Online mental health support volunteer volunteer volunteer roles

Bright Futures UK is looking for passionate and knowledgeable Key Stage 3 Science tutors to provide educational support and a fun, safe learning environment for young people living with serious illnesses. 

"The phrase "time flies when you are having fun" comes to mind. It's been a really joy teaching my student." - Volunteer Tutor

What will you be doing? 

Run tutoring sessions online to support a young person for one hour per week 

Offer subject area knowledge and expertise related to KS3 Science 

Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions. 

Adhere to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What are we looking for? 

1. Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of KS3 Science concepts and specifications.
2. Teaching Skills: Ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.
3. Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.
4. Reliability: Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment.
5. Adherence to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What difference will you make?

1. Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.
2. Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.
3. Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

What will you gain?

1. Enhanced DBS will be provided
2. Safeguarding Level One Training
3. Skill Development opportunities
4. Direct experience working with children and young people

You must be a UK resident and be at least 18 years old.

Location 

Remote/Online

Time 

1 Hour per Week 

 Duration: 14 Weeks minimum

As a charity that supports children and young people, we make safeguarding individuals our top priority. For this reason, all volunteers are subject to an enhanced criminal record and disclosures check. We also ask all volunteers to adhere to our Safeguarding, Equality and Confidentiality policies. These are nothing to worry about and if you have any questions, our team are happy to support you.

Are you interested in facilitating a peer support group for people who are struggling with their mental health? We are looking for passionate volunteers to facilitate a weekly online or face-to-face group, to discuss topics relating to mental health. We are hoping to find someone who has either ‘lived experience’ of mental health issues and is now at a positive place with their own recovery or someone who has good knowledge of mental health and looking to support others.

What you will be doing

• Facilitating weekly peer support groups, covering topics related to mental health.
• Promote a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental atmosphere where all members feel valued and heard
• Encourage mutual support, active listening, and shared problem-solving within the group
• Manage group dynamics sensitively, ensuring discussions remain constructive and inclusive
• Collaborate with staff to monitor group wellbeing and escalate any concerns appropriately
• Assist in planning and preparing for each session, including topic prompts or themes if needed
• Maintain confidentiality in line with organisational policies and safeguarding standards.

The skills you need

• Lived experience of mental health challenges is highly valued and can be a strong foundation for this role
• Good communication and active listening skills
• Ability to facilitate group discussions with empathy and patience
• Understanding of boundaries and confidentiality in a mental health context.
• A non-judgmental, supportive, and encouraging attitude
• Experience in peer support or group facilitation is an advantage but not essential; training will be provided

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

Bright Futures UK is looking for passionate and knowledgeable Key Stage 3 Maths tutors to provide educational support and a fun, safe learning environment for young people living with serious illnesses. 

"Thanks to the tutoring and exam prep I was able to achieve over 85% on all my exams, which resulted in me getting distinction credits on my course." - A-Level maths student

What will you be doing? 

Run tutoring sessions online to support a young person for one hour per week

Offer subject area knowledge and expertise related to

Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions. 

Adhere to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What are we looking for? 

1. Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of KS3 Maths concepts and specifications.
2. Teaching Skills: Ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.
3. Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.
4. Reliability: Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment.
5. Adherence to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What difference will you make?

1. Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.
2. Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.
3. Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

What will you gain?

1. Enhanced DBS will be provided
2. Safeguarding Level One Training
3. Skill Development opportunities
4. Direct experience working with children and young people

You must be a UK resident and be at least 18 years old.

Location 

Remote/Online

Time 

1 Hour per Week 

 Duration: 14 Weeks minimum

As a charity that supports children and young people, we make safeguarding individuals our top priority. For this reason, all volunteers are subject to an enhanced criminal record and disclosures check. We also ask all volunteers to adhere to our Safeguarding, Equality and Confidentiality policies. These are nothing to worry about and if you have any questions, our team are happy to support you.

Bright Futures UK is looking for passionate and knowledgeable Key Stage 3 English tutors to provide educational support and a fun, safe learning environment for young people living with serious illnesses. 

"The phrase "time flies when you are having fun" comes to mind. It's been a really joy teaching my student." - Volunteer Tutor

What will you be doing? 

Run tutoring sessions online to support a young person for one hour per week

Offer subject area knowledge and expertise related to KS3 English

Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions. 

Adhere to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What are we looking for? 

1. Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of KS3 English concepts and specifications.
2. Teaching Skills: Ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.
3. Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.
4. Reliability: Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment.
5. Adherence to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What difference will you make?

1. Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.
2. Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.
3. Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

What will you gain?

1. Enhanced DBS will be provided
2. Safeguarding Level One Training
3. Skill Development opportunities
4. Direct experience working with children and young people

You must be a UK resident and be at least 18 years old.

Location 

Remote/Online

Time 

1 Hour per Week 

 Duration: 14 Weeks minimum

As a charity that supports children and young people, we make safeguarding individuals our top priority. For this reason, all volunteers are subject to an enhanced criminal record and disclosures check. We also ask all volunteers to adhere to our Safeguarding, Equality and Confidentiality policies. These are nothing to worry about and if you have any questions, our team are happy to support you.ed

Are you organised, friendly, and looking to make a real difference in your community?

We are a well‑established and successful local charity supporting vulnerable people, and we’ve just celebrated our 30th anniversary. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for a Volunteer Administrator to support our work at this exciting moment in our development.

You will be joining an incredibly supportive team of staff, volunteers and trustees, many of whom have been here for more than 10 years, working towards our shared mission to enhance the quality of life for our beneficiaries.

Your role

Brigstowe is seeking a Volunteer Administrator to support our reception and office administration for one full day or two half-days per week, preferably on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays.

The role will include: 

• Front-of-house reception duties, which involves welcoming our clients and showing them to meetings with staff (we work with vulnerable people who are sometimes destitute or in crisis, but you will be supported with this)
• Answering phone calls and transferring calls to colleagues, and sometimes taking difficult calls or new client referrals
• Making phone calls to clients to gather their feedback on our services
• General office administration, including data entry and record‑keeping
• Admin for our peer support group – calling members of the group, recording attendance and client feedback, and helping to organise events throughout the year

You will be supervised and supported by Brigstowe’s full-time Executive Assistant. Full induction will be provided, along with ongoing training opportunities. In return, we require a minimum commitment of six months.

About us

For 30 years, Brigstowe has been a lifeline for people living with HIV, especially those facing barriers: refugees, asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ communities, as well as people with no safe place to disclose. We’ve mentored hundreds, advised thousands, and supported hundreds more who have struggled with life, and we’ve trained hundreds of public-facing professionals.

We support anyone living with or affected by HIV in Bristol and the surrounding areas through a comprehensive and holistic range of services, including advice and support, peer support groups and peer mentoring. We also provide sexual health promotion and outreach services.

We pride ourselves on treating our clients with respect and dignity, with the highest regard for confidentiality. We work hard to ensure that our award-winning services are accessible, person-centred, non-judgmental, professional and of a high quality.

About you

You are an enthusiastic team player who enjoys keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes so that the support staff can focus on their clients. You enjoy supporting people from all backgrounds, and you will be using your skills to directly support vulnerable people in the community.

The role would suit someone with some administrative experience who is comfortable with IT and Microsoft Office programmes (mainly Excel and Word). You will be working in the office alongside our committed and supportive staff team, gaining experience in a rewarding charity setting.

Hours: One full day or two half-days per week (preferably working on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays)

Commitment: We ask for a minimum commitment of six months

Closing date: Midday on Tuesday 5th May 2026

Interview date: Monday 11th May 2026 at The Old Co-op, Ground Floor, 40-42 Chelsea Road, Bristol, BS5 6AF

Start date: ASAP

To apply for this role, please visit our website to access our Volunteer Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form and email them to us using the details on our website.

If you would like more information on this role, or if you would like to have a discussion with us about anything else, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Lou Young, Executive Assistant, or Gary Regis, Office and Finance Manager, using the details on our website.

Brigstowe is committed to reducing inequity, valuing diversity and enabling inclusion. We welcome applicants with the appropriate skills from any background or identity, or those identifying as having a disability. We seek a diverse workforce which is representative of the clients we serve, and we strongly encourage applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage as they are currently underrepresented amongst our staff and volunteers. We also encourage applications from people living with HIV or other long-term health conditions. Please note that there is no need for you to disclose any of these details in your application unless you would like to do so.

We’re Mind, the leading mental health charity. We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect. We provide advice and support to empower anybody experiencing a mental health problem and we campaign to improve services, raise awareness, and promote understanding.

Our volunteers are a fundamental part of our shops. Any time which they volunteer at our shops and warehouses, help us be there for more people who are experiencing a mental health problem. 

About the volunteer role

To provide our volunteers with opportunities to gain a variety of skills and experience, we offer them a range of volunteer roles to choose from, which include:

• Stock preparation volunteer
• Volunteer stock generation assistant
• Specialist knowledge volunteer (antiques and collectables)
• Specialist knowledge volunteer (books and entertainment)
• Housekeeping volunteer

Key tasks

There is a variety of tasks within the above mentioned roles that our volunteers get involved with, including:

• If you are volunteering in one of our warehouses there may be some variation in your role
• We are looking for ebay listers, including researching items, help with processing and packing our online shop orders.
• Support with our van drivers, collecting and delivering stock to our network of shops and also helping with local street collections.
• Receiving donated items from members of the public
• Sorting, tagging and preparing donated items for sale
• Stock rotation
• Identifying special or valuable items within donated stock

About you

• Passionate about customer service
• Good communication skills 
• Friendly and helpful
• Respectful of others and their diversity

Experience & skills you will gain

• Experience of working as part of a team
• Retail experience 
• Stock organisation
• Selling skills 
• Customer service skills 

Our Commitment

We are committed to becoming actively anti-racist in everything we do. This is a critical priority for Mind. We embrace diversity and understand that being an inclusive organisation, recognising different perspectives, will enable us to provide excellent services. We are committed to ensuring all our employees are treated fairly and equitably at work and promoting equity in physical and mental health for all.

Our Second Home is a youth movement that empowers migrants and refugees to flourish in the place that they call home. Our overnight activity camp for young people aged 14-18 is a chance for young people to come together and have five days of fun and excitement, supported by a dynamic and dedicated team of leaders and staff.

An OSH Leader is a supportive adult, a role model, and someone young people can feel safe being themselves around. It’s about creating a warm, fun, and consistent presence during residentials — helping young people with refugee and migrant backgrounds feel welcomed, included, and at home.

Youth Leaders for this project will be responsible for facilitating the camp, and will be directly in contact with, and responsible for, the participants. During the camp they will be ‘on duty’ full-time, meaning that they will spend the whole time with the participants, including at meals.

THIS ROLE IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UK. We will arrange Zoom interviews with applicants separately.

Responsibilities:

• Interacting and forming a bond with the participants
• Creating and running fun and engaging activities for the participants
• Looking after the participants’ welfare, and ensuring that they feel cared for and secure
• Managing the participants’ behaviour and setting clear boundaries

Expectations and requirements:

• All applicants must be interviewed and be willing to provide references on request.
• Youth Leaders must set a positive example of behaviour and involvement for all participants, and adhere to the volunteer guidelines.
• Youth Leaders may be required to prepare activities for participants at the camp. If asked, this must be completed in plenty of time to allow any materials or equipment to be sourced.
• Applicants should be aged 20 or above.
• Applicants must be eligible for DBS clearance (no criminal record that prevents applicants from working with children)
• Youth Leaders must raise any safeguarding concerns swiftly and follow safeguarding procedures
• Youth Leaders must follow all Our Second Home policies and procedures of (which will be explained at the Camp training days).
• Anyone attending an OSH residential must test negative for COVID-19 prior to attending the programme, regardless of whether they have received a vaccine or not.

Essential skills:

• Flexibility, adaptability and ability to improvise
• Ability to build connection quickly with peers and young people
• Ability to work in a team and communicate effectively
• High level of organisation
• High levels of empathy and patience
• Awareness and sensitivity that some participants might be suffering from trauma

Additional desired skills:

• Experience working with and/or caring for young people aged 14-18
• Experience working with refugees and/or asylum seekers
• Experience working with young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• Language skills: Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Tigrinya, Somali
• First Aid training
• Creative or artistic abilities
• Sports leadership
• Ability to prepare fun and engaging activities for young people

We particularly encourage applications from those who have lived experience of being a refugee.

Please ensure you are available to come to all the following events - specific dates can be found on the application form:

• Training
• Pre-Residential Prep Day (on site)
• Residential, in full
• Feedback & thank you afternoon

QUOTES:

• “Having the professional [welfare] support made me feel very support and more comfortable with the work” – BT
• “The atmosphere of fun, respect, care, and community is what made the young people so comfortable and connected” – BT
• “The leaders were all awesome – it was incredible to work in a team so full of hard working, intelligent, experienced people” – BT
• “Seeing the kids bursting out of their shells and that being the norm rather than just exceptions was just incredible.” – CA
• “It honestly surpassed anything I could have hoped for” – LK

Structure:

Youth Leaders will be supported by the Welfare Support Lead(s), who will be their main contact in the build to and throughout the camp. The Welfare Support Lead(s) will run team meetings at the end of each day and be on hand to advise and manage the Youth Leaders.

Bright Futures UK is looking for compassionate and knowledgeable beauty professionals to mentor a young person living with long-term illnesses. 

"The mentoring sessions with my volunteer were the perfect fit! I've loved working with them." - J (18 years old)

What will you be doing? 

• Run six mentoring sessions online for one hour a week, supported by our Programme Team
• Offer advice and insights related to nail tech skills
• Help the young person explore potential career paths in the beauty/nail tech industry
• Share your own experiences and knowledge to inspire and motivate. 
• Adhere to safeguarding policies and report any concerns to BFUK

What are we looking for? 

• Expertise in beauty industry: Profound knowledge and experience in beauty, preferably in areas like nail design, techniques and trends. 
• Mentoring and Communication: Ability to mentor effectively, offering guidance and support to a young person with clarity and empathy. 
• Flexibility and Commitment: Willingness to commit to at least 5-6 weeks of 1-hour sessions 

What difference will you make? 

• By volunteering as a Mentor, you’ll play a vital role in empowering a young person to take control of their health and future, helping them to achieve their goals despite the challenges they face. 

As a charity that supports children and young people, we make safeguarding individuals our top priority. For this reason, all volunteers are subject to an enhanced criminal record and disclosures check. We also ask all volunteers to adhere to our Safeguarding, Equality and Confidentiality policies. These are nothing to worry about and if you have any questions, our team are happy to support you.

Bright Futures UK is looking for passionate and knowledgeable A-Level History tutors to provide educational support and a fun, safe learning environment for young people living with serious illnesses. 

"Over time I have become much more confident in tutoring and in essence this is making the sessions much more enjoyable for me. I like preparing new slides every week and discussing new content with my student." - Volunteer A-Level Tutor

What will you be doing? 

Run tutoring sessions online to support a young person. 

Offer subject area knowledge and expertise related to A-Level History

Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions. 

Adhere to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What are we looking for? 

1. Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of A-Level History concepts and specifications.

2. Teaching Skills: Ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.

3. Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.

4. Reliability: Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment.

5. Adherence to safeguarding policies and report concerns to the BFUK Team

What difference will you make?

1. Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.

2. Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.

3. Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

What will you gain?

1. Enhanced DBS will be provided

2. Safeguarding Level One Training

3. Skill Development opportunities

4. Direct experience working with children and young people

You must be a UK resident and be at least 18 years old.

As a charity that supports children and young people, we make safeguarding individuals our top priority. For this reason, all volunteers are subject to an enhanced criminal record and disclosures check. We also ask all volunteers to adhere to our Safeguarding, Equality and Confidentiality policies. These are nothing to worry about and if you have any questions, our team are happy to support you.

Are you an enthusiastic and skilled funding grant writer? Be a part of our small but committed team as a pro-active grant writer volunteer for a small national charity supporting people affected by a debilitating pain condition.

We are looking for 2 skilled grant writer volunteers who can take the lead in researching appropriate funds and writing grant bids to help us continue offering our support services and resources and helping us create new programmes and services to support patients and their families who have been affected by a poorly understood chronic condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

As our Grant Writer you will be responsible for identifying appropriate grant opportunities, and managing the grant development and proposal process from research to submitting grant applications with any supporting documents.

As our grant writer, you will:

• Identify appropriate sources of funding where we fit their criteria 
• Write appropriately tailored grant/funding bids that meet funders’ interests and requirements and to write any additional documents in support of funding bids
• Help develop a Trusts and Foundations strategy to help create and maintain strong and diverse income that meets Burning Nights CRPS Support’s funding needs
• Create a calendar of grant deadlines and track submitted funding proposals
• Help us develop a case for support 
• Report on grant usage and impact
• Review all grant/bid feedback and ensure knowledge is shared, so that learning informs us for future approaches to grants

If you are an experienced grant writer or you just enjoy researching and persuasive writing then we would love to hear from you.

We are looking for a volunteer who has:

• Experience of being a grant writer, project proposal writer and editing skills
• Excellent writing, analytical, and research skills are essential
• Creative and persuasive written and spoken communication skills 
• Self-motivated and highly-organised
• Ability to work remotely
• Ability to search online databases and other sources to identify appropriate funds
• Ability to understand and appeal to funders’ differing needs
• Ability to organise your own work, track and report back regularly 
• Experience setting up funding email templates (desirable)
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our organisation  and our service users
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and can work with these
• Open to feedback
• Ideally have good network with people, organisations and charities which can help us to support our projects
• Determination to get the job done

Skills

• Project proposal writing
• Grant writing and knowledge of charity grant giving culture
• Good networking skills and contacts with grant giving organisation
• Marketing and communications
• Content writing and story-telling
• Good online fundraising skills
• Good editing and proof reading skills and attention to detail
• Team player who is comfortable working with various volunteers within Burning Nights CRPS Support to collate information required to write funding applications

If you don't have the exact experience, but are interested to volunteer with us, please apply! We would be thrilled to find out about how your interests and experience match with our needs or what we are doing.

Other Information

This role is done remotely using Zoom, Slack and email. You would be working closely with the charity’s Chair and with other trustees. However we would have regular updates and remote meetings as needed so we know you are getting the support you need.

We have an induction process that will help successful applicant to understand how our Charity operates and full support of all our volunteers.

Minimum of 3-6 hours per week for this role

Ideal commitment of 3 months or more (but not specific)

Childline Volunteer Counsellor- Someone who wants to make a difference to children’s lives by being there to listen when they feel they have no one else to turn to. As a Childline counsellor, you’ll be there for young people and listen to them as they open up about whatever is worrying them, whether it’s bullying, abuse, self-harm or family relationships – you’ll be there to support them.

What you’ll do

You’ll volunteer in our Leeds Childline base, offering counselling support to children and young people over the phone or through our 1-2-1 online chat. Your supervisor will help you develop and evaluate your counselling skills. After your initial training, you will be able to help young people as well as identify when a child or young person may be at risk, but don’t worry a supervisor will be on hand to give you plenty of support.

What you’ll get

You’ll receive training sessions over 12 weeks to prepare you for the role. When you start your regular shifts, a supervisor will be around all times to support you. Every shift includes a briefing and debriefing alongside other volunteers. Supervisors will also give you regular one-to-one support and group supervisions.

What we’ll need from you

Signing up to be a Childline counsellor is a big commitment and requires lots of training so, we do ask people to stay in the role for a minimum of one year.

We’ll also need to do some routine safeguarding checks, including an enhanced criminal record check and at least two satisfactory references with at least one covering a period of five years or more with no gaps. It’s nothing to worry about, and we can answer any questions you have about this.

Who’s right for the role?

While we think this role is suitable for a whole range of people, we are particularly looking for those with the following qualities and experience.

• Passionate about helping young people and children
• Great communication skills
• Empathetic and perceptive
• able to think on your feet
• works well within a team
• emotional resilience

Why volunteer with us?

Not only will you gain valuable experience throughout your volunteering journey, you’ll also have access to useful resources including a catalogue of online training, discount portal and NSPCC inMind – an online mindfulness resource.

You’ll be fully supported throughout your volunteer journey with us and will have a dedicated key contact should you have any questions along the way.

Befriender Volunteers play a key role in supporting individuals as they move on from our services and begin to live more independently. This role helps individuals stay connected, build stability, and feel confident in their next steps. Volunteers provide emotional support, practical assistance, and companionship to help people achieve their personal goals and stay engaged with their community.

What you will be doing

• Carry out regular check-ins—via phone, online, or in person—to help service users feel supported after leaving the service. Provide friendly visits where appropriate, offering a listening ear and encouragement during the transition to independent living
• Support individuals to build links within their local community, such as identifying clubs, social groups, local activities, or places of interest based on their personal goals.
• Encourage service users to take part in community events and build social connections that promote long-term wellbeing.
• Accompany service users to view potential properties where needed. Provide assistance exploring practical items or resources they may need after moving on, such as furniture options, budgeting tools, or local amenities.
• support service users to attend GP or other health appointments, helping reduce anxiety and build confidence in navigating services.
• Help individuals develop social skills, communication skills, and confidence through positive interactions and gentle encouragement. Providing motivation and reassurance as they work towards independent living goals.
• Support service users to access and participate in our online activities, helping them build digital confidence and stay connected. Assist with basic digital navigation, where needed (e.g., joining online groups, using communication platforms, accessing resources).

The skills you need

• Good communication skills
• Friendly and calm nature
• Mental health experience who feels strong enough to help others
• Willingness to listen to people with a genuine enthusiasm to support others
• Confident, sympathetic and can inspire trust and able to maintain boundaries in a non-judgemental way

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

TERM TIME ONLY

Liberty Domestic Abuse Group (Women only):

Central Bedfordshire – Monday 09:30 - 14:30

Bedford – Wednesday 09:30 - 14:30

Luton – Friday 09:30 - 14:30

Talk 4 M Domestic Abuse Support Group (Males only):

Bedford - Thursday 16:30 – 19.30

Could you be a part of our inspiring, hardworking and motivated team making a positive contribution to rebuilding the lives of women and children?

At One YMCA we provide a range of varied and exciting volunteer roles - we currently are looking for support at our Horizons (Domestic Abuse) support services based in Bedford.

Some of the tasks and responsibliites include: 

• Supporting the group facilitators to plan weekly sessions
• Setting up the room, including tables, chairs and resources for the participants
• Supporting the facilitator to run particular activities as part of the session delivery
• Ensuring you have a non-judgmental, friendly and approachable demeanour
• Maintaining confidentiality at all times

You will be: 

• Be a good and active listener who can support others
• Have a non-judgmental approach 
• Be of a friendly, welcoming and approachable disposition
• Self-motivated, reliable and punctual
• Experience supporting people with complex needs/situations including: grief, trauma, mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse
• Good communication skills in English; in person & over the phone
• A willingness to learn new things and get stuck in
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to work as part of a team

A full induction to the Horizons/Onyx service and specific sites will be provided, including an "Introduction to Domestic Abuse" 1 day training course

You will be required to complete online training, plus a menu of optional training linked the role will be made available.

You will receive regular 1 to 1s and supervision with line manager and oportunities to attend volunteer meetings and events!

Please note you will be required to undergo a DBS check and two references will be taken up prior to commencing the role. 

Will you share your counselling or psychotherapy skills as a child & young person's (CYP) counsellor or therapist to join an online counselling service for young patients with a pain condition (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)? We’re supporting patients, relatives, partners and carers affected by a debilitating condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

We're looking for qualified paediatric/child &/or young person counsellors, psychotherapists or psychologists ideally with some experience of working with chronic pain patients, who may want to volunteer their skills supporting our young service users and help develop a psychological support service. 

As a Volunteer Child and/or young person's Counsellor/Therapist you’ll be providing remote online counselling/therapy support services to young people aged 5 to 18 who are vulnerable, many of whom are isolated and in need of mental health services. You’ll be providing one-to-one counselling sessions online or by phone. With your recognised counselling qualifications and experience you will be an asset to our small charity and to our young services users. 

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, volunteer child counsellors / therapists provide person centred counselling (general talking counselling), integrative, pluralistic including or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), ACT and EMDR for young CRPS patients.

We are needing to expand this service to support our young clients as it has rapidly received a high number of referrals. People can be referred both by health or legal professionals as well as having parents/guardians referring them to the service.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your paediatric counselling skills, organisation, communication and team working skills. If you have experience in younger children please do get in touch.

Most importantly, you’ll provide essential services that ensure no one has to face CRPS alone. Be the hope for CRPS.

What the role involves

This role may vary depending on needs, but is likely to include:

• Undertake child client general assessments, followed by therapy (via Zoom or phone) to our clients, offering up to 20 one hour (or 45 mins age dependant) sessions for each client plus 4 assessments

• Providing one-to-one therapy sessions to young patients aged 5-18 (we will consider therapists who can only support primary or secondary school age)

• Update our database with the client’s basic information and session attendance

• Maintain succinct, relevant session notes and store these securely

• Attending and participating in meetings
• Project monitoring, creating, reporting and outcomes evaluation procedures

• Attend CPD training to ensure your knowledge stays current

• Participating in regular meetings with the Clinical Lead
• Maintaining client confidentiality, upholding data protection and equal opportunities principle

• Attend monthly internal group Supervision to ensure safe working practices

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, including an induction. You will have a chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us.

What you need for this role

Essential

• Be a member of one of the recognised organisations (see below)
• Level 4 Diploma level qualifications as a minimum, Degree or Masters in Paediatric Counselling, Counselling/Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, Dance & Movement Psychotherapy or Art Therapy 
• Minimum of 100 hours supervised
• Proof of professional indemnity insurance annually - we may consider paying this as an expense but a commitment to the charity is required
• A valid DBS certificate (enhanced version), which is less than three years old and renewed every three years (the charity can provide where necessary)
• Able to keep people’s personal data safe

• Willing and able to provide counselling via Zoom from a private location with a stable WiFi connection

• Able to support a minimum of 3 child or young clients a week, being three hours of your time for counselling sessions plus time for administration. We ideally hope you to offer the charity a commitment of six months.

Desirable

• Personal or professional Knowledge or experience of chronic pain or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Previous experience as a chronic pain or CRPS paediatric counsellor or psychologist 
• Committed to our values
• Willing to develop skills and experience
• Enjoy working as part of a team
• Effective administration skills, planning and organisation skills
• Approachable, presentable, enthusiastic

We welcome trained paediatric counsellors, child therapists and counselling/clinical psychologists who are willing to give their time to support our valuable work.

Once we’ve assessed your application, you may be invited for interview. If you are successful, we will arrange for you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service DBS or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check.

Recognised Organisations

• British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)
• Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
• General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)
• British Society for Clinical Hypnotherapists (BSCH)
• National Council for Hypnotherapists (NCH)
• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• The National Hypnotherapy Society (HS)
• National Counselling Society (NCS)
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (APHP)
• National Register of Hypnotherapists & Psychotherapists (NRHP)

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

You will join the charity during a critical and challenging period as the service is rapidly expanding and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in not only developing a counselling service for younger clients but also ensure we provide counselling services and mental health support to our young child CRPS patients who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help we will expand our support and mental health services to ensure our service users receive mental health support that they may not have been offered.

What's in it for you as the volunteer? 

You would be a part of our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching people affected by this rare, painful and debilitating chronic pain condition and to provide them with psychological support whether they are patients, their partner, relatives, friends or carers. As this service is continually developing, you would have a key role in developing a young person counselling programme and to complement our support services that we offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference in a child's life which is already isolated and painful, who may not have received any psychological support.