Voluntary Volunteer Roles in Berkshire
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Web Editor Volunteer Role Description
Are you passionate about changing the way we treat animals? Do you want to help reduce damage to our environment? Do you want to get people to enjoy healthy vegan food that looks good and tastes great?
The Vegan Society makes veganism more accessible and an easily adopted approach by supporting individuals, policy and decision makers, caterers, manufacturers, health care professionals and the media.
Why do we need you?
Our website covers a huge range of topics, aimed to support people in becoming, and staying, vegan. Keeping all of these up to date takes a lot of hours and many hands, especially when it comes to pages that need regular updates involving sourcing and editing images, improving accessibility, and updating content.
What does the role involve?
The role will involve a variety of different tasks in updating the website such as:
- Assisting the web team with content migration for the society’s new website.
- Adding and updating the events page, which will include editing images and proofreading content for the page.
- Reviewing and fixing pages with broken links.
- Publishing and updating recipes on our recipes page.
- Supporting with accessibility improvements to the site such as adding alt tags to images.
- Undertaking search engine optimisation tasks, such as identifying key search terms and popular pages we could develop.
- More advanced web editing and development tasks may be offered to volunteers depending on their skillset and level of experience.
We expect that tasks will be assigned based on your experience and confidence in the area, with full support from the Web Officer. This would all happen in software we provide. Our website CMS currently is Drupal; however, we will be moving over to Umbraco soon, so you would become familiar with this.
What training and development is available?
Each task will be introduced in a phased way, with a full induction and training session on each area. We will provide training for specific areas, based on your existing experience. There are opportunities for all our roles to develop and to take on more responsibility.
What skills would be useful in doing this role?
- Familiarity with content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal or Umbraco would be an ideal foundation for this role.
- Experience with web editing.
- Ability to use digital systems and processes.
- Knowledge and experience of image editing to specific dimensions.
- Ability to work independently.
- Willingness to learn and develop in the role.
What does my availability have to be?
This role will require four to six hours a week. For the first month of volunteering, you will need to commit to these hours between 9:am-5:pm (GMT) so that staff support is directly available to you. After this we will have a review and, if you are comfortable, your hours can be completed more flexibly around your schedule. To keep up contact with staff and help you to manage your tasks, we will schedule a weekly check-in video call with you during weeks that you are volunteering for us.
Who can I contact to find out more?
You can contact Kaya (Senior Volunteering and Engagement Officer) and Emma (Web Officer).
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!
Key details:
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Volunteer role
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Time required 1 day per week (can be split across 2 half days)
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Flexibility: Flexible hours, remote working
Overview:
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Zero Hour is searching for 2x volunteer Press & Comms Officers to help support grassroots campaigners maximise communication and local press coverage of any progress in their constituency.
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This role will support the existing Grassroots Manager and Political Communications Manager in ensuring that all campaigners have the local support they may require.
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Volunteer or paid experience working for an environmental NGO or charity is preferable but isn’t essential. What we’re looking for is someone who has experience or understanding of drafting press releases and liaising with local media.
Key purpose:
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We’re looking for someone to help Zero Hour support local grassroots campaigners with local press at key milestones in their constituency pages ahead of the general election.
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Tasks include drafting, proofing and supporting distribution of local press releases.
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Support in building local press contacts and relationships that can be utilised at future dates.
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Researching and sharing any press pick up that happens in regions with relevant grassroots campaigners and group chats.
Personal specification:
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Experience in copywriting, drafting press releases
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Experience working with local media
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Confident and professional written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to engage and activate a range of people
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A keen eye for detail and an ability to manage projects and prioritise tasks
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Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to find creative solutions
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The ability to work independently and prioritise tasks
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An interest in the key issues surrounding the climate-nature crisis (globally and at a UK level)
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Knowledge about the interconnections between social and racial justice and the environmental emergency
Competency of IT systems, such as Google and Microsoft applications, and particularly Excel, as well as, ideally, knowledge of how to build, inspire and activate a campaign database
To apply, please submit a two page CV and a two page covering letter to Zero Hour
If you’d rather record a (2 to 3 minute) video or an audio recording in place of a covering letter, that’s also fine.
Interviews will take place in the week commencing 22 April.
In your covering letter, please refer to the experience and personal specification, explain your suitability for the voluntary role of Press & Comms Officer, using examples from your previous work and voluntary roles.
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 excited to announce an outstanding volunteer opportunity at HavenWeb, a dynamic and innovative organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable and eco-friendly living. Our mission is to empower people to grow their own food at home or in a community environment. We are on the lookout for a passionate and creative Marketing Manager to volunteer with us. This individual will play a pivotal role in launching our newest initiative, Seedlings of HavenWeb, aimed at introducing our community to the joys and benefits of home-grown food. The ideal candidate will be instrumental in crafting and implementing a comprehensive marketing strategy to attract new customers and spread our message far and wide.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and Implement Marketing Strategies: Craft a strategic marketing plan that encompasses various channels and approaches, including local markets, social media, partnerships, and more, to maximize our outreach and impact.
- Team Collaboration: Work closely with the HavenWeb team, providing clear and detailed instructions and updates to ensure cohesive efforts and shared success.
- Engagement and Outreach: Engage with our community and potential customers through innovative and compelling campaigns, fostering a deep connection with our mission and offerings.
- Budget Management: Efficiently manage and allocate a limited budget to ensure the most effective use of resources in achieving marketing goals.
- Performance Analysis: Monitor and analyze the performance of marketing initiatives, adapting strategies as needed to ensure continuous improvement and growth.
- Explore New Avenues: Continuously seek out and evaluate new marketing opportunities and platforms that could enhance our visibility and attract a broader audience.
Ideal Candidate:
- Proven experience in marketing, with the ability to devise and execute effective strategies. We will consider people new to this profession when showning enthusiasm and out-of-the-box thinking.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and engaging manner.
- A creative thinker with a flair for innovative marketing approaches.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- A team player with a collaborative spirit, eager to work with a diverse group of individuals.
- Passionate about sustainability, gardening, and promoting eco-friendly living.
- Previous experience in working with limited budgets and maximizing resource efficiency.
What We Offer:
- A chance to be a part of a meaningful project that makes a real difference in promoting sustainability and eco-friendly practices.
- The opportunity to enhance your marketing portfolio with a unique and impactful initiative.
- A platform to unleash your creativity and marketing skills in a supportive and vibrant environment.
- The ability to work remotely and flexibly, accommodating your schedule and commitments.
Join us in planting the seeds of change with HavenWeb. Together, we can grow a greener, more sustainable future.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We're setting up a new youth charity called REMIX and looking for a volunteer to join us in the role of Website Designer who can help us get REMIX by creating a visually appealing vibrant one page website that we can add pages too once we are fully registered as a charity.
REMIX aims to be a dynamic youth-focused charity passionate and committed to empowering young people from deprived areas and disadvantaged backgrounds across London and beyond by creating opportunities and experiences that address the holistic needs of young people, that EMPOWER young people and INSPIRE change that puts them on a path to TRANSFORM their lives for the better. Our evidence-based programmes will focus on developing essential life skills, fostering healthy lifestyles, and unlocking personal growth by experienced and dedicated positive role models in a safe and non judgemental environment, helping young people discover themselves and the world around them.
We're looking for volunteer Website Designer:
We're searching for a visionary Website Designer to lay the foundation of our online presence with a stunning one-page website that captures our essence and mission. We want a website that can be added too and launched once we are fully launched with our charity number. The one page wesbite will initially give us online presence and help us raise awareness of REMIX to people across London and beyond.
Together, let’s REMIX the narrative of our world!
REMIX
EMPOWER | INSPIRE | TRANSFORM
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
At Doorstep Library, we’re dedicated to bringing the magic of books and the joy of reading directly into the homes of children who need our support.
With 1 in 4 children in the UK leaving primary school unable to read or write properly, we recruit and train in-person and online volunteers to introduce children from under-resourced areas to the pleasure of reading.
What’s Involved?
As a Doorstep Library reading volunteer, you’ll visit the same families via Zoom every week with eBooks to share with the children and encourage their love of reading.
You will:
- Handpick eBooks from our online portals based on the children’s age, interests, and reading level
- Join families via Zoom with your volunteer partner for 20-minute reading sessions
- Make notes after the session to keep track of how the child/ren are progressing
Our unique home-based approach allows our volunteers to build trusting relationships with families, helping them to connect with the community and equip them with the skills they need to succeed later in life.
When and Where?
You can be based anywhere in the UK to become a Doorstep Library online volunteer.
- Time commitment: One evening a week, or once every 3 weeks as a Stand-In Volunteer
- Hours per week: 2
- Days: Our projects run on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays from 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Skills/Experience Needed
- Be able to make a regular weekly commitment or once every 3 weeks for a Stand-In Volunteer during school term time
- Be compliant with our safeguarding procedures, complete an Enhanced DBS, Child Barred List check, and provide 2 references
- Enjoy spending time with children and believe in education for all
- Have comfortable fluency in English
- Be non-judgmental and respectful of a variety of lifestyles and children’s learning
- Have excellent communication skills – be able to listen to families and communicate effectively with Project Leaders (including via text/emails/calls with Doorstep Library staff)
- Be confident using technology – for connecting with families via Zoom and completing records
- Be organised – be able to multi-task in a multi-faceted role comprising of much more than solely reading to children
- Be reliable – always attending a pre-agreed session and giving plenty of notice in advance of absences
- Be friendly – to build good relationships with families, your volunteer partner and the rest of the team
- Be confident – to lead the session or mentor a new volunteer
- Be patient, persistent and flexible – tailoring your approach to each family’s needs
Doorstep Library is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and all those it comes into contact with. All volunteers undergo rigorous safer recruitment processes including specified interview questions, a DBS check, and the collection of written and/or verbal references. Safeguarding training is a mandatory part of the induction process for all volunteers, and they are expected to always adhere to our safeguarding policies and procedures.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Could you make a significant contribution to help people live later life well?
Are you a member of the Methodist Church in Britain seeking to use your skills, expertise and gifts in a new way?
We are seeking a Methodist Church nominee to join the board of Methodist Homes (MHA).
You will be working collaboratively with other MHA trustees to help shape MHA’s future strategy and ensure good governance across the charity.
As a Board Member you will have passion for the wellbeing of older people and will bring a wide-ranging skills and experience.
Expressions of interest are invited from both lay and ordained members of the Methodist Church in Britain. You're encouraged to apply if you feel that overall, your skills and experience meet the role requirements.
Reflecting the diverse communities that MHA are proud to serve, MHA is committed to widening the diversity of its leadership and board. Therefore, we actively and warmly encourage applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.
If you would find it helpful to discuss the role before applying, please contac us to arrange a phone conversation with a member of the Nominations Committee.
Closing date: 28 May 2024
Short listing 30 May
Interviews /exploratory conversations – Date to be confirmed
The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.
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 Volunteers based in either:
Gloucester, Bristol., South Wales, Devon, Somerset, Hertfordshire and Leicester.
To help run our family hubs, where tasks involve making refreshments and interacting with families.
Help with fundraising events: include selling raffle tickets, helping at the charity awaremeness stand, talking to people etc.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
A bit about this role
If you enjoy driving and would love to use those skills to help our cats, this could be the role for you. Our transport volunteers provide vital assistance to our teams and volunteer groups in the local area by transporting equipment, litter, food– and even cats! They have the essential role of connecting our network of volunteers, sites, vets and supporters.
Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection, we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help.
What can you expect to be doing?
- Arranging and transporting equipment, litter and cat food
- Transporting cats to and from vets, foster homes and centres
- Transporting equipment to and from events
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!
BCHA is a dynamic, charitable housing association providing housing, support and employability & skills services to people who are experiencing homeless or other forms of social need. We manage around 1400 short-stay and long-stay homes in Plymouth, Exeter, Yeovil, Wiltshire, Dorset and Bournemouth-Christchurch-Poole with a strong mission to provide accommodation and services for those most in need.
We have just launched our new 5-year Strategic Plan and welcome you to join us work towards our exciting new vision that everyone has a home nd the opportunity to thrive.
We are currently seeking to recruit non-executive board members to fill current and future vacancies. These roles are unpaid.
Along with a passion to make a difference, we are especially looking to attract candidates who have strong experience of any or all of the following:
· Charity/not-for-profit governance
· managing growing organisations
· health and social care commissioning
If have the right motivation and skills to offer and want to join us on our journey in delivering our new Strategic Plan, BCHA would love to hear from you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We’re a charity awarding £1,000 grants to people of colour based in the UK who want to bring a new creative project to life. We support creativity in all its forms including: poetry, paintings, fashion, zines, music, food, flowers, photographs, workshops, events or something else completely.
Brief:
We need a volunteer to help neurodivergent applicants or applicants with long term illness write their applications.
An important distinction is to be made here - your role is to help someone write a clear application. You are not here to help them develop their idea or to turn it into something it’s not.
Applicants answer these questions:
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What is their Grand Plan? (300 words)
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Why is now the right time to do it? (100 words)
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What is your budget?
These answers are then marked against a criteria which can be found on our website (which we can share with you).
Process:
We will ask applicants to come to you with bullet points for ideas of what their project is. This is the minimum; some may come with a written application that needs tweaking.
You will then read through what they have and help write clearer sentence structures. While we try not to judge on things like grammar and spelling, this does often help clarify the project’s ambitions.
The aim is to work in a collaborative Google Doc, but if that is not possible, we will explore other options.
Keep sentences simple and to the point. We need to be sold on your vision, but it doesn’t need to be overwritten. Using simple and straightforward language helps give us clarity on your project.
We will allow applicants up to two rounds of feedback - meaning you can work on the application a maximum of three times. We ask applicants to group their feedback.
Applicants
This will be open to applicants who are disabled, including those with dyslexia or dyspraxia. So it’s important to be patient and anticipate that they may not have the clearest written communication.
Skills
- Copywriting/Proofreading
- Desireable: Experiance of working with people who have long term illnesses or are neurodivergent
Please send us a short paragraph about why you're interested in this role.
Grand Plan is a fund run by creatives, for creatives. We award £1,000 grants to artists and creative people of colour.
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 passionate about law, policy, and effective communications? Statewatch, a small team dedicated to promoting civil liberties and human rights through research, reporting and analysis, is seeking a motivated volunteer to assist in our efforts to make legal and political information accessible to all.
Terms
Time commitment: Approximately 2-3 hours per week, including a 1/2 hour check-in with the communications worker, for a 3-month period (with the possibility of extension).
Starting date: Immediately.
Compensation: This is an unpaid volunteer position.
Location: Remote
About Statewatch
Statewatch produces and promotes critical research, policy analysis and investigative journalism to inform debates, movements and campaigns on civil liberties, human rights and democratic standards. We began operating in 1991 and are based in London.
Our vision: An open Europe of democracy, civil liberties, personal and political rights, free movement, freedom of information, equality and diversity.
Our mission: To monitor, analyse and expose state activity that threatens civil liberties, human rights and democratic standards in order to inform and enable a culture of diversity, debate and dissent.
About the position:
In this role, you will work closely with the communications specialist to conduct the following.
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Archive review and cataloguing:
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Review Statewatch's archive of work, including reports, articles, and publications.
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Identify content with continued relevance based on ongoing policies or contemporary issues.
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Catalogue relevant content by both topic/context and type of relevance (e.g., policy implications, historical insights).
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Organise the catalogued content for easy reference and retrieval.
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Social media messaging:
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Draft ideas for social-ready messaging in various length by distilling relevant information from the catalogued content.
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Assist with translating legal and political language into accessible and accurate information suitable for social media platforms.
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Ensure messaging aligns with Statewatch's mission and messaging guidelines.
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Language guide development:
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Identify key terms and phrases commonly used in Statewatch's external messaging.
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Research and provide guidance on the relevance and appropriateness of certain statements or terminology.
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Assist with developing a language guide for discussing specific topics, including examples and explanations.
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Collaborate with Statewatch team members to ensure consistency and accuracy in messaging.
Key results
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Catalogued archive of relevant content, organised by topic/context and type of relevance.
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Social media messaging templates and content suitable for various platforms.
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Comprehensive language guide for discussing specific topics, including examples and explanations.
About you
We are looking for someone who:
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Has an understanding of legal and political language, with an interest in translating complex concepts into accessible information.
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Research and analytical skills.
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Is proficient in written communications in the English language
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Interest in the political and social context in which Statewatch operates
Benefits:
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Gain hands-on experience in legal research, policy analysis, and accessible communications.
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Work closely with a dedicated team passionate about civil liberties and human rights.
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Make a meaningful contribution to Statewatch's mission of promoting transparency, accountability, and democratic standards.
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Develop valuable skills in communication, research, and advocacy.
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!
A bit about this role
At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats and kittens each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups. We have over 250 branches across the UK, all of which help our feline friends in different ways. Branches take in stray and abandoned cats and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they deserve, help raise funds, promote neutering and help spread cat welfare messages. Our branch team leader volunteers lead their local team by supporting and managing volunteers within their group, maintaining communications with both volunteers and staff, and helping promote a positive and professional image of Cats Protection.
What can you expect to be doing?
- Supporting your team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure volunteers are happy and confident
- Making sure the team observes charity best practice and compliance
- Collaborating with your Branch Development Manager (BDM) to plan volunteer activity
- Leading the team to follow Cats Protection policies, procedures and guidelines
- Monitoring expenditure and helping ensure long term financial stability of the volunteer group
- Organising and chairing team meetings
- Acting as an ambassador for Cats Protection
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!
Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.
What is a Caseworker?
Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.
Why do we need you?
We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.
There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.
Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.
When would you be needed and where would you be based?
The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.
What would you be doing?
- Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
- Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
- Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
- Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system
- Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
- Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
- Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
- Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
- Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
- Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
- Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.
What can you gain from this volunteering role?
- Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
- Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
- Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
- Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!
What training and support would you receive?
- Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
- Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
- Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
- Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
- Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
- Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
- Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.
What are we looking for?
- Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
- Good communication skills both written and verbally.
- Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
- Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
- Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
- Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
- Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
- Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.
We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.
Minimum Age: 18
Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.
References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)
Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)
*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered.
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!
Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.
What is a Caseworker?
Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.
Why do we need you?
We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.
There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.
Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.
When would you be needed and where would you be based?
The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.
What would you be doing?
- Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
- Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
- Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
- Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system
- Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
- Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
- Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
- Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
- Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
- Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
- Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.
What can you gain from this volunteering role?
- Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
- Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
- Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
- Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!
What training and support would you receive?
- Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
- Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
- Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
- Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
- Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
- Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
- Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.
What are we looking for?
- Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
- Good communication skills both written and verbally.
- Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
- Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
- Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
- Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
- Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
- Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.
We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.
Minimum Age: 18
Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.
References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)
Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)
*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered.
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 self-motivated and compassionate individuals to help facilitate our support groups and make a difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.
Support Groups offer those with cancer a chance to share their feelings and experiences in a safe and welcoming environment. Support Group Facilitators listen, provide emotional support and share approved cancer related information.
No special qualifications are needed for this role, but being able to devote time to setting up and maintaining a group is essential.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.