Volunteer roles in Oxford

Looking to Make a Difference? Join Where Next as a Board Trustee!

Are you a passionate professional who wants to make an impact beyond the workplace?

About Where Next
Where Next is a charity based in Redditch, Worcestershire and Studley, Warwickshire providing support to adults with learning disabilities.  Founded over 40 years ago by caring parents it has grown from strengthen to strengthen and now provides day care for 150 clients.  The care and support is centred around horticultural and social activities but it also covers many other activities for the clients ensuring that is a varied and engaging programme of activities, nurturing the potential of everyone who attends Where Next

The charity is led by a Chief Executive and a passionate and experienced Board consisting of an excellent Senior Management team and Trustees.  There are 20 staff in total 

The charity has just commenced a developmental journey which will be looking at redesigning the facilities and services ensuring that the charity continues to be relevant going forward. 

Our webpage provides mor information and insight to the work of the charity

What we are looking for.

The Board are looking to strengthen existing skills and knowledge that currently exists and would like to appointment Trustees with any of the following skills and experiences.

Ø  Parent/ carer of an individual with Learning and Disabilities - living or professional experience – bringing day to day experiences to ensure that the Charities strategy is appropriate from a user’s perspective

Ø  Health and safety contract management – providing expertise in all aspects of safety aspect

Ø  Fund raising and PR/marketing including social media - Bringing innovative ideas to expand our reach and connect more people with our cause.

Ø  Project management – sharing skills to aid strategy of charities developments

Ø  Business planning and/or Business Case development -providing skills for the creation of business cases

Ø  Horticultural management – Bringing leadership to support the activities of the charity

Ø  Education /Training/ skills and personal development - offering insights to help improve and develop our Board and workforce

Why Become a Trustee While Working Full-Time?

• Enhance Your Professional Skills: Gain leadership, governance, and strategic experience that complements your career development.
• Broaden Your Network: Collaborate with like-minded professionals, build relationships across sectors, and expand your influence.
• Flexible Commitment: We understand your time is valuable. Our trustee roles are designed to fit alongside your job, with regular meetings and flexible involvement options.
• Make a Real Difference: Your expertise can shape the future of a charity that empowers individuals with learning disabilities to lead fulfilling lives.

What’s Involved?

• Board Meetings: Attend approximately 4 meetings per year (held in person and/or virtually).
• Strategic Guidance: Work with fellow trustees to set the long-term vision and strategy of "Where Next" and oversee its implementation.
• Support & Advice: Provide expertise in your specific area while supporting the leadership team on key decisions and projects.
• Advocacy: Use your professional network to champion our cause and help us grow.

The application process

Applications are welcomed and applicants should send CVs and a supporting statement detailing what has attracted the applicants to Where Next to the Chief Executive. 

The shortlisted applicants will be invited for initial discussion with the chairman and CEO.

Obuyisi bw'Omu Initiative

We empower Ugandan communities with mental health, WASH, education, and climate resilience initiatives.

Operations Manager

● Oversee day-to-day remote operations of programs and teams
● Develop and implement operational systems and workflows
● Coordinate between departments (programs, finance, communications)
● Track project progress and ensure timely delivery
● Support strategic planning and organizational growth
● Develop policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
● Assist in volunteer coordination and onboarding systems
Monitor performance and recommend improvements

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

AtoANI Agriventure

We provide Farming-as-a-Service combining data-driven crop planning, direct distribution, and carbon credit monetization.

Carbon MRV and Climate Finance Specialist

Role Overview
AtoANI Agriventures is looking for a Carbon MRV and Climate Finance Specialist to support the development of frameworks for measuring environmental outcomes from sustainable agriculture initiatives. This role focuses on research and analytical support related to measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, environmental impact monitoring, and emerging climate finance mechanisms related to agriculture and nature-based solutions. The volunteer will assist in reviewing methodologies for environmental monitoring, exploring approaches for quantifying ecosystem benefits from regenerative agriculture, and supporting the preparation of technical documentation and reports.

The role will involve working closely with the project team to help translate environmental data into insights that can support sustainable farming practices and climate-aligned agricultural initiatives.
This role is well suited for individuals interested in carbon markets, climate finance, regenerative agriculture, or environmental impact measurement.
Key Responsibilities

• Design digital MRV architecture for soil carbon monitoring.
• Assist in structuring MRV workflows for regenerative agriculture.
• Support research on carbon credit methodologies and soil carbon measurement.
• Align platform outputs with Verra methodology.
• Develop soil carbon quantification workflows.
• Coordinate for carbon issuance.
• Prepare documentation for carbon credit certification.
• Structure carbon pre-purchase agreements.

Key Outputs

• Soil carbon mapping system
• Carbon sequestration dataset
• Verra-aligned MRV protocol
• Carbon credit issuance pipeline

Volunteer Profile

• Background in Climate Science, Environmental Economics, Sustainability, or Policy
• Climate MRV Specialist
• Carbon markets expertise
• Experience with:
  • Verra Standard methodologies
  • Remote sensing for carbon
  • Climate finance
• Interest in carbon markets, nature-based solutions, or regenerative agriculture
• Strong research and analytical skills

Minimum Hours per Week:

7-9 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Maker Mindz

We inspire children to love STEM through hands-on kits, interactive workshops, and immersive learning environments.

Program Manager

We are looking for multiple Program Managers to help coordinate and manage key programs. This role supports ongoing initiatives such as intern management, fundraising efforts, and corporate sponsorship activities. You can choose a program that best matches your interests and skill set.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and track progress of programs and initiatives
• Support management of interns and their deliverables
• Assist with fundraising and corporate sponsorship efforts
• Help organize tasks, timelines, and follow-ups
• Communicate updates and ensure alignment across activities

What We’re Looking For

• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Ability to manage tasks and follow through independently
• Interest in nonprofit work and STEM education
• Experience in project coordination or leadership (preferred)

Why Join

• Contribute to meaningful STEM education initiatives
• Flexible, low time commitment (2-3 hours/week)
• Gain nonprofit and program management experience

Minimum Hours per Week:

2-3 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Wekume

We provide Ugandan students anonymous reproductive health services, entrepreneurship support, and exchange opportunities via mobile.

M&E Officer (Data Collection)

Position Summary
The M&E Officer (Data Collection) will lead the design and execution of all primary data collection activities. This role ensures that data gathered from the field is accurate, timely, and reflective of project indicators. You will be the bridge between the office and the field sites.

Key Responsibilities

• Tool Development: Design and pre-test digital and paper-based data collection tools (ODK, KoboToolbox, or SurveyCTO).
• Field Supervision: Lead field teams and enumerators during household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), and routine monitoring visits.
• Data Quality Assurance: Conduct "spot checks" and back-checks on collected data to ensure authenticity and minimize bias.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinate with local district leaders and community members across Uganda to facilitate smooth field operations.

Requirements

• Education: Degree in Statistics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in mobile data collection platforms (Kobo/ODK).
• Physical Presence: Ability to travel to project sites up to 100% of the time.

Languages: Fluency in English and at least two major local languages (e.g., Luganda, Runyankole, Acholi, or Lusoga, depending on the site).

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Wekume

We provide Ugandan students anonymous reproductive health services, entrepreneurship support, and exchange opportunities via mobile.

M&E Assistant(Data Entry & Analysis)

Position Summary
The M&E Assistant (Analysis) shall be  responsible for transforming raw field data into actionable insights. This role manages the project database, ensuring all data is entered correctly and analyzed to track progress against KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Key Responsibilities

• Data Entry: Accurately input data from physical forms into the central Management Information System (MIS).
• Cleaning & Validation: Identify and resolve inconsistencies, missing values, or outliers in the dataset.
• Statistical Analysis: Run descriptive and inferential analyses to measure project impact.
• Reporting: Create visual dashboards and draft monthly/quarterly progress reports for management.

Requirements

• Education: Degree or Diploma in Statistics, ICT, Economics, or Quantitative Economics.
• Technical Skills: Advanced Excel (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables) and experience with analysis software like SPSS, STATA, or R.
• Attention to Detail: High typing speed and accuracy with zero-tolerance for data entry errors.
• Presence:  Availability for on-site data verification as required.

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Signalise Co-op

We empower deaf people with choice and control over sign language interpreters for accessible healthcare services.

Business Development Admin

�� Your Role:

As a Business Development Admin, you will support Signalise's growth by identifying new business opportunities, reading tenders and supporting business growth. This role is ideal for someone interested in sales strategy, and working closely with business development tasks.

• Research and identify potential clients across target industries (third sector, corporates)
• Build and manage lead lists using tools like LinkedIn or similar platforms
• Assist in outreach efforts, including email drafts, LinkedIn messaging, and follow-ups
• Support in preparing proposals and sales materials
• Track conversations and maintain CRM data, and support process development
• Coordinate with internal staff and members to understand products and client requirements
• Assist in partnerships, events, and market research initiatives

Required Experience

• 1-2+ years of experience in using CRMs, market research, platforms
• Understanding
• Experience with code editors
• Experience using or willingness to learn about using APIs

Requirements

* Based in the European Union
* Fluent in English
* Comfortable working in a distributed team
* Proactive and autonomous

�� What you'll impact:

* Staff capacity
* Co-op membership engagement
* Faster business development

�� What We Offer

* Strategic role in a mission-driven accessibility startup
* Direct collaboration with a co-founder & manager
* Real ownership of technical work
* Exposure to business systems and ecosystem

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

1-2 months

Sisterly

We connect women through safe, interest-based matching to build meaningful long-term friendships.

Social Media Marketer

We are looking for a Social Media Marketer to support Sisterly, a community platform addressing social isolation among women and young girls.

Sisterly is a community-based mobile app designed for women. Through communities, events, and one-to-one friend matching, it helps turn online connections into offline interactions, fostering real “sisterhood” and supportive social bonds.

Responsibilities:

• Create and schedule social media posts
• Create, film, and edit engaging video content for social media platforms ( we really would love to see your video contents, you can talk about friendship for women )
• Use Canva templates to design visuals
• Support content strategy and brand voice
• Grow awareness and expand our online community
• Engage with followers and maintain a safe, supportive environment
• Contribute ideas for impactful storytelling campaigns

We are especially looking for someone who understands the social isolation experienced by women and can reflect this insight into meaningful, empathetic content.
This role is ideal for someone passionate about social impact, community building, storytelling, and video content creation.

Minimum Hours per Week:

7-9 hours per week

Duration:

3-4 weeks

betterSoil

We improve soil fertility and climate resilience through compost, biochar, agroforestry, consulting and products.

Senior Data Scientist with Python skills

At betterSoil, we are building a digital solution, the betterSoil Farm Assistant, to support sustainable agriculture using data, satellite insights, and science-based recommendations. We are looking for a Senior Data Scientist to help us take this product to the next level.

Your Role

You will support the development and improvement of our Farm Assistant, working on data models, AI integration, and analytical logic that translates complex data into actionable insights for farmers.

What you’ll do

• Develop and improve data models and analytical frameworks for the Farm Assistant
• Work with Python and data pipelines to process and analyse agricultural and environmental data
• Apply and experiment with AI tools (e.g. Gemini, LLMs, ML models) to enhance recommendations and user value
• Translate satellite, weather, and soil data into meaningful outputs
• Collaborate with our developers, scientists, and product team
• Contribute to the technical vision and architecture of the product

What you’ll gain

• Work on a real-world climate-tech product with impact
• Shape an early-stage digital solution from the ground up
• Collaborate with an international, interdisciplinary team
• Apply your expertise to sustainability, agriculture, and climate challenges

Commitment

• Flexible, voluntary engagement
• Ideally ~10 hours per week, with flexibility depending on project phases

Who you are

• Strong experience in data science and Python programming
• Experience with AI/ML models and tools (e.g. Gemini, LLMs, or similar)
• Comfortable working with complex datasets (e.g. environmental, geospatial, or time-series data is a plus)
• Ability to translate data into practical applications
• Independent, structured, and motivated to contribute to a purpose-driven initiative

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Obuyisi bw'Omu Initiative

We empower Ugandan communities with mental health, WASH, education, and climate resilience initiatives.

Fundraising Specialist

Fundraising Strategy Development:
· Collaborate with the team to understand our core programs, budget needs, and funding gaps.
· Research and help develop a comprehensive fundraising plan that identifies the most promising income streams (grants, corporate sponsorships, individual donations, online campaigns).
Grant Research & Writing:
· Proactively research and identify grant opportunities from foundations, trusts, and bilateral/multilateral agencies whose priorities align with our mission in mental health, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), climate action, and girls' education in Uganda.
· Draft compelling grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and concept notes, working with the team to gather necessary data and impact stories.
· Help manage a grants calendar to track deadlines and reporting requirements. 
Individual Giving & Crowdfunding:
· Support the development and launch of online crowdfunding campaigns.
· Help brainstorm and implement creative ways to engage and grow a base of individual monthly donors.
· Assist in drafting compelling fundraising appeals (e.g., for email newsletters, social media) in collaboration with the Communications and Digital Marketing volunteers. 
Partnership Development:
· Research and help build a pipeline of potential corporate partners, foundations, and philanthropic networks.
· Assist in drafting sponsorship packages and partnership proposals that offer clear value to potential supporters.
Donor Communication & Stewardship:
· Help create materials to thank and update donors on the impact of their contributions (e.g., impact reports, thank-you emails).
· Support efforts to create and maintain strong, long-term relationships with funders

Minimum Hours per Week:

10+ hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

Agnes Youth and Family Center

We provide high-quality, accessible early education and family supports to prepare children for kindergarten.

Bookkeeper

Agnes Youth and Family Center is seeking a detail-oriented and reliable bookkeeper to support our growing organization. This role will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, organizing transactions, tracking income and expenses, and helping ensure our bookkeeping systems are up to date. The Bookkeeper will work closely with our CPA board member to support financial oversight. 

Responsibilties 

• Maintain accurate nonprofit financial records and enter donations, grants, program income, and expenses into QuickBooks.
• Track and organize restricted and unrestricted funds to support proper nonprofit financial management and reporting.
• Reconcile bank statements, maintain receipts and supporting documentation, and ensure records are audit-ready.
• Work closely with the organization’s CPA board member to strengthen internal controls and support financial oversight.
• Use QuickBooks knowledge and nonprofit bookkeeping best practices to help ensure compliance, transparency, and sustainability.

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

6+ months

This Role Is Not Symbolic. It Is Structural.

Safeguarding is not a policy document. 

It is not a checkbox.

It is not a compliance exercise.

In this CIC, safeguarding is the infrastructure that allows the work to exist at all.

We work with:

• Survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA)
• Vulnerable adults
• Young people
• Ex-offenders
• Volunteers with lived trauma
• Communities historically failed by institutions

If safeguarding fails, everything fails.

This role exists to make sure that never happens.

Purpose of the Safeguarding Officer Role

The Safeguarding Officer is responsible for designing, implementing, and protecting the safeguarding framework that allows the CIC to operate safely, ethically, and lawfully at scale.

This role ensures:

• Survivors are protected, not re-exposed
• Volunteers are supported, not exploited
• Risks are identified early, not ignored
• Safeguarding is embedded into every system, not bolted on

About the role:

To design and uphold safeguarding systems that protect survivors, volunteers and the organisation, ensuring safety, ethics and legal compliance are built into every practice as the CIC grows. Safeguarding is the infrastructure that allows the work to "SAFELY" exist at all.

Experience Qualification and Requirements

• Experience in safeguarding within:

 Charity

 Statutory services  

 Education

 Health

 Grassroots or community settings

• Experience working with vulnerable adults and/or children.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed practice.
• Ability to respond to disclosures calmly and appropriately.
• Experience writing and implementing safeguarding policies.
• Risk assessment and incident management experience.
• Understanding of UK safeguarding legislation and guidance.
• Confidence challenging unsafe practice at any level.
• Ability to balance care with boundaries.
• Strong judgement under pressure.
• Clear written documentation skills.
• Capacity to work unpaid and full-time during build phase.
• Emotional regulation and professional restraint.
• Integrity, steadiness and clarity.

Main Responsibilities/ Key Duties

• Design, implement, and maintain a safeguarding framework that protects survivors, volunteers, members and the organisation.
• Develop and own safeguarding policies, procedures and reporting pathways covering:

 Adults and children at risk

 Volunteers and peer supporters

 Digital spaces, storytelling, and online engagement

• Ensure safeguarding is embedded into:

 Recruitment and onboarding

 Training and supervision

 Programme design and delivery

 Digital systems and data handling

• Establish clear risk assessment processes for activities, campaigns, and content.
• Act as the safeguarding lead for concerns, disclosures, and incidents, ensuring:

 Timely, appropriate responses

 Accurate recording

 Correct escalation to statutory agencies where required

• Build systems that prevent re-exposure, re-traumatisation, or exploitation of survivors.
• Ensure volunteers are supported, supervised and not placed in unsafe or inappropriate roles.
• Advise leadership on safeguarding risks, capacity limits and ethical boundaries.
• Deliver safeguarding guidance and training proportionate to role and risk.
• Monitor safeguarding practice across teams and intervene early where drift appears.
• Work closely with Digital, Membership, Fundraising, and Social teams to manage risk in:

 Storytelling

 Online engagement

 Data use

• Maintain professional distance and emotional steadiness when handling complex situations.
• Review and update safeguarding systems as the CIC scales.
• Contribute to external accountability and transparency where appropriate.

You must:

• Be able to commit 80% dedication during the build phase
• Be comfortable working unpaid while the CIC is being built
• Be emotionally grounded and professionally boundaries
• Understand trauma without centring yourself
• Be able to hold complexity without collapsing into control or avoidance

You should have experience in some of the following:

• Safeguarding (statutory, charity, education, health, or grassroots)
• Working with vulnerable adults and/or children
• Trauma-informed practice
• Policy development and implementation
• Risk assessment and incident management

Formal qualifications are welcome but not essential.
Integrity, clarity and steadiness are.

This role is not for you if:

• You want safeguarding to be “light touch”
• You avoid difficult conversations
• You seek authority without responsibility
• You are uncomfortable challenging leadership when needed
• You are looking for a title rather than accountability

What You Gain:

• A founding leadership role in a CIC tackling real harm
• The chance to build safeguarding the right way
• Influence over how protection, care, and accountability coexist
• The opportunity to shape a future paid safeguarding role
• Deep purpose-driven work that actually protects people

As the CIC scales, this role is expected to evolve into a paid senior safeguarding position, shaped by the person who built it.

Formal qualifications are not required, but desirable.
Essential equivalent experience mandatory.

Next Steps:

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to:

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

If you believe that well-organised, purposeful events can change communities, and that experiences inspire action, this role is for you.

A Final Word

Safeguarding is an act of love.
It is also an act of discipline.

If you know that:

• Survivors deserve better systems
• Vulnerable people deserve real protection
• Community work must be safe to be sustainable

This is an excellent opportunity if you are interested in clothes & fashion, photography or e-commerce. The time you dedicate would ensure that we made the most of the incredible donations to our charity shops, which means more funds can go towards our vital animal welfare work.

Our shops play an essential role in raising the profile of the RSPCA in our local community and funds for our branch so that we can continue our vital animal welfare work. Our shops sell a mixture of donated items, including clothes, books, bric-a-brac and collectables, and a selection of new items.

Online Sales Volunteer responsibilities

• Researching and listing the items for sale in our dedicated Vinted store.
• A picture is worth 1,000 words so ensuring that attractive photographs are taken to boost sales.
• Packaging items appropriately before posting them to the buyer.
• Maintaining accurate records of listed and sold items.

What we are looking for in our Online Sales Volunteers:

• Basic knowledge of any online selling platforms (Vinted, ebay, Whatnot)
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail 
• Ability to take clear photographs and write accurate descriptions
• Basic computer skills, including familiarity with email and online payment systems 
• Good communication skills and a friendly, helpful attitude
• Someone who is flexible and can offer an ongoing commitment
• Work both remotely and at our New Bradwell Hub

What we can offer you as an Online Sales volunteer

• You will be making a massive difference to the welfare of the animals in your area.
• Join a community which will enable you to meet new people and make new friends.
• Learn e-commerce skills
• Develop your organisational skills
• Enhance your CV by adding your volunteering experience and newly acquired skills.

We hope you are interested in volunteering for our branch!

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We may ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependant on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

Chair of Trustees role:

You will be chairing the Board of Trustees, ensuring that we have minimum representation required for decisions to be made, keeping the board aligned in decision-making, ensuring all minutes are recorded and that all decisions by trustees are made with the appropriate context provided.

This is a great opportunity to develop further governance skills and experience, and help steer an important charity in the right direction.

Trustees meetings are usually held every six weeks, plus there is an AGM, away days, and any sub-committee meetings that trustees may be involved in. Most meetings will remain virtual but there will from time to time be a need to attend key meetings and events in Nottingham. The time commitment is approximately 4hours per month, but there may be occasions when more time is required for a short period.

Who are we looking for?

• Previous chairing experience
• Relevant experience in any of the following financial management, HR, charities, fundraising, social prescribing, NHS, health inequalities (including deaf community), local authorities, marketing, business development, governance, strategy or legal
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• Good, independent judgement
• The ability to challenge and ask questions
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership

NB: We are looking for both a Chair of Trustees and additional Trustees (particularly those with a finance background, but other functions are also welcome). If you are interested in a Trustee role instead of the Chair role, please mention this in your covering letter when applying. 

Both the Chair and Trustee positions are unremunerated, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

About Self Help UK

Self Help UK is a leading peer support organisation with over 40 years of experience in developing and delivering peer-led services. Our mission is to empower individuals and communities by embedding peer support principles into health and wellbeing initiatives. We have created a range of innovative programmes that help people living with cancer and other long-term health conditions to navigate challenges and take control of their health and wellbeing.

We work in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support on projects that make a real difference. These include national and local initiatives for the Deaf community, volunteer-led support for anyone affected by cancer, and prehabilitation services for those facing complex treatment. In 2026, we will collaborate with our Integrated Care System to improve health literacy and increase cancer screening uptake among underserved communities in Nottingham. Looking ahead, we are exploring a new direction to position Self Help UK as a holistic, person-centred support provider, embedding peer support and volunteer-led activity at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is to challenge health inequalities and enable people to feel confident, informed, and supported in shaping their own health journey.

A selection of causes covered by Self Help UK

• Peer support
• Long-term health conditions
• Cancer diagnoses and prevention
• Voluntary sector support
• Health inequalities (including the deaf community)
• Under-served communities