Volunteer roles

Could you be the person who helps a young man rewrite his future?
At Trailblazers, we believe in second chances. Since 1998, we’ve been mentoring young men in prison to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures. Through a programme of 1:1 mentoring and practical support, we support men aged 18–35 during the last 6 months of their sentence and for up to 12 months after release.

In London, our services run at HMP Brixton, and we’re looking for volunteer mentors who can commit half a day per week to help someone change their life.

What You’ll Do

• Be a positive and empathetic role model whilst supporting someone to fulfil their potential
• Meet regularly to build a supportive, consistent relationship with a mentee for a minimum of 12 months
• Help set goals and celebrate achievements
• Support reintegration into the community, education, and employment
• Attend and participate fully in mentor training and develop an understanding of the role, responsibilities and boundaries of a volunteer mentor
• Engage with ongoing support and supervision sessions to regularly review performance within mentoring relationships
• Perform your role in line with the aims of Trailblazers, following relevant policies and procedures and reporting safeguarding concerns immediately
• Keep mentoring session notes and communicate regularly with Trailblazers staff

Mentoring sessions last around 1 hour per week, with additional time needed for travel and liaison. We ask for a 12-month commitment to ensure consistency for the mentee.

Why It Matters

The national re-offending rate is up to 55%. For those with a Trailblazers mentor, it drops to just 7%. Your time could be the turning point in someone’s life.

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome all backgrounds and skill sets, especially those with experience in:

• The criminal justice system
• Underrepresented communities (including BAME groups)

All we ask if that you are:

• Empathetic, non-judgmental and committed to social change
• Professional but relatable with strong communication skills
• Able to advocate for your mentee and help them to overcome barriers
• Comfortable using basic IT and taking guidance from staff
• Willing to travel and undertake visits for mentoring sessions on a weekly or fortnightly basis
• Committed to supporting one young man for up to a year

 Requirements

• Aged 21+
• British citizen (due to prison security checks)
• Live within 30 miles of the prison at which you want to volunteer
• Good level of fitness (prison visits may involve stairs and fast-paced movement)
• Not barred from working with vulnerable adults or children
• If you have lived experience of the criminal justice system, you must be off licence for at least 12 months and not in crisis
• You cannot volunteer at a prison where you were previously a resident

What We Offer

• Full training and ongoing support
• Out-of-pocket expenses covered
• A chance to make a real difference

Ready to be the change?
Visit our website for more information and to apply. We’d love to hear from you.

Could you be the person who helps a young man rewrite his future?
At Trailblazers, we believe in second chances. Since 1998, we’ve been mentoring young men in prison to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures. Through a programme of 1:1 mentoring and practical support, we support men aged 18–35 during the last 6 months of their sentence and for up to 12 months after release.

In the West Midlands, our services are delivered near Wolverhampton HMPYOI Brinsford, and we’re looking for volunteer mentors who can commit half a day per week to help someone change their life.

What You’ll Do

• Be a positive and empathetic role model whilst supporting someone to fulfil their potential
• Meet regularly to build a supportive, consistent relationship with a mentee for a minimum of 12 months
• Help set goals and celebrate achievements
• Support reintegration into the community, education, and employment
• Attend and participate fully in mentor training and develop an understanding of the role, responsibilities and boundaries of a volunteer mentor
• Engage with ongoing support and supervision sessions to regularly review performance within mentoring relationships
• Perform your role in line with the aims of Trailblazers, following relevant policies and procedures and reporting safeguarding concerns immediately
• Keep mentoring session notes and communicate regularly with Trailblazers staff

Mentoring sessions last around 1 hour per week, with additional time needed for travel and liaison. We ask for a 12-month commitment to ensure consistency for the mentee.

Why It Matters

The national re-offending rate is up to 55%. For those with a Trailblazers mentor, it drops to just 7%. Your time could be the turning point in someone’s life.

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome all backgrounds and skill sets, especially those with experience in:

• The criminal justice system
• Underrepresented communities (including BAME groups)

All we ask if that you are:

• Empathetic, non-judgmental and committed to social change
• Professional but relatable with strong communication skills
• Able to advocate for your mentee and help them to overcome barriers
• Comfortable using basic IT and taking guidance from staff
• Willing to travel and undertake visits for mentoring sessions on a weekly or fortnightly basis
• Committed to supporting one young man for up to a year

Requirements

• Aged 21+
• British citizen (due to prison security checks)
• Live within 30 miles of the prison at which you want to volunteer
• Good level of fitness (prison visits may involve stairs and fast-paced movement)
• Not barred from working with vulnerable adults or children
• If you have lived experience of the criminal justice system, you must be off licence for at least 12 months and not in crisis
• You cannot volunteer at a prison where you were previously a resident

What We Offer

• Full training and ongoing support
• Out-of-pocket expenses covered
• A chance to make a real difference

Ready to be the change?
Visit our website for more information and to apply. We’d love to hear from you.

Trailblazers’ mission is to reduce re-offending and inspire new futures. Your support will help a young man to reconnect with his community, friends and loved ones, go into education, training and employment, and give a person a sense of hope for the future.

Trailblazers has been providing mentoring services to people in prison since 1998 with ultimate aim to reduce re-offending. We provide support to men between the age of 18 - 35 in custody who have 6 months left of their prison sentence, and then 'through the gate' into their own community for up to 12 months. The Education, Training & Employment (ETE) team supports our mentees in custody to break down barriers to employability. Post-release, this continues by supporting mentees to gain meaningful and career changing roles in sector specific industries such as Construction, Engineering, Catering & Hospitality or the Self-Employment route. 

The ETE team are looking to build a team of volunteers to work with mentees in the community and to shape the existing ETE service in the Thames Valley area. We are looking for volunteer mentors who can commit for up to 12 months and give a few hours a week to support men to change their life by being inspirational role models, helping with goal setting and supporting their mentee to access ETE opportunities and ultimately gain meaningful employment. Mentoring sessions will be 1:1, take place weekly and can be done remotely by telephone or online. These sessions will last approximately one hour, but some time should also be given to liaising with Trailblazers staff and researching relevant opportunities. 

Induction training is provided, out of pocket expenses covered, a mobile phone is provided to protect your identity, a Trailblazers T-shirt and lanyard are provided, DBS costs are covered, as well as regular reflective practice sessions to support you within your role. 

We are actively looking for people to join our mentoring community with lived experience of the criminal justice system, under represented groups from BAME community, creative arts, business skills, wellbeing - whatever your skills and background we are open to hear from you to support our diverse group of men. 

Trailblazers are looking for Volunteer Mentors who are:

• Empathetic with a positive outlook and manner.
• Able to help others without judgement or discrimination.
• Excellent communicators with a sense of humour.
• Well organised, can prioritise and multi-task.
• Reliable and able to commit to the role for up to 12 months providing weekly ETE sessions remotely either by telephone or via Zoom / MS Team digital platforms.
• Have skills and experience in supporting those who are disadvantaged into education, training and employment (ETE).
• Able to work independently with the ability to prioritise and manage your own workload with minimal supervision taking a flexible and creative approach to the demands of the post.
• Able to demonstrate sensitivity to other cultures, working with people from other backgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities.
• Live within a 30 mile radius of Bicester.

About Lucas Helps Dogs
Lucas Helps Dogs is a volunteer run  charity working in Sri Lanka to reduce the suffering of street and community dogs and cats. We run spay and neuter clinics, provide rabies vaccinations, emergency treatment, and daily meals to street dogs and cats. We also deliver educational programmes in schools to teach kindness to animals and responsible pet care.

We’re currently looking for a Volunteer Grant Writer to help us secure vital funding so we can continue and expand our work for animals in need.

About the Role
As our Grant Writer, you’ll help identify suitable grant opportunities and prepare well-researched funding applications to support our animal welfare projects. You’ll work closely with our founder to understand the charity’s goals, gather information, and develop strong proposals that demonstrate our impact and vision.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys writing and research, wants to gain experience in fundraising, or is passionate about improving the lives of animals.

Key Responsibilities

• Research potential grants, trusts, and foundations that align with our mission

• Write clear, compelling funding proposals and supporting documents

• Maintain a calendar of grant deadlines and track submissions

• Help develop a case for support and collect information for applications

• Review feedback from funders to improve future submissions

• Collaborate remotely with our small, friendly team

What We’re Looking For

• Strong writing, research, and communication skills

• Attention to detail and good organisational skills

• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

• Interest in animal welfare and compassion for dogs

• Experience in grant writing or charity fundraising 

What We Offer

• The chance to make a direct impact for animals in need

• Experience in grant writing and charity fundraising

• A flexible, supportive, and friendly volunteer team

• A reference after 3 months of volunteering

• The opportunity to use your skills for meaningful change

Time Commitment: 2–5 hours per week, flexible schedule
Location: Remote – you can volunteer from anywhere
Commitment: Ideally 3 months or more

How to Apply
If you’d like to use your writing skills to make a real difference for dogs and cats in Sri Lanka, we’d love to hear from you!
Please send a short email outlining your interest and any relevant experience

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are seeking Event Doctors to respond and manage emergency calls/incidents at events which may include venues such as stadia, concert halls, motorsports tracks, road races etc. Event doctors shall provide specialist, clinical, social and holistic care while undertaking clinical assessment and interventions in the pre-hospital environment. This will mainly involve working in mobile treatment centres or temporary event medical centres.

 Successful candidates will be registered registered medical practitioners with the GMC, without cautions or restrictions, and hold a license to practice outside of an approved practice setting.

The closing date for this role is 07/02/2026

In this role, you will build relationships and connect with people, places and organisations to raise awareness of stroke and of the Stroke Association within the community. By building these relationships you will contribute to improving the experience of people affected by stroke where they live and work. 

What would you be doing

• Providing a valuable extension to our teams based within local areas across Wales. 
• Build relationships with people, places and organisations to raise awareness of stroke and the Stroke Association. 
• Engaging with your local community to represent the Stroke Association. This could include delivering presentations or talks (either face to face or digitally), attending fundraising events or sharing your experience of stroke to others. 
• Helping to set up and support Stroke Café Groups. 
• Attending information points at community events or at local hospitals. 

What will you bring to the role?

You have…

• The passion and enthusiasm to raise the awareness of stroke and the Stroke Association. 
• Ability and willingness to share how people affected by stroke can access support from the Stroke Association. 
• An enjoyment of talking to people and communities, either one to one, or presenting to groups. This includes speaking to groups or individuals face to face or online digitally. (This is available to you only if you feel confident to do so – it is not a strict requirement of the role). 
• A keenness to demonstrate our values, and to help improve care and support for stroke survivors. 
• The ability to travel to venues and events by yourself. 
• A willingness to use technology e.g. Zoom and Microsoft Teams to engage with people outside of your local area, and our intranet and learning platform to access resources and training 

Requirements of the role:

• Must be 18+
• Ability to travel around your local community. 
• Have empathy and compassion for stroke survivors.
• Enjoy interacting with stroke survivors, community groups and local businesses.
• Ideally have lived or personal experience of stroke.
• Availability of a minimum of 2 hours on a weekly basis. 

What the role can offer you personally 

• Support with learning new skills – Full training provided. 
• Meeting new people, building a network and engaging with your local community. 
• In this role, you will build relationships and connect with people, places and organisations to raise awareness of stroke and of the Stroke Association within the community. By building these relationships you will contribute to improving the experience of people affected by stroke where they live and work. 
• You’ll have an opportunity to get together (either face to face/digitally) with other Community Connectors from your locality to discuss local priorities and opportunities 

Interested in applying?

If you are interested in applying, please contact: 

• Sally Head, Volunteer Manager. 

Our vision is for there to be fewer strokes, and for people affected by stroke to get the help they need to live the best life they can. 

Our core purpose is to be the trusted voice of stroke survivors and their families. We want to drive better outcomes in stroke prevention, treatment and lifelong support for everyone affected by stroke.

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.

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are seeking Event Doctors to respond and manage emergency calls/incidents at events which may include venues such as stadia, concert halls, motorsports tracks, road races etc. Event doctors shall provide specialist, clinical, social and holistic care while undertaking clinical assessment and interventions in the pre-hospital environment. This will mainly involve working in mobile treatment centres or temporary event medical centres.

 Successful candidates will be registered registered medical practitioners with the GMC, without cautions or restrictions, and hold a license to practice outside of an approved practice setting.

The closing date for this role is 31/10/2026

We're looking for volunteers to work alongside parents providing support, motivation, encouragement and advice.  The Thrive initiative supports familieis in Aylesbury and High Wycombe; empowering them to build their skills, confidence and wellbeing to create a positive environment for their children to thrive.

We're seeking people who are empathetic and friendly,; non-judgemental and respectful; great with kids; able to give 2-3 hours of their time per week. 

You'll receive full training and and be matched with a family to help them achieve practical goals set by their supervisor such as budgeting, role modelling, setting boundaries and developing family routines.

At Connection Supoort we feel that nobody can do everything but everyone can do something, so volunteering is flexible to suit you.

We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds to join our diverse team, if you have any disabilities or health conditions, we will do eveything we can to help you access this opportunity.

Do you enjoy swimming?   
 
We are looking for a friendly volunteer to spend time with a gentleman we support and enjoy time in the pool together! 

If you would like to make a difference and make a great friend along the way, we would love to hear from you!     

Activities will include: 

• Swimming with the gentleman we support
• Helping to ensure he is safe and having fun
• Being there for company and friendship at the pool 

There will always be trained support workers present at the pool with you. 

 
 We are looking for someone who is:  

• Friendly, caring and enthusiastic
• Confident in the water
• Reliable/dependable and willing to commit to volunteer regularly 
• Comfortable chatting with people with learning disabilities and autism     

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

What you’ll gain from being a Dimensions volunteer:    

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

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

• Access to free online training (with access to 800 plus courses)   
• Comprehensive support from professional and friendly Dimensions staff   
• Reasonable expenses may be reimbursed at manager’s discretion    
• An opportunity to gain real experience in the social care sector    

Want to apply for this role?

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

We're building a platform to catch burnout before it happens. Need someone with HR connections who can talk to people and open doors.

The Problem

People are burning out at work. By the time managers notice, it's too late. We're building something to change that.

What We're Building

A platform that spots early warning signs of burnout and helps managers intervene before people break. Think predictive tech + psychology + practical support.

What We Actually Need You To Do

We need someone who can:

• Talk to HR people and managers about their burnout challenges (15-20 interviews over 2-3 weeks)
• Find organizations that might want to test this with their teams
• Help us understand what would actually work vs. what sounds good on paper

That's it. No corporate nonsense. Just real conversations with real people about a real problem.

Your Actual Tasks

Weeks 1-2: Find people to interview

• Use your network to find 15-20 HR folks, managers, and employees
• Schedule 30-60 min chats (we'll give you the questions)
• Could be over coffee, Zoom, phone - whatever works

Weeks 3-4: Do the interviews

• Have real conversations about burnout
• Document what matters (not what sounds nice)
• Work with our psychologists to make sense of it

Weeks 5-6: Connect us with organizations

• Find 5-10 companies that might test this
• Make intros to the right people
• Help us understand who'd actually pay for this

Time commitment: 2-3 hours a day. Work when you want. No meetings about meetings.

Why Bother?

Honestly:

• You'll help build something launching in 8 weeks (not years)
• You get to shape the product from scratch
• You'll work with psychologists and tech people who actually know what they're doing
• Good for your CV if you want to move into product/research/biz dev
• If you're brilliant, we might offer equity or a paid role later
• Work from home, flexible hours, no micromanaging

Also: burnout is real. If you've seen it or felt it, you know why this matters.

Who We're Looking For

Someone who:

• Knows HR people or managers (and they'd actually take your call)
• Can have a proper conversation without reading a script
• Gets why burnout matters (maybe you've been there)
• Doesn't need babysitting - you see what needs doing and do it
• Can move fast - we're launching in 8 weeks

Experience we care about:

• You've worked in HR, management, or people stuff (3+ years)
• You've done interviews or research before (or you're confident you can)
• You have connections we don't (that's the whole point)

Don't have all of this? Apply anyway if you care about the problem and can help.

What You Actually Get

• Real product experience (not busy work)
• Portfolio piece you can show people
• References from our team
• Connections with psychologists and tech people
• Maybe equity if you're exceptional
• The satisfaction of helping prevent burnout (sounds cheesy but it's true)

The Team

• Chief Behavioral Psychologist
• Occupational Psychologist
• AI/ML person
• CTO
• UX Designer

Small team. No corporate BS. Building something that matters.

Timeline

Start: Now (November) Busiest: First 2 weeks (3 hrs/day finding and scheduling people) After that: 2 hrs/day for 4-6 weeks End: Mid-December

Work whenever suits you. We care about results, not when you're online.

Success = 

• 15-20 good interviews done
• 5-10 companies interested in testing this
• Insights that help us build the right thing
• Not wasting each other's time

Why Not Paid?

We're pre-revenue. Every penny goes into building this. But if you're good, equity or paid work could come later. And the experience is worth more than a few hundred quid anyway.

What We Promise

We won't:

• Have pointless meetings
• Micromanage you
• Waste your time
• Give you vague objectives

We will:

• Be clear about what needs doing
• Support you when needed, leave you alone when not
• Give you proper credit
• Write you good references

Why This Matters

Burnout is expensive (£322 billion to the economy) and miserable (for the people going through it). Most companies wait until people break, then offer an EAP number.

We're trying to catch it earlier. Your conversations will tell us if this is actually useful or just another wellness gimmick.

To Apply

Just tell us:

1. Why you care about this (2-3 sentences)
2. Who you could realistically interview (be specific)
3. Any organizations you could connect us with
4. Can you start now and commit 2-3 hrs/day for 6-8 weeks?

Attach your CV.

Don't overthink it. If this sounds interesting, apply.

Questions? Email us - we respond fast.

P.S. If you're not sure you're "qualified enough" - apply anyway. We need diverse perspectives, not clones.

Become a GamCare Online Peer Supporter

Make a difference by using your own experiences

For over 25 years, GamCare has been there for people experiencing gambling harms, whether that be people who gamble themselves or someone impacted by someone else’s gambling. We offer support over the phone, face-to-face or online and our treatment is free, flexible and confidential.

We are currently recruiting for Online Peer Supporters, to provide one-to-one and group support to both individuals who gamble and those affected by someone else’s gambling. Using their own experiences of gambling-related harms, volunteers will support others digitally as part of our Online Support Services and will include email support as well as facilitating our Forum and Chatrooms.

Full training and ongoing support will be provided to enable you to use your lived experience to work with our team as an Online Peer Supporter, providing support to all of those affected by gambling.

We believe that peer support is essential in the recovery journey. It provides:

• Shared understanding
• Reduces stigma
• A non-judgemental environment
• Practical insights and tools
• Continued motivation and hope

Our online platforms are designed to provide social connection to those who could be isolated or feel they have no one else to talk to. People accessing our services have identified that receiving support from someone who has had similar experiences can really benefit them when overcoming the challenges they may face on their recovery journey. It also provides a sense of community and belonging and contributes to the long-term support of those accessing these services.

Training

A comprehensive training programme will be delivered by our Volunteer Coordinators to provide you with the skills and confidence to use your experiences to support others while protecting your own recovery. Training includes:

• Safeguarding
• Motivational interviewing
• Facilitation skills

Role Responsibilities

Online Peer Supporters will:

• Navigate and guide contacts through existing services at GamCare and the National Gambling Support Network.
• Use motivational interviewing skills while drawing from their own lived experience to provide a supportive, non-judgemental space for those affected by gambling harms.
• Facilitate discussions via our online support services, including:

Email – you will be paired with an individual for regular email correspondence (on average 1-2 emails per week for approximaely 6 months)
Chatrooms – you will facilitate group discussions and supporting conversation between people at various stages of recovery
Forum – you will initiate discussions, respond to posts, and provide encouragement, signposting and support to forum users

• Help individuals set aims and goals to move to a more positive, sustained recovery whilst also providing resources to support people with these plans.
• Recognise the purpose and remit of our service and signposting to other internal and external support where appropriate.

What can I expect from GamCare?

In return, GamCare will:

• Provide a full, comprehensive induction and training programme
• Give you access to a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator
• Offer and arrange 1:1 and group supervision
• Fully support your own wellbeing and recovery journey
• Give ongoing training and development opportunities
• Provide access to some internal job opportunities within our services team
• Provide a reference after 3 months of regular volunteering

Role Requirements

For any of our volunteering roles we ask that you have lived experience of gambling-related harms. This includes being affected by someone else’s gambling (friend or family member).

We ask that you’ve been in positive, sustained recovery for at least one year before volunteering with us.

This role is completely remote, so you’ll need access to a reliable internet connection, a computer and a confidential space.

For full role requirements, please see the Role Profile on our website.

Please note that this role is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Please do not let that deter you from applying as all applications will be considered.

Availability & Commitment

We ask that you have availability at a regular time for around 1-2 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months.

Before volunteering with us, you will need to complete a mixture of self-directed online training and live online group training sessions delivered by our Volunteer Coordinators over a period of approximately 4 weeks.

Full details of the induction, including the next available dates will be sent to you by a member of the team within one week of receiving your application.

Do you enjoy driving?  

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

We are looking for friendly drivers to join us in Metheringham!  

You will meet some amazing people, whilst making a positive impact to their lives by driving to places they enjoy and appointments that are important.  
 
We are looking for drivers who will be happy to drive the vehicles owned by the people we support.  

  
Activities will include:  

• Driving the people we support between their homes and services in a safe manner, in accordance with UK law. 
• Driving around the Metheringham area, which will be the start and end point of the majority of journeys 
• Assisting people we support in and out of vehicles and locations – with assistance from trained Dimensions staff. 
• Driving in a manner that is sensitive of physical and emotional requirements of the people we support. 
• Driving vehicles owned by the people we support

We are looking for drivers who:  

• Are aged 21 or over, with at least 2 years driving experience 
• Hold a full, clean and current UK Driving License (or equivalent) 
• Have the ability to understand verbal and written instructions in relation to journeys 
• Are friendly with the people we support and our support staff 
• Are willing to commit to volunteer regularly (times and days can be discussed)  

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

What you’ll gain from being a Dimensions volunteer:  

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

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

• Access to free online training (with access to 800 plus courses) 
• Comprehensive support from professional, friendly and trained Dimensions staff 
• Reasonable expenses may be reimbursed as agreed
• An opportunity to gain real experience in the social care sector

Help shape the future of cleft care worldwide – become a Fundraising Trustee at CLEFT.
Are you an experienced fundraiser looking to make a meaningful difference? Join a passionate Board of Trustees committed to improving cleft care and research in the UK and internationally.

CLEFT is a UK-based charity working to bridge the gap in cleft care and knowledge through sustainable, long-term partnerships. As we grow, fundraising has become a strategic priority – and we’re looking for a new Trustee with fundraising expertise to help us reach the next level.

As Fundraising Trustee, you’ll play a key role in:

• Strengthening relationships with donors and supporters
• Identifying and progressing new grant and fundraising opportunities
• Supporting fundraising committees and events
• Developing and coordinating a fundraising plan aligned with our budget and goals
• Ensuring donor reporting and compliance with fundraising legislation

You’ll also contribute to the wider governance and strategic direction of the charity, attending bi-monthly Board meetings (mostly via Zoom), quarterly fundraising committee meetings, and our annual Away Day in London.

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities. If you’re proactive, creative, and passionate about equitable healthcare, we’d love to hear from you.

Why we need your help

We provide free games and activity sessions with tailored support for children with additional needs and disabilities. We support over 100 children, known as our ‘athletes’, with a wide range of additional needs, including autism, cerebral palsy, non-visible disabilities, and global development delay. At KEEN London, we strive to use fun and games to improve young people's wellbeing, and personal, social and emotional development as well as broadening experiences to increase skills and confidence.

Purpose of the role

Our Volunteer Coaches are the backbone of a KEEN London session! You’ll provide one-to-one support to an athlete, helping them to access all the activities on offer, achieve their personal development goals, and of course have tons of fun! You can expect to get involved with a wide range of playground games, ball games, nature walks, and creative activities. From time to time, we also run trips for our athletes, and previous trips have included trampoline parks, high ropes courses, pedalo boating and slime-making classes.

Tasks and activities

● You’ll support our athletes to engage with the session, and have fun while they’re doing it.

● You’ll help our Service Coordinators develop goals for our athletes, track their progress, and give them lots of encouragement along the way.

● You’ll work with your Service Coordinators and fellow Coaches to come up with new games, develop resources, and plan activities.

● We want our athletes to enjoy being active, making friends, and trying new things - and we want you to join in the activities with them!

● Our athletes love working with energetic and enthusiastic people, and we’ll ensure that all your hard work will be rewarded with a great time.

Please note: To ensure that you are equipped and ready to take on this role, there is a thorough application process which includes but is not limited to: an information session, an in-person onboarding training evening, an enhanced DBS check, reference checks and a safeguarding quiz. All elements of the onboarding process have to be completed satisfactorily before you can start volunteering in this role. 

Why Volunteer with KEEN London?

KEEN London would not be what it is without the volunteers who support our work, and we want to ensure that all our volunteers gain just as much from their volunteering journey as they put into the charity. Here’s what you’ll get in return for supporting us:

● Regular volunteer social events, and opportunities to meet other coaches

● We will provide you with ongoing feedback and support to enable you to reach your full potential at KEEN, you will receive an induction and handbook prior to starting your role and you will receive access to a virtual training portal with additional resources.

● We will give you opportunities to access other roles to help you broaden your skills, such as becoming a Captain or Session Leader.

● Long-term volunteers receive t-shirts, badges, and advance sign-ups to our popular events

● We have a budget set aside to cover volunteer expenses (see Volunteer Agreement below)

● We will provide job/character references to volunteers after a reasonable period of volunteering with us.

Volunteer Agreement

All KEEN London volunteers are asked to observe the Volunteer Agreement. This agreement is binding in honour only, is not intended to be a legally binding contract between us and may be cancelled at any time at the discretion of either party. Neither of us intends any employment relationship to be created either now or at any time in the future.

As a volunteer with KEEN London, you can expect:

● To be a part of a unique and evolving charity that is providing a valuable service to children and young people with additional needs.

● To be introduced to how the organisation works and your role within it.

● A supportive and reciprocal environment that ensures a positive experience for you as a volunteer.

● To be invited to volunteer at special events and fundraising activities.

● Reimbursement of any reasonable travel expenses.

● To be treated fairly and equally with dignity and respect, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, age, (dis)ability, religion or sexual orientation.

● A safe and healthy environment for you to volunteer in.

● Any problems or complaints to be investigated quickly and resolved fairly.

● Recognition for your efforts and successes – celebrating achievements and rewarding loyalty and dedication.

● To receive, if required, a reference after a reasonable time of volunteering.

● Access to free Charity Worker Discounts.

Our expectations of volunteers:

● To maintain and uphold the reputation and good name of the charity.

● To treat other volunteers, staff and service users fairly and with dignity, and to respect everyone equally, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, age, (dis)ability, religion or sexual orientation.

● To ensure appropriate levels of confidentiality and data protection are upheld.

● To uphold our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy. This includes ensuring that when out of sight of other adults a ratio of 2 adults to 1 athlete is in place, and that you report any concerns you have about the safety and wellbeing of athletes to the Coordinator as soon as possible.

● To adhere to all health and safety instructions.

● To be punctual and reliable when attending sessions, and inform the coordinator via phone call as soon as possible if you are unable to attend.

● To attend at least 2 sessions per month for at least 6 months.

● To bring energy, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn to all sessions.

Role Description Internal Ref Number: COACH4