Science volunteer roles

Our charity funds around £100 million of research each year into all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them. Heart diseases. Stroke. Vascular dementia. Diabetes. They're all connected, and they're all under our microscope.  Our volunteers help us fund lifesaving science to improve the lives of families and loved ones living with heart and circulatory disease. Volunteering with us is easy, flexible, and inclusive. If you can spare a few hours a week, or a couple of hours occasionally, we’d love you to join our volunteer team. 

Could you be the friendly face of your local British Heart Foundation shop? With support around you and full training provided, you will be processing sales through the till as a volunteer cashier, talking to customers and thanking every donor - helping us continue to fund life saving research. This is a customer focussed role where you will meet and interact with a wide range of people.  

Just so you know, we are unable to accept volunteers aged under 17 or with unspent criminal convictions. Please note this is an unpaid voluntary position in a friendly charity shop.  

Typical tasks include:

• Engaging with customers and serving them in a helpful and friendly way
• Answering questions from customer, donors and supporters
• Communicating with fellow volunteers about what has sold and needs re-stocking
• Honing your retail and cashier skills behind the till and taking payments
• Helping with administration and reception duties around the till area
• Promoting Gift Aid and sales campaigns

Volunteering with British Heart Foundation comes with plenty of benefits too… 

• A 25% discount on donated goods and 10% discount on New Goods in our shops
• Unlimited, free, and confidential support by Retail Trust
• Access to training and development 
• Reasonable travel expenses reimbursed 
• Refreshments available  
• Volunteer certificates, references and long service awards provided
• Access to discounts with other retailers 

About IDEMS

IDEMS is a UK-based social enterprise developing the novel human-centred technology infrastructure and products needed to affordably, sustainably scale expert-developed social interventions in variable low-resource communities globally for the greatest social impact. 

IDEMS is now at an inflection point of innovation and growth. 

Our innovation emerges from applied R&D in long-term multidisciplinary innovation collaborations. IDEMS impact-trained mathematical scientists and applied technologists partner with field-leading experts, UN agencies, global and local NGOs and researchers, and affected stakeholders to address grand challenges in areas including education, public health and climate resilience. 

Across variable multiyear, multidisciplinary grand-challenge collaborations, IDEMS has validated the need for and is piloting impact-enabling socio-technical innovation to address a major unmet challenge: How to enable local stakeholders to adapt, take ownership of, and continuously improve, in collaboration with global experts, impact programming to meet the needs of their communities–and do this affordably, sustainably, at scale across variable low-resource contexts? 

IDEMS is developing the novel socio-technical frameworks, infrastructure and products to address this challenge. At the heart of our work is pioneering “meaningful semantic interoperability”. Grounded in the application of frontier mathematical theory and made possible by advances in AI, IDEMS innovation transforms impact programme code and content into structured, reusable atomic data elements that can be malleably reordered, recombined or replaced to create unlimited, entirely new programme applications, interoperable down to the structured atomic data element level. 

IDEMS innovation unlocks impact at scale by enabling: 1) local programme adaptation to meet the highly variable digital, social and economic realities of low-resource contexts, 2) multidirectional data sharing and sensemaking for continuous systemic and local programme improvement, and 3) local ownership and control for a new model of affordable, sustainable, and community-accountable impact innovation. 

In this context, IDEMS faces the challenge of being a deeply innovative technology company, requiring significant mission-aligned impact financing to develop pioneering innovation, with an uncompromising mission to serve the public good. 

The Opportunity
IDEMS is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Director to join its Board at this exciting stage of growth.

Role Purpose
The Non-Executive Director will provide independent oversight, strategic guidance, and constructive challenge, helping ensure IDEMS delivers on its social mission while strengthening organisational sustainability and impact.

While IDEMS operates at a deep academic and technical level, the role does not require deep technical or mathematical expertise. The Non-Executive Director’s value lies in their ability to develop an understanding of the systemic barriers to responsibly, inclusively scaling social impact in low-resource contexts–and of how existing approaches to scaling impact with technology at best often fail to deliver meaningful impact and at worst introduce new harms and dependencies. 

From that understanding, the Non-Executive Director will bring clear strategic perspective that includes offering high-level challenge and insight to help shape direction, identifying funding and partnership opportunities, strengthening decision-making, and ensuring alignment with social mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the organisation
• Provide independent scrutiny and governance oversight
• Support the executive team through challenge and advice
• Help ensure alignment between mission, impact, and sustainability
• Act as an ambassador for IDEMS, supporting fundraising, partnerships and visibility

Person Specification
We are particularly interested in individuals who bring a combination of the following (we do not expect any one person to have all of these):

• Senior leadership or board-level experience
• Interest in social impact, international development, or education
• Strong understanding of, or experience with, social and non-equity-based enterprise investment (of particular interest)
• Understanding of technology, data, or innovation ecosystems (desirable)
• Experience in governance, finance, scaling organisations, partnerships, or impact evaluation

A commitment to IDEMS’ values is essential, including collaboration, respect for complexity, and a focus on long-term impact.

Time Commitment
Approximately 5–10 days per year, including Board meetings and at least one full day at an in-person team meeting.

Why Join IDEMS?

• Be part of a globally recognised social enterprise addressing complex challenges
• Work with a diverse, international team
• Contribute to innovative approaches to technology for public good, including advancing new models for responsible, accountable AI
• Help shape an organisation focused on long-term, meaningful impact

About Us

Cities for Children believes that all children deserve the “Right to Childhood” – the right to learn and play in safety. Guided by our mantra that “happy memories build resilience,” we weave together three core strands of work—the Right to Read, the Right to Play, and the Right to Feel Safe—to reinforce learning and wellbeing for vulnerable children. Our mission is to provide safe, nurturing social and material environments important for the development and individual well-being of children in and around cities, including street-connected children, working children, and those from refugee, displaced or migrant communities.

Role Overview

Cities for Children is looking for compassionate and enthusiastic volunteers to support our work bringing playful learning to refugee children in transitional housing in West London. These sessions are designed to help children build confidence, resilience, and English language skills, while fostering a sense of belonging and joy in their new environment. 

This is your opportunity to step into a role where your kindness creates real change. You will be a crucial part of a child’s journey towards settling in the UK, gaining valuable, hands-on experience with an international NGO dedicated to child wellbeing and humanitarian response. 

Commitment

• Day/Time: 2 days a week

• Dates: 13 July - 1 September

• Location: West London (Exact locations shared upon successful application)

Key Responsibilities

• Support lead facilitator in delivering playful, interactive learning activities (such as arts, storytelling, and games) and help with setup and pack-up.

• Build rapport with the children to encourage active participation and maintain a safe, welcoming, and positive environment.

• Support data collection, documentation and evaluation activities. 

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for someone who: 

• Has an academic background in social sciences or education (preferred). 

• Is able to engage children, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds. Experience with refugee or asylum-seeking children is a bonus but not required. 

• Is patient, empathetic, and culturally sensitive, with an understanding of the challenges refugee children face as they adapt to a new country. 

• Communicates effectively and works collaboratively with the main facilitator and other team members. 

• Is enthusiastic and reliable, committed to attending sessions every Thursday. 

• Has an enhanced DBS check.

 

Support Provided

• A structured session plan will be created by the main facilitator for you to follow. 

• Guidance and training on working with vulnerable children will be provided. 

• Reasonable travel expenses covered. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early application is strongly encouraged.

Are you an experienced leader with a passion for education, social impact and widening access to STEM careers?

The Engineering Development Trust (EDT) is seeking a Chair of Trustees to lead its Board at a pivotal time, as EDT works towards its ambitious goal of reaching 1 million Industrial Cadets while navigating a challenging charity landscape.

 We’re looking for someone with senior leadership experience, strong understanding of charity governance and finance, and the ability to support and challenge at Board level.

About EDT

EDT is a UK-wide education charity delivering over 50,000 learning experiences each year through the Industrial Cadets Awards. We bring together employers, educators and young people aged 9–21, helping them explore STEM pathways and access rewarding future careers. EDT plays a critical role in tackling skills gaps, improving social mobility and increasing diversity across STEM industries.

About the role

This is a high-impact trustee leadership opportunity for someone who wants to shape the future of a national charity. As Chair, you will provide strategic leadership to the Board, ensuring strong governance, financial oversight and organisational effectiveness.

You will work closely with the Chief Executive, acting as a trusted sounding board while maintaining accountability for delivering EDT’s mission and strategy. You will also act as an ambassador, representing EDT to partners, funders and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Board of Trustees
• Ensure effective charity governance and compliance
• Oversee financial health and sustainability
• Support and challenge the Chief Executive
• Lead Board development and performance
• Act as an external ambassador for EDT

About You

We are looking for a collaborative, credible and values-driven leader who can bring:

• Senior leadership experience (Board or executive level)
• Strong understanding of charity governance, finance and strategy
• Experience working with or alongside Boards of Trustees
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• The ability to lead with integrity, inclusivity and sound judgement

Experience in STEM, education or skills development is beneficial but not essential. Most importantly, you will share our commitment to improving opportunities for young people.

Commitment

• Approx. 4 Board meetings per year plus committee involvement
• Regular engagement with the Chief Executive
• Attendance at key events and stakeholder meetings

This is a voluntary role with reasonable expenses reimbursed.

Why join EDT?

This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people across the UK, while helping to address critical skills shortages in STEM. You will join a committed Board and executive team and play a central role in shaping EDT’s future at a time of both challenge and opportunity for the sector.

We actively welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive Board.

Hope and Homes for Children is looking for a confident, people-focused monday.com enthusiast to help our team work smarter, and help millions of separated children get Back to Family.
 
About the role
As our monday.com Training & Systems Volunteer, you'll help our Marketing, Communications and Fundraising team get the most from the project management platform at the heart of how we work. You'll assess current knowledge and confidence levels, then design and deliver practical, engaging training that builds real capability — from first-time users to those ready to go deeper. You'll also create simple, clear reference materials that people can return to independently, respond to ad hoc queries, and keep everything up to date as monday.com is implemented. By making technology feel approachable, you'll free up our team to focus on what matters most: helping millions of separated children get Back to Family.
 
About you
We're looking for a volunteer with confident, hands-on knowledge of monday.com (day-to-day use and administration experience are both welcome), alongside experience delivering training or coaching in a workplace setting, whether formal or informal. You'll be able to explain technical concepts clearly and patiently to people with varying levels of confidence, and you'll bring a warm, encouraging style to every interaction. You'll be self-motivated and comfortable working independently with light-touch coordination from the team. Familiarity with monday.com automations and integrations, or experience with charity or NGO operations, would be a bonus, but neither is essential. Most importantly, you'll share our belief that every child belongs in a family, and you'll be excited to play your part in making that happen.
 
About Hope and Homes for Children
Orphanages don't protect children, they harm them. Put simply: the last thing an orphanage can provide is the first thing a child needs - someone to love them. Science shows what we all know, that the bond between a child and their family is vital for their development. Decades of evidence proves that orphanages harm children, subjecting them to high levels of abuse and extreme neglect. Today, over 5.4 million children are confined to orphanages worldwide, and more than 80% of them are not orphans at all. Children always belong in families. They need protection, encouragement, play, laughter and love. They need somewhere to call home and someone to love them. You can help us make this a reality for children.
 
Time commitment: Flexible: estimated 3–4 days per month initially, reducing to ad hoc as staff become more confident. Minimum commitment of 6 months.
 
Location: Remote/hybrid - training delivered online via video call, with optional in-person sessions. Access to a PC/laptop and internet connection is required.
 
Expenses: Reasonable expenses reimbursed.
 
Closing Date: The final date for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 22nd July 2026.
 
Provisional date for interviews: Thursday 30th July 2026.
 
To apply, please upload your CV and a short covering letter telling us why you are interested in volunteering for Hope and Homes for Children and how your experience maps to the role. 
 
Please contact us directly if you have any questions.
 
Written references will be required as part of the selection process.
 
Hope and Homes for Children actively encourages diversity, equity and inclusion, and we look to recruit a diverse range of people to reflect the communities in which we live, as we believe this will strengthen our ability to deliver our mission of eliminating orphanages.
 
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COULD YOU BE SUNSHINE’S FIRST IT & DIGITAL MANAGER?

We are SUNSHINE Charity a brand new start-up charity aiming to make a huge difference in reducing loneliness in peoples lives across London and beyond.

Help Us Build Something That Could Change Lives

• What if one conversation could change someone’s life?
• What if one cup of tea, one smile or one new friendship could remind someone that they matter?

At SUNSHINE, we believe nobody should have to face loneliness alone.

We’re creating a brand‑new start‑up loneliness charity that will provide welcoming spaces where people can make friends, feel connected and discover that they belong.

But we can’t build it without the right people.

We’re looking for a kind, reliable and tech‑savvy Volunteer to take on the role of IT & Digital Manager (Volunteer) to help us set up the digital foundations of SUNSHINE — from our email systems and cloud platforms to device setup, security and digital tools.

This is one of our earliest volunteer roles — a chance to help shape the digital infrastructure of a charity that could change lives across London and beyond.

About the Volunteer Role: IT & Digital Manager (Volunteer)

As our IT & Digital Manager, you’ll work closely with our Founder & CEO to build SUNSHINE’s digital and IT systems from the ground up. You’ll help ensure our tools are simple, secure and ready to support volunteers, community activities and the charity’s early growth.

You don’t need decades of experience or a perfect CV. You just need to be organised, trustworthy, comfortable with digital tools and excited by the idea of helping build something meaningful from scratch.

You might help with:

• Setting up our email system and ensuring it’s secure and easy for volunteers to use.

• Choosing and configuring cloud‑based platforms for documents, collaboration and communication.

• Ensuring all SUNSHINE Charity devices are properly set up, protected and used only for charity purposes.

• Implementing basic cyber‑security measures to keep our people and data safe.

• Creating simple digital processes that make volunteering smoother and more accessible.

• Advising the Founder on digital tools that will help SUNSHINE grow.

• Bringing clarity, structure and kindness to our digital world.

Even a few hours each week could make a huge difference.

Why Join SUNSHINE?

• Be part of building a brand‑new charity from day one.

• Shape the digital systems that will support volunteers and community activities.

• Work directly with the Founder & CEO.

• Gain hands‑on experience in charity IT, digital operations and start‑up infrastructure.

• Help create places where friendships begin.

• Join a small, compassionate team who believe in kindness and community.

• Make a real, human difference to people experiencing loneliness.

Most importantly…

You’ll help ensure fewer people have to face loneliness alone.

A Personal Message From Our Founder

“I started SUNSHINE because I watched someone I love experience a loneliness that no one should ever have to endure.

That experience taught me something I’ll never forget: everyone deserves friendship, belonging and to feel seen.

SUNSHINE is my promise that we’ll create places where people feel welcomed, valued and connected — but I know I can’t build that future on my own.

I’m not looking for experts.

I’m looking for kind people who believe that together we can make a real difference.

If that sounds like you, I’d love to hear from you.”

— Scott Founder, SUNSHINE Charity

Interested?

Apply through CharityJob.

Together, we can create a future where nobody has to face loneliness alone.

SUNSHINE

Connection. Belonging. Hope.