Young people and children services team leader volunteer roles in Bristol

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 

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.

At Doorstep Library, we’re dedicated to bringing the magic of books and the joy of reading directly into the homes of children who need our support.

With 1 in 4 children in the UK leaving primary school unable to read or write properly, we recruit and train in-person and online volunteers to introduce children from under-resourced areas to the pleasure of reading.

What’s Involved?

As a Doorstep Library reading volunteer, you’ll visit the same families via Zoom every week with eBooks to share with the children and encourage their love of reading.

You will:

• Handpick eBooks from our online portals based on the children’s age, interests, and reading level
• Join families via Zoom with your volunteer partner for 20-minute reading sessions  
• Make notes after the session to keep track of how the child/ren are progressing

Our unique home-based approach allows our volunteers to build trusting relationships with families, helping them to connect with the community and equip them with the skills they need to succeed later in life.

When and Where?

You can be based anywhere in the UK to become a Doorstep Library online volunteer.

• Time commitment: One evening a week (Regular Volunteer), one evening every other week (Semi-Regular Volunteer) or once every 3 weeks (Stand-In Volunteer) during school term times
• Hours per week: 2
• Days: Our projects run on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays from 4:30pm – 6:30pm

Why volunteer with Doorstep Library?

• It's incredibly fun! You get to explore your inner child and share your passion for books and reading.
• We invest in our team of volunteers to ensure they are valued, supported and are developing.
• You will be a part of the Doorstep Library community of families, volunteers and staff members.
• You can make a real difference to the lives of others. Providing you with a real sense of purpose and achievement.
• You give back to the community you live in or the community you visit every week.
• You build your confidence and improve your self-esteem and mental well-being.
• You will develop skills and enhance your C.V. 

Doorstep Library is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and all those it comes into contact with. All volunteers undergo rigorous safer recruitment processes including specified interview questions, a DBS check, and the collection of written and/or verbal references.  Safeguarding training is a mandatory part of the induction process for all volunteers, and they are expected to always adhere to our safeguarding policies and procedures.  

OOEF runs free music sessions for children aged 7–11 at two primary schools in Twerton and Whiteway. The sessions are so valued by the schools that children are released from maths lessons to attend. We need volunteers to sit alongside children as they practise — listening, encouraging, celebrating their progress. No musical experience needed. If you love music and care about young people, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

Orchestra of Everything Foundation (OOEF) delivers free, immersive music education to around 250 children aged 7–11 at St Michael's Junior School in Twerton and Roundhill Primary in Whiteway — two schools in 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.

As a Practice Buddy you sit alongside small groups of children as they work through their instruments — listening, encouraging and celebrating their progress. You will work in a team of 5–10 at all times; no one ever works alone with children. Training and mentoring are built in from day one.

What you'll bring

• A warm, patient approach with primary-school-age children

• Reliability — children build trust with familiar faces, and a volunteer who keeps coming back has a disproportionate impact

• Comfort working as part of a team in a school environment

• A love of music — you don't need to play a note

Time commitment

Most volunteers come in weekly or fortnightly during term time — a typical session is around 1.5–2 hours on a Wednesday afternoon (more days planned). Some come via company or organisation rotas (like Camella estate agents and Bathavon Rotary Club), others as University of Bath students fitting volunteering around their studies. One-off or ad hoc sessions are also very welcome. We will work around whatever suits you.

What you'll get from it

• The chance to see children grow in confidence and ability in real time — often children who struggle in conventional classroom settings

• A supportive, welcoming team with training and mentoring provided

• The knowledge that this is genuinely high-impact work — these children's lives are being changed

• DBS check arranged and funded by OOEF

Help Shape the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Could you spare just one hour a month to help a young person build their future?

Volunteer Business Mentor: EPIC Entrepreneurs (Remote)

Location: Remote (UK)
Commitment: Minimum 1 hour per month
Contract Type: Volunteer
Salary: Unpaid voluntary role
DBS Check Required: Yes (for successful applicants)

EPIC Entrepreneurs is one of the UK's fastest-growing not-for-profit organisations supporting young entrepreneurs aged 16-25 from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. Through mentoring, masterclasses, funding opportunities and business support, we help ambitious young people turn their ideas into sustainable businesses and careers.

We're looking for passionate volunteer mentors from a wide range of professional backgrounds who are willing to share their experience, guidance and encouragement with the next generation of founders.

Whether you're an experienced business owner, senior professional, specialist consultant, or industry expert, your knowledge could make a life-changing difference to a young entrepreneur.

About the Role

As an EPIC Mentor, you'll be matched with one or more young entrepreneurs and provide guidance, encouragement and practical advice as they develop their business ideas and entrepreneurial skills.

The role is flexible and designed to fit around your existing commitments, requiring a minimum commitment of just one hour per month.

Mentoring sessions are delivered remotely, allowing you to support entrepreneurs from anywhere in the UK.

We Are Looking For Mentors With Experience In:

• Marketing & Digital Marketing

• Finance & Accounting

• Sales & Business Development

• Legal & Compliance

• Human Resources

• Operations & Project Management

• Technology & Software

• E-commerce

• Retail & Fashion

• Food & Beverage

• Health & Medical

• Sport & Fitness

• Creative Industries

• Manufacturing

• Social Enterprise

• Start-ups & Entrepreneurship

We also welcome applications from professionals with specialist expertise in any industry or sector.

What You'll Do

• Support and encourage a young entrepreneur on their journey

• Share your professional knowledge, skills and experience

• Help build confidence, resilience and business understanding

• Act as a positive role model

• Attend mentoring sessions remotely

• Follow EPIC's mentoring framework and safeguarding procedures

What You'll Gain

While this is an unpaid volunteer role, there are many benefits to becoming an EPIC Mentor:

✔ Make a genuine difference to a young person's future
✔ Help shape the next generation of entrepreneurs
✔ Develop and strengthen your mentoring and leadership skills
✔ Enhance your CV and professional profile
✔ Join a growing network of like-minded business leaders and professionals
✔ Gain access to EPIC networking opportunities and events
✔ Opportunity to have your business, organisation or expertise featured across EPIC's social media and communications channels
✔ Be part of a community creating real social impact across the UK

Support Provided

You won't be expected to do this alone.

All mentors receive:

• A structured mentoring framework

• Onboarding and guidance

• Ongoing support from the EPIC team

• Clear expectations and resources

• Regular opportunities to connect with other mentors

Recruitment Process

1. Submit an application

2. Attend an informal panel meeting with the EPIC team

3. Successful applicants will complete a DBS check

4. Mentor onboarding and matching process

5. Begin supporting an entrepreneur

Join Us

If you're passionate about helping young people realise their potential and want to contribute to a thriving entrepreneurial community, we'd love to hear from you.

One hour a month could help change a life.

Apply today and become part of the EPIC community.

Voice 21 – Trustee with fundraising expertise 

About Voice 21
Voice 21 is the national oracy education charity. We support schools to build speaking and listening into the curriculum, teaching, learning and wider school life so that every child can use their voice to thrive in school, work and life. Our training and development programmes for teachers and school leaders transform learning through talk, expanding access to high-quality oracy education, particularly for children who need it most.

Why join the Voice 21 Board of Trustees now?
Since its inception in 2015, Voice 21 has built a national movement to put oracy at the heart of education in the UK. In November 2025, the government responded to Professor Becky Francis’s Curriculum and Assessment Review by adopting the definition of oracy used by Voice 21 and by the independent Oracy Commission in its 2024 report,  We Need to Talk: ‘Articulating ideas, developing understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication’.

The government has also committed to publish national guidance on oracy, modelled on the Writing Framework, and to strengthening oracy teaching within subjects. The Schools White Paper published in February 2026 reinforced this direction, positioning oracy as the fourth “R” alongside reading, writing and maths.

Oracy is now firmly part of national policy, and Voice 21 continues to build evidence of its impact on young people’s attainment, wellbeing, belonging and career readiness.

This policy shift represents a major campaigning success for Voice 21 and others who campaigned  alongside us. Our new 2030 Strategy aims to seize this moment and secure high-quality, evidence-based oracy education for every child, particularly for those children in schools serving disadvantaged communities.

Investment will be critical to achieving this ambition. Fundraising currently provides 20% of our income. Our goal is to increase this to 40%, doubling fundraised income to support delivery of our 2030 strategy.

The Role: Trustee with fundraising expertise

Voice 21 is keen to strengthen its board-level knowledge and skills by adding a fundraising specialist trustee. We are looking to appoint a strategic fundraising leader who has substantial experience of successfully developing fundraising departments and growing voluntary income. As trustee, you will provide strategic oversight, constructive challenge and advice on fundraising strategy.

Ideally your career will have focused on high value and relationship fundraising (philanthropy, trusts, corporate partnerships). As a subject specialist, you will help to expand and deepen fellow trustees’ understanding of fundraising strategy and operations, providing knowledge, guidance, challenge and advocacy.

Your expertise will be invaluable at this pivotal moment for Voice 21, as the charity prepares to launch an ambitious new strategy, with a goal to double fundraised income by 2030. Your insights will be particularly appreciated by the experienced Head of Fundraising, CEO and Director of Operations – including contributing critical/analytic skills to help evaluate fundraising ideas and opportunities – though your primary focus will be advising on fundraising at governance level.

Knowledge And Experience: 

• Significant senior fundraising experience, with proven ability to secure major income.

• Personal experience working with high profile figures, senior leaders in major companies, people with high levels of personal wealth who are seeking charitable missions like ours to support.

• Understanding of charity leadership, including developing and implementing organisational strategy.

• Broad understanding of fundraising management across income streams.

Why this role matters:

This is an opportunity to make a real difference in tackling the disadvantage gap at a pivotal moment for oracy education. You will have the chance to influence a dynamic Board and staff team with great ambitions for our 2030 Strategy.

Time commitment:

• Board meetings: three per year, in person in London (9am–12pm)

• Annual strategy day (9am - 3pm)

• Finance Committee: four virtual meetings per year (approximately 2 hours per meeting) 

• Opportunities to attend Voice 21 events throughout the year.

Safeguarding:

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Application details:

To apply:

• a CV and a covering letter of 1- 2 pages; 

Please include: 

• Details of your interest in joining Voice 21 as a trustee; 

• An outline of your current work / relevant experience; 

• A note of any training and development needs you think you’ll have if you are appointed. 

Valuing every voice

Voice 21 believes that every voice should be heard and valued. We are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and trustees do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. Voice 21 is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us.

As a Climate Ambassador, you would be joining thousands of volunteers supporting the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, launched in 2022.

Climate Ambassadors offer free support to nurseries, schools and colleges across England to develop and implement a climate action plan. This framework helps education settings evaluate and address key action areas – adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity, climate education and green careers, and decarbonisation.

If you have: 

• A desire to create coordinated impact in your local community, while utilising your employer’s volunteering leave (where applicable); 

• Knowledge about the sustainability and climate challenges facing the world; 

• Familiarity with education settings, or the ability to inspire senior leaders, educators and young people to set out on their sustainability journey; 

• A growth and mentorship mindset to help education communities begin or progress with their climate action plan, 

… then join the growing community of Climate Ambassadors and embed climate action where it matters most! 

You will receive training, guidance and regular communications from our regional teams to make the most of the climate action opportunities on your doorstep. You can get started by volunteering just 2 hours a year. 

How can you become a Climate Ambassador? 

1. Complete an initial interest form and your regional team will be in touch to support your registration on the STEM Learning platform; 
2. Receive induction, your DBS check and your Climate Ambassador training; 
3. Identify activities you would like to support and post about them on the STEM Learning platform, or browse activities requested by your local schools! 

Your regional team will get in touch suggesting a good match to a local setting seeking support relating to your area of interest or experience. You can also upskill through the Sustainability Leadership Programme to unlock new areas of expertise. 

Please note: STEM Learning UK host Climate Ambassador profiles on their website, which requires you to register as a STEM Ambassador. Your profile will be processed as a Climate Ambassador upon selecting ‘Climate’ as your area of interest during registration.