Volunteer roles

Spires, a South London homelessness charity, is seeking trustees to support its mission and growth.

About Spires

Spires is an award-winning charity that has been working with homeless and disadvantaged people in Streatham, South London, since 1990.  Working with some of the most isolated and vulnerable in our society, we support over 900 men and women every year.

Our vision and aim is to be the best support that we can in helping people move from lives of distress, isolation and insecurity to a future of greater stability and hope. The majority of our clients are homeless or have insecure accommodation, with many also facing complex issues such as long-term unemployment, problems with poor mental and physical health, addiction and substance abuse, or they may even be imprisoned by sex work.

What will you be doing?

Trustees at Spires are responsible for overseeing the charity’s strategic direction and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic oversight: Help shape and support Spires’ evolving strategy
• Legal and regulatory compliance: Ensure adherence to governing documents, charity law, and relevant regulations
• Financial oversight: Together as a board, approve annual budgets, monitor financial performance, and support the Treasurer in maintaining financial health
• Resource management: Ensure that the charity’s resources are used effectively to meet its mission
• Support and challenge: Engage actively in board meetings, offering advice, support, and constructive challenge
• Ambassadorship: Promote Spires within your networks, helping raise its profile and attract support for its mission
• Uphold best practices: Ensure high standards of governance, transparency, and accountability throughout the organisation

This role is mainly home-based

The board meets six times a year, with an estimated time commitment of around 4 hours per month.

Please request the candidate pack for more information.

What are we looking for?

We’re seeking trustees with the following attributes:

• Commitment to Spires and its mission
• Good, independent judgment and strategic vision
• Willingness to speak up and share your opinions
• Understanding of legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to duties as a trustee
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Creative thinking and problem-solving skills

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds but are particularly interested in those with experience in marketing, social media, fundraising, finance, governance, or legal compliance. Additionally, lived experience of homelessness or related challenges is highly valued, as we strive to ensure our board reflects the community we serve.

No prior trustee experience is required - just a willingness to contribute time, expertise, and fresh perspectives.

What Difference will you make?

By joining Spires as a trustee, you will directly influence the charity’s ability to support homeless and at-risk individuals. Your contributions can help shape policies, enhance fundraising efforts, and strengthen governance, ensuring Spires can continue providing life-changing services. Whether by improving financial oversight, increasing community engagement, or advocating for those in need, your involvement will play a vital role in improving lives and preventing homelessness in South London.

Youth Helpers work directly with young people in St John Ambulance Badger Setts and Cadet Units by supporting our Youth Leaders to deliver a sessions across our range of programmes. In this role, you'll support the learning and development of young people into the next generation of health citizens. Youth Helpers also help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be, as well as supervise and support other adult volunteers in their team.

You’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering an essential service. It’s great for you, great for your community and great for our nation, and it requires only a small commitment of your time. 

Youth Helpers assist in the delivery of our exciting youth programmes once a week on Wednesday evenings during school term time. Every term you will also get together with other youth helpers and leaders to plan activities for the following term. In addition, you will have the opportunity to get involved with taking our Cadets and/or Badgers on day trips at weekends. Full training will be provided and if you would like to progress further then once you have some experience there will also be an opportunity to take on more responsibility to help with the running of the youth unit.

If you are successful you will need to undertake induction & training for role at these dates:

• Welcome Event (Induction) - 30/06/2025

Closing date for these opportunities is: Friday 16th May 2025

To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:

Trustee – Board of Trustees

We are looking for one person, who will join the other fourteen Trustees who make up the Board of Trustees for The Passage.

We would be particularly interested in someone with knowledge and experience of the creative industries to add to the wide range of skills and capabilities that the Board possesses.

Location: Westminster, London

Remuneration: This is an unpaid voluntary role, however reasonable expenses may be reimbursed

Time Commitment: Four board meetings per year (with each meeting lasting around two and a half hours). Plus, attendance of occasional events and meetings with key stakeholders

Report To: Chair of Board of Trustees

Closing Date: Rolling advert

Interview Date: TBC, held in London (SW1P).

About the role

Are you passionate about ending homelessness?

Trustees are responsible for giving direction to The Passage and ensuring it meets its objectives effectively.

They are concerned with the policy, strategy and monitoring of the organisation; day-to-day management is delegated to paid professional staff who report to the Board of Trustees.

Trustees are appointed initially for a period of 3 years and can be re-appointed for 2 further periods of 3 years, up to 9 years.

What you will be doing

Principle responsibilities:

The formal duties of the Board of Trustees collectively are to:

• Ensure that The Passage complies with its Memorandum and Articles of Association, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Ensure that The Passage pursues its charitable objects as defined in its memorandum of
  association.
• Ensure The Passage applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects.
• Give clear strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• Safeguard the good name and the values of The Passage.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of The Passage.
• Ensure the financial stability of The Passage.
• Protect and manage the property of The Passage and to ensure the proper investment of its funds.
• Appoint the Chief Executive, monitor their performance and determine their remuneration.
• Act at all times in the best interests of The Passage, and declare any conflicts of interest.

In addition to the above statutory duties, all Trustees should use any specific knowledge or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This will involve focusing on key issues and providing advice and guidance requested by the Board on issues and initiatives relevant to the area of Passage Housing Services work in which the Trustee has special expertise.

Expectations

In order to fulfill the role of Trustees effectively, all Trustees are expected to:

• Attend Board meetings, currently held quarterly.
• Attend and participate in the Board’s annual strategic planning day held on a weekday (usually off-site).
• Visit The Passage from time to time to build an awareness of the work and develop an understanding of the needs of the different teams.
• Occasionally attend functions on behalf of The Passage, liaise with other Trustees and the Senior Executive Team in between Board meetings.
• Read Board papers in advance of meetings and come prepared to discuss key points arising from those papers.
• Complete the trustee induction process.
• As part of the Board’s ongoing Development Process participate in a one-to-one annual review with the chairman.

Essential

• An understanding of and commitment to The Passage’s vision, mission and values, including stakeholder engagement and diversity.
• Empathy with the essential principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
• The ability to think strategically and creatively, with an ability to anticipate issues and risks, and to identify opportunities.
• The ability to use good independent judgement and to challenge appropriately as a “critical friend”.
• The ability to work effectively as a member of a team in order to reach timely decisions. This includes being able to speak openly in discussion, whilst listening and respecting the views of others.
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to the role.
• The ability to act as an ambassador for the Passage, to champion its mission and promote its reputation and image, and to establish useful contacts.
• Experience in any range of skills needed to run and govern a housing association, including finance, supported housing, RSH expertise (non-exhaustive list).
• Legal expertise, especially in the areas of commercial property arrangements.
• Excellent networking with other members of relevant sectors, and influencing and communicating skills.
• Demonstrable success in a private, charitable or public sector organisation.

Desired

• Good understanding of charity and/or social housing sector.
• A good knowledge of relevant general legislation and statutory requirements, including charity law, employment law and/or health and safety law.
• Experience of successfully dealing with strategic issues and involvement in longer term planning.
• We believe that achieving long-lasting social impact starts with having our Board and Management Teams reflect the diverse community we serve. Enhancing Board diversity is essential to our core values as an organization. It not only makes us more effective and capable of making better decisions but is also crucial for the successful delivery of our mission.
  • We are therefore, actively encouraging applications from individuals who are Black or from minoritized ethnic backgrounds, disabled, LGBTQ+, and those with varying levels of educational attainment.
  • We particularly welcome applications from younger individuals aged 18 to 30 and are also keen to hear from candidates with a background or advanced knowledge in relevant fields.

Exciting Treasurer opportunity with a growing charity that supports victims of modern slavery.

West Midlands Anti Slavery Network brings together partner organisations to combat modern slavery, human trafficking, and exploitation. Through direct victim support, identifying gaps, influencing change, and facilitating solutions, we strive to protect and advocate for the vulnerable in our community.

We are seeking a Treasurer to join our Board. 

What will you be doing?

Our Trustees play a vital role in making sure that WMASN achieves its core purpose. They oversee the overall management and administration of the charity. They also ensure that WMASN has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision.

As well as fulfilling the duties of a Trustee, the Treasurer maintains an overview of our financial affairs. The Treasurer ensures that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls and procedures are put in place and reports to the Board at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation.

Your expertise, advice, and guidance would be invaluable in shaping and implementing our financial strategies.

This role is mainly home-based.

Please request the candidate pack attached for further details.

Time commitment

· Attend quarterly Board meetings: These meetings typically last around 3 hours, held between 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Most meetings are conducted online, with one in-person meeting held annually in June at the charity's offices in central Birmingham.

· Participate in Finance Sub-Committee work: The Treasurer is expected to join the finance sub-committee which meets quarterly for approximately 2 hours.

· The overall time commitment varies depending on the charity's activities, with an average of 10 hours per month, including preparation and follow-up tasks.

Trustees are also expected to contribute ad hoc and occasional time outside of Board meetings, the majority of which is done remotely.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for individuals who can bring energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to the role, and who will help broaden the diversity of thinking on our Board. No prior Trustee experience is necessary – we will provide a comprehensive induction and training.

Qualifications and Experience:

· A finance professional. A knowledge of charity finance is an advantage. Otherwise an enthusiasm to learn, drawing from sound commercial experience and an understanding of SMEs.

· A strategic thinker with an ability to balance risk and opportunity.

· Clear communicator with the ability to bring the financial information alive to non-finance specialists.

· Willing to play an active role in areas such as forecasting, setting budgets, liaising with auditors.

What difference will you make?

As a small charity we recognise the great work, time and commitment of our Board. This position is an opportunity to:

· Give back to a charity that is dedicated to creating positive impact

· Enhance your CV and open doors to new career paths

· Make a difference to those in need

· Learn about the management and strategy side of charities

· Utilise your experience and skills within the voluntary sector

· Work with an interesting team from diverse backgrounds

Why we want you

Local groups across the UK are run by volunteers and offer friendship and support to people living with Parkinson's and their families and friends. Each group has a committee, who work together to plan the groups activities or fundraising - all in line with Parkinson's UK guidelines.

What you will be doing

• Keep up to date about the news and developments of Parkinson's UK more widely, sharing these with the group
• contributing ideas for fundraising, activities and speakers
• sharing experiences with the committee and connecting with the local community
• helping to prepare for and clear up after group meetings
• assisting at fundraising events and any activities arranged by the branch
• taking notes / minutes at meetings and events

The skills you need

• be a good communicator, as you will be working with a wide range of different people
• Honest; you'll know when to ask for help, or when tasks might be seen as less important, and able to share that with Parkinson's UK and your group
• be collaborative and team focused, as you will take part in regular meetings and discussions
• be motivated and reliable, and able to show patience and empathy when dealing with sensitive situations

What's in it for you

• Play a crucial role in the local Parkinson's community, making new friends and building connections
• You'll be part of a pioneering organisation, committed to finding a cure and improving life for everyone affected by Parkinson's - in your local area and beyond
• Gain valuable organisational, administrative and people skills

Disclaimer

It's important that people affected by Parkinson’s can trust us with their personal information. In this role you could be handling personal or sensitive data, so by undertaking this role you'll need to complete our Advanced Data Protection training. Your Parkinson’s UK staff contact can help you do this.

SANE is a UK-wide mental health charity working to improve the quality of life of anyone affected by mental illness. It aims to raise awareness and understanding of all mental health conditions; fight to improve frontline mental health services for individuals and carers; provide support, information and guidance through its helpline, email and text support and Online Forum; and promote and host research into causes, treatments and therapies.

About the role:

We are now looking for people interested in providing compassionate support to those affected by mental health problems, particularly people with severe mental illness, and carers, families and friends. As a volunteer, you will provide support on-site, in our Islington offices, by telephone. You will also form a close team with our other skilled volunteers and shift leads.

Volunteering can help improve mental well-being, increase physical activity, enhance social bonds and bring meaning to people's lives. It is an excellent way of putting a structure on your free time and keeping your brain active. When you volunteer, you feel useful to and valued by your community.

SANEline Volunteers provide support to callers with a wide range of mental health problems via our confidential crisis line, which is open from 4-10pm, 365 days a year.

Working on SANEline requires empathy and resilience, and we take pride in providing a nurturing environment and unwavering support to our team.

About you:

- You are empathetic, highly compassionate and genuinely interested in supporting people from all walks of life

- You are a good listener and a warm and confident communicator

- You have a few hours to spare each week and want to use that time to make a difference to help vulnerable people

- You are looking for a way to continue using skills built up over your working life or a route to learn and explore new avenues previously blocked by the demands of your career or job.

- You can commit to one 4-hour shift per week, including one weekend shift per month

- You can work collaboratively with our team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service on SANEline

- No previous helpline or mental health experience is required, just a sincere desire to help others

Altogether, we are looking for warm, compassionate, understanding people who are good communicators to join our services team as a volunteer. You don't need to be a mental health expert: empathy matters more than academic qualifications or experience, and we’re keen to hear from people of all ages and walks of life.

We particularly encourage applications from retirees, empty nesters, or people changing careers and wanting to develop new skills. 

In early May, we will run a drop-in session for you to find out more about SANE and ask any questions you may have about volunteering with us. 

What can you expect?

To work within SANE's framework, including regular check-ins and debriefs to support you and help refine your newly acquired skills.

To receive the full SANEline training and further online training opportunities within specific areas.

To become part of an established and diverse team.

To gain exposure to a wide range of mental health problems.

To gain valuable practical experience in providing emotional support to vulnerable people.

A culture where team members support and learn from each other.

A warm, supportive and encouraging environment.

To apply: Please click on "Apply via Website" and fill in the form to register your interest. We will then get in touch and let you know about the following steps. 

    VOLUNTEER/GLD ONLINE

Unleash Your Passion, Volunteer Online with IHF!

Make a difference from anywhere in the world: Join the International Humanity Foundation

(IHF) and help us empower marginalized children and communities (in location) while offering

an opportunity to learn and practice (online).

Join our Global Leadership Development program in one or more of the following divisions or teams:

A. Human Resources (HR): Master essential HR skills while supporting our global team. Assist

with applications, interviews, calendars, and more.

B. Finance: Gain valuable financial experience while managing funds responsibly. Help us track

donations, process grants, and ensure financial stability.

C. Education & Administration: Make a lasting impact on children lives. Develop curricula,

mentor youth, and contribute to various educational projects.

D. Media & PR: Share our stories and amplify our impact. Use your talents in media, graphics,

translation, or writing to connect with the world.

Benefits:

● Make a real difference: Contribute to a meaningful cause and change lives.

● Gain valuable skills: Enhance your knowledge and develop new abilities.

● Connect with a global community: Collaborate with passionate volunteers from diverse

backgrounds.

● Flexible and rewarding: Volunteer from the comfort of your home on your own schedule.

No matter your experience, you can make a contribution! We welcome individuals with various

skills and levels of expertise.

This life changing experience impacts you as well as the children and communities we serve.

_________________________________________________________________

Are you a local resident in the City of London or can easily commute to central London?

If yes - please join our team of Gallery/Exhibitions Assistants at the Elitha's by NIAS Art Gallery. This is a valuable opportunity to improve or enhance your curation, networking and retail merchandising expertise.

Our ideal assistants are reliable, well presented, have a positive attitude and are always keen to learn, share and take on new ideas.​

Job Summary
Job Title: Gallery  Assistant
Salary: Voluntary
Working Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm (Flexible shifts)
Reporting to: Team Leader
Location: NIAS Creative Campus, Holborn, London

The NIAS Gallery is a part of the NIAS Creative Campus projects. The Gallery offers experienced local artists, upcoming artists and collectors opportunity to exhibit their works within prestigious city centre locations. NIAS Creative Campus  creates accessible community spaces by turning abandoned commercial properties to temporary useful purposes, for the benefit of creatives and young entrepreneurs. It also facilitates access to premium spaces for creative performers to hone their craft.

We are currently recruiting for two Gallery/Exhibitions Assistants to support our latest artists' led exhibition series in the City of London EC1.

Main responsibilities:

• Provide quick and accurate responses to enquiries by artists and visitors
• Providing assistance to the Coordinator and Artists, including; booking artists, courier companies and other logistic companies to facilitate the exhibition
• Promote the exhibition across all social media platforms
• Assisting with curation/creative decisions & creating promotional materials
• Ad-hoc duties at exhibition; managing guest list, showing guests to exhibition, help with setup and dismantling exhibits, photographing exhibits, etc
• Update marketing and listing information on websites, google, online auction sites, etc
• Any other relevant duties in support of the operations of the gallery

Requirements:

• Have an interest in pursuing a career in events, logistics and fine art
• Have excellent attention to detail and be organised
• Work well in a multi-tasking environment
• Excellent customer services skills
• Having a proficiency with wordpress and/or Adobe Suites
• Amateur photography & social media promotion skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (English language)

What we are offering:

• Travel Expenses
• Reasonable Lunch Expenses (after probation period)
• Industry links
• Opportunity for growth through our training and development programme
• Potential for career mentoring by experienced staff

• Day/Evening shift

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: ElithasByNIAS0325

Salusbury World is a small refugee-support charity working in Brent and neighbouring London boroughs. We support refugee and migrant children and families to develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive in London. We believe every refugee should be given the chance to come to terms with the loss they have experienced and to build a hopeful, fulfilling life in the UK. We exist to help overcome practical challenges - and to give opportunities to experience joy, intellectual and creative fulfilment, and hope for the future. 

Aim 

We haven’t been able to devote enough time to developing our digital presence. We’d love your help to spread the word about the great work we do and the impact it has. 

We are looking for a passionate and creative volunteer to help us plan, update and deliver our social media strategy, specifically focusing on Instagram, X and LinkedIn. The role involves contributing to our social media strategy and developing content that tells the story of Salusbury World’s mission, projects and impact in an engaging way. 

Skills and Experience 

• Experience in social media content creation and strategy, preferably in a nonprofit or community-focused environment. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills,

• Ability to create compelling and persuasive content 

• Ability to write content for a range of platforms 

• Confident and competent IT skills including MSOffice, Canva, Mailchimp and digital platforms 

• Basic video editing skills are a plus. 

Tasks will involve: 

• Collaborating with the Salusbury World team to understand our mission, values, and target audiences. 

• Collaborating with the team to develop a strategic plan for social media, including content themes, posting frequency, and engagement tactics. 

• Creating engaging social media content

• Creating content for use on our website, leaflets, fundraising/promotional materials etc. 

• Support with our branding initiatives 

Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a UK-based rehabilitation charity and social enterprise. We are supported by an incredible team of prison volunteers who are the link between the charity and the stitchers we work with in prison. Our volunteers run fortnightly stitching groups in the prisons we work with to facilitate our stitchers’ production of high-quality needlework.

Our prison volunteers work in small teams to teach our stitchers’ embroidery and needlepoint, organise their group sessions, and liaise with the prison and FCW office.

What you will do as a prison volunteer:

• Teach people in prison how to stitch and support the completion of our premade kits in our cell groups, which consist of around 10-15 stitchers.
• Communicate with staff at our hub in Battersea to receive kits and supplies for your group and send back completed work for your stitchers to be paid.
• Encourage and help stitchers to complete our Open College Network certifications in creative needlework.
• Develop stitchers’ skills and confidence by encouraging them to take responsibility as peer mentors.
• Act as an ambassador for the charity and sharing our vision and values throughout your volunteering.

Who we are looking for:

• Skills in embroidery and/or needlepoint or a willingness to learn to stitch is essential for this role.
• Ideally some teaching experience or experience working with socially-excluded groups.
• Someone with a non-judgemental attitude and commitment to rehabilitation.
• Someone who is an excellent team worker.
• Someone who is good at observing personal boundaries.

Commitment: our stitching groups run for 2 hours every fortnight, so with travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

You must be over 18 for this role with the ability to travel to the prison. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our prison volunteers. 

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented amongst FCW’s prison volunteers. This includes applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, and male identifying applicants.

This is an exciting time in our growth as we look to grow our governance systems, build on our successes and ensure we are a radical, dynamic organisation rooted in our anti-racist and anti-oppressive values.  We are looking for a new Treasurer for our Trustee board, to join us and help lead and shape the future of the organisation.

"It's important to me that my counsellor is kind and doesn't judge"

"Legendary group of people that want nothing more than to help you"

Kind words from our beneficiaries than hopefully sum up our ethos! 

We are an inclusive and supportive grassroots charity looking for volunteer counsellors to provide 1-1 or group therapy to young people. Being kind and non-judemental is very important to our client group. We are a person-centred service that uses the BACP Ethical Framework to guide our practice. 

This is an exciting time in our growth as we look to grow our governance systems, build on our successes and ensure we are a radical, dynamic organisation rooted in our anti-racist and anti-oppressive values.  We are looking for a new Chair for our Trustee board, to join us and help lead and shape the future of the organisation. 

Bgen, the Botanic Gardens Education Network, is seeking a new Treasurer Trustee to join its Board. This unpaid voluntary role offers a unique opportunity to support a small, but passionate charity at a pivotal moment in its growth.

Bgen is a specialist support network for professional plant and natural world educators. We help our members to connect people and plants in innovative and engaging ways, through online events, face to face training and networking events and our Annual Conference.

We are looking for a Treasurer who will bring enthusiasm, commitment, fresh perspectives and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our Board. The successful candidate will combine professional financial knowledge and experience with a deep commitment to supporting our mission in this vital non-executive role.

As our new Treasurer trustee, you will play an active role within the Bgen Board and provide leadership on its financial health, ensuring robust processes, accurate records and sound-decision making with transparency and accountability.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the dynamic Board and support our work to empower plant and environmental education and engagement professionals across the UK.

Availability and commitment

 As a Board member you will need to be able to attend up to six board meetings per year (held online) and the Annual General Meeting, organised in January – February each year. You will also spend around 2 -3 days per quarter in between meetings, to prepare the quarterly accounts, provide advice and coordinate payments, with support from the Bgen Coordinator and Bgen Bookkeeper. Days may vary throughout the year, depending on activity.

On October 7th, we are hosting a Bgen Board Strategy Away Day at Birmingham Botanical Gardens and your attendance would be extremely helpful.

This position would be for a period of three years minimum (term can be renewed after this time).