Homelessness support worker volunteer roles in East of england

Join our Client Services Governance Committee as a co-opted member

At Crisis we are privileged to support people out of homelessness and campaign for the changes needed to solve it altogether, whether through direct services or our leading-edge research and influencing work in England, Scotland, and Wales.

As we embark on the delivery of our new 10-year strategy, we are looking for a new co-opted member that can and add to the skills of a high-performing sub-committee of our Board of Trustees.

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute your expertise; by providing strategic insight and guidance on the safe, inclusive, equitable and impactful services we provide our members to help them out of homelessness.

We are looking for people that:

· Care deeply about improving systems and services and ending homelessness

· Have skills and experience in service delivery and/or service design

· Communicate clearly and can work well with others — including trustees, staff and members

If this sounds like you, we look forward to hearing from you.  You do not need previous board experience. We will support you to develop the skills and confidence needed for the role.

What matters most is your commitment, your perspective, and your willingness to help us make good decisions.

To apply, please submit any of the following:

· A short expression of interest (max. 500 words) explaining why you want to join and what skills you bring (with or without current CV)

Or

· Audio/video format application (max. 3-4 minutes)

To understand more about the role, please get in touch if you would like an informal conversation beforehand.

Applications should be submited via email by Thursday 25 June 2026.

Shortlisted candidate will be invited to an informal group discussion/scenario situation with Chair of the Committee, Executive Director of Client Services, and an Expert by Experience, which will take place on Thursday 2 July, online.

Formal appointment will then be made by the Crisis Board in July with the first Committee meeting in August 2026.

About Us

Crisis is here to end homelessness for good. Over the next ten years, our aim is to:

1. We’ll campaign across England, Scotland, and Wales to push for the policies needed to end homelessness. We’ll also challenge unfair treatment and harmful stereotypes about people who are homeless.

2. We’ll open a network of Crisis Centres across the UK. Each Centre will offer high‑quality support to people who need it and create a plan to end homelessness in the local area. We’ll also provide more than 1,000 homes for our members by launching a new housing company that shows how giving people a stable home first can end homelessness.

3. We’ll bring people from all over Britain together to help—landlords, employers, teachers, healthcare workers, and anyone else who wants to make a difference. Everyone has a role to play in ending homelessness

About the Client Services Governance Committee:

· The committee is made up of 3x Trustees and an Expert by Experience who has previous lived experience of homelessness; there is currently no member involvement on the committee

· Makes sure Crisis’ services are delivered safely, professionally, and to a high standard, and giving the Board confidence that this is happening.

· Oversees safeguarding across all Client Services, and helping to build a culture where safety, awareness, and the wellbeing of everyone who comes into contact with Crisis, are top priorities.

· Provides a space to review and challenge how Client Services are governed — including how incidents and complaints are handled.

About the Role of co-opted member:

• Reporting to: Chair of Committee 
• Term: 3 years, with potential for re-appointment for a second term
• Commitment: Attending and actively taking part in the Client Services Governance Committee meetings — usually five times a year and typically held online.
• Remuneration: Reimbursement of travel, childcare and other agreed costs (although co-optee roles are voluntary and generally unpaid)

Purpose of the role:

· To work collaboratively with trustees, senior leadership and Experts by Experience to strengthen the impact of Crisis services

· To help guide the big decisions about member services and ensuring members have safe, positive experiences — keeping Crisis focused on its mission to end homelessness.

· To support the committee in understanding how well Crisis’ services are working and helping to make sure standards and legal requirements are consistently met.

· To review reports about risks, complaints, incidents, and safeguarding issues that affect members.

· To oversee the delivery of impactful and effective tenancy support for Crisis’ new work in housing supply and the development of Crisis Centres.

· To offer insight into what good member support looks like, sharing perspectives on member experiences, and highlighting best practice to inform decisions.

Person Specification:

· Experience in design and best practice in delivery of services to disadvantaged groups

· Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with trustees, staff, and external stakeholders

· Someone who can take part in respectful discussions, ask thoughtful questions and help us make balanced decisions as part of a team

· A commitment to get to know Crisis, including our mission, values and aims, prepare for and attend meetings, engage and contribute

· Awareness of charity governance or a willingness to learn more

The personal styles and behaviours that work best for Crisis:

· Our Board and committees are friendly and supportive, and we are looking for people who listen actively and respect different opinions

· We need people who can ask tough questions, solve problems and make decisions based on evidence

· You should believe that homelessness can be ended and be ready to challenge the idea that it’s something we just have to accept

· You’ll be committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and help make sure these values are embedded in our culture and in everything Crisis does

· You’ll set a positive example through your behaviour, your values, and the way you work with others