Vocational/Services Volunteer Roles in East Of England

Our Trustees are a team of volunteers who use their diverse skills, experience, and perspectives to set the strategic direction of the charity and make sure it’s doing what it was set up to do in the best possible way. 

For families facing tough times, a holiday is a much-needed break from the day to day, as well as giving space and time to breathe, think differently. A holiday is essential for building wellbeing and hope for the future, especially when the present is challenging.

About you

You'll have the energy, integrity, passion, and skills to work with the Board of Trustees, our CEO and staff team, and our community, to drive forward a successful and dynamic future for our charity and the families we support.

We’re particularly looking to add the following professional skills and experiences to our team.

• Developing digital products, tools and/or services.
• Directly supporting children and/or families on an ongoing professional basis.
• Fundraising in a charity through voluntary donations or commercial income.

You don’t need to have been a Trustee before, but you do need to be willing to do some training to help you understand the role and the responsibilities that come with it.

We actively encourage applications from under-represented, marginalised and racialised groups, and those with lived experience of any of the barriers families face to having time away together. That’s things like mental or physical ill health, disability, domestic abuse, being a young carer or living on a low income.

We will make adjustments to our schedule and processes to ensure new trustees can be included and supported in the role.

More diverse perspectives on our Board help us make better decisions for families.

What we offer you

The biggest thing we have to offer is the chance to put your skills and experience to good use making the lives of families who are having a tough time better.

You’ll join a team who really care about making a difference and approach it with real openness and drive. Right off the bat we’ll connect you with the other Trustees and staff so you can get to know everyone, and we’ll buddy you up with another Trustee, so you’ve got someone to help you navigate it all as you settle in.

Expenses

You won’t get paid for your time, but we’ll make sure you aren’t out of pocket by covering the cost of your travel to meetings, childcare or other care if you need it, and a range of other expenses you might have while doing the role. We’ll book and/or pay for these in advance if you prefer.

How to apply

When you click 'Quick Apply' you'll find a link to upload your CV and answer a couple of screening questions.

We will make adjustments to the recruitment process wherever possible to ensure that no applicant is disadvantaged for any reason. 

• Monday 20th May - Applications close at 9am
• w/c 3rd June and w/c 10th June  -  First interviews with a panel of current trustees 
• w/c 17th June - Second interviews with Jackie our Vice Chair of Trustees

After the interviews we’ll contact anyone we’d like to join the Board with an offer subject to references and checks.

If you accept, we’ll take up your references, do a DBS check and confirm your eligibility to act as a Trustee. If that’s all ok, you’re in! We’ll introduce you to the rest of the Trustees and get started with your induction.

Formal appointment happens at the next Board meeting which is on Thursday 5th August.

We are hiring! Trustee vacancy

• Time Commitment: typically, 4 hours per month, for a term of 3 years (initial 12-month period)
• Location: Board meetings are held 4 times per year, and we work to find times that are accessible for Board members, which could include evenings and weekends. We meet twice a year in person in Oxford, and twice a year via Teams
• Renumeration: this is a voluntary role and reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

About Us

An independent charity, The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) has been leading efforts to incorporate the values of environmental sustainability into the health sector since its establishment in 2008. Our work is underpinned by CSH’s Principles of Sustainable Clinical Practice: prevention; patient empowerment; lean care systems; low carbon alternatives.   

CSH has a particular focus on:    

• engaging those on the front line of patient care and promoting the concept of ‘sustainable clinical practice’ 
• enabling the use of the natural environment at NHS settings to be used as ‘nature-based solutions’ in healthcare.    

As a trustee of our charity, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in shaping our organisation's future direction. The Board culture is friendly and lively, with an openness to creative ideas and input. There is a focus on core mission and values to inform decision making processes.  The meetings will be focused, effective and inspiring, and led in line with CSH’s overarching aim to transform healthcare for a sustainable future.  The Board values diversity and welcomes applicants from a range of backgrounds.  

About You

We particularly welcome new trustees who could bring skills and experience in financial management or legal and IP transfer. Though please do not be put off from applying if you do not have any of these skills or if you have never been a Trustee before.

How To Apply

For an informal conversation about the opportunity, please contact us. 

To apply, please send an up-to-date CV (or Linkedin profile) and simple covering letter answering two questions:

• why you’re interested in supporting CSH
• what you hope to bring to the Board

Or if you prefer to record your cover letter, verbally or with video, that’s also welcomed. Please contact us if you have any other accessibility needs or if you would like help with applying.

 Independent visitor/mentor needed in the Luton  area. Do you want to make a difference to a child or young person's life? Do you have 2 - 5 hours per month to spare? Are you 18+?

We require volunteers to mentor/befriend a child or young person in care.

Have fun, take a young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest.  Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person's life and help build self-esteem and confidence.

We provide training and on going support and pay expenses to a set limit.

Please contact for more details

 Independent visitor/mentor needed. Do you want to make a difference to a child or young person's life? Do you have 2 - 5 hours per month to spare? Are you 18+?

We require volunteers to mentor/befriend a child or young person in care.

Have fun, take a young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest.  Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person's life and help build self-esteem and confidence.

We provide training and on going support and pay expenses to a set limit.

Please contact for more details

Pashto speaking  Independent visitor/mentor needed in the Luton area.Do you want to make a difference to a child or young person's life? Do you have 2 - 5 hours per month to spare? Are you 18+?

We require volunteers to mentor/befriend a child or young person in care.

Have fun, take a young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest.  Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person's life and help build self-esteem and confidence.

We provide training and on going support and pay expenses to a set limit.

Please contact for more details

 Do you want to make a difference to a child or young person's life? Do you have 2 - 6 hours per month to spare? Are you 18+?

We require volunteers to mentor/befriend a child or young person in care.

Have fun, take a young people on outings and maybe share a hobby, sport or interest.  Offer support and a listening ear and be a positive influence in a young person's life and help build self-esteem and confidence.

We provide training and on going support and pay expenses to a set limit.

Please contact for more details

Transform lives through education by coordinating impactful workshops and mentoring programs. As the Education and Skill Development Programme Manager at Barawak, you'll foster economic empowerment and skills advancement within our community.

Introduction to the Education and Skill Development Programme at Barawak

At the heart of Barawak's mission to empower and uplift the Afro-Hebrew community is our Education and Skill Development Programme. This vital service line is a direct response to our core objective of fostering economic empowerment through education and skill enhancement. By providing access to aspirational, transformative and essential learning resources, practical workshops, and mentorship opportunities, this programme aims to unlock the full potential of our community members. This programme is integral to achieving our vision of a thriving Afro-Hebrew community with access to opportunities that empower them to overcome socio-economic challenges. By offering workshops on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, job skills, mentoring, and work experience opportunities, as well as sponsoring educational resources like school supplies and private tuition, we directly support our mission to uplift those in need. This programme not only aligns with Barawak's objective to foster economic empowerment but also embodies our commitment to providing the tools and knowledge necessary for personal and community growth and success.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Plan and execute the Education & Skill Development strategy and service line:

• Workshop Coordination: Organize quarterly workshops on key topics such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and job skills, ensuring these sessions are informative and engaging for the community.

• Mentoring and Work Experience: Facilitate biannual mentoring events, pairing community members with experienced mentors. Arrange work experience opportunities to enhance vocational skills and job readiness.

• Resource Distribution: Oversee the annual sponsorship of educational resources, such as school supplies and private tuition, to support the educational development of community members.

2. Measure performance: Keep accurate count of the number of workshops held; the participant satisfaction rates; and the number of educational resources sponsored. Provide this data to the Governance Team and Trustees on request.

3. Collaboration with Verticals Teams: 

• Partnership Development & Collaboration Team: Coordinate with this team to identify and establish alliances and partnerships with local, regional and global organisations, businesses, councils, and thegovernment to acquire education and skill development resources, speakers or information.

• Fundraising & Financial Management Team: Collaborate with this team to conduct fundraising activities and financial planning for the Education and Skill Development service line. Identify diverse revenue streams, such as grants, donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events for the Education and Skill Development service.

• Volunteer Engagement Team: Work with this team to recruit, train and manage volunteers to support the Education and Skill Development service delivery.

• Marketing Outreach & Advocacy: work with this team to enhance visibility of the Education and Skill Development service across social media, press, andcommunity events. 

4. Governance Team Interaction: Provide regular updates and reports to the Governance, Secretariat & Performance Reporting team. Ensure programmealignment with Barawak policies, procedures, strategyand objectives. Collaborate on monitoring and evaluation efforts to assess Education and Skill Developmentservice impact and effectiveness.

Person Specification:

• Skills: Strong organisational and leadership skills, excellent communication abilities, and adept at working in a collaborative environment. Eagar to learn new skills.

• Attributes: Deep understanding of the challenges faced by the Afro-Hebrew community in the UK. Commitment to Barawak's values of helping out, sticking together, and staying strong. Ability to work flexibly and respond to evolving community needs.

• Commitment: Passionate about making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families dealing with poverty. Innovative thinker with a focus on creating sustainable, long-term solutions.

Important: This advert is for a voluntary role, which is unpaid and not subject to reimbursement of expenses. Any agreement with the successful candidate is not intended to be a legally binding contract between us and may be cancelled at any time at the discretion of either party. By applying for the role, candidates agree that neither of us intend any employment relationship to be created either now or at any time in the future.

Raising Futures Kenya supports young people in Kenya to become self-reliant and live free from poverty, through technical vocational training and business skills courses, and specialised support such as counselling.

We are looking for three new Trustees to join our UK Board. We are a small, award-winning charity who are actively shifting power to our Kenyan partner NGO. With three Trustees coming to the end of their term this year we are looking for skilled, enthusiast, committed individuals who are passionate about what we do, to become part of our Trustee team.

We are specifically looking for the following roles on our Board;

• Chair of Trustees
• Secretary to Board
• Someone who has experience in either corporate networking, partnership development, mental health and wellbeing, HR or in technical vocational training and entrepreneurship/business skills training.

Passion for our work is our number one recruitment factor though so please do get in touch if you have other skills to offer.

We are in Year 2 of our 5 year Strategic Plan, where the focus is on shifting the decision making power to our partner NGO in Kenya. Ultimately our long-term goal is to not be needed, but we realise the funding landscape is a long way off that at the moment.

As one of our Trustees you'll be part of an award-winning small charity who is leading the way in ethical development, primarily by actively shifting power and decision making to our incredible partner NGO in Kenya. We're a small charity but we definitely have a big impact and want to share our learning and knowledge with other NGOs who want to follow the same path of shifting power. We don't just talk about what we want to do, we get it done.

Please see the three detailed role descriptions on our website for more information about our charity and what the role entails. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.

Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care.

We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.

A bit about this role

Across the UK, many cats are cared for by volunteer fosterers who provide a stable, safe and loving environment in their homes or in purpose-built pens in their gardens. They provide vital hands-on care and accommodation to stray or abandoned cats or cats whose owners could sadly no longer keep them, and are part of a dedicated team of volunteers committed to finding new homes for cats in need. Our fosterers carry out this role with support from their local branch or centre.

Most of our fosterers care for one or two cats at a time and enjoy providing lots of TLC to those cats, who have been pre-loved or have had a difficult start in life. Some of our fosterers look after new mums and kittens and provide round-the-clock care to newborns to give them the best start in life.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Meeting the needs of the cats and kittens in your care
• Cleaning and looking after the cats’ environment and equipment
• Feeding, grooming and administering medication
• Spending time enriching the cats’ experience in care including; play, exercise and stroking
• Maintaining high standards of animal welfare

A bit more information about this role and the team

Please note: Anglia Coastal Branch are currently looking for Indoor Fosterers. 

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens in need by caring for them before they find new, loving homes. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• A dedicated suitable spare room in your house or space in your garden for a purpose-built pen – you can read more about this here
• Basic knowledge of cats, cat care and understanding their needs
• An appreciation of cat welfare and hygiene standards
• Good interpersonal skills
• Patience, commitment and empathy
• Willingness to be part of a team

Time expectation

Our volunteer fosterers usually spend one and a half hours per day on average (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care. In order to help you feel confident in your fosterer role we ask that prior to looking after your first foster cat you complete some online cat welfare learning modules.

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

Voluntary Administration Officer

ETS is a growing UK based Christian charity, which is looking to expand its discipleship and evangelism training throughout the UK.

We are looking for a person of faith, who can identify with our aims and has some experience with administration. Although this is a voluntary position, we anticipate that this role will be salaried at some point in the future.

The role will involve providing support for the two Directors in their weekly activities. This will involve emailing church leaders, providing database support, booking hotels and flights, organising events, PowerPoint presentations, zoom meetings, liaising with both our Fundraising and Marketing Officers, inputting financial data into a spreadsheet, and producing reports.

ETS is based in Peterborough, but we expect any applicant to work from home/remote (hybrid) and attend meetings over zoom. We will only interview applicants who are UK based. There may be occasional team meetings at Allia Business Centre, Peterborough, but traveling costs will be reimbursed along with other approved expenses.

Salary: This is a voluntary role and you are expected to pay your own taxes

Hours of work: This is a part-time role of 2 days per week (10 hours) but can be carried out at different times during the week.

This contract is for one year, with the possibility of extension

Safeguarding: Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

Would you relish the opportunity to use your skills and experience to improve the lives of one million older people in financial hardship?

Independent Age is looking for enthusiastic and skilled individuals to join our Board of Trustees. If you’re passionate about our cause and want to help shape the future of our Charity, we’d love to hear from you.

Across the UK, more than 3 million older people are living with limited financial means and experiencing inequalities. At Independent Age, we believe that no older person should face financial hardship. That’s why, by 2027, the charity’s goal is to have improved the lives of one million older people. Through our policy, campaigning, information and advice and grant-making we improve lives by increasing the financial well-being of older people in financial hardship, enabling greater choice and independence.

We are seeking to appoint new Trustees to our Board. Board members serve on at least one of our Committees, which oversee our finance, risk, governance, services, and policy work. We estimate the time commitment for trustees to be around one day per month on average. 

We are particularly looking for skills and experience in one or more of the following:

• Fundraising strategy and performance
• Service delivery and performance 
• Grant-making strategy and evaluation
• Impact measurement 
• Investments (experience of social/impact investing would be a bonus)

If you have the passion to support our cause and strengths in any of these areas, we would love to hear from you.

For more information about Independent Age and the role of our trustees, please see the Candidate Pack below. To apply for this role, please visit our website. The application process will require the following:

• An up-to-date CV
• A supporting statement (no more than 2 pages) that outlines what attracted you to Independent Age’s mission (detailed in the Candidate Pack) and how your skills and experience relate to the role of Trustee.
• A completed diversity monitoring form (optional - link included below).

We actively encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. 

Voluntary Administration Officer

ETS is a growing UK based Christian charity, which is looking to expand its discipleship and evangelism training throughout the UK.

We are looking for a person of faith, who can identify with our aims and has some experience with administration. Although this is a voluntary position, we anticipate that this role will be salaried at some point in the future.

The role will involve providing support for the two Directors in their weekly activities. This will involve emailing church leaders, providing database support, booking hotels and flights, organising events, PowerPoint presentations, zoom meetings, liaising with both our Fundraising and Marketing Officers, inputting financial data into a spreadsheet, and producing reports.

ETS is based in Peterborough, but we expect any applicant to work from home/remote (hybrid) and attend meetings over zoom. Therefore, we will only accept applicants who are UK based. There may be occasional team meetings at Allia Business Centre, Peterborough, but traveling costs will be reimbursed along with other approved expenses.

Salary: This is a voluntary role and you are expected to pay your own taxes

Hours of work: This is a part-time role of 2 days per week (10 hours) but can be carried out at different times during the week.

This contract is for one year, with the possibility of extension

Safeguarding: Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

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.

Could you provide a loving home for a guide dog mum?

We urgently need more breeding dog volunteers to look after our guide dog mums and help us raise the next generation of life-changing guide dogs for people with sight loss.

This vital volunteer role is perfect for dog-lovers who are looking for a permanent addition to their family. Most of the time your guide dog mum will be a wonderful, pet dog, then roughly once a year you’ll also get to enjoy the company of a litter of her guide dog puppies for around 7 weeks.  You’ll see her puppies grow in just a matter of weeks – from tiny newborns with closed eyes, to excitable bundles of fur ready to explore the world. And, when the pups are ready to go, you’ll feel a huge sense of pride knowing you’ve made a big difference by raising life-changing guide dogs for people with sight loss.

Our guide dog mums are perfect for families. They’re specially selected for their ideal temperament and characteristics and have the very best guide dog genes. She’ll also arrive socialised and house trained!

We cover all the costs for our guide dog mums, including her food, vet bills and any equipment or bedding she needs. We’ll also provide all the training you need to look after her and her puppies.  In addition, you’ll have the full support of our expert dog behaviour and welfare teams and dedicated 24/7 support from our specialist breeding team.

This opportunity is unique to the Midlands as our breeding dog volunteers must live within an hour’s drive of our National Centre, just outside Leamington Spa, CV33 9QJ