Medical volunteer roles

RSPCA Surrey East Branch

We are looking for fosterers in the Surrey East area, including Redhill, Reigate, Dorking, Horley, Lingfield, Oxted and Caterham.

We’re looking for cat-loving volunteers to play a vital role in helping us improve the wellbeing of the cats in our care whilst they wait to be rehomed. Can you help them by providing a calm and caring home whilst we find their purrfect forever home?

Overview of the opportunity

As a cat fosterer, you would be supporting the RSPCA in providing our cats with the safety of your home whilst tending to their welfare needs such as feeding and grooming. In addition to this, by providing a temporary loving environment, you will play a crucial role in a cat’s wellbeing and socialisation, which will significantly improve their chances of successful rehoming.

Once everything is in place, the branch will guide you through the fostering process and ensure that you have all the necessary equipment, food, and veterinary care for your fostered cat.

Our Animal Welfare Officer, Robyn, is the fostering coordinator, so she will provide our fosterers will all the help and support they need. We are a small, remote branch, so fostering will be the backbone of our rehoming operation. Volunteers will play an integral part to our branch. We don't operate at a large capacity, so we will always be on hand to support fosterers and navigate the fostering process with them. They will be joining the branch at a very exciting time, as we have only just launched our cat fostering scheme.

Whilst our cats are in your foster care, you will:

• Provide them with care, suitable housing, and a safe environment as per our policies and guidelines.

• Feed, water, and groom them in line with our advice.

• Transport them to any veterinary appointments (if required)

• Provide them with your time and patience.

• Help us spread the word about the cats in your care so they might find their forever home quicker.

• Playing and cuddles are also a must!

What we are looking for in a volunteer Cat Fosterer

• Volunteers aged 18 or over who have had plenty of experience caring for cats.

• Fostering experience is beneficial but not essential as training is provided.

• For their wellbeing, our cats need to be kept in a separate room, so the whole family should be on board.

• Any existing pets or animals need to have been spayed/neutered (some medical reasons may mean they cannot be so, please let us know if this is the case).

What we can offer you as a volunteer Cat Fosterer

• You will be making a massive difference to the welfare of the cats in your care.
• Join a community which will enable you to meet new people and make new friends.
• Learning new skills through our comprehensive induction and fostering training programme.
• Enhance your CV by adding your volunteering experience and newly acquired skills.

It is worth mentioning that our cats do have different needs as whilst some are ready for rehoming others may require rehabilitation or ongoing medication. Therefore, we also aim to understand your situation and circumstances to ensure that we match you with your perfect foster cat.

If you would like to know more about fostering our cats and review our fostering process, including the changes we have made in light of Covid-19 to protect our staff and volunteers, please contact the Surrey East Branch.

How to Apply:

If you’ve got the drive and compassion to volunteer with the RSPCA and are passionate about improving animal welfare, we’d love to hear from you!

Please visit our website to learn more about what we do.

We hope you are interested in volunteering for the Surrey East Branch.

Join us in making a real difference to the lives of animals in need.

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and depending on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

We are excited to be launching our first-ever volunteer led Armed Forces Community project in the North West and are now recruiting for a bank of volunteers across the region to help us reach veterans who are in need of support to enhance their wellbeing and quality of life.

If you are a veteran, or family member with experience of military life and are free to volunteer and give something back in your community, we would love to hear from you. You may have had personal experience of being medically discharged or since leaving the Armed Forces have found it difficult to transition to civvy street and want to help others to have a better experience. You may already have a reasonable understanding of what is available or lacking in your neighbourhood for veterans in your community. Our Volunteer Ambassadors will report into our experienced Volunteer Coordinator and will work remotely in their community, helping veterans by signposting them to organisations and charities that can help improve their circumstances.

Roles are on a voluntary basis and therefore unpaid. A car is essential and any business mileage or meeting costs will be reimbursed. A mobile phone will also be provided with training in Safeguarding and Confidentiality/Data Protection, Professional Boundaries and Lone Working. Applications are initially open to those living in Lancashire and particularly Chorley, Preston or Wigan. However, we also welcome interest further afield from those living in Liverpool/Merseyside or Cumbria.

Join us in our mission to save lives at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance

We are looking for volunteers to assist our Shop Managers in our brand new shop in Hemel Hempstead

Key Volunteer Activities:

• Assisting with the donations of stock, by sorting and steaming and preparing for shop floor
• Maintaining good stock rotation and levels at all times
• Helping with visual merchandising when needed
• Greeting customers in a friendly and approachable manner
• Understanding the Charities key standards and Values
• Becoming familiar with our Health and Safety Policies and being able to convey these to other volunteers
• Assisting the Shop Manager on daily tasks such as banking and stock takes, recycling and shop rotas
• Maintaining a clean and tidy work place which encourages a happy environment to work in
• Commitment to being part of a regular rota
• Giving any other assistance in relation to the smooth running of the shop as may requested by the Shop Manager
• We also have some specialist retail volunteering roles in our shops and warehouse e.g. helping with e-commerce
• Our shifts are 4 hours but we have a flexible approach so can work around the hours available to you. Regular sign-up to the rota is appreciated. However, ideally we would like you be able to cover 2 or 3 shifts a week

Thurgoland Out of School Club is a small charity that provides childcare to meet the local communities requirements. They offer complete daytime care for infants from the age of 6 weeks old, through to out of school care for children up to the age of 11 years.

TOOSC are a vital and much valued part of the beautiful rural village community in Thurgoland, providing support for families for 50 weeks of the year between 7.30am to 6pm.

This role provides an excellent opportunity to give back to the community while gaining experience of strategic leadership in a charitable organisation. It is an exciting time to join the board of trustees, with growing demand for services, the charity is financially sustainable and has reserves to support its development.

The Role

We are looking for someone with financial experience to embrace the role of Trustee (Treasurer) and ensure the sustainability of TOOSC for the village’s families.

The main responsibilities will include:

• Financial planning, budgeting and forecasting 
• Financial management and reporting, ensuring accurate financial records
• Financial oversight - monitoring income and expenditure, and providing quarterly reviews
•  Trustee duties and responsibilities – legal compliance, governance and strategic vision

The Person

We are looking for a financial professional with proven experience and a strong understanding of managing financial accounts and governance within the charity, corporate or public sector.

As a Trustee you will be legally responsible for the charity, therefore we are looking for someone who can demonstrate exceptional judgement, integrity and reliability. You must have the ability to provide strategic advice and contribute to long-term planning. An accountancy qualification (ACCA, ACA, CIMA etc.) would be desirable.

You will ideally have knowledge of the Charity Commission’s requirements and charity finance structures, or be willing to learn. A flair for presenting complex financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues and working effectively with the board of trustees is essential.

Why TOOSC?

This role is a wonderful opportunity to bring your financial skills, existing experience as a trustee or board member to a make a meaningful impact in the local community of Thurgoland.

You will be able to influence the future direction of this charitable organisation and secure sustainability for its future. By joining their passionate, friendly and supportive team you will have the opportunity to experience the valuable contribution made from skilled professionals and develop knowledge of charity governance, leadership and financial management

If this sounds like the type of role and charity that could suit the next phase of your career, then do get in touch. To register your interest please apply here, or for more information contact Charlie, Leanne or Jen at Charity Horizons.

Please note: If you would like to submit an application or express your interest in an alternative format such as audio or video upload, or require any adaptations for your initial engagement with us, please contact either Jen or Leanne who will be happy to advise on this.

Please also be aware that we use anonymous recruitment methods when submitting shortlists for all our roles and we only work with organisations that are happy to engage with us in this way.

Charity Horizons is an equal opportunities employer and as such actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable candidates irrespective of age, disability, hidden disability, race or national origin, religion or belief, gender, gender expression, political view, sexual orientation, medical condition and pregnancy.

Trustees – Dementia Carers Count

Expertise areas: Finance & Investments | Income Generation | Strategic Impact & Growth

Dementia Carers Count (DCC) is a national charity supporting and advocating for the millions of people across the UK who care for someone living with dementia.

Carers often feel invisible and overwhelmed, yet they provide essential, complex care every day. DCC exists to change that - offering practical and emotional support, amplifying carers’ voices, and campaigning for long‑term reform.As we shape the next phase of our strategic development, we are looking for three new trustees to bring expertise, strong governance and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of dementia carers.

What we are looking for:

• Finance & Investments Trustee
  We’re seeking a trustee with strong finance and investment expertise, including charity finance experience. You’ll help ensure robust financial governance, long‑term sustainability and effective risk management. Working with the Board and executive team, you’ll oversee budgets, monitor performance and support decisions that strengthen our financial position.
  Committee: Finance, Audit & Risk.
   
• Income Generation Trustee
  We’re looking for a trustee with expertise in income generation to support DCC’s growth and long‑term sustainability. You’ll bring strategic insight across areas such as fundraising, corporate partnerships and/or digital income, helping to diversify and strengthen our income streams. Working alongside the Board and executive team, you’ll contribute to shaping income growth strategy, offering challenge, guidance and insight to help maximise income and build organisational resilience.
  Committee:Income Generation
   
• Strategic Impact & Growth Trustee
  We’re seeking a trustee who can help turn our strong foundation into greater visibility and long‑term growth. You’ll help us evidence our impact, communicate it confidently, and build partnerships and income that expand our reach. This role supports the Board to ensure our services remain high‑quality, sustainable and clearly understood by the public.
  Committee: Income Generation.

We would particularly welcome applicants who bring lived experience of dementia care, as this perspective strengthens our understanding of the challenges carers face and helps shape meaningful, relevant strategy.

Time commitment:

Around 12 days per year, including:

• Quarterly Board meetings (hybrid)

• Committee meetings (online)

• Strategy day

• Occasional involvement in interviews, events or Task & Finish groups
 

Terms

This is an unremunerated voluntary role.

All reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed.

How to apply

DCC are working with their retained partner at TPP Recruitment on this appointment.

To express your interest, please apply with an updated CV and a member of TPP’s Leadership & Governance team will be in touch with further information.

Closing date: 5.00pm, 19th March 2026

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.

Are you passionate about social media and can lead a small team? We're looking to recruit a Lead Volunteer for our Social Media Team. We’re looking for someone who has a passion for promoting a small charity supporting a rare condition and has the ability to support a volunteering team as well as plan and use platforms and tools for social media including Canva, Google Drive and other digital platforms.

The Social Media Team develops and promotes Burning Nights CRPS Support’s communications online, using social media platforms as widely as possible, in order to maximise our impact and to inspire actions in the public, healthcare professionals, communities and businesses. The promotion of our activities will raise awareness of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and provide support and empowerment to the CRPS community. Communications will also run in line with Burning Nights CRPS Support's campaigns strategy/plan.

This is a flexible volunteering opportunity, which means your commitment can be balanced around your lifestyle - being part of a team to ensure that communications to our community and supporters are up to date and timely.
You will provide leadership for your team and support the development of a communications plan for the charity.

Key Tasks and Objectives
You will lead and support the development and implementation of a communications strategy, direction and plans for Burning Nights CRPS Support's Social Media/online communications, create engaging content, supervise the team and encourage high standards.
Tasks may include:

• Managing the Social Media campaigns across social media, which includes overseeing and creating engaging content, writing and editorial, design and artwork from The Social Media Team.
• Scheduling and posting regular social media content.
• Help develop social media campaigns and day-to-day activities.
• Prepare graphics for sharing across channels.
• Monitor the impact of social media campaigns; Analyse, review and report on effectiveness of campaigns in an effort to maximize the charity’s reach.
• Capture and report on monthly data from across all social media platform.
• Lead on Social Media meetings or the social media section of Comms meetings.
• Work with the whole Comms & Marketing Team including the Lead Communications & Marketing Volunteer to provide relevant content for their teams to use on social media, providing training/coaching where appropriate.
• Develop, manage content and maintain social media objectives and targets.
• Supporting the Social Media Team to ensure our social media platforms are regularly updated.
• Supporting with the development, preparation and implementation of Burning Nights CRPS Support's Social Media strategy in conjunction with the overall Comms strategy.
• Encouraging others to comment on our posts and share them with others, to ensure that our communications reach a wide range of stakeholders and diverse audience.
• Increasing the numbers of followers and engagement across our social media channels - Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok and X, using appropriate tools and utilising relevant channels to reach diverse audiences.
• Monitor, analyse and report on the performance of social media channels/activities using tools like Metricool, Buffer and Google Analytics, feeding back monthly to the Lead Comms Volunteer and the trustees, using the data to inform future activities.
• Keep up to date with the charity and healthcare sectors, events and news, and suggest content to promote through our social media feeds.
• Support new volunteer Social Media Team members ensuring they understand their role or assign them their role.
• Act responsibly with data held by Burning Nights CRPS Support that you may access as part of your role, adhering to guidelines and policies and reporting any concerns or possible breaches to Burning Nights CRPS Support's Data Protection Officer/Lead.

Key Skills or Qualifications

• Experience of using social media platforms, other online tools and Communications to generate interest in a charity, business or project.
• Experience of managing a team and projects.
• The ability to inspire people to act and get involved internally and externally.
• Ability to transform small snippets of information into interesting and engaging stories suitable for social media platforms.
• Good IT skills, including Google Drive, Canva, Buffer, Word and Excel.
• Experience of managing multiple campaigns, with excellent organisational and time management skills, delivering effective targeted outcomes.
• Be proactive and show initiative, with the ability to volunteer unsupervised.
• Genuine interest in supporting a small charity and a passion for campaigning for a healthcare charity.
• Be motivated and enthusiastic with proven experience and is passionate about social media and marketing, and producing tangible results.
• Good interpersonal skills dealing with people sensitively and respectfully from a wide range of backgrounds
• Strong strategic development, project management and articulate communication skills.
• Good attention to detail and accuracy, with succinct writing and proof-reading skills
• Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other volunteers and staff.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise and structure work schedules.
• Ability to be innovative and creative.
• Ability to be flexible and have a 'can do' approach.
• Friendly, approachable manner - able to build rapport with a range of partners and staff, and provide a collaborative team environment.
• Confidence in communicating on Zoom or by email.

Key Benefits

• Voluntary Experience: Gain practical real-world experience working in social media management.
• Supportive Team: Collaborate with a passionate team working on projects.
• Personal Development: Develop your skills in social media marketing, content creation, and community engagement.
• Portfolio content for future job applications.
• Opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause.

Training and Support

• Full induction to our organisation, as well as check-ins, ongoing training, supervision and support from the Communications & Marketing Lead Volunteer, Volunteer Co-ordinators, Trustees and the Volunteer Team.
• Relevant and ongoing training for your volunteer role.
• Regular updates on charity activities.
• Support, advice and guidance from Charity team.
• After 3 months volunteering, all volunteers are eligible for additional training courses (reasonable cost).
• Out-of-pocket expenses, approved in advance will be reimbursed.

We are looking for two new volunteer yoga teachers to join our small team of teachers delivering weekly yoga sessions to our clients. This role involves taking over two regular classes on a Wednesday and joining a rota with one or two other teachers, therefore leading the sessions on 1 out of every 2 or 3 weeks.

Yoga at the Foundation is offered as a gentle, supportive practice to help clients reconnect with their bodies, build regulation, and experience moments of calm and empowerment.

Session Details

Day: Wednesdays

Time: 10.30am – 1.00pm

Classes:

Two 1-hour classes with a 30-minute break in between (1 women-only class, 1 mixed-gender class)

Location: A beautiful, calm studio space within the Helen Bamber Foundation offices near Old Street

Commitment: Weekly rota (shared with 1–2 other teachers, so leading 1 in every 2 or 3 weeks). After an initial trial period, we are asking for a minimum 1-year commitment.

Skills and Experience

We welcome teachers from all yoga traditions and lineages, provided your approach is inclusive, sensitive, and adaptable.

Needed:

• Minimum 2 years’ yoga teaching experience OR a relevant professional background working with refugees, survivors of trauma, or similar client groups
• Ability to teach in a calm, accessible, non-directive way
• Reliability, flexibility and commitment to the rota
• Warm, compassionate, and grounded presence

Desired:

• Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers, or survivors of trauma (useful but not mandatory)
• Trauma-informed training (highly desirable)
• Interest in or willingness to learn trauma-sensitive yoga approaches

What you will get out of the role:

• The opportunity to be part of a deeply meaningful programme supporting survivors of torture and human rights abuses
• Teaching in a welcoming, supportive environment
• Expenses paid
• Support from staff and fellow teachers
• A chance to develop experience in trauma-informed, community-based yoga teaching

Beacon for Rare Diseases hosts The Resources Hub, a 100% free and accessible e-learning platform created to support the rare disease community, including:

• Patient groups, patients and families
• Researchers and life science professionals
• Rare disease advocates

The Resources Hub brings together over 100 free resources, including written courses, video guides, webinars and recordings from events and conferences. These resources are designed to support people at every stage of their rare disease journey, whether they are just getting started or are part of a well-established organisation.

We are incredibly proud of the breadth and quality of what’s available on the Hub. However, much of our long-standing content is under-promoted, meaning that people don’t always find the right resource at the right time.

“The Resources Hub provides invaluable resources to help patient group leaders navigate challenges such as caring responsibilities, health issues, and employment.”

“It breaks down topics relevant to the rare community in a way that's easy to digest and empowering to take action!”

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About the role

We are looking for a social media volunteer to help us shine a light on the wealth of content already available within the Resources Hub.

In this role, you will:

• Spend time exploring our existing Resources Hub content
• Write 1–3 social media posts per resource, tailored for different platforms
• Help us build a reusable library of social media posts that we can draw on to promote resources when they are most relevant

This role is about helping people discover support that already exists, making it easier for patient groups and advocates to find information that could make a real difference to their work.

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Who this role would suit

This is a specific, project-based placement and would suit someone who already has experience in communications, social media or content creation.

You’ll be someone who:

• Enjoys writing clear, engaging social media copy
• Understands how to adapt messaging across different platforms
• Is comfortable working independently and managing their own time
• Can take guidance on tone and branding and run with it

While we don’t have capacity to provide training, you won’t be left on your own. We will:

• Provide clear direction on priorities and approach
• Share brand guidance and examples
• Review initial work to make sure everything feels aligned
• Have routine check-ins, provide feedback, and an end-of-placement review

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Time commitment and flexibility

​This is a fully remote volunteering role, which we ideally hope can be completed within around three months. We anticipate a minimum commitment of approximately two hours per week, though a shorter, more intensive placement could also be arranged to suit the volunteer. We are open to having more than one volunteer on this project and do not expect a single person to work through the entire Hub.

Please note: we are looking for this placement to begin as soon as possible. 

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Why volunteer with Beacon?

By volunteering with Beacon, you will:

• Help improve access to free, high-quality resources for the rare disease community
• Support patient groups, patients and advocates to build confidence and capacity
• Gain experience working with a well-established national charity
• Take on a clearly defined project with flexible working

Role Overview

Are you a retired health professional, a student SLT or looking to retrain to become a speech and language therapist - well this volunteering role is for you.. Read on..

We are seeking dedicated and compassionate Volunteers to join our new monthly drop in group which takes place

Carro Lounge,

CwmbranShopping Centre,

47/49 Gwent Square,

Cwmbran.

on the 1st Tuesday of the Month 10 am -11 am. There is also an option to join the groups online group that takes part every week apart from on the 1st Tuesday of the month 10 am - 11 am.

This role is ideal for individuals looking to make a meaningful impact in the community while gaining valuable experience.

The Say Aphasia charity provides support groups across the UK for people with aphasia; a language and communication disability caused by a brain injury like a stroke. Aphasia affects over 350,000 people in the UK but is little understood or known about by the public. It is the only aphasia charity set up by people with aphasia for people with aphasia; helping them to adapt to their new way of life and regain their independence and confidence.

Aphasia occurs due to injury to the brain such as a stroke. It affects access to language, resulting in difficulties following conversations, speaking, reading and writing.

Volunteers will support the running of the group with communicating, and will have the opportunity to utilise their communication skills and IT knowledge to take a register of attendance.

Responsibilities

• Provide companionship and support to individuals, particularly those living with asphasia.
• Assist in organising activities that promote social interaction and engagement.
• Communicate effectively with participants, ensuring their needs are understood and met.
• Help maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
• Collaborate with other volunteers to enhance the group.

Qualifications

• An understanding or knowledge in aphasia is desirable but not essential (training will be given)
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse groups.
• Proficiency in IT, including familiarity with common software applications.
• A compassionate and patient attitude towards individuals in need of support.

This volunteer position offers a rewarding opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of others while developing personal skills and experiences.

Are you interested in communication? Have you got experience of using Mailchimp? Help us engage our charity's audience by creating compelling email and newsletter content so that we can support more people affected by a complex, debilitating chronic condition as well as raise awareness of this rare disease. This is a great opportunity to assist a small but mighty charity.

Description

Our small charity delivers awareness campaigns and a range of support services to patients, relatives, partners and carers who have been affected by a debilitating chronic condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). We are urgently looking for 2 experienced email marketing volunteers to join our communications team.

You will be a big link to our charity's clients who are vulnerable and isolated, to them learning more about events, our latest articles, fundraising events as well as ensuring they are aware of the services that we offer that be of help to them. You will also be helping us to raise awareness of this devastating chronic condition.

Even though we are a small organisation we have big ideas and having regular contact through emails and newsletters will show consistency and know they can rely on us to be there for them.

We would like the volunteer to help with:

• Email content: Develop our communication & marketing content calendar, write compelling regular email content, including calls for donations & support, that is relevant and has clear a call-to-action and high click through rates;
• Email content (membership): Create a regular email newsletter for our membership scheme
• Create a number of automated email series - for donors, members, fundraisers and more
• Newsletter strategy: Help us plan and articulate how we can use emails and newsletters to strengthen our organisation, motivate our supporters and communicate with our sponsors;
• Design and implement campaigns and promotional activity

What are you looking for in a volunteer?

We are looking for 2 volunteers who have:

• Strong writing and editing skills
• Good communicator
• Good computer skills and a willingness to be contacted via email and/or video chat
• Experience using email marketing software - specifically Mailchimp
• Marketing skills
• Experience of working on marketing strategies
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our team, organisation and our services users (we are not expecting you to know about the condition we support)
• Can ask key questions to enable us to clarify requirements
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and is able to work with these
• Open to feedback
• A passion for marketing and email marketing
• Ability to work flexibly on your own or as part of a team with enthusiasm and commitment
• Ability to create email campaigns with little supervision (after initial support)

Skills

• Digital: Email Marketing
• Marketing and communications: Copywriting/Journalism

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

You will be joining a small charity during a challenging period and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in ensuring we reach the patients, relatives, partners and carers who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help we will expand our readership to ensure more people are aware of this condition, which will help those affected by it when they see a health professional.

What's in it for the volunteer?

You would be a part of our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching more people affected by this rare condition who may not know that we exist to support them. You would have a key role in developing a strategy to complement our awareness campaigns. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference in someone’s life which is already isolated and painful, but who may not know there is support out there and to then realise they’re not alone.

About the location

Where will the volunteer be working?

The volunteer will be working remotely, online and entirely from your own home.

Travel Limit

This role will be completely remote.

When will the volunteer be working?

Volunteer availability

• Either in or office hours - however we are flexible

Estimate the time commitment

• 3-6 hours / week - but this is flexible however ideally it would be 4 hours or over to ensure email campaigns are going out at the right time

To apply for the email marketing volunteer please send by email your CV together with a covering letter saying why you think you would be a good candidate for this position, via the Charity Job 'Apply Online' 

CARIS Families (registered charity name CARIS Camden, charity number 1121919) is a small frontline charity that runs support services for homeless children and their parents living in temporary accommodation hostels in the London Boroughs of Camden and Hackney. 

Families can find themselves homeless for many reasons.  They may be displaced as part of the refugee resettlement process.  They may be fleeing domestic violence or suffering the fallout of relationship breakdown.  They may have simply found themselves priced out of the rental market and lost their home as a result.  With affordable housing and social tenancies increasingly scarce, many children and their parents live in this state of limbo for years on end.  The hostel, in effect, becomes the childhood home, making ‘temporary accommodation’ anything but temporary. 

CARIS Families' frontline mission is twofold: to improve families' day-to-day experiences while in temporary accommodation  and to assist them to move out of homelessness as soon as possible.  We improve day-to-day experiences by providing hostel-based services for families that put back opportunities for children to thrive and that support parental wellbeing.  At the same time, we casework with parents to progress their housing case so the family can move on into a settled home as soon as possible.  In 2025 we supported 108 families and 146 children with play and learning opportunities, school holiday activities, family support work, poverty relief work and housing casework.

In addition to our frontline work, we contribute data and learned experience from our frontline work to academic research and political campaigning with the aim of bringing about reform of harmful temporary accommodation practises, and we support our families to share their lived experience. 

Our turnover in 2024 was £238,555, with the majority of our income coming from trust and foundation grants, of which 4 are multi-year grants.  We do not currently receive any statutory funding.  Please find out more on the Charity Commission website at: CARIS CAMDEN - 1121919

Current context 

We currently have a board of eight trustees and would like to increase the capacity of the board to match our growth, as we expand our hostel reach, family casework and public profile in the campaigns arena. 

We have a Director, a staff team of six and a small cohort of volunteers who deliver our services within the family hostels and further afield. We have a broad support base with the significant impact and value of work recognised by our partners. 

Roles 

We have completed a Trustees skill audit and the following areas were identified as priority skills and expertise needed to support the development of our work: 

• Individuals with lived experience of family temporary accommodation 

• Children’s social workers 

• Teachers or educationalists with an Early Years / KS1 interest, interested in educational inequality

• Academics with interest in sociology, urban geography and social inequality relating to housing rights and children’s life chances 

• Housing and homelessness professionals

• Medical professionals with an interest in child and maternal health in light of social inequalities 

• Corporate, HNW and legacy fundraising professionals 

• IT and technology professionals with expertise in how we can better use technology to drive our work forward and increase impact using our collected data. 

If you don’t quite match the above but feel you have significant skill or knowledge to contribute to our work we’d still love to hear from you. 

Given the demographics of the families we support, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals, from people with experience of migration, and from people with lived experience of temporary accommodation.

Expectations for Trustees 

Trustees play a vital role in ensuring the charity is well‑governed, sustainable, and delivering meaningful impact. As a trustee, you will be expected to: 

• Attend all Trustees meetings.  Currently this consists of four meetings per annum, which generally alternate between online delivery and in-person in central London. 

• Attend at least one session of delivery with our staff team each year. 

• Proactively contribute your particular area/s of knowledge, expertise and insight to board discussions and strategic decision-making processes. 

• Be willing to proactively engage in the development of CARIS Families on a three to five-year term.

• Undertake an Enhanced DBS check and online Safeguarding Training course, both organised and funded by CARIS Families. 

While this is a voluntary role, travel expenses within Greater London can be covered to attend meetings and services.

Please get in touch if you have any questions about the role or your decision to apply, we’d welcome a discussion. 

Potentially interested individuals will be invited to have an informal conversation with our Director, followed by a meeting with our Chair of Trustees, prior to suitable individuals being voted in.

We are growing our volunteering team and looking to recruit 2 Lead Volunteers for our Content Team. We’re looking for two people who have a passion for promoting a charity supporting a rare condition and have the ability to support a volunteering team as well as plan and use communication tools such as websites, Canva and other digital platforms.

This is a flexible volunteering opportunity, which means your commitment can be balanced around your lifestyle - being part of a team to ensure that communications to our community and supporters are up to date and timely.

You will provide leadership for your team and support the development of a communications plan for the charity.

Key Tasks and Objectives

• Lead a team of content writer volunteers.
• Lead and co-ordinate internal projects, activities and campaigns that help build awareness of our organisation and its aims.
• Building, leading and inspiring the content team, ensuring goals are agreed and communicated to support the achievement of our overall aims and projects.
• Ensuring all content is on-brand, consistent in terms of style, quality and tone of voice, and ideally optimised for search and user experience for channels of content including on our website, in our members' magazine as well as supporting the content for social media .
• Supporting the development of a communications strategy, focusing on the content section.
• The implementation of a functional content calendar
• Establishing workflow for requesting, creating, editing, publishing, and repurposing content
• Operate as the point of contact for content volunteers in the team.
• To also be an active part of the content team as a content writer.
• Identifying, initiating and leading on content projects which align to the strategy and realise our goals.
• Collaborate with the team
• To contribute to the Annual Report or other reporting documents.
• Protecting our charity brand identity, ensuring it is delivered consistently, both internally and externally.
• Promote the charity across all our channels and forms of communication.
• Ensure effective, regular communication to both internal and external audiences.
• Support the review of progress and effectiveness of the Communications Strategy on an annual basis.

What are we looking for?

About You

To be successful in this role you will:

• Have a real enthusiasm for excellence, innovation, continuous improvement and change.
• Be a team leader who is positive, hands-on and able to get the best out of a team.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills and are adept at building relationships with different stakeholders.
• Have the ability to think strategically but also enjoy being at an operational level to support your team and key stakeholders.
• Have a high level of attention to detail.
• Have the ability to prioritise, plan and organise projects and to manage expectations.

Experience and Skills

• The ability to communicate (verbal and non-verbal) to a wide variety of audiences including the public, various forms of media and on an individual basis.
• Experience in building and leading a team.
• Previous experience of working or volunteering for charities and/or volunteer organisations is desirable but not required.
• Creativity 
• Good IT skills.
• Ability to motivate and enthuse others.
• To be a part of a team.
• Previous experience in marketing, communications, or related fields.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire volunteers.
• Experience of using Canva or similar design packages.
• A strong network of PR and media contacts would be highly advantageous.

What's in it for you?

This role is a fantastic opportunity to volunteer with a small but ambitious charity, developing and honing your skills around leadership in the Third sector.

Getting the right story in print and online can be challenging, especially when dealing with a rare health condition, but it is definitely rewarding.

You will gain experience in the charity sector, gain new or update your writing skills, a broader C.V., and a sense of accomplishment from using your skills to help people affected by a very painful condition.

You would be leading our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching people who may not have heard about the charity or about the condition. You would also have a key role in developing a communications and marketing strategy for a small charity. This is an excellent opportunity for you to make a real difference to a rare condition.

Key Benefits

• Gain valuable experience in communications and marketing, plus charity team leadership.
• Make a meaningful impact on the fight to support the CRPS community.
• Develop professional skills and expand your network.

FareShare Greater Manchester is looking for volunteer Driver's Assistants to join our busy friendly delivery team with redistributing tonnes of surplus food a month to charities and community initiatives across Greater Manchester.

FareShare is a national charity fighting food poverty and global warming by tackling food surplus. We source overstocked food from retailers and manufacturers and engage many volunteers to help re-distribute it to over 220 frontline charities and community groups across Greater Manchester. These groups, in turn, provide meals to vulnerable people experiencing food poverty, individuals who are homeless, families, and people who are unemployed or socially isolated. This food would otherwise have gone to waste, so we are simultaneously supporting people in need and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Key responsibilities

Working closely with the driver of a temperature-controlled 3.5 tonne Mercedes Sprinter van to deliver surplus food orders to the premises of the benevolent projects we support. 

Loading and unloading the vehicle and carrying out a range of tasks, from basic vehicle checks to delivery administration.

The required skills and attributes are:

• Reliability and ability to commit to pre-agreed volunteer shifts (ESSENTIAL)

• Physical fitness, to take on moving and handling of food orders

• Ability to follow procedures and instructions

• Good verbal communication skills

• Interest in the work of FareShare Greater Manchester and our values

• High respect for Health & Safety procedures and standards

In return you will gain:

Career and CV advice and support

A reference for future employers

Reimbursement of travel and lunch expenses 

The opportunity to give practical help to fight food poverty and reduce food waste (and associated CO2 emissions)

The opportunity to meet like-minded people and make new friends

Our operating hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. 

Driver and Driver’s Assistant shifts begin at 8:30am. 

We welcome volunteers who can commit to one day a week. 

The days and rota hours of volunteering are agreed around your availability.

​IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must be resident in the UK and living in Greater Manchester, or within easy commuting distance of our base, in order to volunteer with us. There are no exceptions to this rule. This is because we require volunteers to be able to reliably commit to regular shifts for some of our roles. We are unable to offer sponsorship for overseas applicants.

Know someone else who might be interested in volunteering with us?
Please pass our details on to them as we always welcome new people on our teams. :)

Volunteer Opportunity: Say Aphasia Bromsgrove Support Group!

Help us make a difference in Bromsgrove for people living with aphasia.

Say Aphasia is launching a brand new support group in Bromsgrove and we are looking for enthusiastic, compassionate volunteers to help run it.

About the Group

Aphasia is a communication disability, usually caused by a stroke or brain injury, that affects a person's ability to speak, read, write, and understand language.

The Say Aphasia Bromsgrove Group provides a safe, welcoming, and relaxed environment where people with aphasia can meet others, practise their communication skills, rebuild confidence, and reduce the isolation that can often accompany aphasia. It is a vital lifeline for our members.

Group Details

• Location: Bromsgrove, Worcs, B61 0EP (Exact venue details available upon application)
• Time: 9:30 am - 11:30 am
• When: The 1st and 3rd Friday of the month
• Starting Date: Friday, 16th January 2026

What We Need from You

We are seeking reliable and friendly individuals who are:

• Excellent Listeners: Patient, supportive, and keen to facilitate communication with individuals who have aphasia.
• Sociable and Enthusiastic: Ready to engage with group members and help foster a positive atmosphere.
• Committed: Able to commit to attending the group sessions regularly (1st and 3rd Friday mornings).
• No prior experience with aphasia is necessary—full training and ongoing support will be provided by Say Aphasia