360 Volunteer roles in Durham

Climate Emergency UK CIC is a small community interest company (awaiting a response from the Charity Commission on becoming a Charity), set up in 2019 to support and connect councils and residents on getting their council to declare a climate emergency, and has since evolved into creating the Council Climate Action Scorecards. 

We’re in the process of creating the third Council Climate Action Scorecards, due to be published in Spring 2027. Our other work includes running training, such as the Local Climate Academy and working with others at a national level to advocate for further powers and funding for local councils for climate action. You can read more about our mission, vision, values and strategy here.

We’re a small organisation and need support from our Board in developing our next strategy. The Boards’ role at Climate Emergency UK is to ensure the organisation runs effectively with financial stability and complies with relevant laws and legislation. The Board also contributes to setting the strategic direction of the Board and upholding the reputation of CE UK across the sector and with funders. 

We work on consensus decision-making and want to ensure we remain a cooperatively working organisation. We are currently writing our new strategy, conscious of the political and structural changes in the sector, the difficult funding environment and rise of the capabilities of Ai.

Time commitment: Board meetings every 2 months or so for 2 hours (often weekday late afternoon/evenings but flexible). Support to the organisations, 1-2 hours per week

Board members will be in post for 2 years.

Person Specification

General responsibilities

• Ensure that the organisation creates and complies with its governing document, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations

• Ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives.

• Contributing in setting the strategic direction of the organisation and supporting Directors in its implementation

• Safeguard the reputation and values of the organisation

• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.

• Ensure the financial stability of the organisation and support with fundraising activities

Personal attributes

• Commitment and passion to the work of Climate Emergency UK CIC 

• Interest in local government and climate change

• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to provide effective support the organisation

• Strategic vision, independent judgement and ability to think creatively

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of being on the Board of a Community Interest Company.

• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to work collaboratively with others

• An understanding of the nature of oppression, how it manifests in society and a commitment to challenging inequality and addressing power and privilege

Experience

We are particularly looking for Directors with either/or any of the following:

• Landing national media coverage for projects and campaigns and previous work with national and regional news outlets

• Experience of effective fundraising for small organisations

• Experience managing start ups and organisations through early growth stages

• Understanding of AI technology and how this could be used for data collection, processing or to derive insights for decision making 

Desirable Experience and Personal attributes

• Experience of working in non-hierarchical organisations

• Previous governance experience of small organisations in transition and growth stages

• Understanding of the council climate movement in the UK or how these can be translated to other relevant sectors

• Understanding of local government, either as a councillor, officer or other

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. 

We are particularly keen to have Board members from across the political spectrum, from those who are based outside of London and the South East of England and have experience outside of the local climate movement, such as start ups, social enterprises or corporates and other small organisations.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates or other marginalised groups.

Managing a large wetland reserve requires a lot of practical, hands-on, physical tasks. We are looking for new volunteers to join our weekly Thursday Habitat Management group, supporting reserve habitat management across our beautiful 103-acre site at WWT Washington. You will be working outdoors alongside a team of 3 wardens and in a group of up to 10 fellow volunteers.

Our Reserve Volunteers assist the reserve team in completing big jobs across the reserve, including annual meadow cuts, tree planting plans, and installation of new features such as ponds and hides. You will also be helping to maintain and restore various habitats – supporting one of the largest inland Curlew roosts in the UK and providing foraging and breeding habitat for our population of red-listed Willow Tits.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get out in the fresh air and become involved in practical nature conservation, meet new like-minded people, and make a difference by helping to maintain our important wetlands.

Volunteers are an essential part of the WWT team, and we wouldn’t be able to maintain our internationally important wetland sites without their help. You will receive a very warm welcome, full induction & training, and be provided with any necessary equipment, uniforms, and anything else needed to thrive in your role.

Role Purpose

To create content for AuDHD UK’s social media platforms by planning, creating, and sharing engaging content that raises awareness, fosters community, and supports the charity’s mission.

What will you be doing?

Content Creation 

• Design and produce creative, accessible social media posts, including graphics, videos, and written content.
• Schedule and publish posts across platforms such as Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Ensure consistency in branding, tone and messaging across all social media platforms. 

Planning 

• Help to maintain and update  a social media content calendar to ensure consistent and timely posting.
• Research social media trends, audience interests, and relevant topics to inform content.
• Stay up to date with platform algorithms and best practices. 

Additional Duties

• Collaborate with the Communications & Marketing Lead and other teams to align social media with broader campaigns and events.
• Stay informed about social media best practices and platform updates.
• Support the development of an inclusive and welcoming online community. 

What are we looking for?

Essential Skills & Attributes 

• Experience creating content for social media accounts for organisations or projects.
• Strong content creation skills, including graphic design and copywriting.
• Creativity, organisation, good written English and attention to detail.
• Commitment to AuDHD UK’s mission and values.
• Lived experience of AuDHD or neurodivergence (desirable). 

What difference will you make?

With our charity increasing in activity, our social media team are experiencing higher demand and we therefore would like to expand our team. 

Would you like to become an Ambassador for knus? We've introduced our new arm-chairing volunteer position.

If you're interested arm-chair volunteering (our most flexible, low commitment role) and applying to volunteer at knus, simply read through the information on this page and apply.

• Are you over 18 and living in the UK? You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.
• Do you have a mobile phone or laptop? You can do this role whether you are, whether it be on a sofa or on a plane.
• How much time can you give? As much as you want to do. We are flexible and like to work around you.
• Do you like to learn? We provide training for all volunteers that join us. You'll have access to our courses to help you advance your knowledge and certificates to add to your CV.

How does it work?

In 2025 we launched our arm chair volunteering initiative to help us spread the word about our service and to give people the opportunity to take part in surveys and projects to help us deliver the best mental health support to the UK public.

We'd like to embrace what you love doing, whether that be sharing on socials, proof reading, surveys, sharing experiences or getting involved in our fabulous projects.

Important information:

In order to volunteer for knus as an ambassador, you will need to complete a brief application form and a ID check. A DBS is not required for this role, however, if you wish to progress to another role you may need a disclosure. We do this to ensure of service remains a safe place to volunteer for all. Please do not worry about this, we will help you as much as we can.

Training is provided by us and our training partners. You will be required to attend this training using online conferencing software such as zoom or teams.

Do you enjoy organising things and making this happen?

Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?

Yes? We’d love to hear from you.

We’re looking for admin volunteers to help with our daily operations.  We have a variety of ways you can get involved:

• Responding to client requests and enquiries
• Fundrasing and partnership management
• Managing and updating company databases
• Keeping track of partnership enquiries
• Maintaining internal, volunteer, and client records
• Drafting and mailing client correspondence and newsletters
• Organising events, scheduling meetings, and making travel arrangements
• Providing administrative support to other departments or projects as needed
• Performing other duties as agreed in advance

We’ve designed our volunteering programme to be flexible and adaptive to you.  All volunteering is 100% remote and you’re supported fully by our team.  You control what you do and how many hours per week you want to volunteer.  Some roles may require an Enhanced DBS check. If your application is successful, we will ask for a donation towards the cost of your enhanced DBS check if it's required for your role. This cost is £22.60.

Here’s some further information on what’s needed:

Are you over 18 and living in the UK?

You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.  You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.

Do you have a laptop?

A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.

How much time can you give?

A minimum of 2 hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.

Training

We provide accredited training with 3 short courses needing to be completed prior starting your volunteer role.  After, you’ll have access to over 90 accredited courses should you want to study further.

Do you enjoying talking with people and helping them based on your life experiences?

Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?

Yes? We’d love to hear from you.

What is knus?

knus is the UK’s first free, confidential, mental health peer support and coaching online chat service. knus offers mental health educational plans, relaxation experiences and live workshops.

What does knus mean? 'hug' in Danish.

Here’s some further information on what’s needed:

Are you over 18 and living in the UK?

You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.

Do you have a laptop?

A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.

How much time can you give?

A minimum of 2+ hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.

Do you like to learn?

We provide training for all volunteers that join us. Our peer support training is accredited.  20-25 hours of volunteering training is required and is self led online.

If you’re interested head over to our website and we can have a chat or apply here.

Please note - all successful volunteers are required to donate the cost price of £22.60 for an Enhanced DBS check.  If you've got a current Enhanced DBS on the update service, this cost will not apply.

You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.

Would you like to play a key role in a charitable foundation committed to tackling social and environmental issues? If so, we are looking for a trustee to join the Samworth Foundation, a grant-making charity, to help us invest our money in organisations working to bring about positive change.

Established in 1973, the Samworth Foundation is a grant-making charity founded and funded by the Samworth family. As a funder, we aim to bring lasting change to issues that impact on people, communities, and the environment, in the UK and internationally.

Our core grant making focuses on two themes:

• Building lives free from modern slavery and exploitation.
• Better agricultural systems that enhance nature and address climate change.

Trustees share responsibility for governing the Foundation and directing how it is managed and run. You will help us effectively distribute our money to organisations working to address social and environmental issues in the UK and overseas.

We are looking for someone who shares our commitment to the Foundation's vision and can contribute effectively to the board's work — whether this would be your first trustee role or you've served as a trustee before.

We are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and for this role, we would like to hear from people who have experience of farming, particularly farming that benefits nature and climate. For example, this may be as a farmer or grower, a farm advisor, an agronomist.

About now-u

now-u is a non-profit that aims to inform, inspire and empower people to help tackle pressing social and environmental issues, in partnership with charities.

People can often feel overwhelmed by large-scale problems and powerless to help, but all of us have the ability to contribute to meaningful change. This is where now-u comes in.

We connect people who are looking for ways to make a difference with impactful organisations and actions, enabling regular learning and action around key local and global issues. By bringing together the actions of individuals across the now-u community, we can help drive positive and lasting change.

About the role

We are looking for a motivated, talented and reliable generalist to join our small non-profit team in the voluntary role of Head of Operations.

You will join the leadership team of our remote charity start-up and work closely with the CEO to help stabilise the organisation’s operations and support its growth.

This is a broad and varied role, suited to someone who is comfortable working across different areas of the organisation, including campaigns, marketing, partnerships, fundraising and core operations.

We are looking for someone who can take a proactive approach, help build and lead small volunteer teams, support the delivery of effective strategies and contribute to high-impact charitable campaigns and future opportunities for now-u.

Strong communication, project management and people skills will be important in helping the organisation deliver its long-term strategy and continue developing sustainably.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations and make adjustments where required.
• Review the effectiveness and efficiency of internal and external operational processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Assess team capacity and support the recruitment of new volunteers where needed.
• Support different teams with their day-to-day operations and provide strategic guidance.
• Develop and implement growth strategies in collaboration with the leadership and strategy teams.
• Support efforts to make now-u financially self-sufficient through fundraising and revenue generation.
• Lead core operational areas including financial management, HR and legal compliance.
• Manage, support and motivate volunteers.
• Work closely with the CEO and wider leadership team to support organisational priorities and long-term strategy.

About you

We are looking for someone who is proactive, organised and comfortable taking responsibility across a range of operational areas.

You should be confident working with different people and teams, able to manage competing priorities and comfortable solving problems as they arise.

You will also need to be motivated by now-u’s mission and committed to making a positive difference through social and environmental causes.

Essential skills

• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Good time-management and organisational skills.
• Strong problem-solving ability.
• Ability to communicate clearly and work collaboratively.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work independently when required.
• Commitment to now-u’s mission and charitable causes.

Desirable experience

• Management experience.
• Strategic planning experience.
• Start-up experience.
• Operations experience.
• Experience managing or supporting volunteers.
• Experience working within a charity or non-profit environment.

Time commitment

8–10 hours per week

Length of commitment

This is a long-term voluntary role, with a minimum commitment of 6 months.

What you will gain

This role offers the opportunity to take on a senior operational position within a small and developing non-profit organisation.

You will have the chance to work closely with the CEO and leadership team, contribute to organisational strategy, support teams across different areas of the charity and play an important role in helping now-u grow and strengthen its operations.

It is a strong opportunity for someone who wants to develop further experience in operations, leadership, strategy and the charity sector while contributing to meaningful social and environmental causes.

About now-u

now-u is a non-profit that aims to inform, inspire and empower people to help tackle pressing social and environmental issues, in partnership with charities.

People can often feel overwhelmed by large-scale problems and powerless to help, but all of us have the ability to contribute to meaningful change. This is where now-u comes in.

We connect people who are looking for ways to make a difference with impactful organisations and actions, enabling regular learning and action around key local and global issues. By bringing together the actions of individuals across the now-u community, we can help drive positive and lasting change.

About the role

We are looking for an organised and motivated individual with a passion for charitable causes to lead our Campaigns team.

The Campaigns team is responsible for curating the content available on the now-u app. This includes learning materials, actions and charitable campaigns designed to inform people about social and environmental issues, inspire them to get more involved and make it easier for them to take meaningful charitable action.

As Campaigns Lead, you will lead a small team of 1–2 Campaign Researchers and support the regular development and curation of new campaign content.

You will also have the opportunity to help shape our content strategy going forward, with the aim of engaging more people in impactful charitable action.

The role involves working closely with other department leads and contributing to wider organisational strategy.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and support a small team of 1–2 Campaign Researchers.
• Run fortnightly Campaigns team meetings.
• Guide the team in researching and curating new campaign content.
• Quality check content before publication.
• Support the content upload process.
• Create and maintain a Campaigns calendar.
• Incorporate relevant suggestions and opportunities from charity partners.
• Help shape the future direction of now-u’s campaign content.
• Attend fortnightly meetings with other department leads to discuss progress, priorities and wider strategy.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across now-u to support the organisation’s wider objectives.

About you

We are looking for someone who is organised, proactive and interested in using research and digital content to support positive social and environmental change.

You should be comfortable working independently while also collaborating with a small team and communicating with colleagues across different areas of the organisation.

You do not need extensive leadership experience, but you should be interested in developing your leadership skills and supporting others to produce high-quality work.

Essential experience

• Research experience.
• Good organisational and time-management skills.
• Strong written communication skills.
• An interest in social, environmental and charitable causes.
• Ability to work collaboratively and contribute ideas.
• Attention to detail, particularly when reviewing content.

Desirable experience

• Previous leadership or team coordination experience.
• Experience with digital campaigns.
• Experience with charity campaigns or within the charity/non-profit sector.
• Experience creating or curating digital content.
• An interest in content strategy and audience engagement.

What you will have the opportunity to do

This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of an important area of now-u’s work while developing experience in team leadership, campaign research, digital content and strategy.

You will work with a small and motivated team, contribute ideas to the future direction of our campaigns and help create content that encourages people to learn about important issues and take meaningful action.

Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to contribute directly to now-u’s mission of helping people become more engaged with the social and environmental issues that matter.

As the Guild has grown in the past few years, our risk management, financial controls, and body of policies and procedures have also matured. Following the scheduled departure of two trustees earlier this year, the Guild’s Finance Subcommittee is seeking to welcome an independent member with relevant skills to attend meetings and advise on financial matters to help us make good decisions effectively.

This voluntary role supports trustees and staff by providing independent insight, constructive scrutiny, and professional expertise on financial planning, budgeting, risk, and long-term sustainability. As a guest to Finance Subcommittee meetings, you will review financial information, contribute to discussions, and help ensure resources are used effectively to maximise our charitable impact for students.

The Finance Subcommittee currently consists of two elected Officers, two external Trustees, and may include a student trustee in future. Papers and reports are ordinarily provided by the Guild Director, who is a non-voting guest to Subcommittee meetings. The Subcommittee normally meets four times per year for around two hours.

Students’ Union experience is not essential, but we are seeking a volunteer able to operate within our distinctive context. We are particularly interested in applicants with experience in finance, accounting, audit, charity governance, or business management.

Action for Refugees in Lewisham is looking for a trustee to act as secretary, supporting the board's governance role helping AFRIL deliver for refugees and vulnerable migrants in south-east London. Time commitment is flexible, and not onerous, and formal company secretary functions are supported by a member of staff.

AFRIL was founded in 2006 to support asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and refugees in south-east London to lift themselves out of poverty and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. Our support is holistic: both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes that tackle the underlying problems that lead to crisis, supporting people to integrate, contribute and thrive. We work in the community across south-east London, including in local asylum hotels.

We are a small charity, with mostly part-time staff, but we make a significant difference. Our client group is predominantly people in, or with experience of, the asylum system. We also support newly granted refugees, and migrants with no recourse to public funds who have complex and unmet protection needs.

AFRIL's board of trustees is collectively responsible for supporting and challenging the charity to oversee its good governance and proper financial control in line with its charitable aims and strategic plan, charity law, and all other relevant legislation. The time required of trustees is not onerous, and is flexible - although it is, of course, possible to take on more responsibility and expand your time commitment.

As a board member, you will be expected to be available for board meetings approximately every two months, which are generally an hour and a half long and take place in a weekday evening. These mostly take place online, with occasional hybrid meetings or meetings in-person.

As secretary to the board, you will be responsible for the timetabling of meetings, the agenda, and for taking and sharing a minute of board meetings – just main points and actions – to support the board in carrying out our remit. You may also assist with other areas of support to the governance for the charity, such as ensuring that we maintain regular review of the organisation’s policies, and providing some assistance from time to time to the member of staff leading on liaison with the Charity Commission and Companies House.

You will also need to be able to commit some ad hoc time to consider papers ahead of meetings, and occasionally to take part in email discussion on issues as they arise. You would also be expected to attend the charity’s AGM, which tends to take place on a Saturday afternoon in January/February.

We value diversity in our trustee team, as we do in the staff team. We particularly welcome applications from anyone who can bring lived experience of the immigration and asylum system, and are always keen to see applications from people with experience with fundraising, or with HR. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief.

To apply, please submit a short (no more than one side of A4) letter explaining why you would like to join AFRIL’s board, and what skills and experience you would bring to the role, along with your CV.

SolidariTee is an international charity run and led entirely by volunteers who are students and young people. We're working to make lasting change in the way refugees and other people forced to flee persecution and violence are treated, through a combination of awareness-raising, advocacy, and fundraising to support grassroots NGOs providing vital refugee legal aid and mental health support.

We are currently looking for volunteers to join our Central and Leadership teams!

Positions on our Central Team:

• Events Officers
• Partnerships Officers
• Publicity Officers (social media team)
• Digital Education Officers (social media team)

Our Central Team includes students and other young people from around the UK and works together to coordinate SolidariTee’s core functions and organise opportunities to bring our volunteers and supporters together. This includes organising our annual conference, creating content for our central Instagram page @teesofsolidarity, and developing partnerships with uni societies, student groups, fashion shows, balls and more!

Positions on our Leadership Team:

• Secretary
• Social Media Manager
• Events Lead
• Partnerships Lead

Our Leadership Team provides overall coordination and oversight to the activities of our Central Team and Regional Teams, and it is a great opportunity to be involved with leading the direction of the SolidariTee movement on a national level.

Volunteer Opportunity: CV Reviewer for Sixth Form Students

Are you passionate about helping young people kickstart their careers? Do you have experience in HR or recruitment and an understanding of early careers requirements? If so, we’d love for you to join our team!

We’re looking for an enthusiastic volunteer to review and provide feedback on sixth form students’ CVs, ensuring they are tailored to the positions they’re applying for. Your expertise will play a crucial role in helping students stand out and secure opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:
- Review and critique CVs, focusing on structure, content, and relevance to the role.
- Provide actionable feedback via email to students to improve their applications.
- Share insights into what employers look for in early careers applications.

Requirements:
- Previous experience in HR, recruitment, or a similar field.
- A strong understanding of early careers requirements and application processes.
- Excellent attention to detail and communication skills.

Time Commitment: 
Flexible: 2-3 hours per week.

By volunteering with us, you’ll be making a direct impact on students’ futures while sharing your expertise in a meaningful way.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you! Let’s help the next generation take their first steps towards success! 

We are looking for up to ten UK university students to join our volunteer Student Ambassadors team and help Ygam achieve its social purpose by reaching out to students at university. This will be achieved by advising Ygam on the needs of students, supporting with content development, organising activities at your campus, and join us at events to raise awareness of gaming and gambling harms.

We are seeking individuals who are outgoing, with a confident personality. You will enjoy engaging with other students and be able to advise us on the experiences of students with regards to gaming and gambling.