Childhood volunteer roles

Do you love the outdoors and hands on exploring? We are looking for the 'practical hands' to help our families reclaim their childhood. Help children build dens, discover wildlife and reconnect with nature in joyful, confidence boosting outdoor sessions! You will be helping us to create a safe space for joy to return! This role is great for anyone who thrives outdoors and wants to bring mini adventures to life. This role will take place every other Friday.

We are seeking a diverse, proactive team of volunteers to support a 6-week summer programme (July 20 – Aug 28) across three refuge houses. Our mission is to rebuild parent-child bonds and bring joy back into childhood for families recovering from domestic abuse. You will be volunteering alongside the Children Family workers throughout the summer, and will be invited to join an end of summer party.

The Organisation

Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity supporting low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people.

We help thousands of families every year with essential grants, services and practical support. But we do much more than that. We champion families’ voices, challenge inequality and help shape the conversation on disability, childhood illness and disadvantage. 

The Roles

The need for our support has never been greater. Maintaining and growing that support requires us to find ever more creative and innovative ways to increase funding, communicate our work, and strengthen our brand profile so that we can continue to reach the families who need us most. Alongside this, we must ensure we are working efficiently so that every £1 of funding goes further for the benefit of those we support.

Trustees play an active role in governing the charity and are responsible for setting the vision and strategic priorities, while ensuring we comply with all legal, charitable, and financial requirements. We are now seeking two Trustees to join our Board and help shape the next stage of our development and impact.

Trustee – Income Growth

We are seeking a Trustee with the knowledge and experience to help us grow and diversify our income streams across both the Charity and Family Fund Business Services, working seamlessly and efficiently as one Group. We want to maximise the income streams, partnerships, and relationships we already have, while also exploring and moving at pace into new areas that align with our strategy and goals. This will require courage, resolve, and teamwork, and we are seeking a Trustee who can advise and work with us on this exciting journey.

Trustee – Fundraising & Philanthropy

We hope to find a Trustee with experience in major fundraising to advise us on strategies to strengthen and broaden our fundraised income. We want to enhance and grow our core fundraising functions, focusing on individual giving, legacies, and community engagement, to sustain current delivery and unlock new income streams that enable the development of future services and support. We will have clear plans for major donors and high-net-worth individuals, trusts and foundations, and corporate partnerships to build unrestricted and core funding.

For both roles, we are seeking Trustees who can bring thought leadership, constructive challenge, and fresh ideas as we strengthen and diversify our income base by growing existing and developing new income sources across fundraising, philanthropy, government, and commercial ventures.

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop skills and experience while giving back to a nationwide charity that makes a real and practical difference to the lives of families every day.

The Person

We are looking for Trustees who can demonstrate:

• Commitment to the organisation and its mission
• Integrity, strategic vision, and good independent judgement
• The ability to make decisions in the best interests of the organisation
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to the role
• Strong communication skills, including the confidence to speak constructively and listen to the views of others
• Tact, diplomacy, and the ability to build positive relationships
• The ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of a team
• An understanding of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of being a trustee

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who have the skills and experience required to be a Trustee. We would particularly encourage applications from people with disabilities or long-term conditions, and from parents or carers of children and young adults with disabilities or serious illnesses, to help bring valuable lived experience and fresh perspectives to our Board.

Volunteer: Reading Volunteer

Hours: Flexible, as agreed

Do you love getting lost in a good book? Are you patient, kind, and passionate about helping others enjoy stories and conversation? Join us as a Reading Volunteer at SeeAbility and help make reading fun, inclusive, and meaningful for people with learning disabilities, autism, and sight loss.

What You Will Be Doing

As a Reading Volunteer, you will spend time reading with and supporting people we support to enjoy books, stories, magazines, poetry, and conversation. This could include:

• Reading aloud in a relaxed and friendly way
• Supporting people to choose books and topics they enjoy
• Encouraging communication, confidence, and imagination
• Sharing laughter, conversation, and meaningful one-to-one time
• Helping create a calm and enjoyable reading experience

Whether it’s a favourite childhood story, an audiobook, or discovering something new together, your time will help bring books to life.

The Difference You Will Make

For many people we support, reading and shared storytelling can reduce isolation, build confidence, improve communication, and create joyful moments of connection.

Your support could help someone:

• Feel more included and valued
• Develop confidence and social skills
• Discover new interests and experiences
• Enjoy companionship and meaningful interaction
• Experience the comfort and fun that stories can bring

Sometimes, simply having someone patient and understanding to spend time with can make a huge difference.

Skills Required

We are looking for volunteers who are:

• Friendly, patient, and reliable
• Empathic, understanding, and encouraging
• Passionate about books, stories, and conversation
• Good listeners with a positive attitude
• Comfortable supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, and sight loss

No previous experience is required — just enthusiasm, kindness, and a love of reading.

Requirements

• Complete a DBS check
• Provide references
• Complete online training provided by SeeAbility

We will support you throughout the process.

The Benefits of Volunteering

• Gaining valuable experience and skills
• Meeting new people and becoming part of a supportive team
• Making a genuine difference in someone’s life
• Building confidence and communication skills
• Sharing your love of books and storytelling
• Receiving training and ongoing support
• We cover travel expenses up to 20 miles

Sabre Education is an award-winning international NGO which, since 2004, has been providing children in Ghana with the best possible early childhood education by partnering with the government to implement play-based learning at scale.

To support our ambitious growth strategy both in Ghana and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Sabre is seeking to recruit
1-2 new Africa-based trustees for our Board, in response to recent retirements.

The Trustee position is a voluntary role requiring a minimum of four formal Board meetings a year (half day each) and occasional other meetings or events as they arise. A minimum three-year commitment will be required.

Trustees are responsible for the overall strategic direction and oversight of the charity, and provide support and guidance to the strong management team, holding it accountable to agreed objectives. The Trustees also collectively ensure effective governance, and compliance with company and charity law. As the ultimate decision-makers, they ensure the charity fulfills its purpose and manages resources responsibly.

This is an active Trustee group. Individually, Trustees are expected to contribute their skills, knowledge and experience to guide the charity, and to further its objectives. From time to time, Trustees will be asked to represent Sabre Education at external functions, or support Sabre’s work through engagement with key stakeholders and through their own networks.

We are looking for Trustees with the following profiles:

• Proven strategic leadership experience
• Strong communication skills and collaborative style
• An understanding and appreciation of good governance, compliance and risk management
• Lived experience in Africa, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Desirable: Professional skills and experience in at least one of the following core contexts:
  • Experience in scaling international programmes or organisations
  • Finance / Business Management

We are actively recruiting Africa-based candidates.

This is a pivotal moment for Sabre, and we are looking for Trustees who will actively engage – bringing challenge, insight and energy to help shape and deliver our next stage of growth and impact.

Event: 2026 Great North Run 

Location: Newcastle

Time commitment: 13th September - Half a day 

What we're looking for

We need enthusiastic and outgoing volunteers who can cheer as loudly as possible for our runners as they go past our cheer point. Every year thousands of people join Team NSPCC to take on a challenge and raise money to help protect children and prevent abuse. Together with other cheerers, you'll make a huge difference to how our  runners feel – helping them to complete a challenge they've spent months preparing for.

What you'll do

You'll be joining other lively and enthusiastic cheerers at our NSPCC cheer point along the route – be ready for cheering, clapping, whooping or even singing. It's a team effort, so you would also help with setting up the cheer point, giving out t-shirts and cheering materials, making sure the area is kept tidy and helping with packing down.

We'll be in touch to arrange with you what time to arrive, where to meet and what to expect. You don't have to be an official cheerer to come along and support team NSPCC. So if you can't make the full-time or to our cheer point, we'd still love to see there, just look up the event time and come along.

What you'll get

Volunteering at our events is a great way to experience the fantastic atmosphere of event days, without the training! The atmosphere at our cheer point is amazing, and we'll provide you with cheering materials and an NSPCC t-shirt so all you have to bring is your enthusiasm.

You'll be accompanied by NSPCC staff to support you and answer any questions you may have. Travel expenses will be covered up to the value of £5.00.

Who's right for the role?

You don't need any prior experience, just a sense of fun, team spirit and enthusiasm. It's important that you're able to spend a few hours outside, spending lots of this time cheering and clapping. You'll also need to stand for a few hours so, if you think this would be difficult, we'd advise bringing along a travel chair. If you are a wheelchair user, please let us know and we can help to identify a suitably accessible cheering point for you.

You'll need to feel comfortable if members of the public ask you about your volunteering role and will simply need to direct them to a member of staff if they have any questions about the NSPCC. We need volunteers with a warm and friendly manner, as the NSPCC is 90 per cent funded by public donations so the impression people have of us is incredibly important.

Please be aware that you'll need to make your own way to your cheer point (we will give you directions).

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer today and join our fight for every childhood.

We are looking for new volunteers from all over London and the South East to be Speak out. Stay Safe Volunteers. You would visit primary schools local to you to help us protect a generation of children from abuse and neglect.

We are currently not recruiting for the following areas: 

London: Barnet, Ealing, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Hillingdon, and Newham

Surrey 

Berkshire: Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor & Maidenhead, and Wokingham 

Bromley

Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Hart, Rushmoor, Test Valley, Winchester, Fareham  

Eastleigh, Gosport, New Forest, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Havant, West Sussex and East Sussex, Brighton/Hove

In 2022 the NSPCC's Speak out. Stay safe volunteers returned to primary schools. As a Speak out. Stay safe. volunteer, you will visit primary schools to deliver Speak out. Stay safe. workshops that teach children about the different types of abuse and how they can speak out and stay safe. Our Speak out. Stay safe. workshops are age-appropriate and memorable and need an energetic and enthusiastic person to deliver them. You'll work alongside other Speak out. Stay safe. volunteers to make sure at the end of each session the children feel empowered and know who they can speak out to if they are worried.

If you are interested in volunteering as a Speak out. Stay safe. volunteer and want to find out more about the role, the next step is to attend a Volunteer Information Meeting, which is a fantastic opportunity to:

• Meet with staff as well as volunteers to ask any questions you may have
• Learn more about the application process and your volunteer journey

Our meetings are designed to help you decide whether you want to apply – there's no obligation or expectation that you'll apply if you attend one. At the meeting, you'll also receive information on other ways you can become a supporter of the NSPCC.

If you have any questions or experience any issues, please contact the Volunteer Recruitment Team.

For this role, we can only accept people over the age of 16. 

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer today and join our fight for every childhood.

Sea Cadets Leith, based in Prince of Wales Docks, is currently looking for enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers to join our committee team. Whether you chair the committee, run our social media, or help us fundraise on an ad-hoc basis, you’ll be supporting young people to access opportunities to create life-long memories and friendships.

At Leith we aim to give young people an experience that will help them grow into the person they want to be in a safe and friendly environment. We offer a range of different activities from sailing, windsurfing and powerboating - to rock climbing, camping, and music - plus, so much more!

Leith is a long-established Sea Cadet Unit that has provided life-changing opportunities for many young people. We currently have 24 cadets who come from all over the area. Our cadets come from all walks of life, with some experiencing adverse childhood events, and limited access to social youth groups. Without support from volunteers like you, our charity cannot provide the adventure, community, and opportunities that young people experience through the Sea Cadets.

The primary purpose of the CFAV is to assist in the development of young people as
Individuals and active citizens by providing safe and rewarding training, direction and guidance.
The secondary purposes of a CFAV are:
- Maintain the Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) values
- Assist the Unit Training Officer (UTO) to plan a varied training programme.
- Safely and securely maintain the unit’s resources and equipment.

We will support you to understand your role, how to do it and the difference you make to the SCC
- Understand the skills and experience you have, as well as your aspirations for volunteering
- Provide you with an induction, ongoing support and training to undertake your volunteer role
- Provide regular updates about any developments in the charity that are relevant to you
- Value your contributions and providing you with potential opportunities to progress

NYAS' Side by Side care leaver programme supports care-experienced young people leaving care. When young people leave care, they often struggle with isolation, homelessness, and living independently because they are often thrown into independence way before they're ready. Side by Side bridges the gap between care and adulthood. We want to give young people the support they need to really succeed, but just as importantly, we want to make them feel confident in knowing that somebody is by their side.

There's a lot you can do as a volunteer for Side by Side, including assisting young people with their transition to adulthood, discovering their aspirations and goals, and generally supporting and signposting them to help achieve these.

You do not need any special qualifications, but we are looking for dedicated people of all ages who are comfortable with mentoring and being a good role model for a  young person who may have experienced difficult times during their childhood. We ask that you are able to commit to a few hours each week for a minimum of 1 year.

This is a worthwhile opportunity where you will make a positive difference to the life of a vulnerable young person, become part of a leading national children's charity, gain valuable experience and meet new people.

· You will have an hour or two to spare each week for the minimum of 1 year

• You will have good communication skills
• You will receive training in boundaries, goal setting and reflective check ins.
• You will enjoy meeting with others and supporting them to achieve their goals.
• You will receive all the support and training you need to make the most of your role.
• Volunteers will be supported in their own professional development and you will gain experience that could help in your future career goals.
• Expenses will be reimbursed.

Please note: This opportunity is for people over the age of 25 years.

The Feminist Shop

We promote gender equality through ethical products, books, education, and bespoke training and consulting.​

I am looking for a volunteer to help promote my book Childhood Unlimited: Parenting Beyond Gender Bias as it moves toward self-publishing and launch. (It used to be traditionally published but I have asked for my rights back so I can give it a better chance in the market)

The role will support marketing strategy, book visibility, audience growth, and promotional activity around the book’s themes of gender stereotypes, inclusive parenting, and practical social change.

This is a good opportunity for someone with experience or interest in book marketing, social media, launch campaigns, audience engagement, or feminist and educational content. The book already has a clear message and strong foundations, great testimonials and potential so the focus is on helping it reach the right readers and building awareness around the project, in a time that is more needed than ever.

Main tasks

• Help create and follow a simple marketing plan for the book.
• Support social media promotion and content ideas.
• Help identify relevant audiences, communities, podcasts, newsletters, and partners.
• Suggest launch ideas, outreach messages, and promotional opportunities.
• Assist with positioning the book clearly for readers interested in parenting, feminism, and gender equality.

Skills needed

• Experience with book marketing, communications, or social media.
• Good writing and messaging skills.
• Confidence reaching out to communities, influencers, or media contacts.
• Interest in feminist, parenting, educational, or socially conscious books.
• Organised, proactive, and able to work independently.

Minimum Hours per Week:

2-3 hours per week

Duration:

One-off project

About Us

Cities for Children believes that all children deserve the “Right to Childhood” – the right to learn and play in safety. Guided by our mantra that “happy memories build resilience,” we weave together three core strands of work—the Right to Read, the Right to Play, and the Right to Feel Safe—to reinforce learning and wellbeing for vulnerable children. Our mission is to provide safe, nurturing social and material environments important for the development and individual well-being of children in and around cities, including street-connected children, working children, and those from refugee, displaced or migrant communities.

Role Overview

Cities for Children is looking for compassionate and enthusiastic volunteers to support our work bringing playful learning to refugee children in transitional housing in West London. These sessions are designed to help children build confidence, resilience, and English language skills, while fostering a sense of belonging and joy in their new environment. 

This is your opportunity to step into a role where your kindness creates real change. You will be a crucial part of a child’s journey towards settling in the UK, gaining valuable, hands-on experience with an international NGO dedicated to child wellbeing and humanitarian response. 

Commitment

• Day/Time: 2 days a week

• Dates: 13 July - 1 September

• Location: West London (Exact locations shared upon successful application)

Key Responsibilities

• Support lead facilitator in delivering playful, interactive learning activities (such as arts, storytelling, and games) and help with setup and pack-up.

• Build rapport with the children to encourage active participation and maintain a safe, welcoming, and positive environment.

• Support data collection, documentation and evaluation activities. 

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for someone who: 

• Has an academic background in social sciences or education (preferred). 

• Is able to engage children, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds. Experience with refugee or asylum-seeking children is a bonus but not required. 

• Is patient, empathetic, and culturally sensitive, with an understanding of the challenges refugee children face as they adapt to a new country. 

• Communicates effectively and works collaboratively with the main facilitator and other team members. 

• Is enthusiastic and reliable, committed to attending sessions every Thursday. 

• Has an enhanced DBS check.

Support Provided

• A structured session plan will be created by the main facilitator for you to follow. 

• Guidance and training on working with vulnerable children will be provided. 

• Reasonable travel expenses covered. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early application is strongly encouraged.

Event: 2026 Royal Parks Half Marathon

Location: London

Time commitment: 11th October - Half a day 

What we're looking for

We need enthusiastic and outgoing volunteers who can cheer as loudly as possible for our runners as they go past our cheer points. Every year thousands of people join Team NSPCC to take on a challenge and raise money to help protect children and prevent abuse. Together with other cheerers, you'll make a huge difference to how our runners feel – helping them to complete a challenge they've spent months preparing for.

What you'll do

You'll be joining other lively and enthusiastic cheerers at  our NSPCC cheer point along the route – be ready for cheering, clapping, whooping or even singing. It's a team effort, so you would also help with setting up the cheer point, giving out t-shirts and cheering materials, making sure the area is kept tidy and helping with packing down.

We have one cheer point along the course, with staggered start times. We'll be in touch to arrange with you what time to arrive, where to meet and what to expect. You don't have to be an official cheerer to come along and support team NSPCC. So if you can't make the full-time or to one of our cheer points, we'd still love to see there, just look up the event time and come along.

What you'll get

Volunteering at our events is a great way to experience the fantastic atmosphere of event days, without the training! The atmosphere at our cheer point is amazing, and we'll provide you with cheering materials and an NSPCC t-shirt so all you have to bring is your enthusiasm.

You'll be accompanied by NSPCC staff to support you and answer any questions you may have. Refreshments will be provided at the cheer points, and travel expenses will be covered up to the value of £5.

Who's right for the role?

You don't need any prior experience, just a sense of fun, team spirit and enthusiasm. It's important that you're able to spend a few hours outside, spending lots of this time cheering and clapping. You'll also need to stand for a few hours so, if you think this would be difficult, we'd advise bringing along a travel chair. If you are a wheelchair user, please let us know and we can help to identify a suitably accessible cheering point for you.

You'll need to feel comfortable if members of the public ask you about your volunteering role and will simply need to direct them to a member of staff if they have any questions about the NSPCC. We need volunteers with a warm and friendly manner, as the NSPCC is 90 per cent funded by public donations so the impression people have of us is incredibly important.

Please be aware that you'll need to make your own way to your cheer point (we will give you directions).

We can discuss which cheering post would be most convenient for you.

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer today and join our fight for every childhood.

What we're looking for:

We need enthusiastic and outgoing volunteers who can cheer as loudly as possible for our runners as they go past our cheer points. Every year thousands of people join Team NSPCC to take on a challenge and raise money to help protect children and prevent abuse. Together with other cheerers, you'll make a huge difference to how our runners feel – helping them to complete a challenge they've spent months preparing for.

What you'll do:

You'll be joining other lively and enthusiastic cheerers at one of our NSPCC cheer points along the route – be ready for cheering, clapping, whooping or even singing. It's a team effort, so you would also help with setting up the cheer point, giving out t-shirts and cheering materials, making sure the area is kept tidy and helping with packing down.

We have several cheer points along the course, with staggered start times. We'll be in touch to arrange with you what time to arrive, where to meet and what to expect. You don't have to be an official cheerer to come along and support team NSPCC. So if you can't make the full-time or to one of our cheer points, we'd still love to see there, just look up the event time and come along.

What you'll get:

Volunteering at our events is a great way to experience the fantastic atmosphere of event days, without the training! The atmosphere at our cheer points is amazing, and we'll provide you with cheering materials and an NSPCC t-shirt so all you have to bring is your enthusiasm.

You'll be accompanied by NSPCC staff to support you and answer any questions you may have. Refreshments will be provided at the cheer points, and travel expenses will be covered up to the value of £5.

Who's right for the role?

You don't need any prior experience, just a sense of fun, team spirit and enthusiasm. It's important that you're able to spend a few hours outside, spending lots of this time cheering and clapping. You'll also need to stand for a few hours so, if you think this would be difficult, we'd advise bringing along a travel chair. If you are a wheelchair user, please let us know and we can help to identify a suitably accessible cheering point for you.

You'll need to feel comfortable if members of the public ask you about your volunteering role and will simply need to direct them to a member of staff if they have any questions about the NSPCC. We need volunteers with a warm and friendly manner, as the NSPCC is 90 per cent funded by public donations so the impression people have of us is incredibly important.

Please be aware that you'll need to make your own way to your cheer point (we will give you directions).

We can discuss which cheering post would be most convenient for you.

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer today and join our fight for every childhood.

About Us

Tell My Truth and Shame the Devil C.I.C. is a survivor-led community interest company dedicated to exposing the impact of childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, addiction, mental health struggles, and family dysfunction within Black communities and beyond.

Through podcasts, survivor stories, education, events, research, coaching, advocacy, and community support, we help individuals heal, break destructive cycles, and build stronger families and communities.

As we continue to grow nationally and internationally, we are seeking a Volunteer Central Operations Director to create structure, accountability, and operational excellence across all volunteer departments.

Job Purpose

The Volunteer Central Operations Director serves as the operational backbone of the organisation, ensuring departments, projects, and volunteer teams work efficiently, meet deadlines, and deliver measurable outcomes.

The role oversees project delivery, performance monitoring, reporting systems, KPI tracking, volunteer accountability, and cross-department coordination, helping turn organisational vision into effective execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate organisational operations across all volunteer departments.
• Manage the Central Operations Team, including Analysts, Coordinators, and Assistants.
• Oversee project delivery, ensuring milestones, deadlines, and objectives are achieved.
• Monitor organisational performance, identify risks and bottlenecks, and implement solutions.
• Establish accountability systems, workflows, reporting processes, and operational procedures.
• Develop and maintain KPI dashboards, departmental scorecards, and performance reports.
• Track volunteer engagement, project progress, fundraising outcomes, and organisational impact.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration between departments.
• Lead operational meetings and support monthly performance reviews.
• Produce reports, risk assessments, and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Support implementation of organisational priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Mentor department leaders and promote volunteer engagement, wellbeing, and retention.
• Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Skills & Experience

• Experience leading teams, projects, programmes, or organisational operations.
• Strong project management, organisational, and planning skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Experience developing systems, processes, KPIs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience building stakeholder relationships and facilitating collaboration.
• Ability to motivate, support, and manage volunteers and team leaders.
• High levels of professionalism, integrity, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Comfortable working independently within a remote environment.
• Proficiency with tools such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Trello, Asana, ClickUp, Airtable, Notion, Slack, and Teams.
• Experience in charities, CICs, volunteer-led organisations, operations management, programme management, or community development is desirable.
• Understanding of trauma-informed, survivor-led, or social impact organisations is beneficial.
• Passion for social impact and commitment to our mission.

Volunteer Benefits

• Opportunity to help build a national survivor-led movement.
• Executive leadership experience.
• Leadership training and mentoring.
• Professional references upon successful service.
• Opportunity to influence organisational strategy.
• Meaningful social impact and legacy-building work.
• Potential future paid leadership opportunities as the organisation grows.

Additional Notes

This role may not be suitable if you:

• Prefer low-responsibility volunteer work.
• Dislike reporting, accountability, or performance tracking.
• Are seeking immediate paid employment.
• Are uncomfortable using data and analysis to support decision-making.

To Apply

Please send:

• Your CV, portfolio, or LinkedIn profile (if available).
• A short introduction about yourself.
• Why this mission resonates with you.
• Relevant experience, skills, ideas, or vision you would bring to the role.