Training projects officer volunteer roles

Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference?
Join us as a Trustee and help shape the future of the British Dyslexia Association.

Our Trustees play a vital role in ensuring we stay true to our mission, deliver on our charitable objectives, and continue supporting everyone affected by dyslexia. As part of the Board, you’ll guide our strategy, support and challenge our Senior Management Team, and help the organisation grow and thrive.

This is an exciting opportunity to bring your skills, insight and energy to a cause that matters.

What you’ll do

As a Trustee, you will:

• Act in the best interests of the charity and uphold the highest standards of governance.
• Help set and oversee strategy, policy, financial plans and key risks.
• Support, advise and constructively challenge the CEO and Senior Management Team.
• Ensure our work aligns with our purpose, vision and values.
• Contribute your expertise, ideas and networks to strengthen our impact.
• Prepare for and attend Board and committee meetings, and take part in key governance activities.

What we’re looking for

We welcome applications from individuals with enthusiasm, integrity and a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

We are especially interested in people with experience in:

• Fundraising / business development / income generation
• Communications and marketing
• Policy and public affairs

You’ll also bring:

• Strong strategic thinking and independent judgement
• Effective communication and collaboration skills
• A genuine passion for the BDA’s mission
• A willingness to lead in line with our values

What you’ll gain

 Becoming a BDA Trustee offers you the chance to:

• Make a real difference to the lives of people with dyslexia
• Develop your leadership and governance experience
• Connect with like‑minded professionals
• Experience genuine personal fulfilment by supporting a meaningful cause

This is a voluntary role, with reasonable expenses reimbursed.

Time commitment

Around 8–12 days per year, including:

• Quarterly Board meetings (mix of in‑person and online)
• Committee meetings
• Occasional away days, events and training
• Providing expert input on an as‑needed basis

We understand the need for flexibility and welcome applications from people with a range of commitments.

For more details, view the full role description.

Founded in 1879, Together for Mental Wellbeing is the longest-established mental health charity in England. We work to ensure that everyone who experiences mental distress is valued, can live the life they choose and can determine their own future.

What we do

Together for Mental Wellbeing is a national charity that supports people who experience mental distress to lead fulfilling and independent lives.

We work with approximately 4,500 people every month via 70 projects throughout England, but we aspire to reach many more people through our recently refreshed five-year strategy.

Our services include:

• personalised support in the community
• accommodation based support
• advocacy services, including in secure hospitals
• criminal justice services, including in courts and probation services

What makes us stand out is that we put people at the centre of their own support – they set their own goals and are in control of how we work alongside them to achieve these. We value people as experts in what works best for them, and draw on their skills and strengths to build resilience and support networks so they can eventually manage without us

This means we value people as experts in what works best for them, and each individual we work with influences and shapes the support they and others receive from us. It also means we provide opportunities for people experiencing mental distress to work with Together to draw on their experiences to help us improve the quality and experience of the services that we provide.

We are committed to promoting service user leadership wherever possible; this is why we recently launched our Lived Experience Network, a free, members-based community.

Our values

We work together to facilitate choice through involvement, by doing what we say, never giving up on people, and looking to constantly improve how we work.

Our Board

We have an effective and collaborative Board of enthusiastic, friendly and committed trustees, who lead the development of Together and ensure that the charity exemplifies good practice.

The opportunity

We wish to add new trustees to our Board and have identified some recruitment priorities:

• We are seeking at least one individual with lived experience of mental distress who can draw on their unique knowledge and insights as to how mental distress impacts on people’s lives, and share their passion and enthusiasm to drive the aspirations of the organisation.

Our approach is for the individual to determine whether or not they have lived experience of mental distress. One person’s lived experience is no more or less important than another’s. 

• We wish to increase the gender diversity of our leadership at Together; we currently have a high proportion of men.

Having completed a recent Board skills audit we also encourage applicants with experience of the following areas:

• Human resources and workforce planning
• Forensic psychiatry
• Public sector procurement/contracting
• Knowledge of health and wellbeing service providers from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector
• Digital development and innovation
• Auditing and risk management
• Financial management and accounting

However, all applications are welcomed and will be considered. We also recognise that people are often juggling multiple commitments and can offer flexibility as to when you take up the role.

We offer a full induction, along with ongoing training and development opportunities. Although our trustees are unpaid volunteers all expenses related to the role will be paid in full.

Typically trustees will attend around 10 meetings per year, occasional virtual attendance is possible, and be invited to events and visits. With preparation time for meetings this can equate to a commitment of 1-2 days per month.

As a Trustee you will:

• Join a committed and friendly Board
• Help shape our strategic development as a charity
• Influence our innovative projects and initiatives, especially with service users
• Develop new skills and knowledge
• Be supported to attend relevant conferences and other training events
• Help improve the mental health and wellbeing of people and communities

About YAUK

Youth Advantage UK is a charitable organization that uses a research-led approach to inform policy work and projects that aim to promote and further the human rights of young people aged 11 to 25 across the United Kingdom.

Please note that this is a remote VOLUNTEER role.

We won't accept applications from individuals residing outside of the UK as we operate on the principle of bettering the lives of young people in the UK. Therefore, we require our volunteers to have an understanding of what it is like to live in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Identify gaps where training is required and create content

• Create and deliver training content and training plans for the organisation

• Arranging set training sessions with volunteers

• Arranging new training sessions with volunteers

• Finding topics that is relevant to the organisation that can increase development

• Finding and distributing information on free webinars

Requirements

• Excellent writing and speaking skills.

• IT literacy, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.

• Ability to work well independently and in a team.

• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.

• Ability to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively.

• Interest in HR and the non-profit sector.

• Experience not required, but any previous experience in HR or administrative roles is a plus.

Benefits

• This is a UK-based, 100% fully remote and flexible role.

• Supportive team and management to enhance your skills and build on your experience.

• Your work will help transform and empower many young people’s lives, rights, and interests and assist in promoting equality for all young people.

Why Volunteer with Us ?

We are a supportive and friendly organization that takes pride in developing and nurturing our volunteers and providing them with excellent opportunities to thrive and further encourage their career growth and future aspirations. We offer a fully remote working environment and a flexible and adaptable working schedule. This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing organization, enhance your skills, and gain valuable experience. If this sounds like you and you are interested in applying for this position, please submit your CV.

What You’ll Gain
•Recognition through:
oLinkedIn testimonial and reference
oA public thank you post
oPermission to list YouthAdvantage UK as an employer on your CV/LinkedIn
oA written reference upon completion of your commitment

We look forward to hearing from you!

Family Advice Line Volunteer

This is a volunteer opportunity supporting families through our advice line. As a volunteer, you’ll contribute your time to help us offer reliable information and a listening ear. Volunteers are a valued part of our mission, and we aim to make the experience supportive, enjoyable, and meaningful.

Role Overview:

Are you looking for an opportunity to use your speech and language therapy expertise in a voluntary capacity to support children and families?

As an Advice Line Volunteer, you will contribute to our mission by sharing information about typical development and guidance on how families can support their child’s speech and language needs. You will help families by offering clear information, resources and a listening ear as they navigate concerns around speech and language challenges.

How do our Volunteers help?

• Helping to provide evidence‑based information and resources to address families’ concerns.
• Listening empathetically to families and offering supportive guidance.
• Taking part in volunteer training and learning sessions to stay updated on best practice

What we are looking for:

We welcome volunteers who are:

• Passionate: Committed to supporting children and families facing speech and language challenges.
• Empathetic Communicators: Able to actively listen and respond sensitively to callers' needs.
• Reliable: Volunteers take part in a shared rota to ensure the line is covered.
• Team Players: Comfortable volunteering alongside others in a supportive environment.
• Learners: Open to volunteer training and opportunities to develop confidence as a Speech and Language UK volunteer.

About Us:

We are Speech and Language UK – we want every child to face the future with confidence. For 2 million children in the UK, learning to talk and understand words feel like an impossible hurdle. Without the right help, this can destroy their world. They feel disconnected from their family. Unable to make friends. Unfairly punished for not following instructions they don’t understand. What does the future hold for them?

Why Us?

Speech and Language UK is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for children and young people with speech and language challenges. If you’re ready to make a difference in a supportive, mission-driven environment, we’d love to hear from you.

What can you gain from volunteering with us?

• The chance to apply your existing skills in a new way
• You’ll receive regular support and contact from our Advice Line team.

What we’re looking for in a volunteer

Skills and Experience

• Qualified speech and language therapists with 3 years experience and direct clinical practice in the last 12 months
• Qualified speech and language therapist aware of current practice in their area of experience
• Experience across two or more of the following age ranges – Early Years, Primary, Secondary, FE
• RCSLT registration
• HCPC registration is welcome for practising clinicians.
• Experience offering supportive advice to families or practitioners
• Comfortable volunteering independently from home.

Technology

• Comfortable using email and Word.
• Able to follow simple digital instructions.
• Familiarity with other Microsoft tools is helpful.

Other

• Available to take part in a shared rota to ensure the line is covered. We ask for a commitment of 4 hours per week or fortnight.
• Interest in ongoing learning is welcome.
• Ability to volunteer from a quiet, confidential space.

Practical considerations and time commitment:

You’ll receive a full induction, role specific training and ongoing support from your named contact. All regular volunteers are asked to provide references and complete internal training.

We ask for most volunteers to offer around 4 hours a week or fortnight. We rely on volunteers giving regular time so families know when we’ll be there for them. All volunteers take part in a shared schedule of volunteer time.

How to Apply:

Please submit your up-to-date CV and a supporting statement of no more than two pages, addressing how you meet the criteria outlined in this advert.

Due to the nature of this post, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday, 2nd March 2026 with interviews being held via Teams w/c 2nd March and 9th March

Accessibility Support:
We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any adjustments or need to apply in a different format, please contact our People Team and we will be happy to assist you.

We are Disability Confident Committed under the Disability Confident Scheme.

This is an unpaid voluntary role intended for individuals who want to contribute their professional expertise to support families. It is not an employed position.

The Nehemiah Project is a small charity that supports men with experience of addiction to break the cycle of addiction and crime. We do this through supported living, programmes, key worker support, rebuilding family connections and providing move-on support to aid transition to independent living. We currently operate from houses in Streatham and Croydon.

We are a Christian-based charity open to men of all faiths and none. We have a partnership with the British Association of the Order of Malta who provide expertise, funding and volunteer support.

Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that The Nehemiah Project (TNP) achieves its core purpose of breaking the cycle of addiction and reoffending. They oversee the overall management and administration of the charity. They also ensure that TNP has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision. Just as importantly, they support and challenge the executive team to enable TNP to grow and thrive.

As well as fulfilling the duties of a Trustee, the Treasurer maintains an overview of the Nehemiah Project' s financial affairs. The Treasurer ensures that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls and procedures are put in place and reports to the Board at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation. The Nehemiah Project is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.

Treasurer Role

• Overseeing the presentation of budgets, internal management accounts and annual financial statements to the Board of Trustees.
• Ensuring that proper accounting records are kept, and that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place.
• Ensuring that robust and comprehensive financial policies are in place and being implemented, and supporting the development of policies covering financial reserves, and cost management.
• Monitoring and advising on the financial viability of the charity.
• Overseeing financial controls and adherence to systems, regularly liaising with Chief Executive
• Advising on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan, including overseeing the charity’s financial risk-management process Ensuring investments and assets are maximised.
• Lead on the appointment of and liaison with external auditors.
• Oversee the development and implementation of systems for appraising, mitigating and reporting corporate risk.
• Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by relevant statutory bodies, for example, the Charity Commission and/or the Registrar of Companies.
• Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities and liaising with the Chief Executive to develop the financial understanding of the Board of Trustees.

What we are looking for?

• A finance professional. A knowledge of charity finance is an advantage. Otherwise an enthusiasm to learn, drawing from sound commercial experience and an understanding of SMEs.
• A strategic thinker with an ability to balance risk and opportunity.
• Clear communicator with the ability to bring the financial information alive to non-finance specialists. Willing to play an active role in areas such as forecasting, setting budgets, liaising with auditors
• We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board.

In addition to the above, the Treasurer will also have the responsibilities and qualities of all trustees. Board members have a collective responsibility. This means that trustees always act as a group and not as individuals.

Responsibilities of all trustees

• Support and provide advice on TNP' s purpose, vision, goals and activities.
• Approve operational strategies and policies, and monitor and evaluate their implementation.
• Oversee TNP' s financial plans and budgets and monitor and evaluate progress.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.
• Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled effectively.
• Review and approve TNP’s financial statements.
• Provide support and challenge to TNP’s CEO in the exercise of their delegated authority and affairs. Keep abreast of changes in TNP’s operating environment.
• Contribute to regular reviews of TNP' s own governance. Attend Board meetings, adequately prepared to contribute to discussions.
• Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect TNP’s interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third party interests.
• Contribute to the broader promotion of TNP’s objects, aims and reputation by applying your skills, expertise, knowledge and contacts.

Personal skills and qualities

• To be sympathetic to and supportive of our Christian ethos. Practising Christian preferred.
• Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
• Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member. Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion. A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Enthusiasm for our vision and mission

Trustee Role Overview

Term: 4 years, renewable up to 7 years, with possible extension in exceptional cases under the Memorandum and Articles.

Remuneration: Voluntary role; reasonable expenses reimbursed.

Meetings: Attend four Board meetings a year (in person in Putney, with remote option).

Strategy Days: Up to one per year.

Events: Four annual celebration events at our houses; Trustees are encouraged to attend where possible

Committee Membership

Trustees may join one of three sub-groups — HR, Finance, or Fundraising — which meet remotely four times a year, with occasional ad hoc support to working groups or the executive team. 

Financial Commitment No donation is required, though regular modest giving is encouraged.

More Information can be found in the Trustee Pack below.

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

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

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

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

Responsibilities:

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

Expectations and requirements:

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

Essential skills:

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

Additional desired skills:

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

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

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

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

QUOTES:

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

Structure:

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

Outdoor Learning Volunteer Officers are a key part of our team at Skelton Grange Environment Centre and are involved in:
- Supporting and leading environmental activities with young people and the local community.
- Planning and preparing sessions - and sometimes even developing new activities to help young people connect with nature.
- You will be trained and supported by experienced project staff and work as part of a team with paid staff, trainees and other Volunteers.

Typical activities for the Outdoor Learning Volunteer role include:
- Running environmental education sessions for school visits during term time.
- Running play activities for groups of children and young people during the school holidays.
- Keeping education day resources up to date and developing new resources, activities or materials as required.
- Helping with the general running of the centre and the project, including both development work and routine maintenance to ensure we are an inspiring location for visitors to experience nature.

Benefits to you:
We aim to involve our Outdoor Learning Volunteer Officers in:
- Running a range of outdoor education and play activities and events with schools and community groups on the Skelton Grange Environment Centre site.
- Planning, risk assessing and running safe and engaging activities outside for children.
- All the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to run the sessions, from bushcraft skills to plant identification to working with children.

The role will give you the opportunity to use your skills and experience in a supportive environment and aims to support you into being able to run activities and lead groups independently.
It's a chance to do something very satisfying and worthwhile and have lots of fun with some great people!
If you want to use this role to move on into employment in the environmental sector we can also provide you with a range of useful training courses, job opportunity information, interview guidance and references.

We will provide expenses to cover volunteer travel costs.

What you need:
We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are keen to work with young people and to connect people with green spaces.
People volunteer with us for all sorts of reasons: you may have lots of skills that you are keen to share, or you might be looking for something worthwhile to do with your time, or you might be wanting to launch a career in the environment sector.

We’re looking for a Treasurer to provide financial leadership to our charity that supports the VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) sector in Wakefield District through high-impact contracts and grant making.

Nova is a charity that works with charities, community groups and social enterprises to help them thrive and continue their important work across the District. We do this by:

• Providing free specialist support on development and growth
• Ensuring the VCSE sector has a voice in decision-making
• Securing resources and funding for the VCSE sector

We have several opportunities open to join our Board of Trustees, including a Treasurer.

The Treasurer works closely with the Board, CEO, Finance Manager, and accountant to ensure our organisation’s finances are well-managed, transparent, and aligned with strategic goals. This involves:

• Guiding financial decisions
• Helping the Board understand and act on financial information
• Contributing to planning for the future, including budgets, reserves and exploring new incomes streams and enterprising approaches to strengthen Nova’s financial resilience

While previous experience as a Treasurer or Trustee is welcomed, it’s not essential. What matters most is commitment to Nova’s values, financial integrity, and supporting the VCSE sector.

As a trustee, you’ll have:

• An induction, training and reimbursable expenses
• Professional development with new skills and experience
• Influence to shape innovative projects
• Opportunity to make a difference to hundreds of organisations facing challenging times
• Chance to make new connections and learn about the local VCSE sector

To find about more about the role, download the Information Pack and Role Description. We can arrange an informal chat with Hayley (Vice Chair and Chair of HR Subcommittee) if you'd like to ask any questions before applying.

Applications close at 9am on Monday 2 March 2026.

The diversity of our board is important as it leads to strong leadership and governance. This is a priority for Nova and we are committed to removing barriers that often exclude people from applying or staying on boards. We are striving to be an accessible and inclusive organisations and will work proactively on adjustments requested. Please contact our team if you need support or adjustments throughout the recruitment process to make it accessible for you.

Regional Officers oversee chapters within a certain region. They provide support and guidance to the Presidents (and the rest of committee if needed) including advice and signposting as needed. They can also provide hands on support if requested. They should encourage chapters to collaborate including the sharing of resources, socials, fundraisers, training and events.

The Recruitment Officer is responsible for attracting, onboarding, and supporting new volunteers into the charity. The role focuses on maintaining a steady flow of volunteers by proactively identifying recruitment opportunities, organising and delivering Introduction Training sessions, and promoting the charity through events such as Freshers’ Fairs, Open Days, and external outreach. 

Following the success of the 2025 Council Climate Action Scorecards last year, Climate Emergency UK is looking to create the third edition of the Action Scorecards. Analysing council climate action only becomes valuable if you track the progress that has been made. We need your help to create the 2027 Action Scorecards and score councils on their actual climate action.

Why are we doing this?

We’re in a climate crisis, and local councils have the power and influence over around 30% of emissions in their local area. Councils are uniquely placed to make a real impact on emissions within their area. We know that councils are listening to the Scorecards results and taking more effective action. The average score in the 2025 Action Scorecards increased by 7 percent points. The Scorecards are a campaigning tool that residents can use to hold their council to account on their climate action, and lobby for specific, targeted change. We have also found that over 34% of UK councils are using the Scorecards to improve (using the Scorecards in council meetings or on their website and in climate action plans). Finally, this UK wide assessment will demonstrate where the UK and devolved governments need to provide more support to local authorities in order for them to take even further action.

How can you help?

We need at least 200 volunteers to pull this project off! You can help by volunteering to score councils on each of the 7 sections of our Action Scorecards. This year volunteers will be marking specific sections for councils (e.g. marking only all the Transport questions for the councils you are marking). You will score councils in your particular section by researching publicly available information on councils’ websites and relevant strategies. Training and guides will be made available to you to help in the process.

Scoring one council on one section will take approx. 2 hrs (though the more you do, the quicker you will become). It’s best if you are able to work from a laptop or a computer with good internet, as you will need to be able to access council websites and our online scoring system.

We’d like you to mark at least 10 councils on one of the seven sections over a period of 4 weeks. This equates to a total of 20 hours of volunteering over 4 weeks, roughly 5 hours a week, but this can be done at your own pace.

What experience do I need?

We will provide training so you don’t need any experience. If you have previous experience of working in or campaigning at a local council level that is a bonus, but not necessary.

What will I gain?

This is a great opportunity to understand how local councils work, as well as understanding local government policy on Climate Action. This is a good chance to improve your research and analytical skills too. By helping with this project you will be making a real contribution to the fight against the climate crisis.

What we need from you:

You will need to attend a total of 2 sessions:

• Scorecards Volunteer Inductions:
  You will need to attend one induction session on either Tuesday 7th April 2026 or Thursday 9th April 2026 from 5:30 to 6:30pm.
• Scorecards Scoring Training:
  You will only need to attend only one of the training sessions but please keep both of the evenings free until you are allocated a Scorecards policy section, which will determine which session you need to attend: either Tuesday 14th April 2026 or Thursday 16th April 2026 from 5:30 to 7pm.
• The overall time commitment is 20 hours of volunteering over a 4-week period spanning from 7th April until 12th May 2026.

Note: We will not accept current Councillors or Officers (Parish/Town councillors or staff are free to apply).

How it works

• You will receive training on how the scoring system works.
• You will be assigned 10 or more councils to score depending on your availability.
• You will be supported through online communication with CEUK staff and other volunteers across the country. At any point you will be able to ask questions using Slack.
• You will score those councils via our online scoring system. What you mark will be audited to ensure the system is fair and accurate.

Want to do more?

Be part of our Local Climate Policy Programme, a 4 week in-depth introduction into local climate policy and action alongside the practical experience of assessing council climate action. 

How to apply

We are running two volunteer cohorts. The Local Climate Policy Programme is available to both cohorts. The Freedom of Information (FOI) Programme is only available in Cohort 2. If you are a new volunteer we recommend joining Cohort 1.

Contact: If you’d like to get involved, learn more or need any help at all during the process please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Purpose of the role
In this important role, you will be responsible for assessing the eligibility of applicants for our grants and services, in adherence with Variety’s structured grant management approach (guided interviews, weighted scoring and panel review) to maximise impact for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.

You will be required to handle grant applications and supporting information with the utmost confidentiality, following organisational policies to ensure the privacy and security of all sensitive and personal information.

Using our defined eligibility criteria and assessment tools, you will evaluate applications and conduct fair and consistent assessments, making award recommendations to support the decision-making process. You will bring an independent voice, playing a key role in ensuring that decisions are made fairly, equitably and transparently and will be required to support your recommendations with evidence of sound analysis and reasoning.

Key Responsibilities
• Review applications and supporting evidence prepared by the case management team.
• Clarify points with applicants when required (within agreed boundaries).
• Conduct structured, remote assessments (by telephone/video call) to understand need, urgency and likely impact on the child, their family life and communities.
• Establish the baseline for monitoring and evaluation by articulating the impact of the intervention.
• Where applicable, use the weighted assessment tool (base on the eligibility criteria and the Theory of Change) consistently and document clear, impartial rationales to prioritise need.
• Prepare concise, written recommendations aligned to policy, criteria and evidence.
• Attend quarterly Assessor Network meetings, which are a forum for sharing good practice, peer support, news sharing, undertaking essential training and reward and recognition.

Optional, Additional Responsibilities
• Where applicable, support the Impact Monitoring and Evaluation team to undertake post-award follow-up interviews to measure the impact made over time.
• Where applicable and available, represent Variety at events, presentations of awards and through online content.

Adherence to Policy and Quality
• Act as a beacon of good practice in fair grant assessment.
• Uphold safeguarding, confidentiality, GDPR, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and anti‑bias standards throughout the assessment process.
• Escalate concerns (quality, safeguarding, unusual risk, conflicts of interest) in line with policy.
• Follow process controls and segregation of roles, supporting a robust, auditable trail.
• Participate in induction, refresher training, and calibration sessions to ensure consistency and continuous improvement.
• Adhere to Variety’s Code of Conduct.

Time Commitment
• Assessments: the time commitment for these varies and is flexible but we expect you will be spending 4 – 8 hours per month on these, dependent on demand and pool of assessors.
• Assessor Network: hybrid meetings that will last 1.5 – 2 hours and will be held quarterly.
• Training: short modular induction plus periodic refreshers usually rolled into Assessor Network meetings.

Support & Supervision
• Induction & training: policy, criteria, assessment skills, impact tools, safeguarding, data protection.
• Ongoing support through Programme Manager, Programmes Support Officer and Head of Programmes.
• Expenses: out‑of‑pocket expenses will be reimbursed in line with Variety’s Expenses Policy.

Impact Measures (Volunteer‑Appropriate)
• Timely completion of assigned assessments; adherence to guidance and safeguarding.
• Quality of written rationales; consistency of weighted scoring.
• Constructive contribution to committee discussion and calibration.
• Positive feedback from applicants (tone/respect) gathered via staff.
• Case study preparation

Person Specification
We welcome people from many walks of life. If you’re feel that you are the right person for this role but are unsure whether you “tick every box,” please still consider applying; training and support are provided.
What you’ll bring (essential)
• Fair assessment mindset: you can weigh information against clear criteria and explain your reasoning.
• Analysis skills: comfortable reviewing forms/evidence and using a simple scoring tool. Able to summarise and analyse complex information to extract relevant data, paying attention to detail.
• Communication: great written and spoken English (we have templates to help).
• Lived experience or insight: personal, professional or volunteer experience that helps you understand the challenges faced by disabled or disadvantaged children and young people (or you can demonstrate thoughtful knowledge of these issues).
• Friendly and approachable: comfortable conducting sensitive conversations by telephone/video call with empathy and professionalism.
• Reliability and care: you follow guidance, meet agreed timeframes where you can, and ask for help if something isn’t clear.
• Values & conduct: commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion; willing to complete safeguarding training and a DBS check.

Helpful extras (nice to have, but not essential)
• Comfortable using basic digital tools (email, online forms, video calls) – we can show you the rest.
• Experience in any of the following is desirable:
o Grant-making
o Community/children’s services
o Health/education/SEND
o Occupational Therapy
o Social care
o Structured interviewing
o Teaching

We are looking for a Community Engagement & Accountability Officer who is responsible for assisting in the implementation of integration activities and projects and ensuring that the needs and opinions of Second Tree community members are used to guide our work.

Your role would include:

• Creating timelines and coordinating plans for community engagement events

• Summarising relevant data collection in reports and project deliverables

• Communicating with community members and building trusting relationships

• Managing the organisation of proposals and other documents created by the CEA team

• Maintaining necessary records, files, reports, databases, and resource materials for the CEA team

• Researching information and gathering data necessary for community reporting

• Working with the wider Second Tree team to ensure that all community engagement events and projects align with organisational and programme strategies

• Supporting the CEA team by ensuring good levels of engagement with the community during activities and projects.

You should be able to:

• Be flexible with changing approaches and processes dependent on adjusting needs and contexts

• Take initiative and show high motivation

• Oversee the delivery of program activities and the completion of vital administrative and logistical tasks

• Be accountable and efficient, making sure that tasks that you take up are completed in the agreed timeframe

• Be honest and transparent, being able to give and receive feedback in the most straightforward way

• Care for people: the interests of the people we work with should always be your first concern

• Prioritise and delegate tasks effectively, ensuring all deadlines are met;

• Manage individuals effectively to create a positive team environment in which shared problem-solving is encouraged

• Communicate in English, both written and orally

• Learn quickly, and manage a wide-ranging and intense workload

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience in integrating meaningful community participation premised on thorough needs assessments

• Experience in maintaining and monitoring effective feedback mechanisms

• Experience in integrating community perspectives into planning, evaluation, and reporting of community engagement projects and events

• Training in facilitating focus groups and interviews;

• Knowledge of European projects and deliverables

• Familiarity with project management

• Proficiency in excel and quantitative data collection

What do we offer?

• A nurturing and collaborative working environment. We work hard to help our team members grow, investing in personal and professional development.

• Accommodation in a shared house

• Transportation to/from work

• After completion of a three-month trial, if you commit long-term, a small monthly expenses refund

In certain periods of the year, demand is extremely high, and the shared houses might be full. If you have the means to pay for your own accommodation, please let us know. We would still be happy to host you if space is available. However, in a situation where the shared houses are full, this would allow us to offer an opportunity to someone that cannot afford to pay rent.

Looking for an internship?

If, because of your degree or for any other reason, you would like to have your period at Second Tree credited as an internship, just apply to the vacancy that you’re interested in and mention this. We have agreements with several universities across Europe, and in many other cases, these agreements can be developed on an ad hoc basis.

We are looking for someone keen to move into the area of advising small charities on management and governance issues and working with them on other services we provide.

We are a very ambitious local grant-making charity that also offers various training, support and consultancy services to small charities and community groups in West London. Our broad-ranging plans are now beginning to bear fruit and so we need volunteers to help us in the following areas as demand for our services continues to grow:

· Supporting small groups and start-ups with basic governance and management issues

· Facilitating coordination between groups including organising events linking those with common interests

· Monitoring our grant holders and assessing the impact of our services on groups

· Outreach to new groups

· General admin support

· Possibly helping out with grant application assessments when needed

Our ideal candidates would have a good all-round management or professional background gained over a number of years, but they need not be experienced in the areas mentioned above. You'd be given full training, with the opportunity to shadow the people already working in these areas. Far more important is adaptability, initiative, an ability to get on well with people from all sorts of backgrounds, and good organisational and writing skills. Most crucially you would have a demonstrable commitment to our ideals of promoting a strong and influential civil society in West London. You will thrive on challenges and find rewards in seeing our objectives achieved.

You would ideally be able to commit an average of 1 day a week and the work would involve dealing with our clients during office hours, so you will probably be someone who is working part-time, or is perhaps retired or semi-retired, or is otherwise not in full-time employment. We would also be prepared to consider applicants only able to commit a few hours a week for some of the duties mentioned above.

Much of the work would be taking place from home, but it will also involve some face to face contact with clients, so living in or around the Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon boroughs would be a definite advantage.

All reasonable expenses will be reimbursed and refreshments provided where suitable.