Volunteer roles in Islington, greater london

Do you want to be inspired by the impact of education? Do you have the skills to lead an established board of governors? A school in Barking in Essex is looking for a skilled volunteer to drive school improvement by becoming a chair of governors.

What will you be doing?

Governing bodies are responsible for the strategic management of a school and will make decisions about a wide range of issues

The core responsibilities involved are:

· Ensuring accountability

· Providing support and challenge to the schools senior leadership team

· Monitoring and evaluating the school’s progress

· Budgetary allocation and control

· Shaping plans for school improvement and overseeing their implementation

· Setting the school’s aims and values

· Appointing senior members of staff including the Head Teacher

A school governing body is made up of representatives from the school, the parents, and the local community.

What are we looking for?

This vacancy is for a Primary School and nursery (ages 3-11).  The school would ideally like to find someone who has experience in safeguarding and anti-bullying.

You must be over 18, but you don’t need to be a parent or have children of school age. Often, it’s the outside perspective you can bring that a school needs. Professional experience in areas such as safe guarding, change management, and leadership skills are all useful to a school. Soft skills such as communication and problem solving are also great additions.

What difference will you make?

Governors make decisions that affect schools for years to come. Chair of Governors work in partnership with Head Teachers and the Senior Management Team to help deliver the best possible education, and help children realise their expectations and aspirations.

Our recent impact survey found that our volunteers bring £9.9 million worth of value to schools each year, and 9/10 volunteers would recommend being a governor to a friend.

As a chair of governors, you will be encouraged to visit the school to gain an understanding of the culture and ethos and to get the most out of the role. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet children, parents, and teachers, and see the impact of your work first-hand.

What's in it for the volunteer?

Volunteering as a chair of governors is a challenging but rewarding role. As part of the governing board, you’ll:

· Have support from the vice chair(s) and the clerk, to ensure the effective functioning of the board by keeping it focused on its core functions. You will also encourage the board to work together as an effective team, building its skills, knowledge and experience.

· help schools overcome challenges to ensure a bright future for children in your community

· work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds, challenging your own perspective and broadening your network

· gain experience outside of your job description and skills you can bring back to work

Before you apply

You will need to complete an application form and will have an interview with the school. DBS checks will be taken up.

About Governors for Schools

Objectives

Governors for Schools exists to improve educational standards so that children and young people have the chance to realise their full potential.

We believe the key to improving school performance is effective governance. By finding, nurturing and supporting a committed network of governors we help to drive systematic change in how schools operate. We have been connecting schools across England for over 20 years, and expanded our service into Wales in 2020, with skilled and committed volunteers, supported by our business and university partnerships.

Supporter Engagement Officer

At TVS we’re devoted to empowering vulnerable young people through education. We aim to unlock potential and shape a brighter future for young people living in poverty.  We are recruiting a team of volunteers and are searching for dedicated individuals to help us to strengthen the bonds between our organisation and the incredible people who support our work with rural children in South Africa.

As a Supporter Engagement Officer you would have responsibility for one or more of the following:

Stewardship: Thanking donors and demonstrating the impact of their gifts.

Communication: Reaching out to supporters via phone, email, and social media.

Database Management: Updating supporter records and preferences.

Enquiries: Answering questions about donations, fundraising events, and campaigns.

Whether you have experience in customer service, community engagement, or simply a passion for making people feel appreciated, we encourage you to apply. Join our supportive team, develop your skills, and make a meaningful impact.

Plateful Café works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in Lewisham. Our commitment is to reach the most vulnerable people in our community and open a pathway to employment for people who have asylum here. Refugees will benefit from workshops, training skills and knowledge relevant for the catering industry. Plateful Cafe are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all volunteers and team members. We are an equal opportunities provider and actively encourage applications from people with a refugee background.

What will the role involve?

• Looking for partnership opportunities with the private sector.
• Assisting with the development and ongoing work of Businesses Fundraising Action Group.
• Assisting in planning fundraising strategies with local businesses.
• Reporting on businesses partnerships and recent developments at Plateful Café.
• Working in partnership with the Plateful Café fundraising team.

Essential:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to inspire a group of volunteers to support a cause 
• Strong relationship-building skills

Desirable:

• Previous experience in fundraising and/or marketing
• Experience of working with corporates
• Expertise in new project creation and developing business links

What difference will you make?

• Helping to support a refugee-run cafe
• Connecting local refugees with their passion for cooking
• Helping local refugees find employment and enter the workforce much sooner than they otherwise might

We are looking for a Volunteer Market Stall Trader, to help sell produce made by our refugee chefs to customers at local markets. This role involves setting up and taking down the market stall, engaging with potential customers, explaining our products, addressing inquiries, and actively promoting sales. You will gain valuable experience in sales and customer service.

What will you be doing?

• Market Stall Setup and Take Down: Assist in the set up and take down of the market stall, including arranging products, setting up signage, and ensuring the stall is presentable.
• Product Promotion/Sales Encouragement: Engage with potential customers, explaining our products, the refugees who made them and our story, answering questions and providing recommendations as needed.
• Sales Transactions: Handle sales transactions efficiently and accurately including Zettle for cards and also cash.

Desirables:

• Ability to perform tasks that may involve heavy lifting and physical labour, such as setting up and taking down the market stall
• Strong customer service skills with a friendly and approachable demeanour
• Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team
• Willingness to learn about our charity and products and effectively communicate this to customers
• Basic numeracy skills required for processing sales transactions and handling money

As a Volunteer Donor Relationship Co-ordinator, you will play a crucial role in forming and maintaining relationships with our donors, ensuring they feel valued and appreciated, whilst forming & implementing a strategy to keep them donating. This role would suit someone who is confident, enthusiastic about building strong connections, and passionate about the welfare of refugees & asylum seekers.

Key responsibilities:

• Identify and approach local high net worth individuals/businesses to approach for a regular donation
• Develop a donor relationship strategy aimed at maximising engagement and satisfaction.
• Personally reach out to existing donors to thank them for their contributions (& send seasonal cards/other personalised messages to maintain positive relationships).
• Build relationships by engaging with donors via phone calls and emails to understand their motivations for donating and gather feedback used to improve our efforts.
• Encourage previous donors to continue their support.
• Keep detailed and accurate records of all our donor interactions to ensure we have up-to-date information on our supporters.
• Create and distribute surveys to gain insights into our donors’ needs and expectations.
• Further down the line, host webinars or live Q&A sessions to answer donor questions and provide updates on our work.

Requirements:

• Strong communication abilities
• Proficiency with google docs/sheets
• Excellent organisational skills
• A confident individual who is comfortable engaging with a diverse range of people
• Pro-active approach and work with minimum supervision
• Can commit a minimum of 2 hours per week

We are looking for an Events Assistant who can help us organise monthly community dinners featuring three course meals from around the globe to enable the charity to engage with and attract donors. We require help with running the dinner on the day with tasks including welcoming the guests, serving food and drinks, take payments, setting up and clearing, etc.

You will be working as part of a team to plan and organise other events and fundraisers throughout the year, for example refugee week. You will also be assisting with applying for funds for events including securing raffle prizes, donations of ingredients, material needed, musicians and entertainment, etc.

This role will also include working closely with our marketing team, providing details of upcoming events for promotion; taking pictures and quotes at the event.

Main duties will include:

• Prior experience of events planning and organisation
• A passion and keenness to engage in community-based work to support refugees and serve the local community
• Good organisation skills including: effective time management, punctuality and delegation of tasks.
• A flexible and proactive attitude to working
• Good responsiveness to emails/ text/ whatsapp
• Practical skills to help prepare and set-up the café for events
• Able to work well in a team and communicate effectively with the rest of the staff and visitors of the cafe
• A willingness to learn new skills

Desirable:

• Prior experience working with refugees, people seeking asylum or other vulnerable groups
• Prior experience of involvement in charity fundraising events

We are seeking reliable and responsible Volunteer Drivers to support the transportation of food and products to markets, events, and private catering locations across London. This role is vital in ensuring goods are delivered safely, on time, and in excellent condition.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collect food and product items from designated pick-up points
• Transport goods to markets, events, and catering venues
• Load and unload items safely
• Plan efficient delivery routes
• Maintain communication with the team
• Ensure vehicle cleanliness
• Follow road safety regulations

Requirements:

• Valid UK driving licence
• Access to a reliable vehicle
• Good knowledge of London roads or GPS use
• Ability to lift moderate loads
• Reliable and organised

Desirable:

• Delivery or logistics experience
• Food hygiene awareness

What You’ll Gain:

• Support community initiatives
• Flexible schedule
• Logistics experience
• Mileage reimbursement at £0.45 per mile

Additional Information:

Flexible shifts including weekdays, evenings, and weekends.

Lenera

We produce lab-grown exotic animal skins for luxury fashion using sustainable biotechnology.

​Lenera is a biotechnology startup dedicated to the bioproduction of skin for the luxury leather industry. 

We are looking for a market analyst to help us stay ahead of the curve by monitoring and analyzing emerging trends in the sustainable and innovative materials market, with a specific focus on the luxury sector.

**Key Responsibilities**

• Trend Monitoring & Intelligence: Establish a continuous market watch on new material launches, R&D breakthroughs, and consumer shifts within the luxury industry (fashion, watches, jewelry, automotive, and packaging).
• Competitor & Brand Mapping: Track how major luxury conglomerates (e.g., LVMH, Kering, Richemont) and independent high-end brands are sourcing and implementing innovative materials.
• Insight Synthesis: Transform complex market data, industry reports, and patent filings into concise, actionable summaries and visual trend reports for our strategic team.
• Supplier & Innovator Scouting: Identify and vet the emerging material scientists, startups, and suppliers who are creating the next generation of luxury-grade sustainable materials.

What We’re Looking For:

• Analytical Mindset: A strong interest in market research, trend forecasting, material science, or the business of luxury.
• Resourcefulness: Ability to navigate industry reports, design fairs, luxury news outlets (e.g., Business of Fashion, Vogue Business), and academic/patent databases.
• Excellent synthesis skills

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

3-5 months

The Bra Recyclers

We partner with retailers to recycle lingerie, reduce textile waste, and donate underwear to communities.​

The Undie Chest is looking for a thoughtful, detail-oriented volunteer to help us research grant opportunities and support the early stages of grant writing for our growing nonprofit.

The Undie Chest provides new underwear to individuals and families experiencing poverty, homelessness, crisis, or economic hardship. Through programs like Everyone Deserves Underwear, which supports students and schools, and Undie Power, which supports adults and community partners, we help make sure people have access to one of the most basic essentials: clean, new underwear.

Our work also supports a more sustainable and responsible retail ecosystem. We partner with retailers, brands, and community donors to redirect new overstock, returns, samples, and excess inventory away from waste and into the hands of people who need them. Instead of discarding essential items, we help turn them into dignity, comfort, and care for schools, shelters, nonprofits, and community organizations.

This volunteer role is perfect for someone who enjoys research, writing, storytelling, sustainability, and community impact. You’ll help us identify grant opportunities that align with our mission, gather information about funders, organize deadlines and requirements, and potentially assist with drafting or editing grant content.

We’re looking for someone who is curious, organized, and comfortable working independently. Grant-writing experience is helpful but not required. What matters most is that you care about dignity, equity, sustainability, and helping communities access essentials that are too often overlooked. Experience researching U.S.-based grants or corporate giving programs is helpful, but not required.

Your support will help The Undie Chest expand our capacity to serve schools, shelters, nonprofits, and community organizations, while also encouraging retailers and brands to make more responsible decisions about excess inventory. Behind every grant opportunity is a chance to keep usable essentials out of waste streams and get more underwear into the hands of someone who needs it.

If you believe everyone deserves to feel clean, confident, and cared for, we would love to connect with you.

Minimum Hours per Week:

2-3 hours per week

Duration:

3-5 months

Voicing Voices

We use digital tools, workshops and partnerships to amplify intersectional voices for systemic, intergenerational change.​

Voicing Voices is looking for a creative and organised Digital Campaigns & Social Media Change Maker to support our summer campaigns from 25 June to 25 August 2026.

This role will help us strengthen our digital presence, grow engagement and communicate our work across leadership, education, intergenerational dialogue, community voice, and social impact.

You will support with:

• Creating social media content for LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok
• Executing campaign ideas for the summer engagement period
• Turning Voicing Voices’ work into posts, captions, carousels and short-form content ideas
• Supporting website updates, especially service pages, case studies and programme pages
• Helping create a simple content calendar for June, July and August
• Repurposing founder insights, programme updates and event themes into accessible digital content
• Tracking basic engagement and suggesting improvements

This role is ideal for someone interested in social impact communications, digital storytelling, ethical leadership, youth voice, women’s leadership, education, culture, community engagement or responsible business.
By the end of the role, you will ideally have contributed to:

• An 8-week content calendar
• A bank of draft social media posts
• Website improvement recommendations
• Campaign ideas for Voicing Voices and Through Our Mothers’ Eyes
• A short digital engagement summary

You do not need to be an expert, but you should be thoughtful, reliable, creative and comfortable working with themes around identity, culture, leadership, family, education and social change.

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

1-2 months

Afro Ubuntu TradeNet

We connect African informal traders to opportunities, markets, and credit through AI-powered technology.​

This role will support financial modelling, grant research, fundraising preparation, and impact measurement activities.
Working closely with the Founder, you will help ensure Afro Ubuntu is investment-ready, grant-ready, and able to clearly demonstrate its economic and social impact.

Responsibilities

• Support financial forecasting and budgeting activities
• Assist with grant identification and application preparation
• Research funding opportunities, competitions, and accelerator programmes
• Develop financial models and business case assumptions
• Help track key business and impact metrics
• Support investor, donor, and partner reporting
• Assist with funding and partnership proposals

Ideal Candidate

• Background in finance, accounting, economics, investment analysis, business strategy, or development finance
• Strong analytical and numerical skills
• Experience with Excel, Google Sheets, or financial modelling
• Interest in startups, impact ventures, fintech, or African development
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently

What You'll Gain

• Exposure to startup finance and fundraising strategy
• Experience supporting an impact-focused venture operating across Africa
• Practical experience with grants, investment readiness, and impact measurement
• Professional reference and future growth opportunities

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Grant writing
• Impact investing
• Development finance
• Venture capital
• Financial modelling
• Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)
• ESG or impact reporting

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

GHRI is seeking qualified Nutritionists and Dietitians to provide nutritional guidance and support through our telemedicine platform.

Responsibilities

Conduct nutrition assessments

Develop personalized nutrition recommendations

Educate patients on healthy eating habits

Support preventive healthcare initiatives

Requirements

Degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or related field

Strong counseling and communication skills

Passion for health promotion

GHRI is seeking volunteer pharmacists to provide medication guidance and pharmaceutical care through our telemedicine services.

Responsibilities

Counsel patients on medication use

Identify potential drug interactions

Promote medication adherence

Provide pharmaceutical information to patients and healthcare teams

Requirements

Degree in Pharmacy and valid practicing license

Strong attention to detail

Excellent communication skills

GHRI is looking for compassionate nurses to support patients through our telemedicine platform.

Responsibilities

Assist with patient assessments

Provide health education and counseling

Support follow-up care for patients

Monitor patient progress and report concerns

Requirements

Nursing qualification and valid license

Excellent communication skills

Passion for community health and patient care