Volunteer roles

As a Trustee, you will play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of MindTHNR, ensuring strong governance, and supporting our mission to provide inclusive, accessible, and culturally competent mental health services. You will be joining a passionate and committed Board that works closely with our Chief Executive and leadership team to ensure we remain impactful, sustainable, and aligned with our values. 

Watford and Three Rivers Refugee Partnership operates in the borough of Watford and Three Rivers district, providing support to refugees and others without status in the UK. The partnership has a full-time caseworker and two part-time support staff in addition to around 80 volunteers. It currently serves around 350 families and individuals.

The charity provides:

· A weekly drop-in session – currently Tuesdays 11:00-13:30 – for existing and new clients to see us

· Casework supporting applications for leave to remain and related issues

· A weekly social hub – concurrent with the drop-in – for any client to join us for company and activities

· Education for our clients, mainly in the English language but including help with literacy and numeracy.

The operations manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the charity, reporting to the committee and trustees, ensuring the organisation runs efficiently and resources are used effectively to achieve its mission.  They will provide a line management and mentoring role for the case worker and office administrator. The successful candidate would have had managerial experience, possibly in the charity, education, healthcare or related sectors. The role is a part time one – expected to average 2 days per week, and likely to suit someone retired from employment.

Specific roles for the operations manager are:

· Support of communication within the charity

· Supervision of the weekly (currently Tuesday, 11:00am-1:30pm) welcome desk, drop-in, social hub and casework operation

· Line management of our full-time caseworker and part-time office manager

· Support of elements of casework by allocating other volunteers, logistics etc.

· Making day-to-day decisions within agreed scope, for management of the charity

· Report to the committee (including trustees) at its regular meetings with status of cases and requests for decisions

· Advising the committee in developing the charity, helping work on core mission, vision and strategy.

· Working with our fundraisers to provide required information and guidance where needed.

The successful candidate would have experience in:

· Proven organisational and multitasking skills

· Knowledge and experience of regulatory requirements to ensure compliance (e.g. GDPR etc)

· Ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders

· Management of staff and volunteers

· Working with a volunteer committee and trustees

· Development of a business, charity or equivalent organisation

Role Purpose
To support refugees and asylum seekers in developing their English language skills (ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages), helping them to build confidence, integrate into the community, and access education, employment, and essential services.
 

Key Responsibilities

· Assist in delivering ESOL classes to adult learners at varying levels of English proficiency
 

· Support learners one-to-one or in small groups with speaking, listening, reading, and writing
 

· Help prepare learning materials and classroom activities
 

· Encourage participation and build learners’ confidence in using English in everyday situations
 

· Provide informal conversational practice and support
 

· Offer cultural orientation where appropriate (e.g., local services, daily life in the UK)
 

· Monitor learner progress and provide feedback to the ESOL coordinator

Skills and Experience

· Good standard of written and spoken English
 

· Strong communication and interpersonal skills
 

· Patience, empathy, and cultural sensitivity
 

· Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
 

· Teaching or tutoring experience
 

· TEFL/ESOL qualification essential

Personal Qualities
 

· Supportive and encouraging attitude
 

· Reliable and committed
 

· Flexible and adaptable
 

· Interest in refugee support and community integration
 

· Time Commitment - typically 3 hours a week Tuesday daytime
Minimum commitment of 6 months preferred

Training and Support

· Induction and ongoing support provided

· Supervision from ESOL coordinator or lead tutor

· Benefits of Volunteering

· Gain experience in teaching and community work

· Develop cross-cultural communication skills

· Make a meaningful impact in the lives of refugees and asylum seekers

Be part of a supportive and welcoming team
 

Watford and Three Refugees Partnership is a charity offering practical and emotional support to asylum seekers, migrants and refugees in Watford and Three Rivers. We are looking for someone who has a couple of hours a week to help some of our clients.

Would you like to join the ESOL team within our charity that provides English language and literacy support to our clients?

Role description:

You will be teaching literacy to 1 or 2 clients a week. This will be face to face teaching at St Mary’s Church, Watford between 12.15 and 1.30pm on a Tuesday but times can be subject to change.

Essential:

• A teacher specialised in Adult literacy with a minimum of Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) or equivalent
• Previous experience
• Familiar with students whose English is not students’ first language.

Person Specification:

· Friendly, approachable, and respectful with good interpersonal and communication skills

· Patience, empathy, and a non-judgmental attitude

· Commitment to equality, inclusion, and safeguarding

What We Offer:

· Induction, training and ongoing support

· A welcoming and inclusive team environment

· The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others

Role description and purpose:  The role involves offering moral and some practical support to a client of WTRRP.  Any complex needs are addressed by WTRRP Case Workers and professional organisations, not befrienders. Befrienders will give client extra support to combat isolation, extra language support and help them to integrate into UK society and the Watford community. 

How a befriender will be allocated: The Befriending Coordinators and the Volunteers’ Coordinator will allocate a befriender to a client with his/her explicit agreement.  An initial meeting between the client, the befriender and one of the coordinators will be organised to set up parameters and ensure that both parties are happy to continue.  Client support can be terminated at any time by mutual agreement and in consultation with one of the Befriending Coordinators.

Key responsibilities:

· Provide moral support to allocated client.

· Make regular phone calls and visits (in a neutral place such as cafes, libraries, St Mary’s as agreed with the client) – once a week or every other week.

· Listen, encourage and empower clients. (It is important not to create mutual dependency)

· Maintain a friendly but neutral approach.

· Help client integrate into UK society by sharing local knowledge, for example facilitating access to Children Centres, libraries etc.

· Accompany client to social events organised by WTRRP.

· Help client be aware of WTRRP services

· Offer practical help such as lifts to medical appointments (if comfortable with this), finding clothes, furniture, moving (if agreed and organised by WTRR) etc.

· Report to a Befriending Coordinator after each meeting with the client. 

· Identify more complex needs/issues and relay these to the Befriending Coordinators.

· Report any safeguarding concerns immediately as per WTRRP policy. Liaise with the Safeguarding Lead and/or members of the Committee.

· Represent WTRRP and work constructively as part of a WTRRP team.

Other Requirements of the Role:

· Willingness to commit to a 6 months period (an extension may be granted but we would like to see clients become self-reliant)

· Reasonable availability, particularly during weekdays.

· Attend regular Befrienders’ training and volunteers’ training essential.

Skills and personal qualities:

· Strong communicator and interpersonal skills (including ability to convey information in simple English).

· Patience

· Reliability and flexibility

· Awareness of non-verbal communication such as body language.

· Awareness of cultural differences/unconscious bias and their effects on the clients we support.  Training will be given on these.

· Awareness of boundaries.

· Ability to work as part of a team.

· Empathy for the plight of refugees and asylum seekers.

Experience: 

· Previous volunteering experience an advantage

Our partner is a small faith-based organisation supporting indigenous communities in Central America through integrated health, education and community care programmes.

The organisation has grown around a committed local team and is now reviewing how its finance and operations functions should be structured for the next stage of development. It currently has a Finance Manager who also holds some operational responsibilities.

The Executive Director is seeking support from an experienced finance professional to offer an external perspective on how finance and operations responsibilities could be organised in a way that protects financial controls, supports staff development, and enables the Executive Director to focus more time on fundraising and organisational leadership.

Key areas of support

• Review current finance and operations responsibilities, including how tasks are currently split across finance, administration, purchasing, inventory and related operational processes.
• Consider possible organisational structure options for the finance and operations functions, including whether the Finance Manager’s role could evolve into a more strategic finance and systems position, and whether a separate operations-focused role may be needed to take on non-finance operational responsibilities.
• Review how additional accounting or finance responsibilities could be delegated safely within the team, identifying the internal controls, reporting lines and role clarity needed under different structure options.
• Provide practical recommendations on structure, controls, staffing options and job description content where useful.

Volunteer Profile

This assignment would suit a senior finance professional with experience in:

• Small or growing non-profits, finance operations, internal controls and organisational structure.
• Managing finance teams and supporting operational change
• Working with organisations in Latin America would be helpful, and Spanish language skills would be beneficial, but are not essential.

The ideal volunteer will bring a practical, sensitive and collaborative approach, with the ability to support a small leadership team to think clearly through structure, controls and capacity before making changes.

Time commitment
The assignment can be delivered entirely remotely. The anticipated commitment is up to 15 hours in total, ideally over a period of approximately 4–6 weeks, with the hope that the bulk of the work can be completed in July.

Our partner is an established international development organisation seeking an experienced finance professional to undertake a short, independent process review relating to the financial management of a large donor-funded programme.

The assignment relates to a complex grant management issue involving the treatment and interpretation of foreign exchange gains and losses, donor policy requirements, partner payments, internal decision-making and communications. The situation has involved a number of finance, programme, donor and partner considerations, and the organisation is seeking an external professional who can help establish a clear, balanced and factual account of what happened.

The purpose is to support transparency, shared understanding and organisational learning, and to identify practical recommendations that could strengthen future grant management, documentation, financial decision-making and communication between teams.

Scope of support

The volunteer will be asked to:

• Review relevant grant documentation, donor correspondence, internal communications, financial records and policy guidance relating to the issue.
• Understand the organisation’s approach to calculating, recording and managing foreign exchange gains and losses within the grant.
• Review the sequence of internal and donor-facing communications, including key decision points and financial implications.
• Conduct remote conversations with approximately 4–5 key staff members involved in the process.
• Identify any areas where interpretation, documentation, process, communication or escalation could have been clearer.
• Prepare a concise written note or report setting out the chronology, observations, learning points and practical recommendations.
• Maintain a sensitive, balanced and non-judgemental approach throughout, recognising the complexity of the issue and the range of stakeholders involved.

Volunteer Profile

This assignment would suit a senior professional with experience in international NGO finance, donor grant management and financial controls. The ideal volunteer will bring:

• Strong experience of complex donor-funded programmes, including restricted funding, donor compliance, grant financial management and partner payment arrangements.
• Ability to interpret financial information, donor requirements and organisational policies clearly and objectively.
• Experience reviewing financial processes, internal controls or grant management issues.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce a concise, balanced and practical report.
• A calm, thoughtful and sensitive approach, particularly where issues have involved internal tension or differing interpretations.

Time commitment

The assignment can be delivered entirely remotely. The anticipated commitment is up to 30 hours in total, ideally over a period of approximately 4–6 weeks. A commitment of around 5 hours per week would be helpful, although there is some flexibility depending on the volunteer’s availability and the agreed approach. They are seeking for the bulk of the work to be compelted in July - August. 

REMAP Brighton & Sussex

Are you passionate about using your practical maker/ engineer skills to solve real problems? Do you want to help disabled people live more independently? Join REMAP's volunteer community, the UK’s leading charity to create custom-built equipment for disabled individuals.

About REMAP

Since 1964, REMAP has helped thousands of people each year overcome everyday challenges through innovative, bespoke solutions. When commercial products don’t meet a person’s needs, REMAP volunteers design and make one-off equipment tailored specifically for them. With over 65 volunteer-run branches across the UK, our work is powered by skilled, compassionate volunteers like you.

The Role

As a volunteer Maker/ Engineer with practical skills, you will design and build custom equipment /adaptations using materials such as wood, metal, plastic, or electronics. Previous solutions/adaptations designed by REMAP volunteers have included: adapted handles, specialist supports, modified furniture, access aids and other one-off items designed around a person’s individual needs. You can find more inspiring solutions on REMAP's website on the Solutions section. 

In this role, you will volunteer directly with clients to understand their needs and create anything from simple adaptations to fully bespoke devices. You will also take part in regular branch meetings, case discussions approximately every 6 weeks, and occasional home visits. Each project matches your skills, availability, and location.

Location: 

You should live within or be able to travel across: Littlehampton, Worthing, Brighton, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, Horsham, and surrounding areas.

What are we looking for: 

· Practical engineering or maker skills;

· Ability to listen and problem-solve;

· Commitment to inclusion and safety;

· Access to own tools or a workshop

· Ability to travel locally in your area

Time Commitment:

Flexible volunteering with attendance at meetings approximately every 6 weeks. Time varies depending on projects.

Expenses and support: 

All reasonable expenses are reimbursed, full support is provided including induction, mentoring, and DBS checks if required.

Why volunteer with REMAP?

• To make a real difference in someone’s life.
• To contribute and find slutions to meaningful engineering challenges.
• To join a supportive community of likeminded practical volunteers in your area.
• To learn new skills, and share your existing maker practical skills
• To improve your wellbeing through a meaningful volunteer role. 

About the REMAP:

Since 1964, REMAP has helped thousands of people each year overcome everyday challenges through innovative, bespoke solutions. When standard commercial products are not suitable, REMAP volunteers design and make one-off equipment tailored to a person’s individual needs. Our work is delivered through more than 65 volunteer-run branches across the UK and is completely free of charge for the people we support.

About the role:

REMAP is looking for Volunteer Makers who can use practical, technical or creative skills to design and make bespoke equipment for disabled people. Previous REMAP solutions designed by our volunteers have included adapted handles, specialist supports, modified furniture, access aids and other one-off items designed around a person’s individual needs. You can find more inspiring solutions on REMAP's website on the Solutions section. 

We are looking for volunteers: 

• With skills or experience in engineering, carpentry, DIY, product design, electronics, metalwork, plastics, workshop practice or practical problem-solving.
• With access to own tools or workshop .
• Who live in the area of your local Branch and have access to transport.
• Who are able to listen carefully, work safely, think creatively and treat people with dignity and respect
• With an understanding of risk management and who can follow set policies and procedures

What will you be doing:

You will take on practical cases that match your skills and availability. This may include meeting clients, speaking with families or therapists, understanding a practical challenge, and designing or making a safe solution using materials such as wood, metal, plastic or electronics.

What difference will you make:

Your volunteering and solutions will help disabled people overcome everyday barriers and enjoy greater independence, confidence and choice. Many REMAP projects are modest in size but life-changing in impact for the person receiving them.

​Salary: 

This is a voluntary role. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

Support:

Induction, mentoring, local branch support and guidance on safe working are provided. DBS checks are arranged where required.

Why Volunteer With REMAP?

• To give someone greater independence, confidence and choice in everyday life.
• To use your existing practical, maker skills.
• To share your experience.
• To learn new skills. 
• To join a welcoming likeminded community of makers with great practical skills.
• To increase your own wellbeing through purposeful volunteering that makes a real difference. 

Prison-based volunteers are the backbone of Fine Cell Work (FCW). Supported by the Fine Cell Work programmes team and by other staff at the FCW office, they teach and administer FCW stitching groups in prisons.

Prison volunteers work in teams to organise classes and teach our stitchers, as well as providing groups information to the prison and to the FCW office. The precise mix of skills will vary from prison to prison.

Volunteering in prison for Fine Cell Work requires ideally a good level of needlework skill (or a willingness to learn), some teaching experience and/or experience of working with socially-excluded groups. Volunteers must be patient and non-judgemental in order to work effectively. As a prison volunteer you will:

• Developing skills and confidence
• Teach prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects
• Teaching prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects

It is essential for volunteers to support FCW ethos, believe in rehabilitation, be an excellent teamworker, observe personal boundaries, be reliable and patient to ensure cell groups run smoothly, and have record-keeping skills and have at knowledge of tapestry/needlework. . 

Volunteers work in prisons around the UK dependant on where groups are based, therefore it is requred that volunteers will be able to travel to the relevant prisons. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity. 

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our volunteers.

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in FCW’s workforce.

These include applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+, and male identifying applicants as these are currently under-represented in our volunteers groups.

We are seeking applications from candidates who demonstrate the experience, enthusiasm and skills that will be needed over the three years (from September 2026) to fill vacancies and complement the existing Trustees on the Board.

The role of IWA Trustees is to drive the direction of the charity, monitor its effectiveness in achieving its goals, and ensure the organisation meets its charitable objectives. As a member of the Board, an individual Trustee’s role is to use skills and judgement to work collaboratively with the other Trustees to:

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
• Comply with the charity’s governing document and the law
• Act in the charity’s best interests
• Manage the charity’s resources responsibly
• Act with care and skill
• Ensure the charity is accountable and well managed

We are looking to complement our existing Trustees and have identified the following skillsets that we think need
strengthening:

• Experience of engaging and enabling participation of younger people with the charity
• Health and safety management
• Funding/fundraising
• Environment and sustainability
• Experience of restoration projects (not just waterways)
• Marketing, membership and recruitment

We would also welcome applications from individuals to apply if they think they have experience that would be valuable to the Association beyond those mentioned above. For example, we would like younger people (18 and over) to apply who may have very relevant skills and experience for growing IWA today.

Candidates must be passionate about our campaigning: for sufficient funding for Britain’s waterways; the sustainable operation of navigations; restoration of closed waterways; and our work to make the waterways great places to live, work, travel, play, and for wildlife, nature recovery and mitigating climate change.

Most Trustee meetings are held online. However, we feel it is important to meet in person and to visit sites and events from time to time. Reasonable expenses are covered. We are committed to improving the diversity of our Board. We encourage applications from individuals from under represented groups, including those of varying ages, genders and minority ethnic backgrounds. Selection will be made on merit and the ability to best serve the Association’s charitable objectives, taking into account the current skills and experience of the Board. Candidates should have sufficient time available to be able to spend at least one to two days per month on IWA business

Thank you for your interest in becoming a trustee at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary

About The Mare and Foal Sanctuary

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary rescues horses and ponies that have been abandoned, neglected or abused.

Together with our supporters, we ensure that horses and ponies have a sanctuary for life. Most horses and ponies are given care for life through our network of knowledgeable carers. Those horses and ponies with more complex needs are cared for in our peaceful sanctuaries.

Our charity was founded on the principles that horses and ponies, as sentient beings, and close companions of people over the centuries, have a value and a purpose. They deserve our kindness and care.

The benefits to you

The benefits of becoming a trustee are not only in the interests of our charity. As an individual, it is also an excellent personal development opportunity and includes the following benefits:

· Contributing your skills and expertise to a cause that is important to you

· Playing a fundamental role in the strategic development of the organisation

· Gaining valuable experience and learning new skills within a leadership role

· Challenging yourself by applying your skills in a different environment

· Gaining non-executive board experience in a supportive, developmentally focused culture

· Learning from other trustees and gaining new insights from seeing how others respond to situations and make decisions.

Application Process

The attached recruitment pack will introduce you to our charity, our leadership team and the role of trustee. You’ll also find details of how to apply.

We welcome people from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds from the charity, corporate and public sector as trustees.

CVS Cheshire East exists to ensure local voluntary and community groups are strong, empowered organisations that make a difference in our community. We are seeking trustees with a passion for the VCFSE sector, a desire to make a difference and achieve change, and the commitment and dedication to engage with the Board and senior leadership to actively drive the organisation forward.

Trustees are collectively responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of CVS Cheshire East. They develop the organisation’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with its governing document, legal obligations and regulatory guidelines, ensuring the charity operates effectively and delivers genuine public benefit.

Being a trustee is both a privilege and a responsibility. It means lending your experience, skills and insight to strengthen not just CVS Cheshire East, but the wider VCFSE sector across Cheshire East.

Key Responsibilites

• Legal and Governance Duties
• Financial Responsibility and Risk
• Safeguarding
• Strategic Leadership
• Supporting the Chief Executive
• Collective and Individual Responsibility for descisions

Time commitment

Trustees are expected to read all Board papers in advance of meetings and come prepared to contribute. In addition, trustees may receive requests for information or decisions between meetings and are expected to respond in a timely manner: we anticipate that in addition to the meetings outlined above, trustees will need to spend between 2-4 hours per month contributing to CVSCE governance.

Skills

CVS Cheshire East welcomes applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

What matters most is passion for the VCFSE sector, a desire to make a difference and achieve change, and the commitment and dedication to engage with the Board and senior leadership to actively drive the organisation forward.

We are particularly keen to recruit trustees who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, and those with lived experience of being an employee or trustee of one of our member organisations.

Every disabled person should have the opportunity to connect with others and be included in the world. Which is why we’re here, in people’s homes, centres and communities, focusing on the things a person can do, not what they can’t. We celebrate the moments of connection that bring more joy to life. Together, we always find a way, no matter how many barriers a person might face.

Sense is a leading disability charity with extensive knowledge and expertise in delivering personalised, creative and flexible support for disabled people with complex needs. Our tailored approach ensures that every person is empowered to live fully at every stage of life.

About the role:

As a Shop Volunteer you’ll be joining a friendly, welcoming team of volunteers and staff who support each other and have a lot of fun along the way. We value every volunteer and the unique perspective, skills and energy you bring. 

Whether you’re sorting donations, creating beautiful displays, or chatting to customers, every task you take on helps to build a more inclusive world. 

We value volunteer development, and as part of this role your can develop your skills further by training to become a till user alongside your regular shop volunteer responsibilities, or progressing into a Key volunteer, a role which includes opening, running, and closing the shop in the absence of the manager.

No matter your reason for volunteering – whether it’s to meet new people, build new skills or support Sense’s cause – there’s a place for you in one of our shops. 

Due to the nature of the role, we require all applicants to be aged 16 or over. You must have a UK address to volunteer with Sense.

Key responsibilities: Shop volunteer 

You’ll spend time doing a range of activities, including:

• Welcoming and assisting customers, providing great customer service, helping create a wonderful shopping experience.
• Receiving donated items from the public, thanking them for their support.
• Sorting, steaming and preparing donations for sale.
• Helping to display stock in eye-catching and exciting ways.
• Keeping the shop floor clean, safe and tidy.
• Talking to customers about Sense and the work we do.

Key responsibilities: Till volunteer

Being a till volunteer includes all the same responsibilities as a shop volunteer, however, when you’re ready, we’ll provide you with additional training to:

• Serve customers on the till in a warm and friendly way.
• Put sales through the till, packing them and thanking the customer for shopping with us.
• Talk to customers about Gift Aid and other fundraising initiatives.

If you are interested in becoming a till volunteer straight away, please select ‘Till volunteer’, as well as ‘Shop volunteer’, when asked which volunteer role/s you are interested in during your application.

Key responsibilities: Key volunteer 

Being a Key volunteer includes all the same responsibilities as a shop and till volunteer. However, if you’re interested in taking on additional responsibilities, you can train to become a Key Volunteer, helping the shop manager by:

• Helping supervise the shop and other volunteers.
• Supporting the shop manager to make sure customers have a great experience.
• Opening and closing the shop when needed.
• Cashing up at the end of the day. 

If you are interested in becoming a Key volunteer straight away, please select ‘Key volunteer’ when asked which volunteer role/s you are interested in during your application.

Skills and qualities:

This role would suit you if you’re:

• Passionate about Sense’s work to support disabled people with complex needs.
• Calm, kind and have a friendly personality.
• A team player who enjoys working with others.
• Enthusiastic, motivated and someone with a positive attitude.
• Respectful of others. 

What we offer you:

As one of our volunteers, you’ll get:

• Full training with ongoing support and guidance from your team.
• A chance to meet new people.
• A great way to develop new skills and share your existing skills.
• The feeling you get knowing you’re making a difference to the lives of disabled people with complex needs.
• A reference to support future applications for paid or voluntary roles.
• Support from our Mental Health First Aiders, should you need it. 

Our values

Our values shape the way we behave and work alongside disabled people with complex needs to break down barriers. 

• We're creating change
• We're always learning
• We're better together