81 Housing and homelessness volunteer roles

Settle is a charity that supports young adults as they leave the care system and move into their first home. We provide intensive one-to-one coaching support, helping young people develop the skills and confidence they need to sustain their tenancies, manage their finances and live independently. Our preventative approach to homelessness helps care-experienced young people build stable foundations and thrive in adulthood.

All our Trustees bring different personal experience and professional expertise to support our work. To make sure we keep young people at the centre of our decision-making, we aim to always have at least two Trustees with care experience.

We are now looking for new Trustees to help us deliver our mission. We are seeking people with experience in one or more of the following areas:

· Policy influencing and/or strategic communications

· Support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

· Support for people seeking asylum and refuge

Our aim is to recruit at least two new Trustees, who between them bring experience across all three areas. We don’t expect you to lead an area of work at Settle – that’s the responsibility of the staff team. We are keen to benefit from your advice, insight and understanding of the key issues we’re dealing with.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and Board team, and we particularly welcome applications from people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, or with other lived experience of discrimination. We are proud to be a member of the Care Leaver Covenant, and care-experienced applicants who meet the criteria for this role will be guaranteed an interview.

Do you enjoy organising, sorting, and bringing order to busy spaces? Our Goods Sorting Volunteer role is a vital way to make a real difference behind the scenes and to the people we serve. 

At Wycombe Homeless Connection, we are fortunate to receive generous donations of food, clothing, and essential items from individuals and groups in our community. These items are part of our emergency response for people experiencing a housing crisis, including those who are homeless. They are given out to help people get through immediate, difficult situations and meet basic needs with dignity.

Keeping everything sorted, stocked, and easy to access means we can respond quickly when someone needs urgent support and that’s where you come in.

Our goods sorting team meets regularly to process donations, organise storage areas, and make sure our emergency supplies are ready to go when they are needed most.

What you’ll be doing

• Sorting donations by type, size, and best-before dates. 
• Emptying, labelling, and refilling storage boxes. 
• Organising cupboards and storage areas so emergency items are easy to find. 
• Helping keep spaces tidy, clear, and well organised. 
• Occasionally transporting surplus items to charity shops or other locations.

What the role is like

This is a practical, hands-on role where small tasks make a real difference to people in urgent need. A well-organised shelf or clearly labelled box can mean someone in a housing crisis gets essential support quickly.

You’ll be working alongside a friendly team of volunteers, sharing tasks, chatting as you go, and helping keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

Who this role suits

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Enjoys organising, sorting, and tidying. 
• Likes working as part of a team. 
• Is organised and able to work efficiently. 
• Is comfortable with light physical activity, including moving boxes and goods.

What we offer

You’ll receive full induction and role-specific training so you feel confident and supported from day one. Wycombe Homeless Connection is an award-winning charity with a small, experienced team working closely with dedicated volunteers who make this work possible.

Without volunteers, we simply couldn’t do what we do.

When you’ll volunteer

10:00am – 12:30pm, one Wednesday per month

Flexible, occasional commitment based on your availability

Interested?

If you’d like to find out more, we’d love to hear from you.

Fashion Hub Volunteer 

Could you support sustainable fashion and help raise funds to end unfit housing and homelessness? 

Will you become part of our Sunderland Warehouse team and make a meaningful difference?

Join our warehouse team and play a hands-on role in giving quality clothing a second life. You’ll help sort and prepare donations from well-known retail brands, supporting sustainable fashion while raising vital funds to tackle unfit housing and homelessness. This is a great opportunity to gain practical experience in garment handling and warehouse operations, perfect for anyone interested in fashion, retail, or behind-the-scenes logistics. 

We can’t make the most of donated clothing without people to help us sort and prepare it with care. If you’d like to be part of that, we’d love to hear from you 

Location: Shelter Warehouse, 244-246 High Street West, Sunderland

Suggested contribution: It’s up to you! Volunteers can support for a few hours a day, or a few days a week.

Availability: Our warehouse is open Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm

If you can give even a few hours during any of these times, we’d really love to hear from you.

Interested? You can visit our warehouse to find out more or apply online and we’ll be in touch. 

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now by clicking ‘fill in an application’ or read on more for details. 

Shop volunteering helps fight the housing emergency by raising vital funds that enable Shelter to provide advice and support for people who are experiencing bad housing and homelessness, as well as powering us to campaign for change. 

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering.

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity.

Your skills and experience

We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. It doesn’t matter if you’ve not volunteered or worked in a warehouse before. What’s most important is that you are a team player, willing to learn and want to make a difference in tackling the housing emergency while gaining warehouse or logistic experience.

Supporting you

• You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook.

• The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences. 

• You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance. 

• You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders.

Next steps

• You can apply for this role by clicking ‘fill in an application’. If you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us or speak to someone at the shop. 

• We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further. 

Sheffield Community Volunteer

Do you want to raise some money for Shelter, while having fun along the way?

Information about the role

This role involves supporting at a range of events to help raise money and awareness to tackle the housing emergency. It’s a really flexible opportunity. Once you’re signed up, we’ll let you know about upcoming events and tasks, and you can decide which you’d like to do.

Location: Sheffield

Suggested contribution: It’s up to you! Ideally, you’d help out at least 4-5 times per year, but this is flexible.

Availability: This is a varied opportunity with events taking place at different times and on different days throughout the year, including evenings and weekends. You can choose the events that best suit your availability.

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now by clicking ‘fill in an application’ or read on more for details.

Main activities may include:

This is a flexible and diverse role. Here are some of the activities you might get involved in:

• Represent us at a range of events including, community fairs, gigs, Pride marches, sporting events and street stalls.
• Support some of our fundraising activity such as holding collection cans in public spaces or bag packing in supermarkets.
• Help us grow our movement for change by supporting petitions and raising awareness of our calls to action through social media.
• Other one-off tasks such as web-based research.

This role fights the housing emergency by raising funds that enable Shelter to provide advice and support and campaigning for change. The events you’ll be attending are also great for raising awareness of the housing emergency and how people can get involved to help tackle it.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering.

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity.

Your skills and experience

The most important thing for this role is that you are passionate about joining our fight for home!

Supporting you

• You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook.
• The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences.
• You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance.
• You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders.

Next steps

You can apply for this role by clicking ‘fill in an application’. If you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us.

We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further.

Upon offer of role, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean you can’t volunteer with us. We will have a conversation with you to discuss the convictions in relation to the role you have applied for. Sometimes it may limit the ways you can get involved. Please contact us if you require more information.

Do you want to help shape services that really work for the people who need them most?

Information about the role

As our Lived Experience Coordination Volunteer, you will help run our lived experience groups, support the everyday admin that keeps our programmes going, and help communicate with participants in a genuine, informed way. This is a flexible, varied role shaped around your strengths and availability.

Location: Hub/community/home based location, London.

Suggested contribution: Approximately 7 - 14 hours per month, flexible and to be agreed together

Availability: Volunteering will take place at a time that suits you, within Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now or read on more for details. 

Main activities may include:

• Helping to establish and schedule regular group meetings across our lived experience groups. You are welcome to be involved in whichever group or groups feel right for you.

• Helping with room bookings, invoicing, and session logistics, including shopping for supplies and collecting and disseminating vouchers for participants.

• Keeping the attendance and payment spreadsheet up to date after sessions.

• Helping to write and design reports and newsletters that reflect the groups’ work and impact.

• Identifying and sharing free learning and development opportunities for participants.

• Accompanying the Lived Experience Coordinator to external meetings, such as with the council, when helpful.

This role fights the housing emergency by putting lived experience at the heart of how services are designed and delivered. Your involvement ensures that people most affected by housing insecurity have a real voice in our work, helping us build programmes that are more effective, more inclusive, and more human.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter 

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering.

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity.

Your skills and experience 

This opportunity is open to anyone, but we particularly welcome applicants who have lived experience of the housing emergency. It would also be great if you are comfortable with basic tools like email or spreadsheets, or open to giving them a go. As well as an interest in event planning, support and coordination. The most important thing is that you are enthusiastic about tackling the housing emergency and want to help make a difference.

Supporting you

• You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook.

• The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences. 

• You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance. 

• You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders.

• Regular reflective conversations and support if any aspect of the role becomes challenging.

• We will work together to identify areas where you would like to take a lead role and areas where you would prefer to support.

Next steps

You can apply online for this role now or if you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us to see what options are available.

We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further.

Open your home for a night. Change a young person's future.

Every year, young people in our community face the frightening reality of having nowhere safe to stay. By becoming a Volunteer Nightstop Host, you can provide a warm welcome, a safe place to sleep, and the breathing space a young person needs while longer-term support is put in place.

About Us

Wyre Forest and South Worcestershire Nightstop and Mediation works with young people aged 16–25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to build an independent and positive future.

Our services include:

• Safe, emergency accommodation through our Nightstop community hosting scheme.
• Family and school mediation to help prevent relationship breakdown.
• Homelessness prevention through education, life skills workshops and crisis support.

About Nightstop

Nightstop provides emergency accommodation in the homes of trained and approved volunteer hosts. Rather than spending the night on the streets or in unsafe situations, young people are offered a temporary, safe place to stay while our team works to find appropriate longer-term accommodation and support.

As a Volunteer Nightstop Host, you'll never be working alone. Our experienced team provides ongoing guidance and support throughout every placement.

What You'll Do

As a Nightstop Host, you'll:

• Provide a clean, safe and private bedroom for a young person needing emergency overnight accommodation.
• Offer an evening meal, breakfast and a packed lunch.
• Give access to bathroom facilities and laundry if needed.
• Stay in regular contact with the Nightstop team before, during and after placements.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while providing a welcoming environment.

Placements are short-term and arranged around your availability.

Who We're Looking For

You don't need previous experience—what matters most is compassion, reliability and a willingness to help.

We're looking for people who:

• Want to support young people experiencing homelessness.
• Can offer a non-judgemental and respectful approach.
• Have a spare bedroom available at short notice.
• Are willing to complete training and work alongside our experienced team.
• Have an interest in making a real difference within their local community.

Training and Support

We'll make sure you feel confident before welcoming your first guest.

You'll receive:

• Comprehensive induction and ongoing training.
• Daily check-in calls throughout each hosting placement.
• Access to a 24-hour emergency on-call service.
• Regular supervision and support meetings.
• Opportunities to attend additional training delivered by the organisation.

Why Volunteer With Us?

By becoming a Nightstop Host, you'll:

• Help prevent youth homelessness in your local community.
• Provide safety and hope at a critical moment in a young person's life.
• Develop valuable skills through high-quality training and support.
• Meet like-minded volunteers through appreciation and networking events.
• Receive reimbursement for all agreed out-of-pocket expenses.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating an inclusive service and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and communities. We believe our volunteers should reflect the diversity of the people we support.

Recruitment Process

To ensure the safety of everyone involved, successful applicants will complete:

• An application form.
• An informal interview.
• Enhanced DBS and reference checks.
• Induction training.
• A home visit and health and safety assessment.

If you have a spare room and a desire to make a lasting difference, we'd love to hear from you. One night of kindness can be the first step towards a brighter future for a young person experiencing homelessness.

Role: Fitness Coach Volunteer

Service: Amy’s Place is a partnership between the Amy Winehouse Foundation and Clarion Housing, providing supported living accommodation for young women aged 18-30 in recovery from drugs, alcohol and other addictive behaviours.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, reliable and compassionate volunteer with good interpersonal skills, preferably with some mental health awareness training and knowledge of addiction recovery, to offer 1-2-1 coaching to women interested in enjoying the benefits of physical activity whilst improving their fitness skills.

Location: Hackney

Commitment: This is a flexible opportunity and volunteering times and frequency will vary depending on the volunteer’s availability and the needs of the residents. It might be every week or fortnight ideally for a minimum of 3 months.

DBS: This role will require us to carry out an enhanced check through the disclosure and barring service.

Activities: Deliver 1-2-1 fitness coaching for women interested in enjoying the mental health benefits of physical activity whilst improving their fitness skills. Preferably the applicant will have mental health awareness training. At a minimum, you will have an understanding of addiction recovery and be sensitive to mental health struggles including eating disorders and body image difficulties.

Support: Volunteers receive a thorough induction and have access to any relevant in-house and external training § Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed § The role is based at the service in East London. The exact address cannot be given until the volunteer starts due to safety and privacy reasons

TRUSTEE MARY WARD SETTLEMENT

Stratford London hybrid

Unpaid role

Voluntary

Education, legal and community services

Actively interviewing

Job Description

Join the Boards of the Mary Ward Settlement, the Mary Ward Legal Centre and the Blackfriars Settlement at a pivotal time for the charities, as the Settlement has relocated to purpose-built accommodation in Stratford. The Mary Ward Settlement has a proud heritage as part of the Settlement Movement which developed in the late 19th Century as a response to urban poverty and social problems arising from industrialisation. Mary Ward founded the Settlement in 1892 to “provide public education and social service for the benefit of the community” at a time and in an area where great wealth and great deprivation stood side by side, much as they do today – the Settlement’s work continues to be important.

Currently the Settlement delivers its services via:

· The Mary Ward Centre – an Institute of Adult Learning and an adult and community learning provider offering a wide range of learning opportunities for local and pan London residents funded primarily by the Greater London Authority.  Most accredited provision is at Level 2 or below in Essential Skills (ESOL, English and Maths and Digital Skills.  There is also a significant and thriving non-accredited offer of courses ranging from 12 weeks to one day workshops, the majority of which are Art and Design. 

· The Mary Ward Legal Centre – providing free specialist legal advice on housing, welfare benefits and debt. We also provide free legal advice as part of our pro bono clinic in the areas of employment, housing, small claims, consumer, and family.

· The Blackfriars Settlement – providing services to the community including health and well-being for older people, and mental health and wellbeing services to support people achieve their goals and stay well.

The Settlement is looking for people who are passionate about social justice, lifelong learning and education, and the importance of strong local communities to foster wellbeing for all. This is an opportunity to:

· Apply your skills and experience in a leadership role.

· Gain board-level experience and enhance your CV

· Support a vital organisation during a time of transformation

· Contribute to the local community.

As part of the Board, you will:

· Set strategic direction

· Hold leadership to account

· Ensure governance excellence

· Act as a charity trustee and company director ensuring financial sustainability and legal compliance.

We welcome people who have knowledge and experience of working in the following areas including but not limited to:

· Education, particularly with Adult and Community Learning, FE or Local Authority experience

· Finance, Audit and RIsk

· IT and cyber security

· Legal, Governance and Compliance

· Marketing, HR, Communications and PR

· Fund Raising

· Health and wellbeing

· Charity

· Community work, including volunteering in your local community

Most meetings are remote, but two or three meetings a year will take place in Stratford, East London.

People In Need Today (PINT) | Volunteer, Liverpool 

Charity No. 1199209 | Unpaid Voluntary Role

PINT has been supporting people experiencing homelessness since 2006, established in
London, delivering consistent, relationship-led outreach. PINT is launching in Liverpool this
summer and we are seeking volunteers to help on a weekly basis. Whether it is 2 hours per
week or whatever you can manage, we would love to hear from you!

This is a wonderful opportunity to make a real difference in your local community, gain
valuable experience for your CV, get out and about, and meet some truly great people along
the way. Most importantly, you will be part of something special, helping to bring PINT to
Liverpool for the very first time and directly improving the lives of people who need it most.

The Role

This is a hands-on, community-facing voluntary role focused on establishing PINT's presence
in Liverpool through regular outreach, volunteer recruitment, and local partnership building.

Key Responsibilities

• Attending weekly outreach sessions, distributing food, and essential supplies to people
experiencing homelessness
• Building relationships with local businesses, organisations, and charities to develop
partnerships and grow the outreach
• Managing logistics including donation collection, session planning, and volunteer
coordination
• Growing PINT's presence and community awareness across the city

Other Skills You Can Offer?

We would love to hear from you whatever your background. Whether it is marketing, PR,
logistics, photography, fundraising, social media, or anything else you think could help, there
is likely a place for you within the team. No contribution is too small, and every skill counts
when you are building something from scratch.

We're looking for Initial Contact Advisers across our offices in South West Surrey: Cranleigh, Farnham, Godalming, Guildford, Haslemere. 

What will you do?
● complete an introduction to Citizens Advice and training for your role
● talk to clients over the phone, face to face, or online to explore whatproblems they’ve come for help with
● assess clients capacity and the level of help they need, to decide nextsteps
● find information about the clients’ problems and help them to understandtheir options
● identify when a client needs more in depth help than you can give at initialcontact, and make an appointment for them to come back
● write a summary of the clients’ problems and what action you’ve taken
● look out for problems’ that are common, or are unfair, and write a shortreport about the problem or a letter to an elected official like an MP, AMor local councillor.

Some examples of what you could do:
● help a client with rent arrears find how to get help with their rent, andtake the first steps to secure their housing
● help someone with debts work out a reasonable amount to pay back, andmake a phonecall to an organisation they owe money to.
● explore what benefits a client is entitled to and to take the first steps inmaking a benefit claim.

What’s in it for you?
● make a real difference to people’s lives
● learn about a range of issues such as benefits, debt, employment and housing
● build on valuable skills such as communication, listening and analysing
● increase your employability
● work with a range of different people, independently and in a team.
● have a positive impact in your community.

And we’ll reimburse your travel expenses too.

What do you need to have?
You don’t need specific qualifications or skills but you’ll need to:
● be friendly and approachable
● be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own
● have good listening skills
● have excellent verbal and written communication skills
● have good maths and IT skills
● be able to understand information and explain it to others
● be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection
● be willing to undertake training in your role

How much time do you need to give?
Ideally we ask for 6 hours per week, which can be over one day or spread over two days, for at least 6 months.

Valuing inclusion
Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome applications from racially minoritised people/people of colour, disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people.

If you are interested in becoming an assessor and would like to discuss flexibility around location, time, ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you please contact us.

Contact details
To apply, please fill out a Volunteer Application Form.

Client Feedback Volunteer

Shelter Norfolk

Are you comfortable speaking with people? Would you like to gather meaningful data for Shelter while you do so?

Information about the role

In this role, you’ll be phoning people who have previously contacted Shelter for advice. The purpose is to gather feedback from them on their experience with Shelter and how that has impacted upon their housing and general wellbeing. This helps us identify the impacts our service is having, and whether there is anything we should do differently.

Location: Shelter Hub, Norwich

Suggested contribution: One day per week (can be flexible around your commitments).

Availability: Volunteering will take place at a time that suits you, within Monday-Friday, 9am – 5pm

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now by clicking ‘fill in an application’ or read on more for details.

Main activities may include:

· Phoning clients around 8-10 weeks after they accessed our services.

· Asking clients set questions to gather information on their experiences with Shelter and the difference it has made to them.

· Recording the phone calls and the responses given onto our client database (CRM).

· Presenting findings from the feedback calls in an accessible format e.g. using Word or Excel.

· Identifying key findings and/or trends and sharing with a relevant team member.

This role fights the housing emergency by identifying the impacts our advice services are having on clients, as well as whether there’s any changes we should make.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering.

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity.

Your skills and experience

The volunteer in this role will need to have basic IT skills, be comfortable speaking over the telephone and be considerate of their language and tone. We also recommend the volunteer to have some resilience to potentially challenging conversations. But the most important thing is that you care about fighting the housing emergency!

Supporting you

· You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook.

· The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences.

· You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer expenses policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance.

· You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders.

Next steps

You can apply for this role by clicking ‘fill in an application’. If you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us to see what options are available.

We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further.

Upon offer of role, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions and complete a basic level Criminal Record Check. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean you can’t volunteer with us. We will have a conversation with you to discuss the convictions in relation to the role you have applied for. Sometimes it may limit the ways you can get involved. Please contact us if you require more information.

Are you a care leaver, foster carer or kinship carer? We are looking for new Trustees to join our Board and would particularly love to hear from people with lived experience relevant to our work.

Who we are

The Roots Foundation Wales is an award-winning charity based in Swansea. We support young people in care as they transition to independent living and into adulthood and we also support foster and kinship carers. Our beautiful centre was featured on BBC's DIY SOS and Children in Need in 2017 and we are proud of the community we have built here.

With the help of our young people and carers we have developed a new 3-year Strategic Plan and in 2027 we will be opening a new house with further accommodation for young people.

A message from our Youth Panel

“Roots is our home from home, it’s a place where we can share our personal experiences and always be supported. Building good relationships with the staff and other young people is very important to us. It’s important to have staff who are respectful, caring and trustworthy while being able to have fun and enjoy a bit of banter! We need someone who is honest, responsible and appreciative of the fact that Roots is like our family.”

What we are looking for

We are expanding our Board and are particularly keen to recruit Trustees with lived experience of care, including care leavers and kinship carers. We also encourage applications from young people, disabled people and Welsh speakers and from people based in Swansea and the surrounding area.

As a Trustee you will:

• Help guide the strategic direction of the charity
• Attend online board meetings every two months (usually Tuesday evening, 2 hours)
• Visit Roots 2-3 times a year as a minimum
• Work on sub-committee projects such as finance or safguarding
• Be visible and support the staff and young people
• Expenses are covered and full induction and training will be provided. An enhanced DBS check is required.

You can find out more about Roots, the work we do and the current Trustees here: https://www.therootsfoundation.wales/our-team/

Social Media Volunteer - London 

Do you want to use your social media skills to tackle the housing emergency? 

Information about the role 

You’ll be identifying topics to share, helping develop the communications and then using a range of social media platforms to promote our local services and increase engagement with local and national campaigns.

Location: Shelter Office, 88 Old Street, London

Suggested contribution: 5 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months

Availability: Volunteering will take place at a time that suits you, within Monday-Friday, 9am – 5pm 

The above is the essential information you need to know. You can apply now by clicking ‘fill in an application’ or read on more for details.

Main activities may include: 

• Establishing and/or maintaining active social media accounts for the Shelter London hub. 

• Helping to develop social media communication plans. 

• Creating and sharing content on social media platforms that raises awareness of Shelter’s campaigns and services and helps the local community. 

• Identifying topics to share through communicating with hub teams as well as researching housing related news and issues affecting people locally. 

• Being up to date with social media trends and using them to attract target audiences. 

• Attending events organised by the London hub to gather content to share on social media and/or live posting throughout.

• Monitoring reactions to our posts, including flagging any responses that do not align with our inclusion and Anti-Racism work.

This role fights the housing emergency by promoting awareness of Shelter’s campaigns and services. This means people who need help with housing or homelessness know where to go for support.

Benefits of volunteering with Shelter 

Volunteers are essential to Shelter’s mission to end housing injustice. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds. The insights and life experiences our volunteers bring to Shelter are valued as much as their contribution through volunteering. 

We aim to provide our volunteers with a positive experience. This is by prioritising accessibility and tailoring the support we provide to the needs of the individual. We make sure our policies and processes are equitable, which means that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged while volunteering because of their background or identity. 

Your skills and experience 

We’re looking for someone who’s comfortable using various social media platforms. You don’t need to have professional experience in this area, using them for your personal accounts is just as relevant. Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who cares about social justice and fighting the housing emergency. 

Supporting you 

• You will be provided with an induction into your role, access to relevant learning and a copy of our volunteer handbook. 

• The role, including learning and communications, are flexible, so can be tailored so they best suit your needs and preferences.

• You will be able to claim reasonable volunteering expenses in line with Shelter’s volunteer expenses policy. Where financial circumstances would be a barrier to volunteering, we may be able to offer these funds in advance.

• You will be able to access our volunteer support package, including our colleague assistance programme and Shelter’s network of mental health first aiders. 

Next steps 

You can apply for this role by clicking ‘fill in an application’. If you need to apply by an alternative method, please contact us to see what options are available. 

We will then get back to you about your application. Shortlisted applicants will have a recruitment conversation to discuss the role further. 

Upon offer of role, you will be asked to declare any unspent convictions and complete a basic level Criminal Record Check. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean you can’t volunteer with us. We will have a conversation with you to discuss the convictions in relation to the role you have applied for. Sometimes it may limit the ways you can get involved. Please contact us if you require more information. 

Administration Support Volunteer

When someone reaches out to us, often in a moment of crisis, our administration support volunteers are one of the first voices they hear. You make sure that voice is calm, kind, and helpful.

You support people in a housing crisis, as well as offering assistance and information to supporters, volunteers, and members of the public who get in touch by phone, email, or in person. Working alongside our trained staff, you’ll help answer calls to our support line and keep things running smoothly across our office and support centre.

A big part of this role is helping the office runs smoothly day to day. That means getting involved in a wide variety of tasks, from supporting our databases and keeping records up to date, to helping with general admin, organising information, and making sure everything is where it needs to be so the staff and volunteer team can focus on supporting people. You’ll also help us keep accurate records so that people get the right support at the right time.

You’ll be helping with things like:

• Being a friendly first point of contact by phone, email, or at the door. 
• Listening carefully and recording important information accurately. 
• Supporting people with enquiries and helping them feel heard and understood. 
• Helping keep our databases and records up to date. 
• Supporting a wide range of daily admin tasks across the office. 
• Keeping the office organised so the team can focus on supporting people. 
• Helping prepare spaces for meetings and everyday activity. 
• Filing, scanning, and handling post. 
• Making refreshments and helping create a welcoming environment. 
• Supporting with basic stock checks and office supplies. 

What matters most in this role

We don’t expect you to know everything already. What matters most is:

• You’re kind, patient, and a good listener. 
• You can stay calm when things feel busy or emotionally challenging. 
• You’re comfortable using a phone, email and a computer, Microsoft Office and happy to learn new systems. 
• You understand the importance of confidentiality and treating people with respect. 
• You’re reliable and willing to be part of a team that supports each other. 
• You’re happy to help with a mix of people-facing and computer-based tasks.

 What you’ll gain

You’ll receive a full induction and ongoing support so you feel confident in your role. This includes training in safeguarding, confidentiality, and the systems we use day to day.
Many of our volunteers find this role deeply rewarding, not just because of the skills they gain, but because of the part they play in supporting people through difficult moments. We’re also happy to provide a reference for future opportunities.
 

When you’ll volunteer
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and/or 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. 
We ask for around one shift a week wherever possible, but we’re flexible.