Prison representative volunteer roles
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About the board and Trustee role
Trustees are volunteers who oversee the strategic direction of the charity and ensure its compliance with regulators and the law. They are also ambassadors for the charity; and they provide the staff team, which does the day-to-day work, with both scrutiny and support.
The full board meets quarterly. Two meetings focus on ‘business’ – approving budgets and policies, making key decisions, etc. The other two are more discursive, covering strategic issues.
We have four sub-committees: Finance Audit Investment & Risk, Impact & Income Development, Research & Policy, and Governance & People. Trustees are generally encouraged to join at least one sub-committee, which gives them more detailed insight into the charity’s work in that area. A number of trustees choose to sit on multiple sub-committees (there is no upper limit) and trustees are also welcome to attend any sub-committee, for example as a one-off, to see what happens or if they have an interest in a particular agenda item. Sub-committees also meet quarterly.
And there is usually one strategy day a year.
We currently have eight trustees on our board, with experience in public affairs, law, policing, business, research, marketing, inclusion and influencing government. We are looking to a recruit four further trustees. Our primary focus is to bring different perspectives to the board rather than skills, given that the delivery of the charity’s work is delegated to a skilled staff team.
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One trustee with experience of research (of any type) – an attitude of curiosity, intellectual rigour and open-mindedness.
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One trustee with professional experience of alcohol treatment (at any level) – the perspective of delivering compassionate support via treatment services, whether charity or NHS settings.
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One trustee with experience of strategic charity finance – especially interest in weighing up long-term financial strategic choices (not month-to-month financial management: we have a finance team).
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One trustee from any background.
All trustees are asked to bring a commitment to and passion for our vision, mission and values.
What we can offer
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Our board of trustees, and our charity as a whole, is warm and welcoming.
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Everyone is entitled to have their views heard and we work hard to be inclusive of everyone.
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We are well organised and professionally run.
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We are a dynamic and fast-paced organisation, with a huge range of interesting work happening.
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You will have opportunities for personal development and to attend a range of interesting events in your role as a trustee.
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Finally, and most importantly, we are laser-focused on making as much difference as possible to end alcohol harm.
Trustees’ Role Description and Person Specification
Being a Trustee of Alcohol Change UK
Our Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for the UK’s leading charity in the field of alcohol harm. We are a registered charity (No. 1140287) and a company limited by guarantee (No.
07462605). Our trustees are also members of the charity and directors of the company. Governance is in accordance with both charity and company law. This role description uses the term ‘trustee’ to refer to all three roles (trustee, member, director).
As well as overseeing proper governance, the Board is responsible for strategic decision-making, upholding the reputation of the charity and ensuring that it delivers on its charitable object to reduce alcohol harm. As a trustee you will share this collective responsibility and bring your personal perspectives, skills, experience and connections to bear.
This is an important time for the charity, as we are in the third year of our five-year strategy (Apr 2024 to Mar 2029). Our new trustees will play a key role in helping us deliver on this strategy and in particular navigating a major change in our financial position.
The Duties and Responsibilities of Trustees
Governing Documents
Our primary governing document is the Memorandum and Articles of Association which sets out the formal duties and responsibilities of the trustees, directors and members. It is complemented by our Scheme of Delegation. We have also adopted the Code of Good Governance, and remain compliant with the rules of the Charity Commissioners and Companies House.
General Duties and Responsibilities
The following are general duties, based on documentation from the Charity Commission and Companies House:
- To act in the interests of the charity’s objects – that is, its cause and its beneficiaries.
- To act reasonably and prudently in all matters.
- To avoid personal views and prejudices affecting your decision-making.
- To protect – and actively promote – the property, interests and reputation of the charity.
- To set the strategic direction, provide strategic oversight, and make critical decisions.
- To always make decisions collectively as a board and in particular to actively support all board decisions (that are made in accordance with the charity’s constitution) regardless of your personal position on such decisions.
- To understand how the charity works, including being fully aware of the charity’s general risks and its financial position.
- To ensure compliance with all statutory requirements as set out by Companies House and the Charity Commission and by other relevant statutory bodies and legislation.
- To challenge and support the CEO and, through them, the broader staff team.
Additional Duties and Responsibilities
The following additional duties and responsibilities have been adopted by Alcohol Change UK:
- To abide by Alcohol Change UK’s policies, such as those on equal opportunities, health and safety, safeguarding, code of conduct, conflicts of interest, GDPR, etc.
- To endeavour to achieve at least 75% attendance at Board meetings. In accordance with the governing documents, trustees missing three consecutive board meetings without reasonable cause will normally be asked to step down.
- To undertake training as required and to participate in an annual development appraisal.
- To join at least one of the charity’s four sub-committees.
- To represent Alcohol Change UK at events and to act as a positive ambassador for Alcohol Change UK amongst its key audiences.
- To understand and respect the boundary between governance and the operational matters that are delegated to the staff team.
- To respond to Alcohol Change UK correspondence in a timely manner.
Person Specification
All trustees need the following:
- Strong commitment to the vision, values and mission of Alcohol Change UK.
- An ability to think strategically; that is, thinking of the big picture and the long-term, being impact-focused, and considering the relationship between internal and external factors.
- An ability to work as part of a team, especially understanding and respecting the nature of collective decision-making.
- Excellent communications skills, especially active listening, succinctness, clarity, positivity and tact.
- Commitment to the 7 Nolan Principles on Public Life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
- Discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
- A willingness to contribute your individual skills, perspectives, knowledge and experience without acting as representative of any particular interest.
Trustees are appointed for an initial term of three or four years, following which they may be re-elected for a second and third term of three years.
Trustee roles are unremunerated but reasonable travel, accommodation, childcare and subsistence expenses are of course covered.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
We are Alcohol Change UK. We work for a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
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:
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27 May 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Zoom)
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3 June 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Zoom)
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10 June 2026, 10am – 1pm (via Zoom)
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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
Thank you!
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.
Thank you!
Working Chance is a unique, pioneering, award-winning national charity that supports women with criminal convictions into employment. We support women to create independent purposeful lives through helping them to build careers, we break cycles of reoffending and we inspire employers to embrace inclusive hiring.
This is an exciting time for Working Chance as we start developing our new three-year strategy which will come into effect from 1 September. The new strategy will see us taking an ever bolder stance on speaking up for women with convictions, solidifying our position as a thought leader on how to improve the employment rate of these women, and moving into providing consultancy for employers seeking our guidance and input on their recruitment and employment practices.
We are looking for an inspiring and committed Chair of Trustees to lead our Board at this exciting point in our development. This is a unique opportunity to shape the strategic direction of a highly respected and impactful charity, while championing a mission that addresses inequality, social justice and economic inclusion.
As Chair, you will work closely with the Chief Executive and fellow trustees to ensure strong governance, clear strategic focus, effective oversight and financial sustainability, while acting as an ambassador for Working Chance and its values. Download the Appointment Brief to learn all about the role, the charity and the recruitment process, and if you think you might be the person we’re looking for, we’d love to hear from you.
Closing date: 9am on Monday 16 March
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Asylum Welcome is an extraordinary local charity, offering a range of support to asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants seeking refuge in and around Oxford. We provide everything from advice, visits, legal support, education, assistance finding employment and even helping secure free bus passes.
We currently have a strong and capable Board with a wide-ranging skill set and we are seeking a Chairperson who can provide strong leadership and a collaborative approach.
As an organisation we are committed to reflecting our diverse and vibrant Oxfordshire community to help strengthen our governance and our approach. We are seeking a new Chair with a range of skills and experience. In particular, we are looking for people who can demonstrate :
· Experience of leadership
· Commitment to the aims and values of Asylum Welcome
· Tact and diplomacy
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
· Good facilitation skills
· Impartiality, fairness and discretion
· Empathy with the challenges of running a highly diverse. largely volunteer-based organisation in a subject area which is both topical and challenging.
As Chair you will play a key role in enabling us to continue supporting refugees and asylum seekers, primarily in the Oxfordshire area, empowering them to rebuild their lives here in safety. This role offers a valuable opportunity to use your professional skills and experience to make a meaningful difference to individuals who have been forced to flee their homes and livelihoods.
We welcome expressions of interest from people of all ages and backgrounds, and a job share arrangement would be considered. The role is currently shared by two Trustees as Co-Chairs who are retiring as Trustees after many years of service.
The Chair position is not paid but travel expenses may be claimed for attending meetings.
The Board meets (via Teams and in-person) 6 - 8 times a year, currently early evening on a Thursday. Dates are agreed a year in advance.
This is an exciting time to join the Trustee Board at Asylum Welcome and a fantastic opportunity to influence the growth and future of a dynamic charity.
For more information see the full role description.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
We support asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants to settle and thrive in the U.K.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.