Support Worker Volunteer Roles
We know that thousands of people in need of bereavement support are waiting to access ongoing bereavement support. We are now recruiting for additional volunteers, if you would like to know more about volunteering for this popular service, we would love to see you at our UYBO Open Day.
The Understanding your Bereavement (UYBO) Project is managed and delivered remotely, offering one-off bereavement support to clients via Zoom. The sessions are delivered by bereavement volunteers, the service runs alongside other Cruse services such as the National Helpline and Local Cruse Support Services. We offer bereaved people the opportunity to access support promptly, irrespective of the time of bereavement, geography or work/life commitments. By attending a session, a client can learn more about their bereavement and in doing so may not require further support.
You don’t need to have previous experience to become a bereavement volunteer. We look for people who are good listeners, resilient and are empathetic and supportive.
Join us for an Open Day on Monday 13th May 2024 (2:00pm to 4:00pm or 6:00pm to 8:00pm) to learn more, talk to current UYBO volunteers and find out about our training programme and the support we offer volunteers.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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It’s fantastic that you’d like to find out more about volunteering at St Mungo’s. As an Outreach Volunteer you will be assisting Outreach Workers to carry out shifts, adding vital capacity to the team, and enabling us to engage with more rough sleepers who have been referred both via StreetLink and those already known to the team. You will support with navigation, client assessments and note taking while engaging with rough sleeping clients with sensitivity and respect.
What will I be doing?
In this role, you will be supporting us with some or all of the following tasks:
- Assisting outreach workers to carry out shifts and look for referrals.
- Engaging with rough sleepers who have been referred via StreetLink and those known to the team.
- Helping clients access support around immigration, employment and reconnections and accommodation.
- Working together with the outreach worker and divide tasks where appropriate.
- Supporting outreach workers with navigation and note taking.
- Engaging with rough sleeping clients with sensitivity and respect.
- Adhering to St Mungo’s Policies and Procedures at all times.
- Promoting St Mungo’s work in an appropriate manner.
Actively promoting equality, diversity and inclusion among staff, fellow volunteers and clients.
Do I need to have specific skills?
- Have personal resilience.
- Be reliable and able to handle early start shifts.
- Good IT literacy.
- The physical ability to work on the streets – there can be a lot of walking involved.
- Client and customer focused.
- A friendly personality, good interpersonal skills, enthusiasm and motivation.
- Willing to learn and develop within the role.
- Collaborative with good communication skills.
- An understanding of the causes of homelessness and its impact.
- Genuine interest in and commitment to St Mungo’s work and client group.
- An understanding of and commitment to diversity & equality. We particularly welcome applicants with experience of using and moving on from support services.
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Companion volunteers support anyone with a terminal or life limiting illness aged 18 or over and their family. Companion volunteers provide companionship, emotional and practical support and short carer respite.
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Role title: Peer Navigator Volunteer X 40 posts
Responsible to: Lived Experience and Community Development Manager
Hours: Available 4 - 15 hours per week (flexible)
Team: The Peer Pathway – The City and Hackney Wellbeing Network
Location: Remote working / 8-10 Tudor Road / 15a Homerton Row options available
We are looking for a volunteer with lived experience of Mental health to use their valuable insights to support other. This role aligns with the visions of Mind CHWF, The Wellbeing Network and Peer Pathway.
You will contact residents who have made a referral to the Wellbeing Network but are not eligible for our core service. This means that more people seeking support will be contacted, leaving less people facing their challenges alone. There will be a focus on supporting people most underserved by mainstream mental health services, including BAPOC & LGBTQ+ people.
About Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest:
We are a multi-disciplinary provider of specialist mental health services and a part of the Mind Federation.
We promote both recovery from ill health for people with recurrent and enduring mental health difficulties and early intervention for those at risk of developing mental health issues, or who struggle with common mental health conditions.
We currently support around 5,000 people a year through a variety of services focusing on psychological, social, economic and workplace wellbeing, and support minoritised communities.
Our values are:
Connected: Creating a compassionate and supportive community.
Fair: We strive for equity- no-one's needs should go unmet.
Brave: We walk with people, offering help by doing what works - proven or new
Working with Mind CHWF means you’ll be part of a dedicated, passionate, and professional workforce who cares about the work they do and make a real difference to the lives of the people in the City of London, Hackney, and Waltham Forest.
We are committed to actively becoming anti-racist in everything we do. This is a critical priority for Mind CHWF. We embrace diversity and understand that being an inclusive organisation that recognises different perspectives, will enable us to provide excellent services.
We are committed to ensuring all our employees are treated fairly and equitably at work and promoting equity in physical and mental health for all.
Those with lived experience of Mental Health are encouraged to apply.
Value-based Recruitment:
We know that for various reasons, not everybody who can successfully perform in a role, performs their best under traditional interview/selection procedures. We are therefore seeking ways to breakdown further barriers in our recruitment & selection process.
Shorted-listed candidates will be provided with some questions to help them prepare for the interview.
How to apply:
For more information on the vacancy and how to apply, click the ‘Apply’ button - Please note that we are unable to consider incomplete applications.
The closing date is by 24 May 2024, however, please do not delay applying as this advert may close before the stated deadline if we find a suitable applicant for the role.
Your privacy and the security of your data is our top priority. Please take a moment to read through our applicant’s privacy notice.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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We are looking for active individuals that will engage with parents/carers at our Little Love baby bank in Southend, Your role will support this wonderiful iniaitive available to all families that have a child aged under 4 or who are expecting a baby and reaches the most vulnerable. Duties may require setting up and packing away and sorting of donations, depending on how many hours you can offer on a Thursday, supporting the YourFamily programme which is funded by A Better Start Southend.
City Family CIC will seek an Enhanced DBS check at no cost to the volunteer and will reimburse all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses such as public transport fares and car mileage. We ask that you reside no further than 10 miles from Southend. Full induction and training will be provided as well as ongoing support and development.
Your Family is a community-based programme combining peer volunteers and paid staff who provide support, connection and advice to early years families - connecting and enabling them to access local activities, support and clinical services.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Role title: Volunteer Youth Support Assistant
Short description of role: Supporting our Connect! service for young people aged 9-18 with Autistic Spectrum Conditions. Activities range from a social board games & Lego group to kayaking, archery and bushcraft.
Long description of role: Involve’s Connect! service is funded by Kent County Council’s Short Breaks scheme. The purpose is for young people aged 9-18 with Autistic Spectrum Conditions to have a space to meet and build friendships with other young people in an autism friendly environment. The aims are for the young people to build their confidence, independence, and life skills in a safe space. As a volunteer, you would provide valuable support to the young people at activities which have previously included pizza making, arts and crafts, kayaking, archery and bushcraft as well as a regular group that meets and plays board games and Lego. It would not be necessary to join every activity but regularly enough for the young people to build relationships and trust with you at the group. Duties would involve supporting the Youth Programme Coordinator to get the young people settled at the beginning of the session and making drinks for parents and young people. You may also be encouraging young people who are feeling anxious to participate in activities by being a source of support to them and making them feel more comfortable. Most importantly, you will be supporting the group to stay safe and comfortable while trying new experiences.
Districts/areas the role is available in: Across Kent
Skills that the volunteer may need: Good listening and communication. Previous experience of working with young people is desirable but not essential.
What can the volunteer gain from this opportunity: Experience working with children and young people with additional needs. A sense of pride watching young people build their confidence and try new things. And of course, lots of fun!
Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.
Involve is fully committed to upholding the rights of all children, young people and adults to be protected from harm and abuse and to achieve the best outcomes.
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.
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Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones. Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well.
Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include:
- Peer Support Groups (in-person and online)
- A call-back Peer Support Line
- Our eCommunity
In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself.
How volunteers support us
We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email.
Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more.
Our commitment to volunteers:
We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously.
To support you, we will:
- Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles
- Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy
- Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR
- Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff
- Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role
- Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning
- Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation
- Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance
- Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity
- Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development
Training and development
All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate.
Who can volunteer?
As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees.
Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures.
Skills and experience
We look for people who:
- Communicate well
- Enjoy teamwork
- Are able to adapt and willing to learn
- Are reliable, punctual and good at time management
- See situations with objectivity and compassion
- All our volunteers must be 18 or older.
Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation.
We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work.
What we ask of volunteers:
We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two to four hours a week for our phone/email service or up to 4 hours per month for our support groups, for at least six months wherever possible.
We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar. All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services.
Volunteers should:
- Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it
- Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others
- Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing
- Communicate effectively with the team
- Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies
- Have basic IT skills and computer literacy
Our volunteering roles:
- Support Group Co-facilitator (online)
- Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person)
- Support Group Administrator
- Peer Support Line Volunteer
- Media Ambassador
- Fundraising Assistant
- Events Assistant
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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We are looking for a new on-line counselor to join our organisation. This will mean running an email service and even a Skype / zoom service if you wish.
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are looking for someone to replace our current housing advice role as she is having to take time off. If you have expertese in this area please apply!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Service: Perinatal Support for Partners Service
This is a service that offers fathers and non-birthing parents, who’s partner is being supported by the West London perinatal mental health service, an evidence-based 1:1 assessment to support their mental health and wellbeing. The service signpost partners to relevant services (including a PSFP peer support group).
Role Description:
To support our PSFP Service with a variety of tasks such as conducting a 1:1 assessment, (which includes onboarding to the service), co-facilitating monthly peer support groups, signposting and helping partners to access other organisations, taking care of our inbox emails and other administrative duties.
You can download a PDF of the full role description below.
Main responsibilities:
To work closely with our PSFP caseworker supporting referral enquires & service-users in accessing this service. Co-facilitating a monthly peer support group.
Tasks:
- To answer emails and enquiries for the service within our service level agreements
- Triage clients for the service through an onboarding process.
- Co-facilitate a monthly peer support group
- Provide support to our PSFP caseworkers, as and when needed
The type of person we are looking for is:
We welcome applications from those completing studies in Psychology, Counselling/Psychotherapy, or any Allied Health Profession with a focus on supporting those with mental health needs. However, your attitude, motivation, and commitment are just as important as your training/qualifications, or any previous experience. We will review all applications individually and assess them on their unique merits, so do not be discouraged from applying if you do not meet all the criteria listed below. We encourage applications from those with lived experience of mental health problems, as well as those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
Essential:
- An interest in supporting those with mental health needs to access PSFP
- An appreciation of the complex factors that can precipitate, maintain, and exacerbate mental health problems
- Good oral and written communication skills (including listening skills); the ability to communicate in a patient, considered, and empathetic manner
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to follow administrative procedures
- A team player who is willing to chip in and work reflexively, responding to the challenges that arise from working in a dynamic environment
- IT skills – able to update spreadsheets, use web-based applications, video-conferencing software, and Microsoft Office applications.
Desirable:
- Customer Service experience, including with friends and family
- Experience of supporting people with mental health needs, in a voluntary, paid, or personal capacity, (i.e., friends and family)
- Previous involvement with local community groups/networks
- Awareness of the cultural barriers that may exist to seeking mental health support
Time commitment and expenses:
- 6 hours per week, during our core hours of 10am - 4pm.
- Please indicate your preferred volunteering day(s)/time(s) on your application
- We request a minimum commitment of 3 months of volunteering after the completion of your induction
- We will provide volunteers with an induction, training, and ongoing mentoring to support them in the role
- Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed
Why Volunteer at Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, and Hounslow (HFEH) Mind?
Volunteering at HFEH Mind is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the work of a leading national mental health charity. We provide initial and ongoing training, as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the organisation. You will be treated as a core member of the team from day one and be surrounded by supportive and knowledgeable colleagues fighting for mental health.
What’s in it for the volunteer?
Volunteering opportunities have been a route into paid employment within our organisation for many of our previous volunteers. However, the skills and experiences you will gain are likely to support applications for paid employment within the sector more broadly, as well as further training and education opportunities (e.g., Business courses, social work, mental health qualifications).
We are keen to foster the individual strengths and interests of volunteers. With the support of the PSFP Team, we will work with you to ensure that your volunteering experience is meaningful and valuable, whilst balancing the requirements of delivering the service.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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UK Reads is looking for passionate individuals to join our team as Volunteer Literacy Workshop Facilitators. As a Workshop Facilitator, you'll have the rewarding role of delivering engaging literacy workshops to children and young people in schools, primarily focusing on the East London area.
About us:
Established in 2013, the United Kingdom and Europe World Literacy Foundation have been dedicated to building strong communities through literacy and education. In 2018, UK Reads was introduced to provide literacy support through distributing books and resources nationwide while delivering author-led workshops to children to inspire the next generation of readers who lacked resources and opportunities to develop and excel. Additionally, UK Reads works to facilitate a global pen pal project, inspiring young writers and offering them a platform to connect, fostering cultural awareness and enhancing writing skills.
About the Project:
UK Reads: Literacy Impact East London specifically focus on children and young people aged 11-18 years. The project is designed to reach young people from diverse, low-income backgrounds and ethnic minorities. We have observed that approximately 85% of our beneficiaries come from low-income families, 10% of our users are students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), reflecting the diverse range of learners we aim to support. Additionally, 45% of our beneficiaries come from Black minority communities, highlighting the importance of promoting inclusivity and addressing potential disparities in literacy outcomes.
We acknowledge that low literacy rates often vary through boroughs and are committed to reaching the most underserved, underrepresented, and marginalised young people across East London. We collaborate with schools and community organisations to implement a tailored intervention that addresses the specific needs of each group, offering a diverse range of services to expedite the development of foundational literacy skills.
Responsibilities:
Support in delivering literacy workshops to children and young people in schools, creating a safe, collaborative, and enjoyable learning environment.
Offer encouragement and motivation to participants to enhance their literacy skills and confidence.
Assist in setting up activities and managing logistics to ensure smooth workshop days.
Implement workshop activities safely and professionally.
Reflect on workshop practices with school staff to identify areas for growth and improvement.
Requirements:
Individuals from educational backgrounds, teaching, youth support roles, and tutoring may find this role particularly compelling.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage and motivate participants.
Genuine passion for supporting disadvantages children and young people.
Valid DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance or willingness to undergo checks.
If you're passionate about literacy education and making a positive impact in the lives of children and young people, we encourage you to apply for this exciting volunteer opportunity.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Do you love to support and empower people? We are looking for compassionate champions to join our volunteer mentoring programme. Help mentees build confidence, get established in community and develop independence. The Build mentoring programme supports survivors of modern slavery. A volunteer mentor is paired with a co mentor meeting fortnightly in the community with a mentee; being a friendly support, setting goals, exploring opportunities and life skills. All volunteer mentors are supported and accountable to the Build Coordinators. This role is voluntary and unpaid (costs incurred for refreshments related to the mentor role will be reimbursed).
The Role
- To create a safe, compassionate, and healthy mentoring relationship
- Provide the mentee with tools and techniques to navigate a pathway to achieve things that are important to them
- Provide practical support to the mentee where appropriate (eg signposting)
- Support a mentee to identify and establish goals and life skills that are important to them
- Liaise with the mentee and fellow mentor to arrange safe and suitable meeting places including date and time
- Debrief with your co-mentor after each meeting and provide a brief written record of the discussion for the Mentoring Coordinator
- Work with your co-mentor to model ‘healthy community’
- Manage the trio’s refreshment expenses for reimbursement
Skills you need
- Compassion, empathy and active listening skills
- Ability to be able to help people feel at ease and build confidence
- To help people draw out personal goals and things that are important to them
- Have a passion and desire for wanting to transform and support the lives of people
- Be sensitive to someone who has experienced trauma
- Ability to keep confidence and professional boundaries
- Reliability and good time keeping
- Commitment to safeguarding and a willingness to raise concerns where necessary
- Experience of supporting others navigate and integrate into community
- Access to car/public transport and flexibility around location
What you will get from us
- Online or face to face training prior to working with mentees:
- Volunteer Induction and specialised programme training
- e-learning courses relating to Safeguarding, Data Protection and Equality & Diversity, IT and Data Induction
- Ongoing support sessions from the Build team
- Ongoing training with an emphasis on trauma informed practice Commitment
- 12-month commitment period
- Meet with mentee and co-mentor fortnightly for 1-2 hours
- Commitment to write up debriefs and any relevant actions between meetups
- To able to complete all required training
- To be able to attend a minimum of 4 training sessions per year
All roles within the mentoring programme need:
- Mandatory checks including DBS
- Two satisfactory references
- Completion of induction training
- An informal interview and introductory period
- Have a passion and desire for wanting to help and support people
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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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
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We are looking for creative volunteers to set up new activity sessions at our Orchard House service in Leicester. We are a move on accommodation service for adults with Mental Health, and we are looking for a volunteer to set up and run weekly activity sessions. As part of your volunteer role you will take the lead on the group and will plan the group sessions, making sure that the activities are inclusive for all our service users and delivered in a fun and engaging way.
You will also ensure that service users are included in deciding the types of crafts and activities they would like to explore, and will plan and prepare for the sessions in advance to make sure that the materials and equipment are ready for each session. The sessions could be board games, arts and crafts, bingo, etc. You will reach out to Service users and encourage people to attend. You will also ensure that the materials are tidied away and the space is left clean and tidy at the end of each session. This role is a great way to gain experience of a group facilitation role.
As a volunteer with Creative Support we offer training for your role, access to a volunteer supervisor, an induction, a monthly volunteer newsletter, and an online volunteer support network group on Zoom.
Preferred hours per week/time commitment: Flexible dates and times between Monday to Friday
We are a passionate, inclusive and anti-racist organisation. We embrace diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. As a Disability Confident Employer we welcome applications from people with a disability, and as a proud Stonewall Diversity Champion we actively encourage applications from the LGBT+ community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are looking for a volunteer who enjoys a variety of crafts and can pass on the skills to people attending the sessions. You will help to set up a weekly craft group in our communal space and promote the session to our Service Users. Whether this is crochet, embroidery, macramé, clay or paper based crafts, all skills and ideas are welcome.
Your role will include setting up the room ready for the activity, making sure we have enough materials for each person. Helping out with the activity, planning a programme of sessions, clearing away at the end of the session making sure that the space is left clean and tidy.
As a volunteer with Creative Support we offer training for your role, access to a volunteer supervisor, an induction, a monthly volunteer newsletter, and an online volunteer support network group on Zoom.
Forest Road is a step-through accommodation based service offering holistic support of up to seven Service Users
Preferred hours per week/time commitment: 4 hours per week. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after 3pm
We are a passionate, inclusive and anti-racist organisation. We embrace diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. As a Disability Confident Employer we welcome applications from people with a disability, and as a proud Stonewall Diversity Champion we actively encourage applications from the LGBT+ community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.