Volunteer roles

Join our amazing volunteer team in this flexible opportunity that puts you at the heart of our work supporting blind and partially sighted people. You’ll make taking part in events and carrying out volunteering easier and more enjoyable for our customers and volunteers with sight loss.
You’ll take some of the stress and anxiety out of getting around and taking part in activities as a blind or partially sighted person. The help you give will encourage people to do more.

What you’ll be doing
• Sighted guiding / giving practical help to individuals in and around venues, so they can take part in events.
• Supporting volunteers with sight loss with their volunteering activities which range from facilitating a regular community group to delivering a talk about sight loss to a local business. Your role would involve things like guiding; Meeting and greeting at group activities or creating a welcoming and interesting display stand at events.

In this role you will only be helping individuals in places open to the public, often in a group setting. We will provide training in sighted guiding techniques and understanding sight loss.
We would particularly like to recruit support volunteers within the Downpatrick area (last Wednesday of every month)

What you’ll gain from the role:
• An opportunity to give something back.
• A chance to build a strong community.
• A sense of achievement through the difference you make.
• A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people
• An opportunity to develop and explore different roles with RNIB, including our internal job vacancies.

In return for donating your time we will provide:
• A rewarding experience.
• A great Induction and training.
• A supportive manager.
• Regular updates and catchups.
• Expenses.
• An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Event

Key requirements

• This role requires one reference

Location

Region

• Northern Ireland

Additional location information

• Particularly looking for Volunteers in Downpatrick area - Last Wednesday of Every month

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• • An outgoing, friendly approach to meeting new people. • An empathetic and professional manner. • The ability to take the supportive and helpful role.

Join our amazing volunteer team to make a real difference to people living with sight loss. You’ll be supporting people to come together in a group setting, to benefit from each other’s company, knowledge and encouragement, leading to reduced isolation, stronger networks of support, and new friendships. You can support with either local and regional telephone groups or face-to-face groups.

What you’ll be doing:
• Meeting and greeting group members on arrival or joining virtually.
• Creating a warm and welcoming environment.
• Supporting group conversations.
• Assisting with group activities (if appropriate).

What you’ll gain from the role:
• An opportunity to give something back.
• A chance to build a strong community.
• A sense of achievement through the difference you make.

• A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people
• An opportunity to develop and explore different roles with RNIB, including our internal job vacancies.

In return for donating your time we will provide:
• A rewarding experience.
• A great Induction and training.
• A supportive manager.
• Regular updates and catchups.
• Expenses.
• An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Week

Key requirements

• 1 reference Criminal record check

Location

Region

• Scotland

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• • An interest in group or community work. • A sociable personality. • A commitment to working towards a society where people with sight loss are equal participants.

Are you an experienced gallerist or someone with a love of art, photography and animals? If so, you might be the perfect person for this exciting new volunteer opportunity.

Following our recent refurbishment, we have a large area in our reception building which we think is the perfect space to showcase animal welfare related exhibitions. We’re looking for a volunteer to assist in curating these exhibitions and to support with administration.

About the Role:

The Volunteer Curator will help with all aspects of the exhibitions, from generating and developing ideas with our Communications & Marketing team to physically hanging the artwork. Previous experience of having curated exhibitions would be beneficial, however a keen interest in this area would also be desirable.

This is a new volunteer role working with the Communications & Marketing team. It’s an exciting new opportunity for us to engage our supporters with animal welfare in a creative way. We are all learning together, so there may be the opportunity to visit other galleries alongside the team to gain insight into how to create engaging exhibitions.

As we work together to decide the scope of the work, we are happy to be flexible with potential volunteers on the day that they come to site, however this is most likely to be between Monday-Friday. We hope to develop a rolling programme of exhibitions, so the Volunteer Curator role is welcome to commit for as long as they are willing to help us, we hope that this would be for a minimum of 6 months.

About You:

You will be an outgoing and creative person with experience gallery work and understand current animal welfare issues. Bath Cats & Dogs Home’s supporters range from various ages and backgrounds, so sensitivity of this in your ideas for exhibitions would be appreciated.   

You will be computer literate and work well with a varied team. There is a manual handling element to this volunteer role which should be considered upon application.

If you are someone who would like to engage the public with animal welfare through creativity and have the time to help us develop this exciting new project, then we would love to hear from you.

Are you a good listener? Are you able to manage group conversations and ensure people feel comfortable together and that groups run smoothly? We need you to facilitate our weekly telephone groups that offer blind and partially sighted people the opportunity to socialise with others.

This is a telephone-based role that you can do from home. You will need access to a landline or mobile phone We ask you to commit to between 1 and 3 hours per week to facilitate Talk and Support befriending groups which will be at the same day and time each week. Each group runs for an hour.

How often will I be needed?

• 1 Hours per Week

Key requirements

• This role requires 2 references

Location

Region

• North East, South East, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and the Humber, Greater London, East of England, South West, North West, Wales, West Midlands, East Midlands, Scotland

Home based

• This role is home based

Additional location information

• Home Based: over the telephone (this role requires you to have a landline or mobile telephone) The groups meet during the day from Monday to Friday.

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• Effective listening skills;Good verbal communication skills;Work with wide range of people

Join our amazing volunteer team to raise awareness of the issues affecting blind and partially sighted people in relation to sport. You will give talks in person or virtually, sharing your own story to improve understanding of sight loss to sports clubs, sporting venues and facilities and community groups. You’ll be making a real difference to people living with sight loss by helping to improve accessibility and inclusivity, creating a sporting world without barriers.

What you’ll be doing
1. Talks to sports and physical activity providers to support and encourage them to consider the needs of blind and partially sighted people by sharing your story to audiences, for example, local leisure centres, sporting venues and sports clubs.
2. Delivering talks to raise awareness of existing sporting and physical activity opportunities for blind and partially sighted people.
3. Representing RNIB as an Ambassador for the Community Connection service.

What you’ll gain from the role
1. A chance to give something back in an area you are passionate about.
2. A chance to make a difference with a sense of achievement.
3. A chance to build a strong community of sports people with sight loss.
4. A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people, increasing your confidence and skills to talk to groups of people with impact, with an opportunity to develop your role into delivering independently over time.
5. Opportunity to explore different roles within our organisation including our internal recruitment vacancies

In return for donating your time we will support you with:
1. A rewarding role
2. A great Induction and Training, in particular training in public speaking and story telling will be given.
3. A supportive Manager
4. Regular catch-ups
5. Expenses
6. An opportunity to connect with other volunteers

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Month

Key requirements

• This role requires 1 reference.

Location

Region

• Scotland

Who this opportunity will suit

• This role is reserved for blind and partially sighted applicants

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• You’ll ideally have 1. Lived experience in playing, spectating, or delivering sport or physical activity sessions as a blind or partially sighted person. 2. Lived experience of issues affecting blind and partially sighted people in relation to sports and physical activity. 3. Be comfortable speaking to different audiences to share your sporting story, or a willingness to try with our support. 4. Have effective communication skills. 5. An outgoing friendly approach to meeting new people

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 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

We are looking for friendly and organised volunteers to assist with sorting, washing and drying laundry, as well as keeping our laundry room tidy. This is an important role as the supply of clean bedding, towels and toys is essential for the welfare of our animals. You will be helping us keep them comfortable, warm and entertained.

In addition to making a difference to the animals in our care, you will get to know our friendly team and gain further insight into how the Home runs.

Our volunteer requirement is on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 09:00-16:00. A weekly commitment of 3 hours is preferred. 

Role Profile

As a laundry room assistant, you will support our staff and animals by washing towels, blankets and animal bedding. In addition to this, you will sort through the donated bedding and towels we receive and decide what items we can keep, what can be recycled and what we need to throw away, endeavouring to waste as little as possible. You will also be ensuring that the laundry room is always kept clean and tidy and checking that machines are in proper working order.

Your activities will include:

• Cleaning and drying any laundry that is generated during the daily running of the centre
• Folding and storing clean laundry which will include bedding and towels, toys and vet beds from our recovery suite
• Sorting donated bedding and towels, deciding which can be used, recycled or disposed of
• Keeping the laundry room tidy
• Reporting any issues with the washing machines or tumble dryers to our site maintenance team

About You

This can sometimes be a messy task, so a willingness to get your hands dirty is essential as you will sometimes be cleaning soiled blankets, towels and vet beds used in our recovery suite. There is a manual handling element of the role, so this should be considered upon application.

You don’t need to have any prior experience, you will be given full onsite training on how to use our machines and where everything goes.

All volunteers are required to complete online Health & Safety training prior to their start date. Due to insurance restrictions, all volunteers must be over the age of 18.

Join our amazing volunteer team to raise awareness of the issues affecting blind and partially sighted people in relation to sport. You will give talks in person or virtually, sharing your own story to improve understanding of sight loss to sports clubs, sporting venues and facilities and community groups. You’ll be making a real difference to people living with sight loss by helping to improve accessibility and inclusivity, creating a sporting world without barriers.

What you’ll be doing
1. Talks to sports and physical activity providers to support and encourage them to consider the needs of blind and partially sighted people by sharing your story to audiences, for example, local leisure centres, sporting venues and sports clubs.
2. Delivering talks to raise awareness of existing sporting and physical activity opportunities for blind and partially sighted people.
3. Representing RNIB as an Ambassador for the Community Connection service.

What you’ll gain from the role
1. A chance to give something back in an area you are passionate about.
2. A chance to make a difference with a sense of achievement.
3. A chance to build a strong community of sports people with sight loss.
4. A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people, increasing your confidence and skills to talk to groups of people with impact, with an opportunity to develop your role into delivering independently over time.
5. Opportunity to explore different roles within our organisation including our internal recruitment vacancies

In return for donating your time we will support you with:
1. A rewarding role
2. A great Induction and Training, in particular training in public speaking and story telling will be given.
3. A supportive Manager
4. Regular catch-ups
5. Expenses
6. An opportunity to connect with other volunteers

How often will I be needed?

• 4 Hours per Month

Key requirements

• This role requires 1 reference.

Location

Region

• Northern Ireland

Who this opportunity will suit

• This role is reserved for blind and partially sighted applicants

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• You’ll ideally have 1. Lived experience in playing, spectating, or delivering sport or physical activity sessions as a blind or partially sighted person. 2. Lived experience of issues affecting blind and partially sighted people in relation to sports and physical activity. 3. Be comfortable speaking to different audiences to share your sporting story, or a willingness to try with our support. 4. Have effective communication skills. 5. An outgoing friendly approach to meeting new people

Are you happy to listen to others talking about their experience of building or carpentry? We are looking for someone like you to facilitate our monthly special interest group for blind and partially sighted people who are interested in these topics and who would like to share their experience with others.

You will contribute to the group to ensure that all participants feel comfortable and that the group runs smoothly.
This group will run monthly either over the telephone or as a video call.

How often will I be needed?

• 2 Hours per Month

Key requirements

• This role requires one reference.

Location

Region

• North West, Scotland, Wales, East Midlands, North East, Northern Ireland, West Midlands, Greater London, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, South West, South East

Home based

• This role is home based

Additional location information

• The groups meet during the day from Monday to Friday.

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• Empathy with blind and partially sighted people. Good listening skills. Experience of working in the building or carpentry trades, or a keen interest in these topics. Ability to work with wide range of people. Ability to use the telephone or video call system to talk to groups of people.

Join our amazing team and make a real difference to people living with sight loss. Help create a welcoming and safe environment for people to share their experiences, ask questions and support each other and connect with a local community in a group setting via Facebook.

In this role you will be:
• Managing group membership – authorising Requests to Join.
• Creating a warm and welcoming environment by welcoming new members to the group and encouraging participation.
• Supporting group conversations – Instigating dialogue based on eye health related days/events or more interest-based topics.
• Working with a Volunteer Moderator Team to create engaging content for the Group.
• Ensuring group rules are followed and that content is appropriate by alerting managers when inappropriate content is posted or when there is a safeguarding issue.

What you’ll gain from the role:
• An opportunity to give something back.
• A chance to build a strong community by by engaging with the people with sight loss, local and national organisations.
• A sense of achievement through the difference you make.

•  A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people
• An opportunity to develop and explore different roles with RNIB, including our internal job vacancies.

In return for donating your time we will provide:
• A rewarding experience.
• A great Induction and training.
• A supportive manager.
• Regular updates and catchups.
• Expenses.
• An opportunity to connect with other volunteers through regular moderator meetings

Time commitment
• This volunteering role requires a commitment of around 5 hours a week, there is the option to volunteer for a greater number of hours but this isn't essential.

How often will I be needed?

• 5 Hours per Week

Key requirements

• This role requires an enhanced criminal record check and 2 references.

Location

Region

• Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, North West, South East, West Midlands, North East, South West, Greater London

Home based

• This role is home based

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• An understanding and interest in maximising the benefits of social media platforms. A willingness to learn about local services and activities to inform the community as appropriate. Interested in helping people get the information they need. Good communication skills.

Are you a good listener? Are you able to manage group conversations and ensure people feel comfortable together and that groups run smoothly? We need you to facilitate our Talk and Support weekly telephone groups that offer blind and partially sighted people the opportunity to socialise with others when the regular group facilitator is unavailable. This is a telephone-based role that you can do from home. You will need access to a landline or mobile phone We ask you to commit to covering up to 3 groups per week, although this will vary on a week by week basis. Each group you cover will last for one hour.

Home based

• This role is home based

Additional location information

• Home Based: over the telephone (this role requires you to have a landline or mobile telephone)

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 18 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• Effective listening skills;
• Good verbal communication skills;
• Work with wide range of people

Do you have an interest in how technology can enable people with sight loss to live connected, independent lives? We'd love you to get involved in our Tech Hub to help people with sight loss develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to use everyday technology. We particularly need people who are comfortable with Android phones and tablets – training will be provided to support your knowledge.

The Tech Hub is based at RNIB’s London Grimaldi office on Pentonville Road and is part of our Eye Care Services Centre for Excellence.

How often will I be needed?

• 6 Hours per Month

Key requirements

• This role requires an enhanced criminal record check and 1 reference.

Location

Region

• Greater London

Additional location information

• RNIB Grimaldi Building 154A Pentonville Road London N1 9JE

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 16 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• Good communication skills
• Patient approach to training
• Natural tech user

Would you like to volunteer in a customer facing role at RNIB's Product and Advice Centre in London? Could you be the welcoming face of RNIB? Do you have good communication skills and enjoy meeting and helping people? We need friendly, enthusiastic people like you to give visitors to our building the best possible experience when they come to us for information about our products and services. Visits to our Products and Advice Centre are a great way of customers finding out about the products and services that RNIB offers, and give customers the chance to try and buy products.

The role involves welcoming customers and assisting customers to view and try products before they buy, recording purchases on the till (training will be provided) and some admin tasks such as using excel, checking stock lists and processing payments.

We are looking for volunteers with a welcoming and friendly nature, who enjoy interacting with people. Some experience of Microsoft Office and Excel would be great but is not essential.

The Product and Advice Centre team is a friendly and supportive team and ideally, you will have some flexibility to fit in with the needs of the Product and Advice Centre. Volunteers are needed from 10am until 4pm.

How often will I be needed?

• 1 Days per Week

Key requirements

• This role requires 1 reference.

Location

Region

• Greater London

Additional location information

• The Grimaldi Building, 154a Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JE. A five to ten minute walk from three nearby train stations: King’s Cross, Euston and St Pancras International.

Who this opportunity will suit

Minimum age

• You must be at least 16 years old to apply

What skills and experience are needed?

• Ability to use your own initiative
• Approachable & empathetic nature
• A welcoming and friendly nature
• Good Interpersonal Skills
• Microsoft Word, Excel and internet
• Willingness to work as part of a team
• Reliable, punctual and trustworthy

Background: As our current Chair prepares to step down after an impactful and valued tenure, we are seeking a new Chair to lead our Board into the next phase of LCF’s journey. This is a planned transition at a pivotal time in our development. The Chair will work in close partnership with donors, the Chief Executive, trustees, and staff team to shape LCF’s future strategy and strengthen its governance. This is an opportunity to contribute to meaningful, lasting change for London’s communities — and to support the organisations at the heart of that change.

Overview of the role

The Chair of the Board of Trustees ensures that the organisation’s strategy seeks to address some of the most complex social and economic issues in London today by attracting the right partnerships and investments and ensuring that funds get to where they are needed most in the most effective, efficient and impactful manner. 

The role holder ensures that this work is delivered with a strong focus on equity, diversity and inclusion and outstanding governance.

Principal Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide inspiring and inclusive leadership to the Board, helping define LCF’s strategic aims, and aligning these with its vision and values
• Lead on embedding DEI principles in Board culture and decisions, and fostering a culture of transparency, learning, collaboration, challenge, and accountability.
• Facilitate a constructive, purposeful, and productive dynamic between the Board and Executive team, supporting them in identifying and managing key organisational risks and mitigation strategies.
• Ensure the charity delivers maximum community impact through a sound strategy, strong governance, and continuous learning.
• Lead the Board in overseeing the financial resilience of the charity.
• Provide effective line management to the CEO.

Sound Governance and Compliance

• Work with the Chief Executive to shape the Board’s agenda, aligning governance with strategic priorities.
• Ensure the Board operates effectively and adheres to its legal and regulatory responsibilities and to best-practice governance principles. 
• Encourage full, meaningful, and diverse participation at Board meetings and ensure Board decisions are evidence-informed, collectively owned, and implemented effectively.
• Lead on the annual appraisal of Trustees, on Board and Committee effectiveness, and on sound succession planning. 

External Relations

• Act as a confident and credible representative of LCF; and support the Chief Executive in developing strategic relationships and enhancing the organisation’s profile and reputation.
• Promote external engagement and horizon scanning to identify emerging risks and opportunities for innovation.
• Engage with and listen to communities and partners across London to amplify under-represented voices.

Relationship with the Chief Executive

• Build a strong, supportive, and honest working relationship with the Chief Executive.
• Hold the Chief Executive to account for the achievement of agreed objectives and organisational health.
• Provide regular support and challenge, balancing encouragement with oversight.
• Lead the Chief Executive’s annual performance and remuneration review, with input from fellow Trustees.

Person Specification

Values and Personal Qualities

• A strong understanding of the issues facing London’s communities and commitment to LCF’s charitable objects and work.
• Deep commitment to LCF’s values, EDI focus and to lived experience and community voice.
• An inclusive leadership style, bringing people together and valuing collaboration and diversity of thought and experience.
• Credibility and authenticity to inspire confidence among a wide range of stakeholders and communities.
• Comfortable engaging with people across diverse sectors, from grassroots groups to institutional funders.

Experience

• Senior leadership experience in the voluntary, public, or private sectors.
• Experience as a trustee within a charity or similar, with experience chairing or participating in effective non-executive boards.
• Proven track record in strategy, governance, and impact-led decision-making.
• Proven experience representing an organisation publicly and engaging stakeholders.

Knowledge and Skills

• Understanding of the community foundation and philanthropic landscape.
• Strong working knowledge of charity governance and the regulatory duties of trustees, with the ability to promote and model good governance practice.
• Strong financial literacy.

Term 

The Chair will serve a three-year term, renewable for up to two additional terms (maximum of nine years). 

Remuneration

The role of Chair is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although expenses for travel may be claimed.

Time Commitment

The Chair role requires an estimated commitment of 15–18 days per year. This includes preparing for and attending four Board meetings annually, each held at LCF’s London office; participating in occasional extraordinary or quarterly sub-committee meetings; holding regular meetings with the Chief Executive; and representing the Foundation at key events or external engagements.

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.