Volunteer roles for the Mental Health sector

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with VoiceAbility.

About VoiceAbility

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations. 

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most.  For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.

Why Volunteer with VoiceAbility

Volunteering with VoiceAbility allows you to make a difference in your local community, allowing us to help and support everyone to have a voice that counts.  The roles we have available will challenge you, developing your communication skills, allowing you to gain professional experience that can be used in your future career, learn new things about yourself and others, meet new people, and have fun.

Volunteer Positions Available

We're recruiting for the following voluntary positions:

• Relevant Persons' Representative (RPR) Support Volunteer

Relevant Person’s Representative (RPR) Support Volunteers

People in care homes should have a voice to communicate their needs wishes and wants. Some people need support with this, but don’t have friends and family available to assist them.  This means they’re entitled to have support from an RPR and volunteer, who are there to make sure they get the care they deserve.  Your role as an RPR Support Volunteer is to collaborate with the VoiceAbility RPR to make sure a person’s views are listened to when decisions are made about their care. 

As an RPR Support Volunteer you might: 

• Visit people in their care home, to make sure they’re getting the right care and support
• Talk with them about their feelings, thoughts and wishes
• Raise concerns
• Keep detailed notes and records
• Make a real difference to someone’s life 

Volunteering opportunities are available Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:00.  You will need to be over 18 years old and be living in the UK.

Safeguarding Commitment Statement

VoiceAbility are committed to safeguarding all clients who access our services. All Volunteers will be required to undertake a DBS check at the appropriate level and provide contact details for a minimum of two referees in line with our safer recruitment practice.

ED&I Statement

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential.

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. If you need to apply in a different way, please contact HR for further options.

How to register your expression of interest

To find out more click on “Apply Now” to be redirected to the VoiceAbility website and fill out our short expression of interest form.

Make a real difference to families going through separation.
Volunteer with TLC to help parents access vital, publicly funded mediation support.

About the Role

The Family Mediation Department at Talk, Listen, Change (TLC) is growing nationally to ensure separated parents can access publicly funded mediation. Our volunteers play a vital role in making sure families get the help they need — at one of the most challenging times in their lives.

We're looking for committed and compassionate volunteers to support the legal aid application process at our Manchester Head Office. This role is ideal for someone who wants to make a meaningful difference, gain experience in a mediation, and develop valuable administrative skills.

Volunteer Responsibilities

• Contact clients to explain what income evidence is required for legal aid
• Sending clear guidance to clients on what documentation is required
• Check submitted documents for completeness and accuracy
• Provide support and clarification if documents are missing or incorrect
• Upload documents to our internal database (CharityLog)
• Forward documents to the Lead Mediator / Head of Department for review
• Liaising with admin team to move cases forward for Mediation Information Assessment Meetings (MIAMs)

What We’re Looking For

• Good communication skills and attention to detail
• Comfortable using email and basic computer systems
• Empathy, professionalism, and a commitment to confidentiality
• Willingness to commit to 6 months minimum
• Ability to travel to our Manchester office weekly
   

What You Can Expect from TLC

• Weekly check-ins with a friendly member of the Mediation team
• One-to-one supervision (optional, every 6–8 weeks)
• Ongoing training opportunities
• Emotional support if your work raises personal issues

*��Join AfriLife M.I.N.D. as Volunteer Trustee Director
�� Southeast London (Remote/in-person)
�� Voluntary, flexible hours
�� Deadline: 18 August 2025
�� Send CV,+ 2 references + short interest note:

Are you a values-driven leader in social justice, mental health and community empowerment? We’re seeking two Trustee Directors to guide our mission empowering BAME communities with culturally responsive, (w)holistic care.

Who We Are
AfriLife M.I.N.D. is a profit-for-purpose setup transforming lives through mental, emotional, physical and social wellbeing services. We centre BAME lived experience and deliver inclusive, culturally competent supporting health and wellbeing.

Our Approach
We apply a (w)holistic lens—recognising how health, identity and community intertwine. Our work is rooted in compassion, collaboration and cultural relevance.

Our Values

• Abundance: investing in purpose and growth
• Empowerment: helping people own their lives
• Introspection: reflecting to refine impact
• Unity: celebrating diversity and solidarity

About the Role
You’ll help shape strategic direction, uphold strong governance and drive mission growth. Collaborate with a passionate board and contribute your expertise to help us thrive.

You Bring

• Experience in leadership, governance or community development
• Strategic thinking and a collaborative spirit
• Passion for health, education or social equity
• Commitment to inclusive, values-led service
• Bonus: interest in (w)holistic living or plant-based lifestyles

What You Gain

• A meaningful leadership role in a grassroots organisation
• The chance to influence positive change and grow your network
• A platform to live your values and make a real difference

Note
All Trustee Directors must be registered with Companies House, providing basic personal details (name, birth year, service address, nationality) for public record—standard UK requirement.

We welcome applications from African, Caribbean and other ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with lived mental health experience and those with diverse abilities.

Barefoot and Free is a small UK-based charity that gifts unforgettable staycations to families with neurodivergent children or children affected by trauma.

We are seeking creative and committed Volunteer Fundraisers to help us grow our small charity.

This is a remote volunteer role ideal for someone looking to use their creative fundraising knowledge to make a meaningful impact.

Role Overview
As a Volunteer Fundraiser at Barefoot and Free, you will be reuired to come up with fun ideas to fundraise, be able to engage people to fundraise and encourage new supporters.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, organise and execute virtual and in-person fundraising events (eg raffles, quizzes, sponsored challenges)
• Liase with fundraisng volunteers (eg sponsored runners etc)
• Ensure events run smoothly by preparing, schedules, materials and plans. 
• Act as a main point of contact for invividual fundraisers and teams
• Regukar communication to offer encouragement and guidence.
• Procatively check they have everything they need (eg fundraisng pack, marketing materials) 
• Create.design a central fundraising tracker (eg excel or similar) 
• Log all fundraising activities, targets, deadlines ad progress updates 
• Collaborate with the social media volunteers (if applicable) to amplify campaigns
• Support the recruitment of new fundraising volunteers

What You’ll Bring

• Clear friendly written and verbal communication
• Ability to confidently engage with fundraisers, donors and team members remotely
• Excellent time management and ability to co-ordinate multiple activities at once
• Structured approach to planning events and tracking fundraising progress
• Strong communication skills, self-motovated with the ability to work independently with minimum supervision
• A passion for charitable work and a willingness to contribute time and skills

Time Commitment
This is a flexible remote role. We ask for a commitment of 2 to 5 hours per week. We are happy to work around your availability.

What You’ll Gain

• A chance to use your skills for a good cause

• Hands-on experience in event planning, fundraising, and project coordination, ideal for CVs, job applications, or future charity roles.

• Remote, flexible volunteering that fits around your schedule — ideal for students, parents, or professionals looking to give back.

• Experience working in the charity sector

• Portfolio development and references on request
• Being part of a friendly supportive team making a difference

To apply please send a recent C.V along with a short note about yourself & with examples of any fundraising, event planning you have carried out.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Would you like to support people in their time of need?

At our sanctuary (Finsbury Park, North London) for those in suicidal crisis, we offer a potentially transformative experience with a once-only 5 day (4-night) stay at our non-medical, family-style house. Through respite, time and space for reflection and compassionate and nurturing care, our Volunteer Befrienders and Lead Befrienders support an opportunity for the revival of hope and resilience.  

Volunteer Befrienders are key to Maytree and work alongside Lead Befrienders to provide an open and containing space for people who are feeling suicidal. 

Befriending is as it sounds: sitting alongside our guests as a friendly, compassionate and non-judgemental companion. Through active listening and human warmth our volunteers enable our guests to feel supported, explore their feelings in a confidential setting and discuss their options in their own way and in their own time. This face-to-face support is not therapy; it is about being calm and committed and not afraid of difficult subjects, including suicide.  

Title: Economics Advisor – Missing People 

Summary 

Missing People is recruiting volunteers with expertise in economics to support the early planning of a project exploring the economic impact of missing episodes and the harms experienced by individuals while missing. This work will inform the development of a robust, evidence-based estimate of the cost of a missing episode and the socio-economic return on investment (ROI) of prevention efforts. 

As an Advisory Volunteer, you will provide expert guidance to help shape the scope and direction of this project. Your insights will help the charity identify key considerations, methodologies, and data needs - an area where we have limited in-house expertise. 

Description

Someone is reported missing every 90 seconds in the UK. Missing People is the only UK charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people and their loved ones. Our services include: 

• A free and confidential helpline, available 7 days a week, for missing people and their loved ones, 

• A specialist family support and counselling service, 

• Case publicity to support loved ones with sharing appeals,

• Specialist services for children and young people, and their loved ones, experiencing exploitation,

• Commissioned intensive support services for young people at particular risk, 

• Research, consultancy and training for professionals working around the issue of missing.

Our vision is that every missing person is found safe.

By supporting us to develop a compelling economic case for prevention, you’ll play a vital role in shaping how missing incidents are understood and addressed across the UK. We will use the information to influence nationally: sharing the figures with key decision-makers in government, policing, health and social care. This work will strengthen our case for funding essential services that prevent repeat missing episodes and support the development of more effective early intervention strategies.

We’ve already begun exploring this work but need additional external expertise to guide our planning and approach. As such we are recruiting new volunteer Economics Advisors. Advisors will be asked to:

• Attend and participate in monthly project planning meeting (1-2 hours via video call, scheduled flexibly on weekdays or evenings) for a period of 6 months.

• Review relevant documents and provide ad hoc advice between meetings (no more than 1-2 hours)

• Get further involved in the project with a weekly commitment, if desired – this is entirely optional.

What impact will you have? 

Your input will support Missing People to build a stronger case for prevention and change for missing people and their loved ones.

About the volunteer 

We are looking for volunteers with: 

• A strong understanding of data and working with complex statistics 

• Experience in economic analysis of social issues and public policy, cost-benefit analysis, or social return on investment (SROI) 

• Willingness to support and advise Missing People’s Head of Policy and Head of Research in understanding an area outside of our usual expertise 

• The ability to ask key questions, offer constructive challenge, and act as a critical friend to staff 

• Commitment to attend monthly meetings for a 6-month project period 

WCC is recruiting for voluntary positions to join our Board of Trustees.

Whether you are an experienced Trustee or wanting to take your first step at board level, we would like to hear from you.

Our Board comprises ten Trustees including the Chair and there are currently two vacancies.

We are particularly interested in people with skills and expertise to offer around:

• Financial experience and/or knowledge of charity accounting and the ability to apply this strategically
• Income generation/ fundraising skills and expertise

Trustee roles

Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that WCC achieves its core purpose. They oversee the overall management and administration of the charity. They also ensure that WCC has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision. Just as importantly, they support and challenge the executive team to enable WCC to grow and thrive, and through this, achieve our mission.

Trustees have a collective responsibility, and this means that they always act as a group and not as individuals.

Duties:

• Support and provide advice on WCC’s purpose, vision, goals, and activities
• Approve operational strategies and policies, and monitor and evaluate their implementation
• Oversee WCC’s financial plans and budgets and monitor and evaluate progress
• Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored, and controlled effectively
• Review and approve WCC’s financial statements
• Provide support and challenge to WCC’s senior manager in the exercise of their delegated authority and affairs
• Keep abreast of changes in WCC’s operating environment
• Contribute to regular reviews of WCC’s own governance. Attend Board meetings, adequately prepared to contribute to discussions.

• Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect WCC’s interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third-party interests

• Contribute to the broader promotion of WCC’s objects, aims and reputation by applying your skills, expertise, knowledge, and contacts.

What we’re looking for

Our Board comprises ten Trustees including the Chair and there are currently two vacancies.

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board.

We are particularly interested in people with skills and expertise to offer around:

• Finance – experience and/or knowledge of charity accounting or financial management, and the ability to apply this strategically to support with budget forecasting and financial planning
• Income generation/ fundraising skills and expertise – corporate, trust and foundations, and/or community

WCC is passionately committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and wish to reflect these values in our Board. We strongly encourage people from all backgrounds, communities, and industries.

We are keen to address the underrepresentation of some communities we serve at leadership level, and welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, or with lived experience of immigration/asylum.

Personal skills and qualities

• Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation
• Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member
• Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion
• A strong personal commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Enthusiasm for our vision and mission
• Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.
• Willingness to lead according to our values

Terms of appointment

• Trustees are appointed for a three-year term of office. Our Articles of Association state that one third of the trustees will retire from office at each AGM with the longest serving trustees retiring first. Trustees can stand for re-election at the same AGM
• This is a voluntary position, but reasonable expenses are reimbursed.
• Time commitment- approximately 8 hours per month
• Board meetings- attending four Board meetings annually (currently on Tuesday evenings). We alternate between meeting in-person at WCC’s office in Waterloo and online
• Sub-committees- we have two subcommittees (Finance & Operations, and Clinical) that meet in between Board meetings, with individual trustees attending one or more of these depending on skills and preferences.
• Two half day strategy days a year and training where needed
• Reading Board papers in advance, being involved in discussions, advising on specialist areas
• We hold an Annual General Meeting with all staff and members.

Time commitment

Approximately 8 hours per month
There are four board meetings a year, currently on Tuesday evenings – we alternate between meeting in-person at WCC’s office in Waterloo and online. We hold an Annual General Meeting with all staff and members. We have two sub committees that meet in between Board meetings, with individual trustees attending one or more of these depending on preferences and time commitment.

We are seeking a corporate fundraising volunteer to support our charity’s growth. This role offers an excellent opportunity to shape our charity’s future while contributing to a meaningful cause.

We’re a small charity that supports women at the most vulnerable times of their lives: becoming a teenager, a parent and during midlife, when suicide rates are at their highest. We do this through counselling, coaching, therapeutic groups, wellbeing days and nutritionist support.

What impact will you have?

Help us shape our new corporate offer and your support will help us reach more women seeking mental health support.

Description

We are looking for a volunteer who can support us in creating:

· Help us to develop a corporate fundraising offer

· Identify potential corporate partner prospects

· Support with creating tailored proposals and presentations backed by insight and storytelling

· Seek local networking opportunities

· Help in planning and delivering key corporate events

· Contribute to cultivation plans for senior leaders within corporate partners

Skills

· At least three years’ experience working for a charity in partnerships

· Experience managing corporate partnerships, supporting or managing charity of the year, or strategic giving partnerships

· Excellent relationship-building skills

· Creative thinker with the ability to identify different opportunities within a project or partnership

· Experience of problem-solving and implementing solutions

· Good writing skills and communication skills with an eye for detail

· Strong prospect research, networking, and pipeline management skills

· Strong team player who is self-motivated, enthusiastic and passionate about working for Release Therapy for Women

Summary

Do you have trusts and grants fundraising experience and looking for a meaningful way to give back? Help support our charity with your skills, so that we can support the mental health of more women at the most challenging times of their lives.

Description

We are seeking a trusts and grants fundraising volunteer to support our charity’s growth. This role offers an excellent opportunity to shape our charity’s future while contributing to a meaningful cause.

We’re a small charity that supports women at the most vulnerable times of their lives: becoming a teenager, a parent and during midlife, when suicide rates are at their highest. We do this through counselling, coaching, therapeutic groups, wellbeing days and nutritionist support.

What impact will they have?

Help build our fundraising and your support will help us reach more women seeking mental health support.

About the volunteer

Description

We are looking for a volunteer who can support us in creating:

· Research and identify new trust and foundation prospects.

· Draft and submit high-quality funding applications and reports.

· Maintain a calendar of deadlines and stewardship activities.

· Support with creating tailored bids backed by insight and storytelling

Skills

Experience supporting or managing trust and foundation fundraising, including researching prospects and preparing funding applications or reports.

Strong writing skills and experience tailoring bids for different funders.

Understanding of the grant funding landscape in the UK, including key funder expectations and reporting requirements.

Understanding of budgeting and financial planning in the context of grant applications.

Strong team player who is self-motivated, enthusiastic and passionate about working for Release Therapy for Women.

Shout is the UK’s only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. When people text 'Shout' to 85258, they are connected to a Shout Volunteer for a text conversation. Our volunteers provide a safe space for people to share what's causing them distress, while showing warmth and compassion.

Tasks and Responsibilities

If your application is successful, you’ll be enrolled in a training group. New groups start every two weeks.

Shout Volunteers receive 25 hours of free training in communication, listening, managing and assessing risk, and problem solving. The training is self-paced and done online. You’ll learn how to bring people in distress to a place of calm and practice skills that will be useful to you throughout life.

As we are investing in you throughout your time with us, our hope is that you will complete the training in a timely manner and look at this as a longer term commitment. The experience you gain over time is valuable and our goal is to have volunteers commit to 200 hours on the platform, which can take up to two years to complete, as we ask you to take one 2-4 hour shift per week. 

Our Volunteer Training Support team is here to support you, answer any questions and provide feedback during training and throughout your time with Shout. You’ll be joining an incredibly supportive volunteer community and have access to the resources you need to do your role.

As a volunteer, you’ll be supporting people in distress, so it’s important we see the skills required to do that while you are in training. While most trainees complete the training and go on to volunteer, not everyone will pass the training. If this happens, there are other ways you can still support us.

Selection Criteria

A Shout Volunteer is kind and compassionate, a good listener, and has the ability to remain calm when supporting people in crisis. You will also:

• Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend

• Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing

• Be open-minded

• Be supportive

• Be reliable

• Be discreet and able to respect confidentiality at all times

• Be accepting and non-judgemental

• Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout

• Adopt a growth mindset, and be willing to accept feedback

Requirements

• You must live in the United Kingdom or New Zealand while volunteering. 
• You must be over 18 years of age.
• You will need a reliable internet connection and a private place to take your shift.
• All of your volunteering must be done using a laptop or desktop computer and Google Chrome.

It’s worth spending time thinking about the nature of the role, and whether it’s right for you. We support all texters, regardless of race, religion, sexual identity or issue. You will need to be comfortable addressing topics frequently discussed with texters (suicide, self-harm, depression, etc.) without compromising your own mental health. 

Before you apply, please consider whether either of the following applies to you:

• Have you recently experienced grief, loss or change issue/s? For example; someone close to you has been ill or has died, you’ve lost your job, your relationship has ended.

• Is your current mental health and wellbeing in a place such that the stress and pressure of listening to the challenges of others would bring additional burden to you personally?

Benefits to Volunteers

The role is rewarding and can save lives. Shout Volunteers tell us they gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and purpose from taking conversations. They also tell us that their own wellbeing increases, they learn valuable skills and gain experience they can use at work and in their personal lives.

Volunteering can also be a great addition to your CV. You do not need to have any past experience in mental health to be a Shout Volunteer - we’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to do the role.

Application Process

You will need to create your account and fill in the application using a laptop or desktop computer and in a Google Chrome browser. This is a standard requirement for all of our systems at Shout, from the application through to the platform.

You should leave up to an hour to complete the form. As Shout is a text based service and we do not conduct in person interviews for our volunteer candidates what you write in your application and the strength of your references are how we get to know you. 

We appreciate when candidates take the time to write thoughtful, considered answers. We recommend you review your application with an eye toward things like spelling, grammar and punctuation. While some of our texters will occasionally reach out using more informal text speak, our volunteers respond in full sentences and double check their messages for accuracy before hitting send. 

Your application will be reviewed once we have received responses from both of your references. We ask for a personal reference and a professional reference. The personal reference can be a friend or colleague but the other must be someone who knows you professionally or has supervised you in some way. 

This could be a manager or supervisor from where you work or a teacher or educator from where you study. We recommend you choose references who are able to speak to your ability to fulfil the selection criteria outlined above.

We do not accept references from family members. This includes your partner or their relatives, your children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or godparents. 

Please allow up to a month for us to review your application and return a decision. 

If your application is approved, you can book your place on training. Training groups usually start every two weeks and spaces are available to book a couple of months ahead. While you are in training and before you are allowed on the platform we will carry out a background check.

We are seeking Trustees with skills and experience in marketing or the legal context for asylum and refugee resettlement, to join our Board our friendly and committed board. 

Who are TFSW?

We help refugees and people seeking asylum who have suffered trauma, oppression and war, and those working with them. As the first and originally only agency providing refugee trauma specialist support in the southwest, we provide vital free, long-term 1-1 and group psychotherapy and counselling to people fleeing torture, oppression and war.

About the Role

Our Trustees work collaboratively to meet our legal responsibilities to govern the charity, including:

• Defining TFSW’s long-term direction and furthering its charitable purposes.
• Ensuring it is effectively and properly run with legal and other obligations met and being accountable to those with an interest or ‘stake’ in the charity.

We use board meetings to agree and oversee our strategic priorities, monitor risks, ensure sound financial management and confirm the charity’s assets are being used appropriately. All TFSW Trustees additionally bring individual skills and experience that are much valued. We are currently seeking Trustees with skills and experience of:

• Marketing and Communications. There are no specific additional responsibilities for this Trustee, however, having recently updated our brand, website and guidelines the Board would be enriched by a Trustee who can advise and guide on how we can utilise this refresh in the growth of the charity.
• The legal context for asylum and refugee resettlement. We have benefited from a Trustee with this knowledge who has stepped down at our AGM after many years on the Board. While there are no additional responsibilities, the awareness of the legal context for our work is a great help and we would be enriched by a Trustee who brings this awareness to our Board.

This is a voluntary role, but we can pay Trustees’ expenses. The time commitment for all Trustees is approximately 22 hours per year (under 2 hours per month).

We have a committed and supportive board with a diverse skillset and are currently recruiting in areas we could enhance our overall skillset. We are striving to be more representative of the diversity of the communities we serve and we warmly and actively welcome those with lived experience of the asylum or refugee resettlement process to apply. To be more representative of gender and ethnic diversity more broadly, we would also welcome applicants from the Global Majority and male applicants.

We are an extremely supportive team and, as you will see reflected in our person specification, your commitment and capability are more important than a long list of experiences and qualifications. You do not have to have experience of being on a board; we can support you with training in your responsibilities. If you have any learning differences or styles that will require adjustments during this learning process, we will be happy to discuss and support your needs. 

What difference will you make?

This is a great opportunity to use your skills and experience to help refugees and people seeking asylum. You will make a big impact and have the chance to work alongside a friendly and committed board. 

Before you apply

The TrusteeWorks Team are supporting Trauma Foundation South West with their Trustee recruitment. Applications should be made via TrusteeWorks in the first instance. To apply please submit your CV/LinkedIn Profile, along with a covering letter stating why you wish to join TFSW, the skills and experience you will bring to the board and what you would hope to get out of the role. If you’d like to have an informal conversation before applying, we’d be happy to speak with you. 

Amazing, giving, and inspiring are a few words we would use to describe our volunteers.

Our volunteers play an integral part in the services we provide and the people we support. If you are looking for a rewarding role where you will really make a difference whilst gaining experience along the way, then join us here at Rethink Mental Illness.

About the role

We are looking for Volunteer Befrienders to support our Brent Mental Health service in the London Borough of Brent. 

As a Volunteer Befriender, you will be required to travel across Brent to meet with service users and carry out your role. Ideally, you will be able to commit a minimum of 2 hours per week to volunteering. 

You will be supported by Befriending Volunteer Coordinators who will provide regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role. You can read more about the benefits of volunteering on the full advert on our website.

About the service

Our Brent Mental Health service provides support to people aged 18 and above who live in the Borough of Brent, and who have a mental illness and are known to the local NHS trust, Central and North West London (CNWL).

The aim of the Befriending Service is to;

• Reduce social isolation of service users
• Increase the confidence of service users in accessing community resources independently
• Provide meaningful activities and peer support for service users 
• Help service users to live happier, healthier, independent lives
• Provide volunteering opportunities for people with mental health issues
• Reduce stigma and raise mental health awareness

What you will be doing as a Volunteer Befriender:

• Meeting with service users in locations and times which meet their needs (including evenings and weekends)
• Provide befriending support to a maximum of 2 service users at any one time
• Provide emotional support based on your own lived experience
• Support service users to access and build social and community networks and activities
• Act as a community connector to local services

What will make you a great fit for this role?

• You will have good communication skills
• You will be flexible in order to meet the needs of the service users

If you would like to express an interest in this opportunity, please complete an application as soon as possible, as the advert may close early if we receive a high level of interest.

Who are we?

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”    

It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.    

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion  

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.  

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation  

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.  

We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. 

Supporting men in crisis, saving lives: James’ Place provides vital, life-saving therapy when it’s needed most. Join James' Place as a Trustee and help us transform support for men in suicidal crisis.

Location: Flexible within the UK

About James’ Place

James’ Place Charity was set up by Clare Milford Haven and Nick Wentworth-Stanley in 2008 after their twenty-one-year-old son, James, died by suicide ten days after a minor operation. James had no history of mental illness or depression and had sought urgent help for anxiety and suicidal thoughts but didn’t find it. We know that suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50, and we know that many men find it difficult to reach out for help.

James’ Place was set up to make the experience of finding help as easy as possible. James’ Place offers men who are experiencing a suicidal crisis a brief, intensive, therapeutic intervention in a safe environment. Men who walk through the door at James’ Place will be in a space where they feel valued and respected.

We have been chosen as one of the charities for The Times and The Sunday Times Christmas Appeal 2024 and we were also thrilled to win two awards at the Royal Society for Public Health and Wellbeing Awards, winning the Public Health Minister’s Award for our innovation and strong academic focus on prevention and inclusion, as well as our regional spread and scale.

The need

Suicide is the leading single cause of death of men under 50, and more men of middle age die by suicide than other causes; 75% of all deaths by suicide are men. History shows that in times of uncertainty and economic hardship, rates of suicide increase. Deprivation, financial insecurity, and unmanageable debt are strongly associated with an increased risk of suicide in men (Samaritans). The pandemic only increased hardship and put people under more significant pressure, and the current cost of living crisis is exacerbating this further.

We know that each death by suicide results in a lifetime of devastation for families, friends and communities, and research shows that for every individual death by suicide, around 135 people are affected.

A person bereaved by suicide is 65% more likely to take their own life than if they were bereaved by another cause, and it has been estimated that every suicide costs the public purse around £1.46m.

About the roles

As we look forward to another year ahead, we are looking to grow and strengthen our board of trustees to govern our growth ambition as we enter the next stage of our development — finding a location for our new centre in Birmingham, driving forward our plans to reach more men, and of course helping as many men in crisis as we can.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for new Trustees to join our board to complement the skills and expertise of our existing members. If you share our values and are passionate about what we do, we’d love to hear from you.

We are particularly keen to hear from individuals with knowledge of strategic clinical services and those with significant charitable experience.

In addition, we welcome individuals with expertise in other areas, such as marketing, communications, public relations, or finance. We are keen for our board to reflect the communities we serve, so we strongly encourage interest from people with lived experience relevant to our work and those from diverse backgrounds.

Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Volunteer Graphic Designer – Mental Health Tech Project “Rooted” 
Remote | Flexible hours | Volunteer role with strong portfolio potential

At Rooted, we’re building something that matters.
We believe emotional well-being should be nurtured, just like a seedling needs light, water and care. Rooted is a mental health tech initiative focused on emotional expression, community, and early intervention – blending psychology, AI, and digital storytelling to support young people’s mental resilience.

We're at an exciting stage of development and looking for a creative volunteer to help shape how the world sees Rooted.

Do you want to use your design skills to support a new movement in mental health innovation?
We're seeking a Graphic Designer to join our small, mission-driven team and collaborate directly with our UX designer and founder.

You’ll play a key role in shaping our visual identity – developing a brand guidelines deck and designing our logo – to bring Rooted’s values of empathy, growth and connection to life.

This role is for you if…

• You’re a creative thinker with a strong eye for brand, typography, and visual storytelling.

• You have some experience (formal or informal) in the mental health sector, nonprofits, or tech-related projects.

• You’re comfortable collaborating with others remotely and enjoy co-creating with UX and product teams.

• You’d love the chance to make a meaningful contribution to an early-stage product and grow your portfolio with purpose-led work.

• You care about aesthetics and impact – and believe design can be a tool for social good.

What you’ll be doing:

• Co-developing Rooted’s brand identity in collaboration with the UX designer and project lead.

• Creating a set of brand guidelines (colours, typography, icons, image style, tone).

• Designing a logo that reflects Rooted’s emotional and botanical themes.

• Supporting visual assets for presentation decks, website drafts, or early promotional materials.

Details:

• Location: Fully remote

• Time commitment: Flexible, estimated 3–5 hours/week for 4–6 weeks

• Start date: ASAP (we’ll work around your availability)

• Benefits:
  • Your work will feature in a real mental health tech product
  • Full credit in our team materials + LinkedIn reference if desired
  • A chance to collaborate closely with experienced creatives and researchers
  • Space to experiment and propose ideas
  • A thank-you package & optional showcase on our launch page

To apply:
Please submit:

• Your portfolio or link to your work (required – this can be a website, Behance, PDF, or Google Drive folder)

• A short note on why this project interests you

• (Optional) A CV or LinkedIn profile

Don't worry if you’re early in your career or haven’t worked on something exactly like this before. We care more about the quality of your ideas and your openness to collaboration than a polished resumé.

Apply via the “Apply” button below.

We strongly encourage applications from designers who identify as neurodivergent, people of colour, LGBTQ+, or who have lived experience with mental health challenges.

Let’s co-create something beautiful and healing – together.