Volunteer roles in Europe

We are looking for a marketing and communications specialist to help improve our communciations and marketing. This role is focused on:

Role Summary

A strategic marketing and communications role focused on:

• Brand awareness
• Social media and content
• Campaign planning
• Website and digital communications
• Supporting fundraising through storytelling and promotion

Ideal Candidate

Someone creative and organised who understands:

• Digital marketing
• Community engagement
• Content creation
• Campaign management
• Brand consistency

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver marketing campaigns
  Manage social media and website content
• Create flyers, graphics and promotional materials
  Support events and awareness campaigns
  Maintain content calendars and marketing assets
• Analyse engagement and campaign performance

Do you enjoy driving? Would you like to make a difference to the people we support in your community? 

We are looking for friendly drivers to join us!

You will meet some amazing people, whilst making a positive impact to their lives by driving to places they enjoy and appointments that are important. 
 

Activities will include: 

• Driving the people we support between their homes and services in a safe manner, in accordance with UK law. 

• Driving your own car or house vehicles

• Driving around the Calne area, which will be the start and end point of the majority of journeys 

• Assisting people we support in and out of vehicles and locations – with assistance from trained Dimensions staff. 

• Driving in a manner that is sensitive of physical and emotional requirements of the people we support. 
   

We are looking for drivers who: 

• Are aged 21 or over, with at least 2 years driving experience 

• Hold a full, clean and current UK Driving License (or equivalent) 

• Have the ability to understand verbal and written instructions in relation to  journeys 

• Are friendly with the people we support and our support staff 

• Are willing to commit to volunteer regularly (every other weekend, times to be agreed) 

A DBS check and two character references will be required for this role. 

What you’ll gain from being a Dimensions volunteer: 

Dimensions provide support for autistic people and people with learning disabilities across the UK. 

Our volunteers play a vital role in our work and in return, we support them with:

• Access to free online training (with access to 800 plus courses) 

• Free membership to an online shopping discount scheme 

• Comprehensive support from professional, friendly and trained Dimensions staff 

• Travel expenses may be reimbursed as agreed

• An opportunity to gain real experience in the social care sector 

Want to apply for this role? 

If you’d like to be a Dimensions volunteer, please get in touch! 

 Do you enjoy driving and are available at weekends? Would you like to make a difference to a lady people we support in your community? 

We are looking for a friendly driver to help a lady we support in Calne to attend Down syndrome synchro swimming sessions in Windsor.This driving role will involve an afternoon pick up and evening return, every other Saturday.

Activities will include: 

• Driving the lady we support between her home in Calne to the Swimming pool in Windsor.  

• Driving this journey every other Saturday, with a pick-up time of 3pm and an average return time of 10pm. 

• Being available to wait at the pool so you can make the return trip 

• Driving with the use of your own car

• Driving in a manner that is sensitive of physical and emotional requirements of the lady we support. 

• You will always be accompanied by a trained support worker 

We are looking for drivers who: 

• Are aged 21 or over, with at least 2 years driving experience 

• Hold a full, clean and current UK Driving License (or equivalent) 

• Have the ability to understand verbal and written instructions in relation to journeys 

• Are friendly with the people we support and our support staff 

• Are willing to commit to volunteer regularly (every other weekend, times to be agreed) 

 A DBS check and two character references will be required for this role. 

What you’ll gain from being a Dimensions volunteer: 

Dimensions provides support for around 3,500 people with learning disabilities and autism across the UK. 

Our volunteers play a vital role in our work and in return, we support them with:

• Access to free online training (with access to 800 plus courses) 

• Free membership to an online shopping discount scheme 

• Comprehensive support from professional, friendly and trained Dimensions staff 

• Travel expenses may be reimbursed as agreed

• An opportunity to gain real experience in the social care sector 

Want to apply for this role? 

If you’d like to be a Dimensions volunteer, please get in touch! 

At a time when charities are facing rising demand, increasing competition for funding and growing pressure on unrestricted income, investing in fundraising capacity has never been more important. Yet funding for fundraising, organisational development and core infrastructure is often the hardest support to secure.

Afrocats is entering an exciting period of growth and is seeking an experienced fundraising professional who wants to use their skills to make a meaningful difference. We are looking for someone who can help us strengthen our core-funding pipeline by identifying new opportunities, reviewing and improving applications, and increasing the number and quality of bids submitted.

Working alongside the CEO and team, you will help build the foundations that enable us to reach more people, deepen our impact and secure long-term resilience.

The role would suit an experienced fundraiser, retired fundraising professional, charity consultant, grants specialist, corporate fundraiser or development professional who is looking to give back, share their expertise and support a growing organisation at a pivotal stage in its journey. Your knowledge and guidance will help unlock resources that directly benefit women, children, young people, refugees, asylum seekers and diverse communities across Greater Manchester.

By volunteering your expertise for just 8 hours per week, you can make a lasting contribution to the sustainability and future success of Afrocats.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Our social media volunteers use their passion and knowledge of social media to promote the activities of local volunteer teams though various channels. They directly help cats by raising awareness of Cats Protection. A higher profile can help us raise the funds we need for our work, ensure people know they can adopt a cat from us, help promote neutering and help as many people as possible learn more about feline welfare.
 

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You'll be:

• Promoting the work of Cats Protection through various social media channels, for example, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Gathering information from across the organisation and locally within your team or volunteer group
• Writing and creating social media content, ensuring it complies with policies and guidelines
• Scheduling and posting social media content
• Monitoring activity and responding to comments on social media channels

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

If you enjoy driving and would love to use those skills to help our cats, this could be the role for you. Our transport volunteers provide vital assistance to our teams and volunteer groups in the local area by transporting equipment, litter, food – and even cats! They have the essential role of connecting our network of volunteers, sites, vets and supporters.

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection, we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Arranging and transporting equipment, litter and cat food
• Transporting cats to and from vets, foster homes and centres
• Transporting equipment to and from events
•  

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

You can expect us to 

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food
• Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

The branch is looking for indoor fosterers so any applicants would have to have a suitable spare room

What we need from you 

• A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home or in a purpose-built pen in your garden provided by us
• Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction
• A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare
• Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home
• You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Regional Communications Volunteer, you’ll play a vital role helping local volunteer groups connect with and engage with MS communities. Working with volunteers across the region, you will support activities such as producing newsletters, responding to information enquiries, or developing engaging content for regional social media.

Most importantly you’ll be helping us engage with lots of people and get the word out to people with MS about support to help them live their lives to the full.

This role is suitable for role sharing.  It would be most suitable for those based in Lincolnshire.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Group Coordinator, you’ll take the lead in making sure your local group reaches out to people affected by MS.

The role is varied, and will enable you to further develop your leadership, management, communication, organisation and motivation skills.

We are open to role sharing offers.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Group Coordinator, you’ll take the lead in making sure your local group reaches out to people affected by MS.

The role is varied, and will enable you to further develop your leadership, management, communication, organisation and motivation skills.

We're open to role sharing.

We are looking for volunteers who can offer time, conversation and companionship to older clients in and around Central London.

You can support someone by:

· Spending time with them in person

· Speaking with them regularly by phone

Your time and kindness can help older people feel more connected, happier and less alone.

What You’ll Do

You could be visiting someone at home or accompanying them in their community, chatting in coffee shops or talking while you walk. What you do will depend on what the client would like. Our clients are older Scots aged 60 plus who simply want to enjoy activities many of us take for granted.

As one of our volunteers once said, “this is an easy, very meaningful way to help someone and is immensely rewarding and fun!”  

Current Locations

Our current waiting list has clients in Stockwell, Hackney, Putney and Stepney Green. Locations will change as more referrals are made. If you want to make a difference to an older person’s wellbeing, please contact us — we may have a client in your area.

Time Commitment

Meetings are weekly or fortnightly for at least six months, although most volunteers stay involved for longer because they enjoy what they do. Phone calls are weekly and can be made from any quiet space at home or at work.

Who This Role Is For

This could be an ideal opportunity to gain practical experience of working with adults in a health and social care setting. It may also suit anyone who enjoys meeting new people and making their lives a little brighter.

Skills and Qualities Required

· Good communication and listening skills, including spoken English

· Friendly, warm and non-judgemental

· Honest, reliable and committed

· Empathetic

· Understanding of the importance of confidentiality and boundaries, which will be covered in training

Checks and References

An enhanced DBS check will be processed for successful applicants and two references are required.

Training and Support

We provide training before you start, ongoing support once you are matched, out-of-pocket expenses, references, social events and newsletters. The training will start in September. 

Please contact us for more information, and a very warm welcome.

Please note, we are unable to respond from 14th to end of August 26. 

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help. Life in a rescue environment is never ideal for any cat compared to a loving home. Our cat adoption team leaders support cat homing and as part of this they may lead a team of volunteer home visitors who collectively play an important part in matching our feline friends with their new families. Our cat adoption team leaders support their team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure our volunteers are happy, confident and supported.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Acting as the main point of contact within the team for cat adoption enquiries via email/telephone and social media
• Supporting the adoption process through either homefinder questionnaires or a small team of home visitors
• Liaising closely with other volunteers to ensure information on cats being helped is correct and up to date
• Following up on any post-adoption queries
• Play an active part in the volunteer committee, being part of the team leading on cat adoption information and updates
• Collaborating with the cat welfare team leader to ensure the highest standards of cat care are applied in line with Cats Protection policy and procedures

Time expectation

The cat adoption team leader role is vital within our busy volunteer teams. Our current volunteers spend around 10 to 12 hours per week in this flexible role, which can be shared by more than one volunteer if required.

You may be just the volunteer we’ve been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

Description

You'll be raising awareness, & improving understanding of sight loss through delivering RNIB’s Awareness to Action sessions in your local community. Through these engaging sessions, you'll inspire participants to make small changes to their behaviour that make a massive difference in the day-to-day lives of people with sight loss. As a Community Change Champion, this will involve:

• Talking directly with community leaders, businesses, & local groups about ways they can get involved & inviting them to join an Awareness to Action session.
• Delivering RNIB’s Awareness to Action sessions either in person or online, using our resources. You may do this on your own or with a team of other local volunteers, both sighted and with sight loss.
• Sharing RNIB’s information & initiatives so people know we’re here for them.
• If you have a personal link to sight loss, sharing your experience during the session to help give a tangible example of how local people can make a real difference.
• Telling us about any activities you have engaged in via a Microsoft form.

What will you gain from the role?
• First-hand experience in grassroots community engagement & charity outreach.
• The opportunity to develop communication & networking skills.
• Support to learn & or use presentation skills to deliver the Awareness to Action Session in person and virtually.
• If you have lived experience of sight loss, support to tell your story to make the most positive impact.
• Know that your efforts are improving the public’s understanding, perceptions & behaviour towards blind and partially sighted people.

We will provide:
• Induction to the role & organisation.
• Training and support to help you thrive in your role.
• A resource pack/toolkit to help deliver the message.
• Opportunities to connect with other RNIB volunteers across the UK.
• The chance to get involved in other activities that interest you & to apply for our internal-only job vacancies.
• Support from a volunteering manager.

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Action

Key requirements

• One reference

The difference you will make to cats and people

Our social media volunteers use their passion and knowledge of social media to promote the activities of local volunteer teams though various channels. They directly help cats by raising awareness of Cats Protection. A higher profile can help us raise the funds we need for our work, ensure people know they can adopt a cat from us, help promote neutering and help as many people as possible learn more about feline welfare.
 

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You'll be:

• Promoting the work of Cats Protection through various social media channels, for example, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Gathering information from across the organisation and locally within your team or volunteer group
• Writing and creating social media content, ensuring it complies with policies and guidelines
• Scheduling and posting social media content
• Monitoring activity and responding to comments on social media channels

Time expectation

Our social media volunteers can expect to spend between two to five hours per week in this role. This role is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

You may be just the volunteer we've been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.