Social Care/Development Volunteer Roles
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and asylum-seekers living in South West London, and helps them to play their full part in the community. Arriving as an asylum seeker in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. We exist to help people seeking asylum overcome those challenges, and to help them rebuild their lives.
We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a forced displacement background, providing them the tools they need to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for adults include currently include: ESOL classes; sports; women’s creative writing; women’s coffee morning, and casework.
About the CARAS Adult Team:
In the post-pandemic environment, CARAS is responding to the role of digital literacies in our programme delivery to learners of asylum-seeking and refugee background. In contrast to the UK essential Digital skills framework, we have built in language inclusion to create a participatory learning course for Essential Digital Literacies for learners who are new to reading and writing in English. The individuals joining CARAS are highly diverse, with different countries of origin, linguistic and educational backgrounds. We have observed over the last year that many CARAS community members have limited digital skills, particularly in regard to using computers. Community members have highlighted that computers are important for many individuals to achieve their educational and employment goals, whilst increasing confidence and independence. We have co-designed a digital skills program in partnership with CARAS community members to improve computer literacy and skills, focusing on basic computer literacy.
About the Role:
We are seeking two volunteers based in London to teach our lively computer classes in Tooting every Monday 9:00-11:00. Volunteers will lead the sessions with guidance from the CARAS ESOL Teacher and will work closely with our community members to build their skills and confidence using computers. The Digital Literacies course at CARAS is built around Pre-entry to Entry 2 levels in English. Volunteers will be supporting individuals with tasks such as: getting to know how to use a computer, using the internet, setting up an email address, and using Microsoft office. We intend to fold employability sessions, including CV writing and job searching, into these sessions.
Volunteer Tasks and responsibilities:
· Lead on the delivery of sessions with support from CARAS’s Essential Digital Skills Teacher.
· Assist with the logistical set up of the sessions, supporting CARAS staff where needed.
· Work collaboratively as a team and assisting to shape the project.
· Create class registers and records as required.
· To attend and contribute to volunteer pre- and de-briefs at each session.
· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering.
· Support people to develop their knowledge and skills and encourage and inspire participants to reach their full potential.
· To assist participants to both, recognise and celebrate their achievements.
· To challenge negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manor.
· Advocate for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with not for them.
· Adhering to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
· To be non-judgemental, and able and willing to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
· To be female identifying.
· Have a good understanding of how to use a computer.
· To be reliable and punctual.
· Excellent presentation and communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English.
· Commitment to support people seeking asylum to take control of their asylum journey.
· Ability to volunteer every Friday for a minimum of three months.
· Current resident in the UK.
· Ability to work in Tooting SW17.
· To provide five years’ worth of addresses and be willing to undergo a DBS check.
· To attend CARAS General and Safeguarding Training sessions.
· To be 18 years or older.
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Meet new members of your local community
· Learn about different cultures
· Learn about issues relating to refugee and asylum seekers
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team
· Develop your skills and competencies
· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding
To Apply:
To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form from the CARAS website using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.
Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with a member of the CARAS staff team. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Befriending Volunteer
You can make a difference…Age UK Wandsworth is a small, local, independent charity that has been working with older people in the area since 1963. We rely on your support to keep serving the older residents with in the Wamdsworth community. We have a dedicated team of experienced staff and a large network of dedicated local volunteers. Our aim is to enable everyone to age well in Wandsworth. We would love your help to be able to continue to support older Wandsworth residents.
Our Be-a-Friend service is one of our longest running services, matching people over 65, who live alone and have limited social contact, with a friendly local volunteer with similar hobbies and interests. The volunteer and their new friend set up a suitable time for them to meet each week for a chat and a cup of tea, which could be during the day, in the evening on the way home from work or even on the weekends . If you would prefer to volunteer from home, you can also be matched with an older person for telephone befriending. For many of our matched pairs, this is the beginning of a firm friendship.
Befriending Plus
Befriending Plus is an extended version of the Be-a-Friend programme, for individulas needing help with life admin and small tasks as well as companionship. For Befriending Plus pairs, time spent together can include helping to use a phone or tablet, helping the client to organise their file, going out for a coffee or popping to the post office together. This support can help older people to stay independent at home for longer, as well as increasing their confidence to do these tasks when the volunteer is not there.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
MHA is the largest charity care provider for older people in the UK. Our mission is to inspire the best care and wellbeing at every stage of later life. At Lawnfield House Care Home we provide residential dementia care for 41 residents
As a Volunteer Gardener, you’ll help us make the most of the outdoor space at our home for the enjoyment of our residents. You’ll help with small gardening tasks that may vary each week and depending on the season. You’ll also have opportunities to support residents to access the garden and enjoy light gardening tasks such as potting plants.
Main tasks and responsibilities:
Main tasks include but not limited to:
- Lawn mowing
- Tidying flower beds
- Weeding
- Planting
- Pruning
- Raking leaves
You must:
- Comply with health and safety legislation and be familiar with and to adhere MHA’s Health and Safety Policies. This includes being aware of manual handling hazards and following manual handling and other risk assessments.
- Liaise with the person who supports you before undertaking tasks that haven’t been agreed in advance.
- Inform your named contact if there are any changes in your circumstances that affect your ability to continue with volunteering.
Benefits for you:
- Help improve the quality of life for older people
- Support your community
- Keep socially active
- Be part of a friendly team
- Promote your physical and mental wellbeing
Skills and qualities needed:
- Some gardening knowledge and skills, although this can be basic
- Have a passion for gardening
- Patience, empathy and understanding of the needs of older people
- Good communication and people skills
- Enthusiasm
- Reliable and punctual
- Clear sense of personal boundaries and ability to maintain confidentiality
- A willingness to engage with training and development
Training, support, and requirements:
- You need to be aged 18 or over
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two character references are required
- We will provide you with a full induction for the role
- Training on safeguarding, health and safety and other training relevant to the role
- Ongoing support from a named contact
Times and Commitment:
- Days and times are flexible between Monday-Friday- 8am-6pm. Minimum of two hours a week.
- We ask you to be able to commit on a regular basis for a minimum of six months
Location: Coverdale Road, Willesden, London, NW2 4DJ
*Please note- we can only accept applications from UK residents*
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you looking to impact a young person’s life and make a difference in the community?
Well come and join us today at The Kids Network!
What is the role
- The Kids Network is looking for committed, fun and passionate volunteers who live in or near to Lambeth to make a difference to the children of London.
- Our structured mentoring programme supports 8-11 year old's, based across London, to support with their social and emotional development before they transition into secondary school.
- As a mentor, you will hold weekly one on one sessions of 1 -3 hours. You will help to build confidence, resilience and help your mentee to manage feelings through a series of fun and positive experiences and activities.
- The weekly sessions can be flexible between weekdays and weekends.
- You will also get to meet fellow adults in your community through our peer network.
- All volunteers will go benefit from two days of in-person where you'll gain skills and knowledge to support you as a mentor. (Many mentors share that the skills developed support their progression in the workplace, especially those seeking to gain experience working with children and young people)
What impact will this have?
- Help build resilience and confidence in a child in your local community.
- Learn from fellow mentors with our amazing peer network.
- Help a child as they transition from primary to secondary school.
Currently recruiting mentors who are:
·Looking to give back to their communities and make an impact on little londoners.
Expenses
- Volunteers have a budget of £30 per month. We are also able to cover travel expenses.
Training
- Our induction training will provide you with all the skills and knowledge to support your mentee, including safeguarding, health and safety, child-led mentoring and understanding your role.
- We offer additional training throughout the year to in anti-oppression, trauma-informed practice and lots more to help enhance your mentoring journey and your personal and professional development.
A DBS check is required but is organised and paid for by The Kids Network.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Listening Place is a volunteer-led charity aiming to transform how we support people who feel suicidal. Our trained volunteers are part of a team delivering face-to-face, confidential, ongoing support to thousands of people each year. They help create the warm and welcoming environment that encourages people struggling with suicidal thoughts and feelings to talk openly without being judged or given advice.
Listening volunteers provide ongoing face-to-face support to visitors on regular, fortnightly 4-hour shifts during which they meet with up to 3 visitors (for up to 50 minutes each). No experience or qualifications are necessary. We look for warmth, empathy and resilience in our volunteers and the ability to be non-judgemental and avoid giving advice.
In order to ensure continuity for our visitors we require a one-year minimum commitment from our LVs, as well as three months’ notice of intention to leave.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
MHA is the largest charity care provider for older people in the UK. Our mission is to inspire the best care and wellbeing at every stage of later life. MHA Moorlands is a Retirement Living Scheme offering a supportive and friendly community with purpose-built properties designed to help our residents maintain their independence.
As a Befriender you’ll support one of our male residents by visiting him regularly to bring friendship, company, and a chance to chat. The visits will also include shopping trips (access to own vehicle required) and going for walks.
Benefits for you:
- Help improve the quality of life for older people
- Help reduce loneliness and isolation
- Support your community
- Keep socially active
- Be part of a friendly team
Skills and qualities desired:
- Good communication and people skills
- Enthusiasm
- Patience, empathy and understanding of the needs of older people
- Reliable and punctual
- Clear sense of personal boundaries and ability to maintain confidentiality
- A willingness to engage with training and development
- A good understanding of your personal strengths and limitations
Times and Commitment:
- Monday-Friday- preferably around 11am however the time can be negotiated
- Each visit will last around 2 hours
- We ask you to be able to commit on a regular basis for a minimum of 6 months
Training, support and requirements:
- You need to be aged 18 or over
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two character references are required
- Proof of a clean driving licence, insurance cover and MOT
- Access to own vehicle
- A good driving safety awareness
- We will provide you with a full induction for the role
- Training on safeguarding, health and safety and other training and updating of skills and knowledge relevant to the role
- Ongoing support from a named contact
*Please note- we can only accept applications from UK residents*
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you enjoy reading books and sharing stories?
We are looking for a friendly volunteer to spend time and read newspapers or books to a gentleman we support with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. *N* loves being read to and the company this brings. He will really enjoy having a cup of tea with a new friend.
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:
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Reading Books and Newspapers to a gentleman we support. *N* communicates without words but loves listening to others.
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Enjoying a cup of tea together
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Being there for company and friendship
Activities will NOT include: Personal care, medication or financial assistance.
We are looking for someone who is:
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Friendly, caring and enthusiastic.
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Comfortable reading out loud and spending time with people with learning disabilities and autism.
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Reliable/dependable and willing to commit to volunteer regularly (exact times/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:
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Access to free online training (with access to 800 plus courses)
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Comprehensive support from professional and friendly Dimensions staff
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Reasonable expenses may be reimbursed at manager’s discretion
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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!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you enjoy meeting new people and have free time on Monday evenings?
We are looking for a friendly volunteer to accompany a gentleman we support to attend his Monday evening social club and escort him home at 10.00pm. The club is fortnightly, and the venue is a 5-minute walk away from his home in Kidderminster.
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:
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Sharing your time on Monday evenings (fortnightly) and joining a gentleman we support to attend his evening social club. This includes help with purchasing a drink and retain a receipt.
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Escorting him home at 10.00pm. The gentleman is a wheelchair user although self-propels most of the time
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Being there for company, friendship and fun
Activities will NOT include Personal care, or medication support.
We are looking for volunteers who are:
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Friendly and enthusiastic
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Comfortable with pushing a wheelchair when needed
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Comfortable chatting with people with learning disabilities and autism.
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Reliable and willing to commit to volunteer once a fortnight (on Monday evenings)
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!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you live in Wales and want to gain valuable skills, have new experiences, and support vulnerable people?
We are offering 1 young person aged 18-25 the opportunity to volunteer for up to 11 months with the French Red Cross in Lille. The programme will run from September 2024 – August 2025.
You will be working on a range of projects, which will give you the chance to explore the different kinds of social action that the French Red Cross undertake in Lille. This is a great opportunity to get involved in these projects and find out what you are interested in. For more details on the role and the projects available, have a look at the role description. The main thing we want to see is your motivation for this placement!
The French Red Cross operates a project called “Mobile support programme for migrants” (DMSE) along the shores of northern France. This programme aims to “go towards” migrants and provide them support directly in the makeshift camps. The project offers three main services: access to care, maintaining and restoring family links and supporting unaccompanied children. The successful volunteer will likely spend 2 days a week in the field supporting migrants, 1 day in the office providing administrative and logistical support and 1 day will be dedicated to their individual Element project, a chance for the volunteer to develop their own project or cultural exchange activity. The remaining day will be treated flexibly and could see the successful volunteer supporting the French Red Cross on their other projects such as helping the FRC in launching first aid training for migrants.
Please note that only young people based in Wales can apply for this role. We are especially interested in applications from those who are from low socio-economic backgrounds, are carers or are care experienced, have accessed free school meals, are refugees or asylum seekers and those with disabilities or additional needs.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 1 May 2024.
Successful applicants will ideally satisfy any one of the following criteria:
- Low household income (under £26,000).
- Are carers/have experience in the care system.
- Have accessed free school meals.
- Are a refugee.
- Are currently seeking asylum.
- Are disabled or have additional needs.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you live in Wales and want to gain valuable skills, have new experiences, and support vulnerable people?
We are offering 1 young people aged 18-25 the opportunity to volunteer for up to 11 months with the Swedish Red Cross in Stockholm. The programme will run from September 2024 – August 2025.
You will be working on a range of projects, which will give you the chance to explore the different kinds of social action that the Swedish Red Cross undertake in Stockholm. This is a great opportunity to get involved in these projects and find out what you are interested in. For more details on the role and the projects available, have a look at the role description. The main thing we want to see is your motivation for this placement!
The Swedish Red Cross Youth is excited to welcome two volunteers in collaboration with British Red Cross this fall. This opportunity offers volunteers the chance to contribute to the vital work of the Swedish Red Cross Youth in addressing the needs of youth in socio-economically vulnerable areas and strengthening the capacity of our volunteers nationwide and will also offer you an opportunity to volunteer in our breakfast clubs, homework help groups, support chats, tutoring sessions and other member meetings. The placement is in central Stockholm, at the Swedish Red Cross HQ. As a Volunteer in this programme, you will play a crucial role in supporting the activities coordinated by the Red Cross Youth, gaining valuable experience in community development, crisis management, and international collaboration. Your efforts will contribute to creating positive forums for young people in Sweden to network and foster a sense of community and empowerment.
Please note that only young people based in Wales can apply for this role. We are especially interested in applications from those who are from low socio-economic backgrounds, are carers or are care experienced, have accessed free school meals, are refugees or asylum seekers and those with disabilities or additional needs.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 1 May 2024.
Interviews will take place online with shortlisted candidates.
Successful applicants will ideally satisfy any one of the following criteria:
- Low household income (under £26,000).
- Are carers/have experience in the care system.
- Have accessed free school meals.
- Are a refugee.
- Are currently seeking asylum.
- Are disabled or have additional needs.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are looking for Qualified volunteers to join our Complementary Therapy team and donate their time and professional skills as a therapist to support our hospice patients. This role will make a huge difference to the lives of those requiring end-of-life care.
Your role will include some of, but is not restricted to, the following tasks:
- Provide a rounded approach to patients and their families to ensure the highest quality of care is given
- Be aware of patients’ diagnosis, treatment and care before giving complementary therapies
- Able to adapt a therapy, when required
- Keep to the code of ethics and practice laid down by the governing body of the therapy and to Marie Curie’s policy for complementary therapists
- Continue your professional development to refine or learn new skills
- Attend any relevant or training sessions held by the Day Care Unit or Hospice
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
At our hospices, we aim to provide the best possible service to those requiring end of life care. We are looking for a qualified hairdresser or barber to pamper our patients, giving them time and attention and making a difference to their lives. our role will include some of, but is not restricted to, the following tasks:
- Provide a hairdressing service to patients at the hospice
- Consult staff about which patients would like to use the service
- Chat to patients
- Keep the hairdressing room clean and tidy
- Let staff know about any issues concerning patients’ well-being
- Help with other related tasks when necessary
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and people seeking asylum who live in south London. We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic well-being of people who have a background of forced migration, providing them with tools to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for young people currently include ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages), study groups, youth clubs, sports trips and football.
Volunteering With CARAS – Our Community of Welcome
CARAS has a proud history of volunteers helping us deliver our charitable aims. Volunteers are an essential part of the CARAS community, bringing skills, insights, experience, different languages, and enthusiasm to the roles.
Community members tell us that welcome by volunteers is so important in an often hostile world. It helps them feel safe and wanted. Community is at the heart of all we do, and we could not deliver the projects we do without the enormous contribution volunteers bring. Thank you for taking the time to consider volunteering with us.
About Sports Programme:
We work in partnership with Fulham Kicks to run a football session every Monday evening. We provide 1:1 sports advice to help build confidence and remove barriers by supporting young people to plan their journeys and accompanying them to join their first sessions. We find new activities and memberships for young people at youth clubs, gyms and other sports providers. We arrange frequent trips to offer sports to our young people including boxing, yoga, trampolining and hopefully go-karting.
To advance and continue this work we have an exciting new element to the project. The research project will detail: (1) the accessibility barriers faced by young people, (2) methods of best practice for including young refugees and asylum seekers, (3) funding and support options available from local authorities, and (4) what participatory 1:1 support looks like for young people.
About the role:
As a Sports research volunteer, you will work with four young people hired as peer researchers to co-design and deliver a research project to sports providers, local authorities, support networks and other young people. The aim here is to help to remove barriers that young refugees and asylum seekers face in accessing the sports they enjoy. You can do this remotely, researching sports providers and finding sessions for our young people to attend. You will also take part in in-person workshops looking at young refugees and asylum seekers’ experiences in accessing sports in London. You will work with the young people to design questionnaires and deliver the results to local authorities and sports providers. You may need to help young people to travel safely around London and to feel welcome in the city. We would love you to join in with activities where possible and if you would like to.
We ask for a commitment of at least 2-3 hours per month in your own time, and to attend workshops over the Summer for the research project.
Tasks and responsibilities:
· To attend research workshops and assist staff in facilitating them.
· To support young people in their co-design of the project
· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering with young people.
· To participate in research in an independent, open-minded and fair way.
· To encourage and inspire young people to reach their full potential.
· To assist young people to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.
· To challenge young people’s negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manner.
· To adhere to CARAS Child Protection procedures, Confidentiality Policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
To be 18 years or older;
· To have access to your own IT device and to be comfortable using Google Search and Microsoft Office.
· To be able to work both from home and at CARAS
· To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds;
· To be reliable and punctual;
· Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English;
· Current resident of the UK;
· Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check;
· Able to attend compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding prior to the start of the role:
Volunteer induction training currently takes place online once a month on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6 pm – 8 pm. we offer the same training on Tuesday and Wednesday daytimes online between 12 noon – 2 pm once every 3 months.
Your availability to attend 1 general and 1 safeguarding online training session at these times within 3 months of your application would be a prerequisite for being accepted as a volunteer at CARAS.
Desirable:
· Knowledge of community languages, such as (including Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish).
· Some experience in designing/ using questionnaires and surveys to inform services or activities
· To be confident in advocating for young people and explaining their life experiences to local authorities and sports providers.
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Meet new members of your local community;
· Learn about different cultures;
· Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
· Develop your skills and competencies;
· Be able to access relevant training;
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Vice Chair
We have an exciting opportunity for a Vice Chair who is passionate about young people and who is willing to give their time and experience to support this organisation in enabling young people to reach their potential.
Position: Vice Chair
Location: Nottingham
Hours: Board meetings, circa 2 hours each month
Salary: Unremunerated although travel and expenditure can be reimbursed.
About the Role
The organisation is recruiting a Vice Chair who can support our transformation journey, we have an ambitious and exciting growth plan, which will provide us with long-term sustainability. During the next three years, it is essential that we build on the existing skills of our Board of Trustees, expanding these to ensure we have sound governance and oversight of new opportunities, which will include a significant partnership and facility development project. We are interested in recruiting trustees who are passionate about young people and who are willing to give their time, and experience to support the organisation in enabling young people to reach their potential and with time to oversee the organisation, develop strategy, and ensure sound governance. We aim to attract trustees from different ethnicities, genders, and experiences to reflect the communities we work with.
As Vice Chair, you will grasp the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead with vision and energy, applying your expertise to make a visible and lasting difference to the organisation. This will mean overseeing the organisation, and strategic developments and ensuring sound governance.
You will need to commit to attendance at Board meetings, currently every three months and an additional sub-group meeting, such as finance or marketing each quarter. There may be other demands on your time, especially during this coming year as we transition into a new facility, but these should not exceed on average 2 hours each month. Experience in the sector is not essential as training will be provided and you will be supported with a thorough induction to the responsibilities of a trustee and the organisation.
Specific duties for all charity trustees which are laid down by Charity Law are:
a. A duty of care, to ensure that the charity works in pursuance only of its objects and that it delivers on these.
b. A duty of compliance with all relevant legislation and regulation; and
c. A duty of prudence in respect of the charity’s assets.
ii. The organisation’s Articles of Association set out the composition of the Board of Trustees, how the Trustees are appointed and their powers.
Purpose
1.1. The Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the overall conduct of the organisation and all its projects and will conduct its business to ensure that the organisation is:
· financially viable;
· properly governed; and
· properly managed.
1.2. The Board of Trustees will monitor the performance of all its functions and will decide the level of resources to meet its financial and other obligations.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining the Board of Trustees, please apply in writing stating your interest, skills and experience and any particular areas you are interested in.
About the Organisation
The organisation was established in 1993 as a charity supporting young people living in the city and county of Nottingham. The overarching aim of the organisation is to provide support to young people taking a holistic approach to their health and well-being; this is provided through easy access to health, counselling, housing, and learning opportunities while providing a safe place to meet, take part in activities and use practical services such affordable meals, laundry, and showers.
Currently, the primary work of the organisation is delivered through the NGY MyPlace centre in Nottingham, bringing together a multi-disciplinary team enabling the needs of young people to be met in one place. Until 2012, the organisation operated from Glasshouse Street and in 2008 became part of the successful Nottingham bid for Myplace funding under the Government’s commitment to provide youth centres for young people. This bid brought 4.9 million into Nottingham, purchased a building and funded the refurbishment, transforming a grade2 listed Georgian townhouse into a multi-purpose centre, named NGY, run by the organisation and bringing together partners in the centre.
You may have experience in areas such as CFO, NED, Non-Exec Director, Non-Executive Director Fundraiser, Trustee, Fundraising Trustee, Fundraising Manager, Community Engagement Trustee, Community Engagement etc.
PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.
Why we need you
When children come to Acorns for day care activities and respite stays they enjoy a wide range of activities. The activities are fully inclusive for all our children, many of whom are non-verbal with multiple and complex disabilities. Our Befriending Volunteers are vital in helping staff provide fun, engaging and positive experiences for all our children during their stay in the hospice.
What you'll be doing
Befriending Volunteers engage with Acorns children by supporting them to play and have fun. Whether it’s helping a child to experience the Sensory Room or Soft Play area, enjoying messy time with arts and crafts activities, making some noise during a music session or sitting quietly reading a story, our Befriending Volunteers are at the very heart of what Acorns does.
Volunteering alongside our team of professional nurses, healthcare assistants and play workers, our Befriending Volunteers will enjoy:
- Sitting alongside our children helping them to engage in activities
- Reading stories and looking at picture books
- Playing games
- Helping set up and clear away arts and crafts and other activities
- Chatting and interacting with the children and care teams
How much time will it take?
Befriending Volunteers are asked to complete our online basic training and an in-person Befriending Training session which together take 4-5 hours to complete. Once trained, volunteering with us is flexible and you can choose the days/times that you help us, including early evenings and weekends.
We ask our volunteers for a commitment of a minimum of one session per fortnight and hope volunteers will stay with us for at least one year.
Am I right for the role?
Befriending Volunteers need to:
- Be welcoming and friendly with a warm and engaging manner
- Have good communication skills
- Be comfortable in a hospice setting, with children who may have complex disabilities and may be
- receiving end of life care
- Be sensitive to the needs of our children, young people and families
- Be reliable
- Be confident to be able to ask for advice, assistance and support when you’re volunteering at the hospice and not sure how to handle a situation
- Be willing to learn about the importance of confidentiality, boundaries and safeguarding within Acorns
We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and therefore any successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check for children (which we will pay for and process for you) and will be asked to provide two satisfactory references.