Writing volunteer roles

About Lucas Helps Dogs
Lucas Helps Dogs is a volunteer run  charity working in Sri Lanka to reduce the suffering of street and community dogs and cats. We run spay and neuter clinics, provide rabies vaccinations, emergency treatment, and daily meals to street dogs and cats. We also deliver educational programmes in schools to teach kindness to animals and responsible pet care.

We’re currently looking for a Volunteer Grant Writer to help us secure vital funding so we can continue and expand our work for animals in need.

About the Role
As our Grant Writer, you’ll help identify suitable grant opportunities and prepare well-researched funding applications to support our animal welfare projects. You’ll work closely with our founder to understand the charity’s goals, gather information, and develop strong proposals that demonstrate our impact and vision.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys writing and research, wants to gain experience in fundraising, or is passionate about improving the lives of animals.

Key Responsibilities

• Research potential grants, trusts, and foundations that align with our mission

• Write clear, compelling funding proposals and supporting documents

• Maintain a calendar of grant deadlines and track submissions

• Help develop a case for support and collect information for applications

• Review feedback from funders to improve future submissions

• Collaborate remotely with our small, friendly team

What We’re Looking For

• Strong writing, research, and communication skills

• Attention to detail and good organisational skills

• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

• Interest in animal welfare and compassion for dogs

• Experience in grant writing or charity fundraising 

What We Offer

• The chance to make a direct impact for animals in need

• Experience in grant writing and charity fundraising

• A flexible, supportive, and friendly volunteer team

• A reference after 3 months of volunteering

• The opportunity to use your skills for meaningful change

Time Commitment: 2–5 hours per week, flexible schedule
Location: Remote – you can volunteer from anywhere
Commitment: Ideally 3 months or more

How to Apply
If you’d like to use your writing skills to make a real difference for dogs and cats in Sri Lanka, we’d love to hear from you!
Please send a short email outlining your interest and any relevant experience

We’re looking for detail-orientated, proactive people who’d like to use their research or writing skills to help strengthen our funding applications and impact reporting.

As a Research and Bid Support Volunteer, you’ll help identify funding opportunities, gather data and evidence, and support the preparation of grant proposals. You’ll also assist with compiling feedback and monitoring information that helps us demonstrate the difference our work makes.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys research, analysis and writing and wants to gain experience in how charities develop projects and secure funding.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Researching grant opportunities that align with our programmes and priorities
• Helping gather data, statistics and community evidence to support funding applications
• Reviewing funder guidelines and eligibility criteria
• Assisting with drafting or formatting sections of funding proposals
• Collecting quotes, case studies and outcomes to demonstrate impact
• Supporting report preparation and data organisation for monitoring and evaluation

Skills and Qualities We’re Looking For

• Strong written and research skills
• Attention to detail and ability to analyse information clearly
• Organised and methodical approach to work
• Confidence using digital tools and online databases
• Interest in community development, funding or project design
• Discretion when handling sensitive or confidential information

What You’ll Gain

• Experience contributing to real funding applications and impact reporting
• Insight into charity fundraising, project development and evaluation
• Opportunities to build research, analysis and writing skills
• The satisfaction of supporting projects that bring lasting community benefits

About Us

We are a community-led charity tackling poverty at its root by empowering people and communities to overcome barriers and build sustainable futures.

Our programmes support children, young people, adults and families through education, employability, wellbeing and social inclusion activities that promote confidence, connection and opportunity.

Safeguarding and Inclusion

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults involved in our work.

Safeguarding training will be provided for all volunteers and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check may be required for this role.

We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments to support participation wherever possible.

Starfish is an international development charity aiming to bring life, hope and opportunity to children in South Africa who have been orphaned or made vulnerable through HIV/AIDS and poverty. Starfish are looking for an enthusiastic person who is passionate about international development with good writing skills. The internship will be varied and include: researching trusts and foundations, writing applications, sending out applications & reports, managing data, and supporting event preparations. The Starfish UK London office is small and therefore you will become very much part of the team, being able to experience the operations of a dynamic international charity. This is a great opportunity to gain invaluable experience and enhance your CV. Desired experience - Use of Microsoft packages, organisational skills, good communication skills, research skills and the ability to work well in a team. Role starting February 2026. 

This position is for minimum 3 days a week, working from home with a March event in central London. 

We are a charity helping refugees build confidence, community, and employment skills through cooking. We are looking for a Marketing Lead / Content Manager to shape our communications, grow our audience, and tell the stories of our work across all channels.

We are now looking for someone with an interest in Charity Communications/Social Media who can take on the responsibilities of the direct social media output. The successful candidate will join us in our office or other locations mainly in North London once a week. We are looking for someone with a passion for social media and an understanding of how important it can be to a charity and the people we help.

Core Responsibilities

• Create content to be attractive, informative and inclusive.
• Post across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to promote the organisation
• Support the Operations Manager to utilise social media to thank and engage our supporters, donors and funders.
• Form key relationships with organisations, influencers and brands
• Create new ideas to make the best use of our social media to improve our engagement with families we support, and existing and potential volunteers.
• Collaborating with other team members and external consultants to contribute to and adhere to the wider communications strategy.
• Maintain strict GDPR and confidentiality practices at all times.
• Monitor and report on the engagement rates of each post/platform to inform our messaging.

Person Specification

• A good understanding of the best practice for maximum social media engagement (ie: best time of day to post, how to write comments and captions that will gain engagement) and a willingness to learn more about this
• Awareness of latest social media trends and etiquettes
• Proactive and excited to take on their own project
• Creativity and Canva skills
• A keen interest in social media
• An interest in our work with families in crisis
• Strong communication skills

Description

Youth Advantage UK (YAUK) is seeking a Volunteer Senior Researcher. The successful candidates will be allocated to lead one of our teams that either conducts, supports or progresses our short term or long term research projects. They should have excellent writing and speaking skills, IT literacy, and the ability to work well independently and in a team.

Responsibilities:

• To lead a small team of volunteers in conducting research or developing research

• To provide oversight of a number of tasks at once while providing support on specific issues as they arise

• To provide guidance to the team

• To work with management and the team to coordinate research projects and planning

• To provide advice and guidance to more junior team members

• To conduct or oversee research projects 

• To ensure of ethical standards at all times and monitor task progress to ensure of compliance

•    Requirements:

•    Experience of leading a small team in a charity or research or policy setting
•    Knowledge of issues affecting children and young people in the UK.
•    Knowledge of a range of research methods
•    Experience of writing or contributing to research or briefings and other policy documents.
•    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.

Benefits
•    Gain valuable experience in influencing research projects
•    Opportunity to work with a dedicated and passionate team.
•    Flexible volunteering hours.

Responsibilities:

Research and identify relevant local and international grant opportunities.

Prepare well-structured and compelling grant proposals aligned with GHRI’s mission and programs.

Collaborate with internal teams to gather required data, budgets, and impact reports.

Ensure timely submission of grant applications and compliance with donor guidelines.

Requirements:

Strong written communication and research skills.

Basic knowledge of grant writing or a strong willingness to learn.

Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.

Interest in public health, humanitarian work, or nonprofit development.

Are you an enthusiastic and skilled funding grant writer? Be a part of our small but committed team as a pro-active grant writer volunteer for a small national charity supporting people affected by a debilitating pain condition.

We are looking for 2 skilled grant writer volunteers who can take the lead in researching appropriate funds and writing grant bids to help us continue offering our support services and resources and helping us create new programmes and services to support patients and their families who have been affected by a poorly understood chronic condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

As our Grant Writer you will be responsible for identifying appropriate grant opportunities, and managing the grant development and proposal process from research to submitting grant applications with any supporting documents.

As our grant writer, you will:

• Identify appropriate sources of funding where we fit their criteria 
• Write appropriately tailored grant/funding bids that meet funders’ interests and requirements and to write any additional documents in support of funding bids
• Help develop a Trusts and Foundations strategy to help create and maintain strong and diverse income that meets Burning Nights CRPS Support’s funding needs
• Create a calendar of grant deadlines and track submitted funding proposals
• Help us develop a case for support 
• Report on grant usage and impact
• Review all grant/bid feedback and ensure knowledge is shared, so that learning informs us for future approaches to grants

If you are an experienced grant writer or you just enjoy researching and persuasive writing then we would love to hear from you.

We are looking for a volunteer who has:

• Experience of being a grant writer, project proposal writer and editing skills
• Excellent writing, analytical, and research skills are essential
• Creative and persuasive written and spoken communication skills 
• Self-motivated and highly-organised
• Ability to work remotely
• Ability to search online databases and other sources to identify appropriate funds
• Ability to understand and appeal to funders’ differing needs
• Ability to organise your own work, track and report back regularly 
• Experience setting up funding email templates (desirable)
• Ability to quickly understand the needs of our organisation  and our service users
• Understands the resource constraints of a small charity and can work with these
• Open to feedback
• Ideally have good network with people, organisations and charities which can help us to support our projects
• Determination to get the job done

Skills

• Project proposal writing
• Grant writing and knowledge of charity grant giving culture
• Good networking skills and contacts with grant giving organisation
• Marketing and communications
• Content writing and story-telling
• Good online fundraising skills
• Good editing and proof reading skills and attention to detail
• Team player who is comfortable working with various volunteers within Burning Nights CRPS Support to collate information required to write funding applications

If you don't have the exact experience, but are interested to volunteer with us, please apply! We would be thrilled to find out about how your interests and experience match with our needs or what we are doing.

Other Information

This role is done remotely using Zoom, Slack and email. You would be working closely with the charity’s Chair and with other trustees. However we would have regular updates and remote meetings as needed so we know you are getting the support you need.

We have an induction process that will help successful applicant to understand how our Charity operates and full support of all our volunteers.

Minimum of 3-6 hours per week for this role

Ideal commitment of 3 months or more (but not specific)

The Position

We are looking for a Grants Officer who can support us with diverse tasks that include looking for grants opportunities, project development, proposals writing, and liaising with potential partners and donors. In this role you’ll be a key contributor to the continued existence of Second Tree, which is dependent on grants to survive, and to the creation of new projects and partnerships. To do this successfully, you'll need to employ meticulous time-management and organisation skills, as juggling multiple tasks with competing deadlines is common in this role.

The role will include:

• Researching and identifying new grant opportunities on a weekly basis

• Summarising relevant grant opportunities and suggesting how to best respond and comply with them

• Researching information and data necessary for grants and grant reporting

• Supporting the design of new projects

• Supporting with proposal writing

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

• Working with the wider Second Tree team to ensure that all project proposals align with organisational, and programme strategies

• Establishing and maintaining connections with funding bodies

You should be able to:

• Professionally communicate in English (verbally and in writing)

• Read, comprehend, interpret, summarise and follow proposal guidelines

• Work to tight deadlines with flexibility and a problem-solving attitude;

• Conduct thorough, high-quality, independent research

• Work both independently and as part of a team

• Manage and prioritise projects effectively to meet team and proposal deadlines

The ideal candidate will have:

• Working knowledge of project management techniques such as LFA

• Knowledge of and experience with grant-giving bodies and other external funding sources (e.g. European Commission)

• A strong sense of logic while building an argument

What 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.

Have experience leading a team of this type?

Consider applying to become a Grants Coordinator. Whether your experience lies in the humanitarian sector or elsewhere, we are looking for people with expertise that can drive us forward as an organisation.

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 encourage applicants to join us in person, but if this is not possible we will consider remote applications for this role.

NOTE: If you require a visa to stay in Greece for the minimum ten-week commitment, please know that as a Greek NGO, we are unable to sponsor your visa.

FareShare Merseyside redistributes quality surplus food to over 232 community-based organisations who are working with vulnerable people across the region and parts of North Wales. We are keen to expand our reach, actively looking to recruit charity members who want to help us in our Warehouse, Vans, and Kitchen.

Volunteering with FareShare Merseyside

Our volunteers are at the heart of our service, with an amazing team of almost 100 volunteers, who ensure quality surplus food reaches those most in need in all communities in our region.  As a thank you for their support, we hold regular wellbeing social events and offer pathways onto our employability program.

What will I be doing?

• Travelling with designated van drivers to deliver and collect food 
• Representing FareShare in a courteous and professional manner at all times
• Supporting drivers to carry out routine checks on the vans, taking responsibility for the vans throughout the day and reporting accidents or damage to the van or other vehicles 
• Supporting drivers to complete all relevant paperwork
• Planning routes, sorting food, picking orders, loading and unloading vans 
• Assisting with maintenance of the vans including cleaning 

What we need you to be:

• Minimum of 18 years old
• Good at map reading and/or able to use a Sat Nav system 
• Positive, friendly and enthusiastic about tackling food waste and/or food poverty 
• Able to perform physical tasks including lifting and loading 
• Good with numbers, identifying different foods, writing clearly 
• Able to work effectively and use your initiative in a fast-paced environment 
• Able to work well in a team and on your own
• Able to follow FareShare’s policies & procedures 
• Flexible – there may be times when we ask you to help on other projects/tasks 

What will I get out of it?

• Support and supervision from the Regional Volunteer Manager
• An induction and training for the role
• Reasonable travel expenses and a free lunch 
• A fun and friendly place to work 
• The opportunity to take on new challenges
• A work reference for those who have satisfactorily committed to at least 3 months 
• The opportunity to support a great cause and give something back to your community 

Your expertise and experience could be vital to delivering our ground-breaking climate action and sustainability E-Save app. We're looking for UK-based people for a range of communications, marketing and multi-media roles.

What will you be doing?

You will join a team helping to launch and promote the E‑Save climate‑action app and improving its content and user experience. 

By supporting creative campaigns, you will also help the team raise the profile of Eco Centre, and support local outreach initiatives, volunteer recruitment and communications, and stakeholder engagement. 

Your work will help people discover and use the app to take practical climate action at home.

What are we looking for?

We are building a team with a range of skills and experience who can provide hands on help on regular basis and be responsive to changing needs.

We’re looking for volunteers with skills in writing, design, graphics video, social media, campaigning, web content, or marketing. Whether you’re experienced or building your portfolio, we welcome creative, proactive team players who can bring ideas, collaborate well, and help us communicate climate action in engaging and accessible ways.

What difference will you make?

Your support will help the E‑Save app be effective and inspire real climate action in everyday life. By helping shape and promote the app and organisation, you’ll make sustainable living more accessible. 

You will be at the forefront of bringing climate action into people’s homes across the UK, making sustainable living appealing – and driving real environmental impact.

Role Purpose

The Volunteer Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser will support the organisation by researching, preparing, and submitting funding applications to charitable trusts and foundations. The role plays a vital part in securing sustainable income to support the organisation’s mission, services, and long-term development.

Key Responsibilities

• Research charitable trusts and foundations that align with the organisation’s aims

• Identify funding opportunities for core costs, projects, and emergency needs

• Assist in writing high-quality grant applications and letters of enquiry

• Gather required information, budgets, and supporting documents for applications

• Maintain accurate records of applications, deadlines, and outcomes

• Track reporting requirements and support the preparation of funder reports

• Build and maintain positive relationships with funders where appropriate

• Work collaboratively with staff and other volunteers to develop strong funding cases

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Strong written communication skills

• Good attention to detail and organisational skills

• Ability to research effectively using online resources

• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Desirable:

• Previous experience with trusts and foundations fundraising

• Understanding of the charity or voluntary sector

• Experience writing funding applications or grant proposals

• Confidence working with budgets and impact information

Personal Qualities

• Passion for the organisation’s cause and values

• Reliable, proactive, and self-motivated

• Willingness to learn and take feedback

• Professional and confidential approach to sensitive information

Support and Training

• Induction and guidance on organisational priorities and funding needs

• Access to existing funding materials and templates

• Ongoing support from staff or volunteer coordinators

• Opportunities to develop fundraising and grant-writing skills

Grant Applications Volunteer 

Sheffield General Cemetery Trust (SGCT) is looking for volunteers to join our Funding team. We are a registered charity and limited company run by a volunteer board of Trustees. We raise all our income through a mix of public events, funding from Grants and Trusts and donations. The work of the funding volunteers is vital to the Trust's continued success. 

We are looking for volunteers who enjoy the challenge of raising funds from grants and trusts and are keen to be successful in this important area of work. We are looking for volunteers who have experience of making funding applications, perhaps in another field, or earlier in their career and who would welcome the opportunity to support our work. 

From time to time we also have opportunities for those looking to develop these skills, perhaps to expand their CV or to support a career change. Please get in touch if you want to discuss possibilities.

We offer:

• The opportunity to support our work and to contribute to the success of the Trust and to the City of Sheffield
• Opportunities to use your existing skills and knowledge and to develop new skills and knowledge 
• The opportunity to meet and work with new people in a friendly, committed and supportive team
• Opportunities to lead on funding work and the satisfaction of seeing the work being delivered 
• Opportunities to work on small and larger applications to a very wide range of funders. We seek to match volunteers to funding areas they are interested in.
• Regular monthly funding team meetings, usually online
• Being part of the wider volunteer team  - e.g. regular newsletter, Christmas party
• Opportunities to learn more about the history of Sheffield General Cemetery
• Gain experience of being part of a local heritage and conservation charity
• The opportunity to take part in SGCT’s varied activities if you wish to do so

This Is Not a Social Media Job. It’s a Movement-Building Role. Tell My Truth and Shame the Devil C.I.C. exists to confront and expose the realities of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), centre survivor truth and accountability, support young people into economic empowerment, and build community-owned, open-source systems that replace silence with structure, care, and collective power. We are values-led, anti-capitalist, and community-driven. We do not exist to chase trends, inflate egos, or extract attention for profit. We exist to tell the truth, build systems that protect people, and mobilise communities at scale. The Founding Volunteer Social Media Director is a critical leadership role at the heart of this work.
 
The Purpose of This Role
The Social Media Director is responsible for shaping and leading the organisation’s entire social media vision, strategy, and execution during its foundational phase. This role exists to transform truth into reach, values into visibility, and community work into collective momentum — without diluting integrity.
You will lead the creation of a decentralised, high-volume, values-aligned content ecosystem that empowers ambassadors, volunteers, and community members to speak, share, and act with clarity and purpose.
This is about building infrastructure for voice — not chasing virality for its own sake.

Experience Qualification and Requirements

Essential Technical Competencies:

• Experience leading social media strategy, content creation or community engagement, ideally in start-up, non-profit or mission-driven contexts. 
• Set and own the CIC’s social media vision aligned to its mission, safeguarding principles and 2026 goals
• Collaborate with Fundraising, Membership, Safeguarding and Digital teams to ensure ethical, effective campaigns
• Track record of translating values, purpose or community work into compelling, authentic digital content.
• Design a scalable, decentralised content strategy across platforms
• Work with open-source digital systems to ensure efficiency and accessibility

Desirable:

• Experience building and managing multi-channel social media ecosystems or networks of contributors.
• Comfortable working in a volunteer capacity [until paid roles are introduced]
• Experience leading social media strategy, content creation, or community engagement, ideally in start-up, non-profit, or mission-driven contexts.
• Establish governance, standards, and culture from the ground up. 
• Act as a values carrier and leadership presence within the organisation
• Commitment to maintaining integrity, authenticity, and values-first communication.
• Oversee content workflows: creation → approval → storage → distribution → analysis

Qualifications:

• Deep understanding of social media platforms, trends, analytics and tools. 
• Ability to balance creative experimentation with strategic planning.
• Passion for mission-driven work and amplifying authentic community voices. 
• Familiarity with decentralised or collaborative content strategies is a plus.

Main Responsibilities/ Key Duties

• Experience in planning multi-channel campaigns, content calendars and engagement strategies.
• Deeply aligned with the mission, values and anti-capitalist stance of the CIC
• Able to lead with clarity, accountability and emotional maturity
• Willingness to work in a fast-moving, foundational environment and navigate ambiguity with initiative.
• Ability to maintain consistency and authenticity in every message, interaction and campaign.
• Translating our work into clear, engaging, and authentic content that resonates across audiences.
• Genuine commitment to amplifying community voices and advancing our values.
• Ability to work closely with volunteers, ambassadors and other stakeholders to co-create content and amplify voices.
• Collaborative and empowering leadership style; able to work with volunteers, ambassadors and community members.

What You Will Gain:

• A founding leadership role shaping a national CIC from the ground up
• Real influence over strategy, systems and culture
• Deep personal and professional transformation through meaningful work
• Experience leading at scale in a decentralised, open-source environment
• The opportunity to help design future paid roles, structures and sustainability
• We do not promise comfort or quick reward.
• We offer responsibility, growth and the chance to build something that matters.

This Role Is Not for You If:

• You are looking for quick money or passive involvement
• You want brand building without accountability
• You are uncomfortable with truth-telling or safeguarding boundaries
• You prefer rigid hierarchies over collective leadership
• You are not ready to commit consistently and responsibly

Next Steps

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to:

• A values-led conversation
• A practical discussion about planning, coordination, and execution

A Final Word

The old systems are collapsing.

We are building what comes next.

If you know that storytelling can be a tool for liberation,

that community is stronger than algorithms,

and that leadership means showing up before you are rewarded —

This role may be for you