Volunteer roles for the Youth and Children sector

The Zone Plymouth is a local charity dedicated to supporting and empowering young people aged 13–25, and has been operating in Plymouth for over 35 years. We provide a range of vital services, including mental health and wellbeing support, sexual health advice, housing advice and homelessness prevention, and general support. Our mission is to help young people lead safe, healthy, and positive lives, providing accessible, non-judgmental support that meets their needs and enables them to thrive.

About the role:
The Zone Plymouth is seeking a Treasurer to join our Board of Trustees. This vital voluntary role provides strategic oversight of the charity’s finances, ensuring robust financial management, transparency, and compliance with charity law and best practice.

The Treasurer will:

• Ensure that The Zone has effective financial management, robust financial controls, and clear financial reporting in line with charity law and best practice.
• Oversee the charity’s financial affairs and ensure they are conducted transparently and sustainably.
• Review the organisation’s budgets and other financial documents and policies, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and present clear explanations to the Board.
• Monitor financial risk and contribute to the charity’s overall risk management framework, including reserves and investment policies.
• Liaise with external auditors/independent examiners and support the preparation and approval of annual accounts.
• Advise the Board on the financial implications of strategic plans, new projects, funding opportunities, and income diversification.
• Support the development of sustainable funding models and contribute to discussions on fundraising and income generation.
• Ensure that financial decision-making reflects The Zone’s values, commitment to best value, and accountability to funders, young people, and the wider community.
• Act as a key member of the trustee team, contributing to effective governance and long-term strategic planning.
• Attend Board meetings (typically 6 per year).

Ideal candidate:
We’re looking for someone with strong financial experience and literacy, sound judgment, and a commitment to The Zone’s mission. Experience as a trustee or in charity governance is desirable but not essential. Local knowledge of Plymouth or the surrounding area is advantageous.

Why join us:
This is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of young people, contribute to strategic decision-making, and gain experience in charity leadership. You will be part of a supportive trustee team and play a key role in ensuring The Zone’s long-term financial sustainability.

Independent Visitor: Mentor a young person for 2 – 4 hours per month for at least 1 year.

An Independent Visitor is usually an adult volunteer who befriends a young person in care and develops a long-term friendship with them. This often involves helping young people develop new interests, skills and hobbies or going on outings such as going to the cinema, bowling or just walking in the park.
The aim is to provide support, confidence, and fun experiences outside of the young person’s daily environment. If you are looking for a rewarding role with an organisation that makes a difference in young people’s lives, we want to hear from you.

About the role:
•Visit a young person monthly and become a trusted adult friend to them.
•Build a trusting, consistent and positive relationship with the child.
•Provide a child with the opportunity to try new activities (e.g., cinema, bowling, museums, nature walks, or simply having a chat) and spend time with them away from their placement. 
•Provide visit reports and feedback after visits to help us monitor and improve the service.

In return, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Make a real difference – be a positive, stable influence in a young person’s life.

• Have fun and create memories – enjoy activities while building a meaningful bond.

• Gain valuable experience – develop skills in mentoring, communication and young people’s support.

• Access to training and job opportunities – acquire knowledge and experience in a fun setting. 

• Flexible and rewarding – just a few hours a month can change a life!

You will be allocated a budget for each visit for your travel and activity.

Skills:

• Interpersonal Skills – Ability to easily build rapport and identify with young people from diverse backgrounds.

• Communication – Excellent communication skills and good report writing skills.

• Committed – Willing to commit to a child for at least one year. 

• DBS Check – We will carry out safer recruitment checks, and you will be required to have an Enhanced DBS check.

An Independent Visitor is a positive adult role model who provides support and friendship to a young person in care. You will enjoy fun activities together which will give the young person unforgettable memories and experiences. Your consistent friendship will help the young person raise their aspirations, learn new skills, build self-esteem, confidence, and resilience.

We are looking for fun, reliable, and enthusiastic volunteers from all different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. You do not need any formal qualifications to become a volunteer, but it is helpful if you have some knowledge and practical experience of involvement with children and young people.

Children and young people who are looked after need an adult who has time to spend with them, take them on activities and be someone they can talk to and trust. You can fit your visits in around your own time and work commitments. We only ask that you can commit to a few hours once per month for a minimum of 2 years. 

We urgently require volunteers as an Independent Visitor for children and young people in care. As a volunteer you will:

• Have fun, take young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest.
• Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person's life and help build self-esteem and confidence.

You do not need any special qualifications

We are looking for reliable and dependable people from all walks of life

We will provide training and on going support.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: £30.00 expenses limit per visit 

Schedule:

• Weekdays in school holidays
• Weekend availability needed

Age: 18 years and over?

As part of the recruitment process you will need to complete an application form, interview, enhanced DBS check, references and digital risk assessment.

We offer a full support package including induction training, online mandatory training and one to one support by your IV Coordinator throughout your volunteer journey.

Help shape the future of youth gaming and gambling-related harm prevention by becoming the Chair of Trustees of Ygam, an evidence-led charity.

About Ygam

Ygam is a national charity with a clear mission: to prevent children and young people from experiencing gaming and gambling harms through awareness raising, education and research. Our award-winning workshops are assured by City & Guilds and informed by psychologists, academics and health professionals alongside people with lived experience.

Founded in 2014, Ygam has evolved into the UK’s leading charity in this area, delivering impact-focused training and education across the UK to those in positions of influence over children and young people.

Over the past decade, Ygam has trained over 28,000 delegates and reached an estimated 4.3 million children and young people. With 95% of delegates recommending our training, we’re making real progress in safeguarding our digital generation.

The opportunity

We are in the third year of our “Safeguarding our Digital Generation” strategy, and we will begin the process to appoint our new Chief Executive later this year. As our current Chair comes to the end of their term this year, we are looking for a visionary leader to join our board and help shape the future of harm prevention.

This is a unique opportunity to lead the board at a critical time when digital safeguarding has never been more important.

We seek a Chair who will play a pivotal role in leading our Board and guiding the development of our new strategy in the years to come. This position requires an individual with a track record of board experience and strategic acumen to help drive Ygam’s ambitious growth plans.

Who we are looking for

We believe that diverse experiences and perspectives are crucial to effective governance. The digital challenges facing young people today are complex and interconnected, requiring a broad perspective that can view issues through multiple lenses.

We are looking for a Chair with a track record of board appointments who can guide strategic discussions, collaborate with our board, build relationships that are both supportive and challenging, and serve as an ambassador for Ygam.

This role requires someone who can balance strategic oversight with a desire to lead a best practice board to ensure Ygam continues to evolve and adapt to emerging challenges.

Location: London

Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at: 9 a.m. Monday 2nd March 2026

The App Officer designs, creates and maintains (including updates) a volunteer management app with bespoke features for Make a Smile as per specifications and requests made by Trustees. 

The Community Officer is responsible for creating an engaging and welcoming environment for volunteers. This encourages and motivates volunteers to get involved and stay involved. This includes encouraging engagement in shared social spaces (Discord and Whatsapp), organising a range of regular socials and supporting with the Ball at conference. 

The Graphics Officer designs, creates and edits graphics for a range of purposes across the charity, depending on need. This includes social media, documents, website, publicity and media.

The Widening Participation Officer tries to recruit, engage and support as many 16-18 year old volunteers as possible across all of our chapters, with particular focus on those that’d benefit the most from additional WP volunteers, often those
chapters doing the most events.

Due to the sizable scope of the role, the WP Subcommittee is there to help as needed. This is primarily through admin work. You should ensure that you have a suitable number of keen volunteers within the subcommittee that you can delegate tasks to, ensuring that they were well informed, supported and any tasks followed up. This is likely to involve plenty of messaging and occasional meetings.

A primary part of the role that you can delegate is to conceptualise and write the policy for managing 16-18 year old volunteers. This should have a focus on appropriate safeguarding and you can get input from the subcommittee and other Trustees/Officers but should include things like recruitment methods, required paperwork, risk assessments, management at events etc. These policies need to then be communicated effectively to committee and volunteers. 

There are several ways that WP volunteers should be recruited. Schools/6th Forms should be proactively reached out to and a long-term connection formed, ideally through a named person such as a head of year, head of medicine applications or career progression advisor. They can then pass the information on to their students using a range of methods ranging from email to sending a video to, if the local chapter is keen or a member of the subcommittee is nearby, an  in-person visit to an assembly or lunchtime/after-school training session.  

Efforts should be made to build relationships with National bodies that provide volunteering or work experience to 16-18 year olds such as In2MedSchool and Medic Mentor, working closely with them to advertise our volunteering to their
students. 

Once students are interested, they should be able to register as volunteers and attend an Introduction Training session. This can be a WP-specific session with particular focus on benefits and support for WP volunteers such as Duke of Edinburgh hours.

Once volunteers are involved, they should be supported through their time with us including email updates, check-ins, social media posts and training sessions around key times such as university applications.

Finally, of particular note, you should work with the Conference Officer to ensure that WP volunteers are supported in attending the Annual National Conference, in a safe way and have talks of interest to them.
 

Organisation: Make a Smile
Location: Remote (with opportunities for in-person collaboration depending on projects)
Commitment: Flexible, approx. 4–6 hours per week

About Make a Smile

At Make a Smile, we believe in creativity and innovation to ensure children and volunteers alike have the best experience possible. We’re constantly looking for fresh, forward-thinking ideas to improve how we work, and our Innovations Officers play a vital role in bringing those ideas to life.

The Role

As an Innovations Officer, you’ll take the lead on a unique innovation project—overseeing it from idea to reality. Each project is designed to keep our charity current, exciting, and impactful, whether that’s through new activities, resources, or systems that improve how we operate.

You’ll work with and manage a dedicated Innovations Subcommittee, guiding the project through planning, testing, reviewing, and rolling out across chapters. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who enjoys problem-solving, project management, and bringing creative ideas to life.

The Innovations Officer will:

• Create a clear project outline (aims, budget, timeline, required skills, and success criteria).

• Recruit and manage a subcommittee, ensuring the right mix of skills to make the project a success.

• Oversee project administration, including risk assessments, task logs, and reflection templates.

• Design, test, and pilot the project, gathering feedback from volunteers and chapters.

• Evaluate and improve the project through multiple testing rounds before rollout.

• Support full implementation, ensuring it becomes embedded into the charity’s work.

• Keep trustees updated with regular progress reports and updates at leadership meetings.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong organisational and project management skills.

• Creativity and a problem-solving mindset.

• Ability to lead and support a team of volunteers.

• Willingness to adapt, reflect, and improve upon feedback.

• An interest in developing new ideas and approaches.

• No specific technical background is required—just enthusiasm and commitment!

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience managing a project from start to finish.

• Skills in leadership, delegation, and innovation.

• The chance to bring your ideas to life and see them make a real difference.

• A collaborative, supportive environment with other volunteers.

Time Commitment

This role is flexible and can be done remotely. We ask for around 4–6 hours per week, though this may vary depending on the stage of your project.

Supporting Trustees through the recruitment of central charity virtual roles including Trustees and Officer roles through creating and managing role adverts, reviewing applicants,conducting interviews and supporting onboarding.

Regional Officers oversee chapters within a certain region. They provide support and guidance to the Presidents (and the rest of committee if needed) including advice and signposting as needed. They can also provide hands on support if requested. They should encourage chapters to collaborate including the sharing of resources, socials, fundraisers, training and events.

The Sign Language Officer oversees the teachers in running the BSL and Makaton teaching sessions once a week, ensuring volunteers engage in the sessions and thus utilise their skills at events. This involves building lesson plans, working to create engaging sessions and materials and helping to conduct teaching sessions.

Are you an organised and proactive leader who enjoys bringing people together to achieve meaningful results? Join us as a Volunteer Project Manager and play a key role in coordinating our remote volunteers across multiple teams.

You’ll be at the centre of ensuring projects run smoothly, collaboration stays strong, and our initiatives continue creating impact in youth empowerment and skills development.

About the Role

As a Volunteer Project Manager, you’ll oversee the full project lifecycle — from planning to successful delivery. You’ll coordinate timelines, deliverables, and communication across various volunteer teams, supporting team leads and maintaining project momentum.

This is a great opportunity to strengthen your leadership, coordination, and communication skills in a mission-driven, international environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and coordinate progress across multiple volunteer teams and projects.
• Plan and manage project timelines, deliverables, and follow-ups.
• Support team leads in maintaining engagement, motivation, and productivity.
• Track progress, analyse outcomes, and provide regular updates to leadership.
• Identify and address challenges to ensure efficient project execution.
• Foster collaboration and effective communication between volunteers and management.

Skills & Qualifications

• Strong organisational and coordination skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Proven experience managing projects or teams (remote experience is a plus).
• Comfortable using digital tools and project management platforms.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to work independently.
• Genuine interest in youth development and social impact.

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience in leadership and project management.
• The opportunity to collaborate with a global, values-driven community.
• Mentorship and guidance from the management team.
• A meaningful role contributing to youth empowerment and skills development.
• A professional reference and recognition for your contribution.

Please note the role is a voluntary position and could be entirely remote. Any incurred reasonable expenses will be paid.

Youth Support Volunteer at The Zone

Thank you for your interest in volunteering!

Volunteers are a valued part of our organisation and integral to furthering the work we do. We offer extensive training and support so that volunteers can learn and develop whilst helping to keep our services running to a high standard.

If you are interested in working with young people, and have skills, experience and commitment to share with others, then we may have the perfect volunteering opportunity for you…

Our dedicated team of Youth Support Volunteers offer young people a safe and confidential space to talk whilst providing information about sexual health, mental health, housing, signposting to other organisations and referrals to projects within The Zone and other agencies.

Our volunteer programme runs twice throughout the year, with new intakes often taking place in spring and autumn.

What is a Youth Support Volunteer?

A Youth Support Volunteer is a volunteer who has completed our training and provides support and information to young people at The Zone.

The most important thing for a Youth Support Volunteer to know is that supporting young people can be very rewarding but it can also be very hard and emotionally demanding, especially when the help you can offer a young person is limited.

It is not a volunteering position to consider for a person who is emotionally vulnerable and who thinks it will make them feel better to help others as sometimes this is not possible or the young person chooses not to accept the help offered.

We offer all our volunteers:

• Comprehensive training
• Out of pocket expenses
• Practical experience of face to face support
• The opportunity to be part of a diverse agency
• A rewarding role supporting young people

In return we ask that you:

• Attend selection day and training
• Commit to volunteering with us for 3 hours a week, choosing from set shifts which cover our front of house drop in times.
• Uphold The Zone’s ethos and values
• Are enthusiastic about empowering young people to live safe, healthy and positive lives!

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.