Member engagement coordinator volunteer roles in Bristol

Do you have a passion for African and Diaspora history and a vision for empowering communities through knowledge?

Tell My Truth and Shame the Devil C.I.C. is seeking a Volunteer African & Diaspora Book Club Coordinator to join our founding volunteer team. This role focuses on creating a welcoming learning space where community members can explore African and Diaspora history, literature and ideas together.

As Book Club Coordinator, you will organise and facilitate a book club programme that encourages reflection, discussion and shared learning. Working with the Membership Director and Community Engagement team, you will help create meaningful conversations that build knowledge, cultural pride and collective understanding.

This role blends facilitation, coordination and community engagement to support a learning space rooted in respect, curiosity and cultural awareness.

Experience, Qualifications and Requirements

Essential / Highly Valued Experience

• Knowledge or strong interest in African and Diaspora history, literature, and cultural movements

• Experience facilitating discussions, learning groups, or community programmes

• Strong communication and group facilitation skills

• Ability to create inclusive spaces for respectful and meaningful discussion

• Confidence guiding conversations about history, identity, power and social change

• Good organisational skills for planning sessions and coordinating participants

• Commitment to community learning and cultural awareness

• Reliability and a collaborative approach to working with others

Desirable

• Experience using digital tools for online meetings, shared documents, or community platforms
   

Qualifications

Formal qualifications in history, education, cultural studies or related fields are welcome but not required. Relevant experience, community knowledge, or lived experience are equally valued.

Key Responsibilities (Reduced)

• Select books and reading materials focused on African and Diaspora history and culture.

• Plan and facilitate regular book club discussions online or in person.

• Encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations about the readings.

• Support participants to reflect on historical and contemporary themes.

• Invite guest speakers or contributors when appropriate.

• Share discussion materials and resources with participants.

• Capture key insights and feedback to help improve future sessions.

• Work with the team to align the book club with wider community programmes.

What This Role Offers You

• Leadership experience facilitating a community learning programme

• Opportunity to help people connect with African and Diaspora history and culture

• Personal growth through dialogue, reflection and cultural education

• The chance to shape a meaningful learning space within a values-led CIC

What This Role Is Not For

• Individuals seeking purely administrative work without facilitating discussions

• Those unwilling to guide conversations that explore complex historical and social themes

• People expecting rigid structures without creativity or community engagement

A Final Word

Learning is about people, not just books.

Trust grows through thoughtful facilitation, care and intellectual honesty.
Respectful handling of stories, histories and lived experiences is a responsibility.
Listening deeply and honouring diverse voices keeps learning communities strong.

The Dementia Services supports people to live independently and safely at home for as long as possible, stay socially engaged and carry on doing what they love. The service supports Camden residents over the age of 55 in the early or moderate stages of dementia.

We offer clients from the Dementia Services (befriending and wellbeing) a short performance or creative activity delivered by a volunteer visual artist, musician, dancer, actor, performer, and other creative artforms. You may choose to share a creative hobby or an art form you practice professionally.

What does the role involve? 

·Share your creative talent or hobby with older people living with dementia by delivering a short performance to an older person at home or providing an opportunity for them to participate in a creative activity.

·Visit a minimum of 4 times per year for up to 1.5 hours each time, including 20/30 minutes for the performance/activity.

·Provide opportunities for connection with older people during your visit through conversation and engagement.

• Liaise with service coordinators to link with clients who have asked to receive these visits/calls.
• Provide feedback after every performance, including positive impact, improvements to the delivery of visits or concerns regarding the client. 

What will you get out of it?

·An opportunity to create meaningful experiences for all

·Be part of something rewarding and fulfilling

·Training in dementia awareness, safeguarding and more

·Supervision and support

·Reimbursement of expenses

·Opportunities to meet other volunteers

What are the benefits for people living with dementia?

 Many of the clients we support in this service are housebound or do not have the confidence or opportunity to attend events. Some clients may be artists, performers and creatives in their own right who do not get an opportunity to engage with or experience this aspect of their lives anymore.

Giving people who are living with memory loss an opportunity to be part of creative activities is a stimulating, fun way of putting them in touch with memories, other people and the wider community.

Bringing your artform into peoples’ homes can have a huge impact on reducing isolation, encouraging connection and bring a sprinkle of joy to those living with dementia.

We are looking for people who have:

• An interest in sharing or performing their creative, artistic skill whether you are a hobbyist or a professional: 
• Singing

·Playing a musical instrument

·Visual art activity

·Poetry/acting

·Dancing

·Culture-specific art/music/dance/poetry

These are just a handful of examples, but we will consider applications from a variety of artists/musicians/ performers and are open to suggestions.

What other attributes do you need?

• Good verbal and written skills in English 

• Enjoy conversation.
• A desire to learn more about an individual and their interests and their past, and life history
• Consistency and reliability 
• An ability to empathise and understand the needs and experiences of an individual with dementia and memory loss.
• Understanding of confidentiality
• Patience and sensitivity
• Confidence to deal with emergencies
• Requirement to undertake induction training and follow guidelines and policies of Age UK Camden

Volunteering Hours 

Performances/activities:Usually approx. 20 -30 minutes but 1-1.5hrs are assigned to the visit

 Minimum of 4 - 6 visits a year (you can opt to do more). 

Visits will be a time agreed between you and the older person you are matched with.

Please note, early morning and late evenings are generally not suitable times for visits. 

Training and induction are provided for the role and includes: 

• Online Dementia Awareness course 
• Age UK Camden organisational induction 
• Induction to Dementia Befriending and Dementia Wellbeing Services and relationships, how to deliver a performer visit
• Safeguarding Adults online course
• Data Awareness online course

We will give you:

• Ongoing support including regular supervision by the coordinator of the service.
• Reimbursement of agreed expenses 
• Access to Volunteer Forum events

 If you are interested, we will ask you to: 

• Complete an application form

• Meet with Dementia Services staff member
• Provide details of two Referees
• Complete an Enhanced DBS check (we arrange this with you)
• Induction and training (as laid out above)

We understand that completing the various steps takes time, and we support and keep in touch with you through the process. 

As this role brings our volunteers into regular contact with vulnerable older people, we make sure that all volunteers understand their role and have completed our recruitment procedures to both our and their satisfaction.