Peer support volunteer roles

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.

Autistic Parents UK is seeking dedicated volunteers to join our incredible team. We are a fully user-led registered charity, offering peer support, webinars, training, signposting and resources on lived Autistic parenthood. 

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We welcome anyone who would like to offer their time alongside us in our aim to support people at whatever stage they are at with their understanding of Autism and being Autistic. We strive to treat all people with understanding, respect and compassion and are dedicated to being inclusive of ALL Autistic parents and of the needs of our volunteers and beneficiaries. 

We want to proactively address all factors that cause barriers to entry for those involved in the running of APUK and those who access support. By joining Autistic Parents UK as a volunteer, you will be part of a compassionate and diverse community that strives to empower Autistic families.

This role involves supporting small, topic-based video peer support groups for Autistic parents . Volunteers work alongside a lead peer supporter, acting as a second group supporter to help sessions run smoothly and ensure participants feel welcomed, supported, and able to take part.

The role focuses on peer support, shared experience, and gentle co-facilitation, rather than leading or moderating the group.

Key Responsibilities:

• Attend scheduled video peer support group sessions alongside a lead peer supporter.

• Support the facilitation of group discussions by encouraging participation and helping conversations flow naturally.

• Help create a warm, inclusive, and supportive environment where participants feel safe to share.

• Offer empathetic peer support and appropriate contributions based on lived experience, where relevant.

• Provide light technical support during sessions where needed (for example, helping participants with audio, video, or platform features).

• Support group structure by helping to keep discussions aligned with the session topic and time boundaries.

• Raise any wellbeing, safeguarding, or technical concerns to the lead peer supporter or staff member as appropriate.

What We Are Looking For:

• Good listening and communication skills.

• A calm, supportive, and non-judgemental approach.

• Confidence using video meeting platforms (such as Zoom/Google Meet or similar), or willingness to learn.

• An interest in supporting Autistic parents .

• Lived experience of being an Autistic Parent .

• Reliability and ability to work collaboratively with a lead peer supporter.

Support and Matching:
You will be supported by a lead peer supporter during sessions, with training, guidance, and ongoing support provided. We aim to match volunteers with group topics that align with their interests and experiences wherever possible. Groups include EHCP's and Working with professionals, Parenting Teens, 0-5's. We are particularly keen to hear from people who would be able to support a group for those who identify as "Dad's and Father's"

This is a flexible, remote volunteering opportunity. Volunteers are asked to attend agreed video sessions, with regular or occasional commitment discussed in advance. Expected time commitment 1-2 hours a month.

Full training and support will be given. Regular oppourtunities for reflection with our Volunteer Coordinator 

If you are over 18 and have been impacted by suicide loss, you could help make a difference.

• Have you been impacted by suicide?
• Do you have a desire to help others?
• Are you comfortable with listening to and supporting people with similar experiences to your own?

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) is the leading charity providing peer-to-peer support for adults who have been bereaved or impacted by suicide. We believe that no one should face their loss alone, so we create safe spaces across the UK for people to share and process their grief.

We are seeking compassionate volunteers looking to start up a new peer support group in Aberystwyth.

Who are we looking for?

• Over the age of 18.
• Bereaved by suicide over 18 months ago and confident in your own progress. The impacts of a death by suicide are far-reaching - this could have been a family member, friend, colleague, client, or even a stranger.
• Passionate about supporting others in your community.
• Friendly, trustworthy, and approachable, with good active listening skills.
• Respectful, sensitive, and non-judgmental approach to survivors.
• Comfortable in supporting conversations and managing group dynamics.
• Good communication skills – both spoken & written English.
• A commitment to support the group, your team, and the surrounding community.

How do groups work?
Each group is facilitated by a team of three volunteers who have all been bereaved by suicide themselves. Their role is facilitating meetings, group administration, fundraising and communication for the group as a team. All volunteers are provided with full training before they begin the role and receive support from head office throughout their volunteering journey.

SoBS groups usually meet once a month for around 2 hours, and provide people with an opportunity to listen, share, ask questions, and connect with others in a safe and non-judgemental space.

There is no set structure to a meeting – people are free to talk and listen as much or as little as they want. Topics discussed vary from month to month but often include people sharing their story, how they are feeling, what has happened since their last group visit, questions about coroners and discussions about common challenges such as flashbacks, supporting children or facing neighbours. Established groups may occasionally organise guest speakers, go on walks, or arrange craft workshops.

What will you do?

• Facilitate group sessions – meeting survivors, starting off conversations, allowing space for people to talk (if they want to), and looking out for others.
• Administration & communication – managing enquiries from survivors, providing information and signposting where needed, submitting information to the national office.
• Provide signposting to head office, as well as other local charities and services.

What do we provide?

• Robust training and a commitment to development.
• Annual volunteer assembly: talks, forums, guest speakers, celebrations, and socials.
• Peer support from over 500 other volunteers with regular opportunities to meet and share ideas.
• Regular check-ins & catch-up sessions with a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator for your region, and our team in the national office.
• Travel & group expenses for your volunteering role.
• Coverage by SoBS’ Public Liability Insurance whilst you’re carrying out the role.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide welcomes people of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments that enable volunteers with disabilities to access our opportunities.

As a group facilitator, you will play a vital role in supporting others bereaved by suicide. If you are passionate about supporting others through their grief journey, please do apply.

Faith to Faithless is Humanists UK’s support programme for so-called ‘apostates’; those who leave high-control religions.

The service is led by mostly ex-religious people themselves, who have knowledge and experiences of apostate communities facing serious and systemic issues. These issues range from emotional and physical abuse from family members, friends, and peers in their community, through homelessness, job loss, shunning, and so-called ‘honour-based’ abuse, to systemic failures by statutory organisations to support apostates.

Read more about what Faith to Faithless does on our dedicated website.

We are currently looking to expand our team of Online Peer Support Facilitators.

We hold weekly online peer support events via Zoom for individuals who have left high-control religious groups. These sessions provide a safe, facilitated space where participants can connect with others who share similar experiences. Each Thursday, from 19:00–20:00, a pair of facilitators lead a conversation on a relevant topic with a group of approximately 10 participants. The rota is flexible; volunteers are asked to commit to hosting or assisting the host at least once a month, and possibly every two weeks.

We are looking for compassionate, reliable volunteers to help create a welcoming, structured, and emotionally safe environment where participants feel heard, respected, and connected. If you think that might be you, please take a look at the full role description and consider applying.

A Peer Mentor is a volunteer who has experienced similar challenges and experiences as the person they are supporting. Being a peer mentor is seen as a positive and secure way to progress towards education, work, or employment.

Volunteers who take on peer support roles can feel empowered, have a greater confidence and a more positive sense of identity.

Could you provide an authentic voice that our clients can relate to?

· Do you have 1-2 hours a week to support a client

· Can you inspire others, give them hope through self-disclosure and by being an example of recovery?

· Build relationships based on trust, acceptance, understanding and an empathy from a shared lived experience?

· Can we rely on you to tap into your own experiences to help us identify barriers and gaps in our services and how we can be improving and identify good practice?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

· Inspiring service users by using your own life experiences and by being a positive role model

· Providing a safe sounding space, listen in a non-judgemental way

· Helping to improve wellbeing, confidence, and independence by exploring activities that promote this

· Assist service users to engage with formalised support

· Attend appropriate training and development opportunities as required

What will you be doing?

We are looking to expand the range of expertise and experience of our Board and are looking to recruit additional Trustees, particularly with knowledge of Nottinghamshire or the Deaf Community (UK-wide), but we are looking for other experience too (see below). 

This is a great opportunity to develop further governance skills and experience, and help steer an important charity in the right direction

Trustees meetings are usually held every six weeks, plus there is an AGM, away days, and any sub-committee meetings that trustees may be involved in. Most meetings will remain virtual but there will from time to time be a need to attend key meetings and events in Nottingham. The time commitment is approximately 4 hours per month, but there may be occasions when more time is required for a short period.

Trustee positions are unremunerated, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

Who we are looking for

· Relevant experience in any of the following: the deaf community, Nottinghamshire, financial management, HR, charities, fundraising, social prescribing, NHS, local authorities, marketing, business development, governance, strategy or legal.

· A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

· Good, independent judgement

· The ability to challenge and ask questions

· An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

· A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership

About Self Help UK

Self Help UK is a leading peer support organisation with over 40 years of experience in developing and delivering peer-led services. Our mission is to empower individuals and communities by embedding peer support principles into health and wellbeing initiatives. We have created a range of innovative programmes that help people living with cancer and other long-term health conditions to navigate challenges and take control of their health and wellbeing.

We work in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support on projects that make a real difference. These include national and local initiatives for the Deaf community, volunteer-led support for anyone affected by cancer, and prehabilitation services for those facing complex treatment. In 2026, we will collaborate with our Integrated Care System to improve health literacy and increase cancer screening uptake among underserved communities in Nottingham. Looking ahead, we are exploring a new direction to position Self Help UK as a holistic, person-centred support provider, embedding peer support and volunteer-led activity at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is to challenge health inequalities and enable people to feel confident, informed, and supported in shaping their own health journey.

A selection of causes covered by Self Help UK

· Peer support

· Long-term health conditions

· Cancer diagnoses and prevention

· Voluntary sector support

· Health inequalities

· Under-served communities

This is a great opportunity to develop further governance skills and experience, and help steer an important charity in the right direction.

Chairing experience required + any combination of: financial management, advocacy, HR, charities, fundraising, social prescribing, NHS, local authorities, marketing, business development, governance, strategy or legal.

About Self Help UK

Self Help UK is a leading peer support organisation with over 40 years of experience in developing and delivering peer-led services. Our mission is to empower individuals and communities by embedding peer support principles into health and wellbeing initiatives. We have created a range of innovative programmes that help people living with cancer and other long-term health conditions to navigate challenges and take control of their health and wellbeing.

We work in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support on projects that make a real difference. These include national and local initiatives for the Deaf community, volunteer-led support for anyone affected by cancer, and prehabilitation services for those facing complex treatment. In 2026, we will collaborate with our Integrated Care System to improve health literacy and increase cancer screening uptake among underserved communities in Nottingham. Looking ahead, we are exploring a new direction to position Self Help UK as a holistic, person-centred support provider, embedding peer support and volunteer-led activity at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is to challenge health inequalities and enable people to feel confident, informed, and supported in shaping their own health journey.

A selection of causes covered by Self Help UK

·Peer support

·Long-term health conditions

·Cancer diagnoses and prevention

·Voluntary sector support

·Health inequalities

·Under-served communities

What will you be doing?

You will be chairing the Board of Trustees, ensuring that we have minimum representation required for decisions to be made, keeping the board aligned in decision-making, ensuring all minutes are recorded and that all decisions by trustees are made with the appropriate context provided.

Trustees meetings are usually held every six weeks, plus there is an AGM, away days, and any sub-committee meetings that trustees may be involved in. Most meetings will remain virtual but there will from time to time be a need to attend key meetings and events in Nottingham. The time commitment is approximately 4hours per month, but there may be occasions when more time is required for a short period.

Trustee positions are unremunerated, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

Who are we looking for?

Previous chairing experience

·Relevant experience in any of the following financial management, HR, charities, fundraising, social prescribing, NHS, local authorities, marketing, business development, governance, strategy or legal.

·A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

·Good, independent judgement

·The ability to challenge and ask questions

·An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

·A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership

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.

Volunteer - Travel expenses only

Flexible - Monday to Friday

West Midlands Area – based around local treatment services - Bloxwich, Bournville, Coventry, Oldbury, Perry Barr, Stechford and Wolverhampton

Closing date: Monday, 30th March 2026 at 9.00am

Interview date: Rolling Basis

Are you a proactive, collaborative and compassionate individual with proven experience of working positively with adults to engage successfully despite ‘challenging’ behaviour?  Do you have the ability to be a positive role model, demonstrating the virtues of engaging with treatment support services?

If so, St Giles is looking for a Lived Experienced Peer Volunteer to join our team and provide interventions and build meaningful, peer-led relationships with service users to encourage them to engage in drug and alcohol treatment following arrest.

About St Giles Trust
An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the right support they need.  Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

About this key role

As a Peer Volunteer, you will increase client engagement with drug and alcohol treatment services by providing vital peer-led support and building trust and motivation among a client group that has been historically disengaged/not offered support previously.  You will provide holistic, short-term intervention to bridge the gap between referral and full treatment engagement, capture client experiences and barriers to improve service design and accessibility and develop a strong service user voice to inform future service improvements.

Areas of support from Peer Volunteers may also include initial engagement and motivation such as welcome calls, check-ins, peer-led conversations and motivational chats over coffee.  You may also offer practical support such as appointment reminders, transport assistance and paperwork support, plus help to build positive routines such as activity-based engagement and supporting small lifestyle changes, including meal planning, budgeting, and time management.

What we are looking for

• Personal experience of the criminal justice system or lived experience of the issues facing this client group (i.e. experience of substance misuse and recovery)
• Proven experience of working in a high intensity environment, being self-motivating, with an ability to effectively manage your own wellbeing
• Knowledge of the issues facing those arrested for potential criminal offences
• Knowledge of, and commitment to, safeguarding practices and policies
• The ability to use monitoring systems to record all aspects of the work
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and communication skills, verbal and written.

Please note:  as an organisation that works with children and adults at risk we are committed to safeguarding, protecting and promoting the safety of our clients and successful applicants will be subject to an Enhanced Child Workforce with Child Barred list DBS.

We are an equity and inclusion confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi- heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

To apply visit our website via the apply button.

Closing date: Monday, 30th March 2026 at 9.00am

Interview date: Rolling Basis

We will be reviewing applications as they are received and reserve the right to close this advert early if a suitable candidate is appointed. We therefore strongly encourage early applications to avoid any disappointment.

About the Charity

From Me to You is an inspiring charity dedicated to alleviating loneliness and isolation for people living with cancer. We make connections for people living with cancer through the simple, powerful act of letter writing easing loneliness and bringing comfort, hope and human connection, one letter at a time. Recent feedback showed that 93% of our letter recipients reported the letters lifted their mood and a quarter said that they made them feel less alone. Each year thousands of anonymous letters are collated by our team of volunteers and then given to patients at home, in hospitals or cancer centres by nurses and our charity partners, with 80% of recipients saying that our letters made them feel cared for. Our work is powered by a passionate community of volunteers, in 2025 with their help we processed over 17,000 letters from all over the world, delivering them to cancer patients throughout the UK. 

Our Donate a Letter programme supports our 2,500+ volunteer letter writers to contribute anonymous letters, some people write a couple of letters a year, others one a week. These letters are all delivered to our PO Box in Ascot. They are then sorted, read and processed by our wonderful team of local Donate a Letter volunteers which this role would be a part of. These volunteers also then repackaged and redistributed the suitable letters to cancer patients through our partnership with hospitals, cancer centres and other charities that act as distribution partners. 

About the Role

We are looking for compassionate and reliable volunteers to support our Donate a Letter programme by undertaking the letter reading, processing and packaging tasks from the comfort of their own home.

This role can involve collecting the letters from our PO Box, reviewing donated letters to ensure they meet our content guidelines and packaging up the letters ready to be sent to individuals living with cancer in their home or through our outlet partners. 

Our volunteers play a vital role in helping us deliver safe, thoughtful and uplifting correspondence so this is a vital role to the charity but it can be very flexible so can suit volunteers needs and time allowance. Volunteers for this role are all based within the area local to the PO box so there is opportunity to undertake this volunteering with others but there is no requirement to do this. You will receive all the training you need to confidently fulfil this role, training would be in person or online with our Founder Alison and would include reading letters together to identify content issues and will be supplemented with written resources including a fact sheet on the do’s and don’ts of what letters can contain.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect letters from the PO Box and disseminate to the volunteers for processing 

• Read donated letters to ensure content is appropriate and in line with charity guidelines

• Flag any letters that require further review or that are not suitable for distribution

• Prepare and package approved letters for distribution

• Handle all materials with care and confidentiality

• Communicate with the Volunteer Coordinator as required 

• There is no minimum time requirement, though consistency is appreciated

There is opportunity for volunteers to undertake one element of this process or undertake it end to end, this will depend on the number of active volunteers we have and how much time each volunteer is able to commit. We believe in this role being fully flexible so we can discuss what set up might be suitable in our introduction meetings to ensure we can meet your needs. 

What We’re Looking For

• Good reading comprehension and attention to detail

• Sensitivity and empathy

• Ability to follow clear content guidelines

• Reliability and discretion

• Access to a safe home environment to carry out the role

This is an accessible role and therefore we can work with volunteers to ensure they are able to undertake the role through training, support and peer supervision. Most of all we are looking for people who have a passion for creating meaningful impact for people living with cancer. 

What You’ll Gain

• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life

• Flexible volunteering that fits around your schedule

• Experience supporting a national charity that creates tangible impact 

• The satisfaction of helping reduce loneliness and isolation for people living with cancer

How to Apply
To process your application, we will hold an initial 30 minute introduction call with you to go through the opportunity in more detail, ensure we are a right fit for each other and answer any questions you might have. You will then need to complete a short Volunteer Registration Form so we can ensure we have all your details. We will then arrange some training to support you in delivering the role and if needed introduce you to other volunteers doing the role so you will have some peer support. Then once you are onboarded the Volunteer Coordinator will be your day to day point of contact. 

Make a Difference: Become a Trustee for Emmaus Greenwich!

Are you passionate about tackling homelessness and empowering individuals to rebuild their lives? Emmaus Greenwich is seeking dedicated individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help steer our vital work in London. 

Who We Are:
Emmaus Greenwich provides a home, support, and meaningful work through our social enterprises, giving people experiencing homelessness a reason to get up in the morning and a path to regain independence. 

Your Role as a Trustee:

• Help shape our strategy and ensure goals align with our vision.
• Provide governance and oversight, ensuring compliance and robust management.
• Volunteer your time (meetings are held five times a year) and potentially get involved in projects. 

Who We're Looking For:
We're keen to build a diverse board with skills in:

• Finance & Business Development
• Human Resources (HR)
• Retail & Social Enterprise
• Housing Law
• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Time Commitment:

Trustees at Emmaus Greenwich serve for up to three terms of three years each. The Board meets every two months, both in person and online, and also comes together for an annual in-person strategy session, usually held in winter.

There are three internal sub-committees, each focusing on a specific area of the organisation’s work. These committees also meet every two months, either in person or online, and every trustee is expected to join at least one.

Ready to Get Involved?

Whether you're an experienced trustee or taking your first step at board level, we want to hear from you! 

Join us in creating lasting change for those facing homelessness in our community!

*APPLICATIONS CURRENTLY OPEN FOR MALE IDENTIFYING VOLUNTEERS ONLY*

Men Who Talk is a UK registered charity, running weekly online peer-to-peer support groups for men aged 18+ across the UK. The groups take place between 7:00pm - 8:30pm every Wednesday and Sunday evening, and 14:00 - 15:30 every Saturday afternoon. 

Our groups are supportive spaces for men aged 18+ to come and talk openly about what's on their mind. All groups are free to attend and follow the evidence based model of peer support. 

Volunteers are required to be online from 6:45pm to 8:45pm on a Wednesday/Sunday evening, and from 13:45 - 15:45 on a Saturday, and are required to facilitate around 1 group per month. Volunteers are asked to commit to an a minimum of 6 months of volunteering in the initial stage. 

All groups are facilitated by a minimum of 2 facilitators, and follow a semi-structured pattern.

We are looking for passionate men with some experience of groups facilitating or working in mental health settings to come join us as facilitators. Experience in using online platforms such as zoom is essential. 

A degree in psychology is preferred but not an essential requirement.

You must have the right to live and work in the UK in order to join us, MWT is unable to sponsor any visa applications. Fluency in conversational English and a firm grasp of technology is also required. 

Why Join MWT? 

Men Who Talk is an exciting, fast growing charity, creating new spaces for men to talk openly about what's on their mind. 

We have a diverse team full of talented and passionate individuals who are committed to changing the face of mens mental health across the UK. 

As well as the opportunity to join the organisation at an exciting stage of it's development, volunteers also have the opportunity to develop their own skills and have regular chances to feed into the creative and strategic development of the organisation. We also provide enhanced safeguarding adults training, and the opportunity to develop key skills to enhance a career in mental health. In addition to training opportunities, MWT also provides weekly online group supervision with a specialist supervisior, free of charge for all volunteers. 

PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to accept applications from individuals who already have the right to live and work in the UK. 

Welcome

Thank you for showing interest in Voyage (Voice of Youth & Genuine Empowerment) and the possibility of becoming a Trustee.

Voyage is a London-based social justice charity tackling racial inequality and structural disadvantage. We empower and enrich the lives of diverse young people and transform disadvantaged communities by raising aspiration and attainment. We work with socially disadvantaged and excluded young people, aiming to combat social exclusion, improve educational achievement and build resilient, confident leaders. Our mission is to empower and enrich the lives of young Black people and young people from the global majority, radically transforming educational and employment pathways. You will find more information on our website outlining our mission, programmes, partnerships and impact.

Voyage is led and governed by our committed, majority-diverse Board of Trustees, Youth Advisory Board, CEO and leadership team. Our organisation would not succeed without the dedication of our programme leaders and staff team. We have bold ambitions for Voyage, including completing our transition to Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) status and deepening our work across three pillars: Education, Access and Youth Voice. To support this next phase, we now need additional skills on our Board. We are specifically looking for people with one or more of the following:

·broad fundraising or income generation experience

·experience in the higher or further education sector

·education product development or commercial/business development experience

·governance and board development

We are open to other skills and experiences too. If you share our passion for social justice and supporting young people from Black and other global majority backgrounds to raise their expectations and fulfil their potential, we would welcome your application. We are especially interested in people currently underrepresented in charity governance.

Sincerely
Siobhan O’Garro (Board Chair)

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About us

Our mission - We ignite and inspire the next generation, building resilience to tackle the UK’s most pressing issues.

Our vision - Every young person can be a voice for change in their community and the world.
Our philosophy - Each One Teach One.
Our values - Empower – Transform – Sustain.

We provide accredited transformational leadership programmes for young people from the global majority. We aim to increase educational attainment, build community resilience and develop empowered young leaders who go on to reach their full potential and often return to Voyage to inspire the next generation.

Our work and plans

Voyage has recently come through a very challenging two year period that has significantly impacted our ability to attract investment and grow and rebuild staff capacity. At the same time, the national rolling back of ESG, DEI and wider CSR agendas has reduced investment in the very communities and young people our work exists to support. Despite this, Voyage remains resilient and is committed to overcoming these challenges. We have developed a business-led approach that places our young people at the centre of reversing this trend demonstrating the essential role that diversity, youth leadership and social justice play in future-focused industries.

We support young people through accredited education offers leading to employment and industry accesswork and opportunities to highlight the voice of our young people. This pathway of empowerment can be seen in our longest-standing strand, rooted in our BTEC level II accredited Safer cities course designed to support young people who are at risk of being marginalized due to challenging behaviour, damaging relationships and poor engagement with school.

A major element of our renewed strategy is our focus on sustainability and climate justice. Our mission helps us connect our diversity agenda to these sectors that are currently under-represented yet abundant with opportunity. Voyage is therefore aligning youth leadership, diversity and green-skills development through:

·our new Young Leaders Course - Sustainable Cities, supporting young people to understand climate resilience, urban change and green career pathways

·our Horizons Youth Programme for the Environment (HyPE), equipping at-risk young people with employability skills, training and entry points into environmental and retrofit careers

Further plans include:

·developing and rolling out a third BTEC accredited course linked to the under-represented but opportunity-rich digital sector - the Smart Cities;

·completing our transition to Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) status to give us more flexible and agile income-generation options;

·growing Youth Voice as both an income-generating and influence-building strand, enabling young people to shape policy, practice and public discourse; and

·position Voyage as a London leader in youth justice, climate equity and youth-led social innovation, with a developing national profile

Our constitution

Trustees provide oversight and scrutiny of Voyage’s management, operations and strategic direction, ensuring compliance with the Charity Commission and alignment with our mission, vision and values.

We are looking for additional skills in:

·governance and board development

·commercial or business development

·strategic fundraising and income generation

The Board

Trustees are appointed by the Nominations Committee with representation from the Youth Advisory Board. We are currently seeking at least two or more new Trustees to strengthen our Board and equip us for the opportunities and challenges ahead, including organisational growth, transformation to CIO status, programme development and national positioning. We are looking for people to act as advocates for Voyage, committed to our vision and mission. Prior trustee experience is not essential but can be very helpful.

We particularly welcome applications from:

·younger trustees

·disabled people

·people with lived experience of social and educational disadvantage

As a Trustee, you will support good governance, ensure the organisation is sustainable, effective and always delivering our charitable purposes.

Job Description

The Board meets 4–6 times a year for up to two hours, with an additional annual Away Day. Meetings are held both virtually and in person. We use an online portal to share papers and reports.

Trustees are expected to:

·prepare for and attend meetings

·contribute actively to discussions

·attend up to two events per year

The time commitment is approximately one day per month on average, occasionally higher at key points in the year.

Each Trustee will hold a specific remit or portfolio area aligned to their expertise and will keep the Board informed about developments and opportunities within that area.

Remuneration

Trustee roles are unremunerated; however, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. If finances present a barrier to participation, please discuss this with us.

Engagement

Trustees are committed to governing in a way that is compassionate, transparent and grounded in the lived realities of the young people and staff who deliver Voyage Youth’s mission, while maintaining appropriate boundaries between governance and operational delivery. The staff team is dynamic, hardworking and welcoming. Our small size allows Trustees to have meaningful involvement at all levels of the organisation.Trustees may also be invited to:

·take part in working groups

·represent Voyage at events

·advise staff in areas of professional expertise

Responsibilities of Trustees

Trustees share collective responsibility to:

·ensure compliance with the governing document and charity law

·maintain financial control and sustainability

·set and review strategy and performance

·ensure accountability and transparency

·uphold Voyage’s reputation and values

·oversee risk management, safeguarding and key policies

·support and challenge the leadership team appropriately

·act only in the best interests of the charity

Person Specification

We are looking for people who will bring diverse experiences and insight to our Board. All Trustees must be able to demonstrate:

·a passion for social justice and improved outcomes for young Black people and the global majority

·collaborative working and team contribution

·understanding of strategy and leadership

·ability to connect Voyage to networks and opportunities

·commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

·strategic thinking and constructive challenge

How to apply

Please apply by sending:

·your CV

·a cover letter (maximum 1.5 pages) outlining your interest and suitability

Send applications to: recruitment at Voyage Youth

If you would like an informal conversation before applying, contact us via the same email address. This will not influence the outcome of your application. We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. Please tell us if you require reasonable adjustments. Closing date for applications: Friday 27th February 2026 Interviews: Weeks commencing mid to late March 2026 (in person) For more information about us and our work, please visit our website.

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy?

Volunteers are essential to Shannon Trust and bring their energy, ideas and skills to train mentors in prisons, support learners in the community and enhance our business support team.

We are looking for volunteers to provide training and support to our mentors in prison. There may be some additional preparation and/ or administrative tasks in between volunteering days at the prison.

Our prison volunteers nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by delivering training sessions for prison mentors and offering ongoing advice, guidance and support through mentor meetings.

Volunteer recruitment dates

The closing date for applications to attend our next round of training is 26 April 2026. In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early. Successful applicants will be sent interview questions in advance with notice to prepare. We will respond to all applications. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview between 27 April and 8 May 2026. This is an opportunity for you to meet our regional team, to find out more about you and for us to share more information about the volunteering role.

Training:

You'll be given high quality training to prepare you for volunteering with Shannon Trust. This takes place over 4 training sessions and via our online training portal. We ask that volunteers aim to complete the training in one course as this means that you will be ready to start actively volunteering. The next training sessions for volunteering for people applying to be a prison based volunteer will take place as follows.

Please check that you can attend all of the training the dates prior to applying:

• 27 May 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Zoom)

• 3 June 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Zoom)

• 10 June 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Zoom)

• 1 July 2026, 10am-4pm (in person session, London)

You’ll also receive the opportunity to attend ongoing training sessions and peer support meetings during your time as a volunteer to build your skills and experience.

Why we want you

Shannon Trust’s vision is of a future where everyone can experience the positive impact of learning. As a prison volunteer your role will be at the heart of our organisation as you support our mentors in prisons. This will include delivering training to new mentors and supporting existing mentors to develop and deliver our Turning Pages and Count Me In programmes. You will be volunteering alongside Shannon Trust facilitators and / or frontline prison staff to empower mentors and ensure no one is left out of learning.

What you will be doing

• Delivering initial, and ongoing, training to mentors in prisons
• Supporting and encouraging the Shannon Trust facilitator and mentors to attract new learners and expand the reach of the Shannon Trust programme
• Arranging and leading mentor meetings to develop mentors’ skills, share good practice and to provide support to mentors to find solutions to concerns
• Supporting facilitators to engage prison staff and people in prison to set-up, maintain and develop the Shannon Trust reading and numeracy programmes across the whole prison, and contributing to progress planning for how to progress and achieve this
• Using your skills to build positive relationships with frontline prison staff, people in prison and other organisations
• Training and supporting mentors to collect and submit data and learner feedback
• Supporting with the planning of, and attendance at, celebration events
• Collecting and sharing good news stories and feedback
• Attending area meetings and sharing good practice with other volunteers
• Engaging with quarterly reviews to receive support and discuss progress
• Acting as an ambassador for Shannon Trust in all that you do, sharing the vision and values of the charity throughout your volunteering

The skills you need

• A commitment to providing non-judgemental support to people in prison
• Able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and have flexibility to visit the prison at times required
• Strong communication skills and are able to use these to inspire others
• Able to deliver engaging training and identify training and support needs for mentors
• Able to manage own time and prioritise
• Able to keep up to date with Shannon Trust news and communications and share relevant information with the wider prison team
• Able to use IT

What's in it for you

• Developing and growing your understanding of the HMPPS structure and prison system
• Reasonable, out of pocket, volunteering expenses are
• You will receive induction training and ongoing training to support and develop you in your role
• All volunteers receive ongoing support and quarterly reviews to enable you to gain the most from your volunteering experience
• We recognise and are grateful for the added value that volunteers bring to our organisation
• We provide flexible volunteering opportunities, subject to the requirements of your role

Disclaimer

In some circumstances, volunteer vacancies may close early.