Suicide volunteer roles

About Us

The New Normal are a growing charity whose mission is to change the way we discuss our grief, mental health and wellbeing in open and honest spaces. We believe that nobody should ever feel isolated, and there is always someone who will relate to your story. “If there’s one, there’s two.”

We run free virtual and in-person peer support meetings for adults facing life’s difficult moments, particularly bereavement. 

The Opportunity

Are you passionate about using social media for good? This is your chance to use your skills to support people through one of life's most difficult experiences.

You'll help us spread our message that nobody should face grief alone, connect people to our free virtual and in-person peer support meetings, and grow an online community built on openness and compassion. You'll receive regular check-ins and guidance from a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator, free safeguarding training, and a reference letter upon completion, all while building real, meaningful experience in the rewarding charity sector.

This role is ideal for students, recent graduates, or career changers looking to build experience in charity communications or digital media.

What You'll Do

• Create social media posts in line with our brand tone: inclusive, warm, and sensitive to the subject of bereavement
• Schedule and post updates about weekly peer support meetings and events
• Help plan simple campaigns or awareness posts around key dates (Mental Health Awareness Week, Grief Awareness Week, World Suicide Prevention Day, etc.)
• Contribute creative ideas to help our mission reach more people online
• Communicate regularly with your coordinator and flag any challenges early

What We're Looking For

• Someone who can commit to the full 6-month term (potential to extend)
• Reliable, communicative, and respectful of sensitive subject matter
• An interest in mental health, bereavement support, or nonprofit communications
• Confidence using social media (Instagram)
• Comfortable working independently with light supervision and taking initiative

What You'll Gain

• Valuable experience in charity communications and social media management
• Free safeguarding, peer support and Suicide First Aid (lite) training worth £500 (a great addition to your CV)
• A reference letter or LinkedIn recommendation upon successful completion
• Regular mentorship, support, and a welcoming volunteer community
• The chance to make a genuine difference for people navigating challenging circumstances

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive volunteer community and actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from global majority and gender marginalised groups.

Join the Body & Soul team in our Children and Young People Programme to support young people from displaced communities. 

Across the UK, migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum are facing increasingly difficult conditions due to increased hostility, threats, fear, and an increasing sense of a lack of belonging. The growing anti-immigration rhetoric is creating fear and heightened challenges for our members from those communities, who are trying to rebuild their lives while dealing with isolation, uncertainty, trauma, and HIV. 

In such times, it feels more important than ever to support these communities with a united approach. No one should feel unwelcomed, especially when they have endured repeated trauma, including but not limited to trafficking, war, and gender-based violence, alongside systematic injustice, poverty, insecure housing, racial discrimination, and stigma. Everyone should feel a strong sense of belonging, love, compassion, and community, and we hold that at our core. 

Our Life Beyond program offers therapeutic and community support to those with these experiences who have or are affected by HIV. Grounded in a deep cultural understanding of the lived experiences of our diverse community, our program equips members with the resources and support needed to navigate the dual challenges of living with HIV and being displaced in the UK. We offer a safe, non-judgemental community that nurtures belonging, resilience building, and mental and physical wellbeing.

Acknowledging the importance of a whole-family approach and early intervention, we offer our Children and Young People program. Here, we support those from displaced communities and young people navigating the impact of intergenerational and racial trauma. We aim to create an inviting space that reinforces their skills and strengths, supporting them to navigate their lives with a strong sense of self-identity, resilience, connections, and a sense of belonging. 

How do we do this? 

We run a creative, community-based programme to support children and young people facing complex challenges, including mental and physical health, family transitions, marginalization, and social isolation. These sessions involve, but are not limited to, arts, drama, physical activities, music, and much more, to foster resilience, life skills, personal identity, and social connection, both in-person and online. 

About Body & Soul 

Body & Soul is an organization dedicated to revolutionizing suicide prevention from the ground up, healing mind, body and soul within a therapeutic community that nurtures resilience, restores hope and liberates all from the grip of trauma and adversity. Our community provides people of all ages with a wide range of innovative and creative programmes that support physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.We have developed a ‘whole person’ model of care rooted in a strengths-based approach that nurtures connection, healing and growth. 

The roles available: 

1. Young Adventurers (0–3 years) – Monthly Tuesdays

1. Adventurers (3-9) – Monthly Tuesdays 

1. BaSe (9-12) – Monthly Tuesdays 

What You’ll Do 

• Lead/support engaging, age-appropriate sessions for children and young people. 

• Foster a safe, inclusive, and positive group environment. 

• Use relational approaches to manage challenging behaviour and set clear boundaries. 

• Support emotional, social, and creative development through interactive activities. 

• Collaborate with co-facilitators and program staff to deliver therapeutic sessions and projects. 

• Contribute to program evaluation and continuous improvement. 

• Work within a team of sessional staff and volunteers 

Who We’re Looking For 

• Recent experience of supporting children or young people (classroom, youth, or play settings). 

• Experience with racially/culturally diverse communities

• Confident, relational approach; able to build rapport and trust quickly. 

• Skilled in responding to challenging behaviour and promoting positive group dynamics. 

• Creative, flexible, and committed to inclusion, equity, and wellbeing. 

• Passionate about Body & Soul’s aims

Desirable but not mandatory 

• Experience in any arts, drama, media, or physical activity-based workshops and/or interventions. 

• Familiarity with emotional resilience, mental health, or attachment-focused programs. 

• Familiar with trauma-informed approaches to emotional regulation. 

Why Join Us? 

• Make a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people. 

• Work in a supportive, inclusive, and creative team environment. 

• Flexible, collaborative working approach. 

• Experience a full introduction & training program, responding to the needs and interests of our volunteers. 

• Opportunities for training and professional development. 

• Ongoing support from our team, our Head of Volunteering, and from a large community of other volunteers. 

South East London (SEL) Mind is a highly regarded, innovative local charity working alongside people with mental health problems and dementia in their local communities to improve their quality of life. With an annual turnover of £8m, 250 staff and over 200 volunteers, we are one of the largest charities in the Mind network. SEL Mind was formed through the merger of Bromley, Lewisham & Greenwich Mind and Lambeth & Southwark Mind in January 2024.

We are seeking to add to the expertise of our experienced, professional Board of Trustees. All our Trustees need excellent communication skills, the ability to work effectively as part of a team, strategic vision and good, independent judgement. 

In this recruitment, whilst we will consider all strong candidates, we are particularly seeking people with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• HR
• Finance
• Digital: IT and Data
• Lived experience as a dementia carer

Inclusion is one of our core values and we see great benefits in having a diverse Board. 

Successful applicants will be expected to undergo an Enhanced Level Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Closing date: Sunday 21st June (11:59pm)

Likely interview date: Monday 6th July

We encourage early applications as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.

About Us

SEL Mind supports people with mental health problems and dementia in the boroughs of Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. We are proud of our diverse workforce and know that our organisation is made stronger by the variety of backgrounds, experience, and ideas within it. We promote a culture of inclusion and representation, and are working hard to build a workforce that even better reflects the communities we support.

SEL Mind is somewhere that you can be your authentic self without fear of discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, gender, age, lived experience of mental health problems or anything else that’s part of who you are.