Volunteer mental health support worker volunteer roles

Could you help bring moments of togetherness to families facing cancer? 

Families supported by Young Lives vs Cancer are going through some of the most challenging times of their lives. At Young Lives vs Cancer, we get that. We are a charity that helps children and young people (aged 0-24), and their families find the strength to face whatever cancer throws at them.  

As an Events Coordinator in the South West Social Work team, you will plan and coordinate a range of events throughout the year; working directly with the families we support and partner organisations. we hope to run events across the region including end‑of‑treatment celebration days, sibling days, festive events and bereavement support events 

What you give as a volunteer goes far beyond practical support; it’s reassurance, kindness, and hope at a time when it’s needed most. Your time and commitment can help make the cancer journey a little lighter and leave a lasting, positive impact on the families you support. 

What you’ll be doing 

We hope to carry out regular events across the whole region. Your help will be invaluable in achieving this. Your tasks will include: 

• Helping to organise, co-ordinate and run events. 

• Communication with invitees and organisations involved in the planning and facilitation of events. 

• Attendance of events as a welcoming presence; helping people feel comfortable, supported, and gently connected to one another. 

• Working alongside social workers as a valued member of the team and reporting back to your volunteer manager. 

Ealing Carers Partnership offers support services to unpaid family carers aged 18+, living or caring for someone living in the London Borough of Ealing. We work together - and with others - to provide support services and breaks for carers. Our current services include: respite (replacement) care in the home; care worker support to access community groups or services; Carer Cafes in four locations across Ealing; a developing range of wellbeing activities, and; events and social opportunities. We are seeking volunteers to work alongside the team to support our work.

Main purpose of the role

The Carers Community Champions role is to support us in promoting Ealing Carers Partnership’s services by raising awareness of what we offer. We might ask for you to put up leaflets in your neighbourhood and, from time to time, to staff a stall in a community setting. 

Benefits of becoming a Carers Champion:

Becoming a Carer Champion will help you to:

• Experience volunteering in a charity 

• Develop new skills and experience, possibly helping you to find work

• Grow your confidence

• Take part in free training sessions to build your knowledge 

• Meet new people 

• Make a vital difference to the work of Ealing Carers Partnership.

It will give you the satisfaction of:

• Supporting carers and making a big difference in their lives

• Feeling that you have achieved something positive every time you volunteer

• Empowering communities by raising awareness of sources of support

• Being part of an organisation, which has strong values and provides help and support to those most marginalised in society 

• Connecting with other volunteers and local organisations.

General responsibilities 

In order to promote Ealing Carers Partnership’s services and events, we expect that you would be asked to:

• Hand out leaflets or post fliers in supermarkets, doctors’ surgeries, libraries, leisure centres and other community venues with high footfall in your immediate neighbourhood

• Help with setting up of events and staffing stalls 

• Help to pack up after the events 

• Supporting staff at the Carers Cafés and making light refreshments

• Sharing your caring experiences with others if you are a former carer, or just listening to those that need to talk

• Accompanying carers on trips out

• Working with the team to find new ways of publicising services and providing insights about your neighbourhood. 

Skills, experience and personal attributes

Whilst we are happy to provide training as needed, we hope that you will be able to demonstrate:

• A positive attitude towards vulnerable clients who may have a variety of complex needs and those who are caring for them 

• The desire to gain local knowledge about services or a willingness to find out what is available to support local carers 

• A minimum availability of 2/3 hours per week

• Being comfortable in terms of talking to people in groups 

• A knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding, although full training will be given. 

Training and support

We will try to offer a good range of training and support to all volunteers but, as a minimum, you can expect to:

• Attend starter training sessions, an induction to the programme and staff

• Undertake a DBS check

• Attend Health and Safety, Safeguarding, Confidentiality and Customer Care training

• Attend appropriate team meetings/ briefings so you are up to date on what we are delivering 

• Attend 6-8 weekly checks-ins for support for you and to see how you are doing within your role. 

Expenses

Out of pocket and travel expenses will be reimbursed as agreed upon commencement.

For this role volunteers MUST be aged 18 or over.

When children finish Year 6 in our primary programme, many of them don't want the music to stop. So we have started an evening youth club to keep it going. It runs in partnership with Youth Connect South West, and the Police Early Intervention Team back it because they see music as a practical tool against gang recruitment and knife crime. We need musicians or singers who want to teach instruments and support creative projects with young people in their community.

About the role

Orchestra of Everything Foundation (OOEF) delivers free, immersive music education to around 250 children aged 7–11 at two Bath primary schools in Twerton and Whiteway — nationally ranked deprived communities. Our impact is off the scale: school leaders tell us that 86% of children show improved attitudes to learning across all subjects, and we have been instrumental in a 39% reduction in pupil suspensions. Our work has caught the attention of the Department for Education, and Bath Spa University now incorporates our model into teacher training.

The youth club runs in partnership with Youth Connect South West and is endorsed by the Police Early Intervention Team and the Bath & North East Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership — who see music as a frontline tool against gang recruitment and knife crime.

As a Youth Club Music Leader you will draw on your musical skills to teach instruments, support group projects, and help young people develop creatively and socially. You will work in teams with other musicians and youth workers. Formal teaching qualifications are not required.

Note: this role is specifically for people who play an instrument or sing. If you are interested in a pastoral or support role at the youth club without a music requirement, please get in touch to ask about our Youth Club Support Volunteer role.

What you'll bring

• The ability to play an instrument or sing — any genre or style welcome

• Genuine warmth and consistency with young people, including those from complex backgrounds

• Musical credibility alongside the ability to connect with and earn the trust of young people

• Reliability — these young people need familiar, dependable adults in their lives

Time commitment

Most volunteers usually come in one evening per week or per fortnight — sessions run for 2 hours, but if you can only make part of that then we will work around your availability. Some come via community or employer rotas; others commit individually. We will work around your schedule and build the arrangement around what suits you.

What you'll get from it

• Deeply rewarding work in a community that genuinely needs what you can offer

• Skills in youth engagement, informal education and community music

• The chance to work alongside an experienced, passionate and supportive team

• Training, mentoring and references provided

• DBS check arranged and funded by OOEF