system, and support to the rest of the Board and senior staff to ensure the charity operates a best practice model.
Help identify opportunities for the charity to expand its work and impact within the criminal justice sector, including those funded by statutory and voluntary funders.
Remain abreast of key developments within the criminal justice sector, ensuring these are brought to the attention of the rest of the Board and senior staff.
Leverage support for the charity’s work (financial or otherwise) from your own networks and contacts where possible.
Advise on implications of any current or planned projects within the criminal justice sector to aid good decision-making at board level.

What are we looking for?

Your experience will ideally have been gained through professional work in the Criminal Justice Sector. This could be through employment within the Prisons or Probation Service, other Ministry of Justice role, Youth Justice teams, Police, or with another charity or agency working in the sector.

Good networks within the justice system in the southwest would be advantageous. You will be knowledgeable about the criminal justice sector, the role the voluntary sector plays, and the challenges faced by the different organisations working in the sector.

Ability to work at a strategic level is essential.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about the work that we do, and someone who is happy to advocate for and represent the charity to key stakeholders to help further our work and impact.

What difference will you make?

Your knowledge and experience of the criminal justice system will help shape our strategic direction and decision-making in this important area of our work.

More broadly, as a trustee, you'll play an important role in ensuring Step Together is sustainable, well run and has a clear, strategic direction so that it continues it's brilliant work, supporting people who are otherwise left behind.

Commitments

We have two in person meetings per year (one in London, one in Bristol) and two online, plus an 'away day' in the autumn. We're ideally looking for trustees who based in Bristol or the surrounding areas.

Our board meetings and away day are fixed but there may be times we need to get in touch on an ad-hoc basis, or ask you to be involved in task-focussed committees.

Before you apply

Please get in touch if you've any questions, or to find out more, and we'll arrange a time for you to have a chat with the CEO or Chair.

If you'd like to apply, please get in touch - we'd love to hear from you! It would be helpful to hear a bit about you, what you'd like to bring to the board, and why you're interested in Step Together Volunteering.

Organisation