75 Early years volunteer roles

About volunteering with Rays of Sunshine
We brighten the lives of seriously ill young people by granting wishes and providing ongoing support in hospital and within the community, but we couldn't do it without our amazing volunteers.
It's more than volunteering with us, it's making magic happen. By joining us, you'll play a crucial role in turning the dreams of seriously ill children into reality. In whatever role you take on - from helping with fundraising, events, or wishes, you'll help create memories that last a lifetime for seriously ill children and for you too.

Purpose of role
We're on a mission to grant magical wishes and support hospitals by creating lasting memories for seriously ill children and their families. Our team is best described as small but mighty. For us to have more impact, we need the help of volunteers who can give the gift of their time to help us achieve our goals. 

What does the role involve?
We are looking for a creative and organized individual to support our wish granting and hospital services team. You will be responsible for assisting the team with daily tasks, research and creative projects that support the delivery of our services. 

Supporting the Wish Team

• Supporting our outreach work by researching hospitals and key contacts we can approach to build new connections and generate wish referrals
• Helping with day-to-day admin, including chasing paperwork from families and medical teams, such as disclaimers, medical forms and wish forms. These are an important part of the wish process

Supporting Hospital Services

• Carrying out general admin, including sending promotional materials to hospitals, monitoring and responding to enquiries in the hospital services inbox, and answering telephone calls
• Helping deliver our special projects, such as sensory bags, Teddy Bear Day, World Book Day and our Liquid to Tablets initiative. This includes researching and sourcing products, liaising with suppliers and handling the related admin
• Helping distribute and collect feedback from medical teams and families taking part in our programmes

What skills do I need to have?

You don't need previous charity experience, just the following:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a warm, professional manner on the phone and by email
• Strong organisation and attention to detail, as you'll be handling forms and tracking follow-ups
• Comfortable with online research and confident using email and standard office software (e.g. Microsoft Office)
• Able to handle sensitive information with care and confidentiality
• A proactive, reliable approach, with the confidence to chase things up politely and persistently
• Able to work independently and as part of a small team

Why volunteer with us?
• Make a real difference: Witness the impact of your support firsthand as you spread joy and raise awareness.
• Join a supportive community: Be part of a friendly and passionate team
• Gain experience and a great way to see firsthand the impact of our work
• Meet new people from different backgrounds and networking opportunities with like-minded people and organisations

What training and support will I receive?
• Learn about the work of Rays of Sunshine and how we support children and young people and their families
• All Rays of Sunshine staff and services volunteers must complete the charity’s Safeguarding Children training (mandatory)
• Only trained Rays of Sunshine team members and volunteers with a current DBS check can work with the families we support (mandatory)
• Health and Safety Training (mandatory)

Rays of Sunshine Values
Our values are at the heart of everything we do and help guide us in our mission to grant more magical wishes for seriously ill children.
• Kindness - We are kind to ourselves and others in everything we do.
• Joy - We work with fun, passion, and a sprinkle of magic
• Empowerment - We work to build confidence and nurture potential.
• Connection - We build strong connections with everyone in our wish community
• Integrity - We are honest and trusted to do the right thing.

Rays of Sunshine is committed to being an equal opportunities organisation; to promoting equal opportunities and preventing discrimination. Rays of Sunshine is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all service users, volunteers and staff and expects all volunteers and staff to share this commitment.