Volunteer roles

The Diana Award are thrilled to invite you to volunteer for our Mentoring Programme this Autumn 2025, which operate across London. 

We collaborate with volunteer mentors to support young people aged 14-18 who are at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) through mentoring interventions, career skills development programmes, and support with their youth-led social action projects. 

WHO CAN VOLUNTEER AS A MENTOR? 

We welcome applicants of all industries and levels of experience. Through mentoring you will gain skills in communication and leadership, building empathy and understanding of issues and barriers facing young people in their communities. 

OUR MENTORING PROGRAMMES  

We will be running our exciting Twelve-week Mentoring Programme from October 2025 - February 2026, across London, in the boroughs of Enfield, Tower Hamlets and Sutton. 

The programme will involve: 

• Twelve weeks of in-person weekly mentoring sessions that last one hour (excluding travel) and are delivered on the same day and time each week. 

• Group mentoring, where a group of volunteer mentors work together to support a group of mentees, with the help of a Diana Award Facilitator. 

• Volunteer mentors will share advice and guidance with young people who are at risk of becoming NEET.

We will train you to mentor and provide ongoing support for the duration of your programme. 

The Diana Award can provide you with a professional reference, paid for DBS check, and refund your travel expenses in exchange for your voluntary work. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Requirements 

• A minimum of 18-years-old.

• Willing to complete a DBS Check (paid for by The Diana Award).

• Willing to provide contact details for two referees.

• Has the right to work and volunteer in the UK. 

• Able to attend a three-hour in-person mentor training session. 

• Able to commit to weekly face-to-face sessions. 

• Lives or works in London.

Skills 

• Passion for working with young people. 

• Has developed or willing to develop active listening skills. 

• Ability to see solutions and opportunities when working with people or in a group setting. 

• Ability to show resilience when faced with challenging situations or behaviours. 

Experience / Knowledge 

• Has work experience, this can be professional, from previous volunteering, or social action initiatives. 

• Has developed or willing to develop experience of picking, planning, and delivering a social action campaign. 

Optional Experience / Knowledge 

• Has prior experience working with young people. 

• Has experience in organising grassroots activism. 

• Has experience or knowledge in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 

• Has experience or knowledge in Widening Participation. 

• Has experience in project management. 

Responsibilities

• Commit to weekly sessions for twelve weeks, demonstrating consistency and punctuality. Mentoring Programme sessions last 60 to 90 minutes (excluding travel time). Follow through is key when working with young people at risk of becoming NEET. 

• Collaborate with a Diana Award Facilitator and other volunteer mentors to deliver and support group mentoring sessions within a school setting. 

• Review session plans and prepare for weekly sessions. Communicate weekly and in a timely manner with other volunteer mentors and a Diana Award Facilitator. 

• Create a safe and positive learning environment and provide young people with encouragement, guidance, and constructive feedback. 

• Nurture positive relationships with young people. Listen, understand, and acknowledge their feelings and experiences. 

• Support young people to plan a social action project. 

• Foster a growth mindset and encourage young people to challenge themselves to work towards their goals. 

• Support young people’s professional development by connecting them with further opportunities. For example, workplace visits, work experience, resources, relevant networks etc. 

• Identify and report any safeguarding and child protection concerns or disclosures to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, as per The Diana Award Safeguarding Policy. 

OUR CHARITY 

The Diana Award is the charity legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales’ belief that young people have the power to change the world. We seek to empower young people, delivering bespoke youth programmes for children and young people aged 9 – 25. We work with young people to unlock their potential, create opportunities for their growth, and inspire action from them to lead the change they want to see. 

HOW CAN I APPLY?

1. Read the Mentor Application Pack attached, so you have all the necessary information before applying. 

2. Apply now using the Online Application Form

The deadline to apply is 6th August 2025 you will hear back about your application in mid-August 2025. 

If your application is successful, volunteer mentoring will begin in October 2025, following identity checks and training. 

We can’t wait to receive your application! 

We are looking for a Finance Trustee to support the Board by providing an oversight of our affairs, ensuring our financial viability and that proper financial records and procedures are maintained. 

We are a small CIO with 3 part time staff.  Our Finance Trustee will participate in all areas of our governance but take a special interest in the financial  strategy and governance. They will use their sound financial skills & experience to support the Board’s understanding & interpretation & to ensure legislative compliance.

Our payroll is outsourced and we have an external investment portfolio manager.

Our current finance trustee has served their term of office & it is now time to look for their successor.

All meetings except our AGM/annual award event are remote. We need you to be available to attend: 

2 (evening) Board meetings

1 summer (evening) business meeting

3 Finance subcommittee (evening) meetings

1 in person day Board/AGM/Award event

Fundraising sub committee meetings - frequency tbc these will be held remotely in the evenings

The Finance Trustee will adhere to the role description of a trustee & in addition has the following key responsibilities:

• To support the Board to oversee & to ensure appropriate presentation of budgets, accounts, management accounts and financial statements.
• To ensure appropriate presentation of accounts and records, ensuring that financial resources are spent in accordance with the charity’s policies, good governance, legal & regulatory requirements.
• Liaising, where applicable, with the Chair/ other appropriate members of staff & supporting on financial matters
• Supporting the Board to monitor the financial viability of the charity.
• Creating in conjunction with relevant trustees & staff sound financial processes & procedures for the control of the charity’s assets.
• Advising on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan.
• Reviewing the annual accounts &, where applicable, liaising with the charity’s external bookkeeper to ensure the accounts are compliant with the current charities’ SORP.
• Ensuring that sound financial management is maintained & ensuring expenditure is in line with the charity’s objects.
• Authorisation of charity expenditure & banking transactions set up on online bank accounts
• Liaison with the fund manager responsible for the charity’s investment portfolio
• Oversight of payroll, HMRC reporting & operation of auto-enrolment pension scheme for staff

Do you live in Wales and want to gain valuable skills, have new experiences, and support vulnerable people?

We are offering a young person aged 18-25 the opportunity to volunteer for up to 6 months with the Portuguese Red Cross in Águeda, Portugal.

The Portuguese Red Cross in Águeda offers support to the local community in three main areas of voluntary activity: youth, emergency and social.

The youth department runs projects that will see the successful volunteer work with young people in the local community to boost their confidence, promote their involvement with their local community, support the peer to peer education programme and assist with planning and delivering awareness campaigns.

In the emergency department the successful volunteer will assist with the organisation and maintenance of essential emergency supplies as well as providing assistance and wellbeing support to those affected by emergencies and disasters and general event support within the community.

The social department runs a variety of projects including; the essential distribution of food to vulnerable people, the social canteen, food donation drives and working with vulnerable young people by organising activities to promote social inclusion, sports, creative workshops and educational programmes.

The successful volunteer will stay in a shared room in the Agueda Red Cross office with one other volunteer on the programme.

The volunteering hours will never exceed 36 hours/week and the volunteer schedule will be rotating. Volunteers are entitled to two consecutive days of rest per week.

This is a great opportunity to get involved in these projects and find out what you are interested in. For more details on the role and the projects available, have a look at the role description. The main thing we want to see is your motivation for this placement!

Typical tasks may involve:

• Assisting with the collection, sorting and distribution of food.
• Supporting and organising well-being events within the community.
• Developing projects to support the social inclusion of young people.
• Awareness raising and referrals according to people’s needs.
• Planning and delivering awareness campaigns in the community.
• Designing and facilitating creative and educational workshops to a variety of vulnerable people.

Please note that only young people based in Wales can apply for this role. Interviews will take place online with shortlisted candidates.

We are keen to hear from individuals especially those who do not normally get the chance to volunteer overseas, who are passionate and motivated about working in the humanitarian sector and international volunteering but who also understand that these types of placements require adaptability and resilience. We are especially interested in applications from those who are from low socio-economic backgrounds, are carers or are care experienced, have accessed free school meals, are refugees or asylum seekers and those with disabilities or additional needs.

Do you live in Wales and want to gain valuable skills, have new experiences, and support vulnerable people?

We are offering 2 young people aged 18-25 the opportunity to volunteer for up to 11 months with the Portuguese Red Cross in Braga, Portugal.

You will be working on a range of projects, which will give you the chance to explore the different kinds of social action that the Portuguese Red Cross undertake in Braga.

This is a great opportunity to get involved in these projects and find out what you are interested in. For more details on the role and the projects available, have a look at the role description. The main thing we want to see is your motivation for this placement!

Typical tasks may involve:

• Supporting the charity shop, Ponto Vermelho, with social media, sorting donations and organising the displays.
• Supporting in the Youth Centre for the Roma Community – organising and delivering activities, helping with homework.
• Supporting in the Foster Care for Unaccompanied Minor Refugees.
• Supporting the Social Kindergarten.
• Assisting with projects which help the homeless and the elderly.
• Assisting in the writing of project proposals and funding bids.

Please note that only young people based in Wales can apply for this role. Interviews will take place online with shortlisted candidates.

We are keen to hear from individuals especially those who do not normally get the chance to volunteer overseas, who are passionate and motivated about working in the humanitarian sector and international volunteering but who also understand that these types of placements require adaptability and resilience. We are especially interested in applications from those who are from low socio-economic backgrounds, are carers or are care experienced, have accessed free school meals, are refugees or asylum seekers and those with disabilities or additional needs.

The Portuguese Red Cross have worked in Cucujães since 1980 serving the Municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis. The Red Cross offers support to the local community in three main areas: - Social Assistance and access to Welfare Services, Emergency Response & First Aid and Youth Engagement.

Projects include: social assistance and counselling, food bank and food relief, activities for people with disabilities, first aid education, environmental education, activities focused on prevention for at risk youth, intergenerational and community workshops.

The successful volunteer will stay in a shared apartment (with other international volunteers) in a shared bedroom, located in Oliveira de Azeméis and carry out volunteering activities in two different locations (at Local Partner Institution: Centro de Apoio Familiar Pinto Carvalho (Oliveira de Azeméis) and at the Local Branch of the Portuguese Red Cross (Vila de Cucujães).

We would expect volunteers to do no more than 36 hours per week, within a rotating volunteer schedule, which will include two consecutive days per week away from the project.

We are keen to hear from individuals especially those who do not normally get the chance to volunteer overseas, who are passionate and motivated about working in the humanitarian sector and international volunteering but who also understand that these types of placements require adaptability and resilience.

We are especially interested in applications from those who are from low socio-economic backgrounds, are carers or are care experienced, have accessed free school meals, are refugees or asylum seekers and those with disabilities or additional needs.

This opportunity is exclusively for young people aged 18-25 from or currently living in Wales.

About the Back-End Node.js Course Designer role

From 2020 to 2021 we developed and delivered a full-time course that allowed twenty students to progress from absolute beginners to industry-ready front-end software developers, and they are now all working in US/European tech teams remotely from Madagascar.

Our challenge now is to scale our organisation, bringing opportunities to hundreds, moving to thousands of students. An important part of this will be diversifying our tech stack and train back-end developers to work alongside our front-end developers. Your mission as our Back-End Course Designer is to rebuild this back-end course, from the ground up, into a highly scalable online-style programme.

Your responsibilities include:

• Conducting preliminary research to determine which languages and technologies should be included in the course. 
• Finding existing online material and incorporating useful material into the course
• Creating engaging video lectures, learning activities and course content
• Collaborate with past Onja lecturers, incorporating their specific experience into your course design.

• Deciding on the criteria used to assess students’ performance and develop assessments.
• As we are a startup social enterprise there will likely be opportunities to wear many hats, contributing to other parts of the organisation. 

Requirements

• Twelve month commitment (this ensures sufficient time to make a truly meaningful impact) with potential to renew/extend.

• At least one year professional Back-End experience
• Preferably three or more years of Back-End experience however a willingness to learn and grow in the role is most important to us.
• An interest in teaching and course design. 

About the Role

In 2019, we developed and delivered a full-time course that allowed twenty students to progress from absolute beginners to upper intermediate speakers (B2 level) in just one year, with some students even reaching an advanced (C1) level. Our first cohort contained 19 developers and we plan to train hundreds of students in the coming years. Our challenge now is to scale our organisation, bringing opportunities to hundreds, moving to thousands of students. Your mission as our English Course Designer is to rebuild this course, from the ground up, into a highly scalable online-style programme.

Your responsibilities include:

• Creating engaging video lectures, learning activities and course content to build on an existing course. 
• Create supporting material/media (audio, video, simulations, role plays, games etc)
• Collaborate with existing Onja teachers, incorporating their specific experience into your course design.
• Applying tested instructional design theories, practice and methods
• Decide on the criteria used to assess learners’ performance and develop assessment instruments.
• Maintain project documentation and course folders.

This is a pivotal role for Onja at this exciting time. We are poised to grow fast and our dream is to train thousands of new students each year. You will be setting the foundations not just for this first cohort but the waves of youth that will follow in future years.

Requirements

• A twelve-month commitment is preferred.

• Instructional design experience as well as teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) experience is preferred however a willingness to learn and grow in the role is most important to us.

About the Front-End Course Designer role

From 2020 to 2021 we developed and delivered a full-time course that allowed twenty students to progress from absolute beginners to industry-ready software developers, and they are now all working in US/European tech teams remotely from Madagascar.

Our challenge now is to scale our organisation, bringing opportunities to hundreds, moving to thousands of students. Your mission as our Front-End Course Designer is to rebuild this course, from the ground up, into a highly scalable online-style programme.

Responsibilities

• Rebuilding the existing course focusing primarily on React while including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript and other related technologies, moving towards a scalable online-style programme. How this can be achieved is very open and will depend on you, another course designer, and some input from the wider team. We imagine it’s likely to include the following:
• Finding existing online material and incorporate useful material into the course
• Creating engaging video lectures, learning activities and course content
• Collaborate with existing Onja lecturers, incorporating their specific experience into your course design.

• Deciding on the criteria used to assess students’ performance and develop assessments.
• As we are a startup social enterprise there will likely be opportunities to wear many hats, contributing to other parts of the organisation. 

This is a pivotal role for Onja at this exciting time. We are poised to grow fast and our dream is to train thousands of new students each year. You will be setting the foundations not just for this first cohort but the waves of youth that will follow in future years.

Requirements

• Twelve month commitment (this ensures sufficient time to make a truly meaningful impact) with potential to renew/extend.

• At least one year professional React experience
• Preferably three or more years of React however a willingness to learn and grow in the role is most important to us.
• An interest in teaching.

About the Role

Your mission will be leading efforts in safeguarding Onja’s legal interests as it continues to grow.

Responsibilities:

• providing accurate, relevant and timely advice to management and staff on a needs basis in respect of a broad range of issues, with a particular focus on employment law and dispute resolution;
• ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations that apply to the organisation;
• managing and mitigating legal risks by designing and implementing organisational policies and procedures;
• collaborating with third parties, including external counsel and regulators, as needed; and
• designing and delivering legal training to the organisation;

Requirements:

• Twelve month commitment (this ensures sufficient time to make a truly meaningful impact) with potential to renew/extend.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Bachelor of Laws or equivalent 
• Legal industry experience preferred
• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• High degree of professional ethics and integrity.
• Strong analytical and research skills.
• Ability to work well within a team and individually.
• Professional legal qualification and/or exposure to employment law/dispute resolution would be a plus

About the Role

From 2020 to 2021 we developed and delivered a full-time course that allowed twenty students to progress from absolute beginners to industry-ready front-end software developers, and they are now all working in US/European tech teams remotely from Madagascar.

Our challenge now is to scale our organisation, bringing opportunities to hundreds, moving to thousands of students. An important part of this will be diversifying our tech stack to train both front-end and back-end developers. Your mission as our Full Stack Course Designer is to build this course, from the ground up, into a highly scalable online-style programme.

Your responsibilities include:

• Conducting preliminary research to determine which languages and technologies should be included in the course. 
• Finding existing online material and incorporating useful material into the course
• Creating engaging video lectures, learning activities and course content
• Collaborate with past Onja lecturers, incorporating their specific experience into your course design.

• Deciding on the criteria used to assess students’ performance and develop assessments.
• As we are a startup social enterprise there will likely be opportunities to wear many hats, contributing to other parts of the organisation. 

Requirements

• Twelve month commitment (this ensures sufficient time to make a truly meaningful impact) with potential to renew/extend.

• At least one year professional Fullstack experience
• Preferably three or more years of Fullstack experience however a willingness to learn and grow in the role is most important to us.
• An interest in teaching and course design. 

About the Role

In 2019, we developed and delivered a full-time course that allowed twenty students to progress from absolute beginners to upper intermediate speakers (B2 level) in just one year, with some students even reaching an advanced (C1) level. Our first cohort contained 19 developers and we plan to train hundreds of students in the coming years. Our challenge now is to scale our organisation, bringing opportunities to hundreds, moving to thousands of students. 

Your mission as our English Teacher is to prepare lesson plans, design curriculums, deliver lessons based on English textbooks and oversee the English language progress of students closely by systematically maintaining student records, providing them mentorship or tutoring and administering exams. 

Your responsibilities will include:

• Helping design and deliver an online scalable English course to a class of high-potential and highly committed students
• Developing curriculum, lessons and strategies to make sure Onja’s recipient speaks English with clear RP pronunciation
• Executing lessons efficiently using different styles of teaching depending on the content.
• Editing and improving lessons after delivery
• Preparing, scheduling and correcting Onja English exams
• Systematically maintaining and updating student records with English KPI
• Mentoring the students at Onja academically

Requirements 

• Twelve month commitment (this ensures sufficient time to make a truly meaningful impact) with potential to renew/extend.
• Native speaker or close
• Eager to learn and grow in the position
• Results driven
• Good communication skills (interpersonal skills) 
• Love working with and mentoring young adults 

Role Description:

This role sits within our Men’s Minds project, based in Hounslow. The aim of the service is to improve men’s mental health outcomes by developing a mental health network supported and directed by the voices of its members.

This will be achieved through three service strands: 1) Peer support network, 2) Psychoeducation workshops, addressing common needs of men’s mental health 3) Outreach support to raise awareness of men’s mental health and promote this service.

The role of the Peer Volunteer will be to support the Project Coordinator with developing and delivering various workshops and events. You will also take the lead in developing peer led support. Staff within the service will provide person-centred, practical and emotional support, face to face in a group basis to individuals who may have challenging life experiences.

At the start of the placement you will be in weekly training sessions and shadow mental health groups with the general public. Over time you would develop skills to run these groups and using your own interests create workshops for these service users. We would be keen to work with you to develop your own interests related to this project such as marketing, fundraising or strategy.

This volunteer position tends to attract students training in psychology, counselling and or social work. However, we would welcome your application should you be able to demonstrate a keen interest in this field.

Our timetable which you would be working within is:

Walk and Talk: Tuesdays 2-3.30pm

A chat and some fresh air in a loop around Inwood Park. 

Men’s Support Group: Tuesdays 6-8pm

A deeper chance to share your experiences and needs.

Homeless Support: Thursdays 9.30-11am

Based at Trinity Church

Lunchtime Coffee: Thursdays 2-3.30pm

Come meet us in our space, bring food if you like. 

We are looking for volunteers who:

• Identify as male
• Can learn new skills quickly and are passionate in motivating themselves and others.
• Have lived experience of mental health challenges
•  Are a non-judgemental and friendly individual
• To be able to provide a welcoming, authentic, and positive experience for all, being inclusive and embracing diversity
• To feel comfortable engaging with people with mental health challenges / difficult life experiences, by validating strengths and experiences and using empowering language to overcome negative self-talk
• Are empathic and understands the stigma / social bias's surrounding mental health
• Are willing to tap into their lived experiences and use their stories to inspire hope in others when appropriate
• Are comfortable with co-producing and co-facilitating peer led workshops
• To assist the Project Coordinator with admin and planning
• Are able to take on any ad hoc admin/support responsibilities

What's in it for the volunteer?

Volunteering at Mind is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with a nationally recognised charity. We will provide volunteers with an induction, training, and ongoing mentoring to support them in the role.

We provide initial and ongoing training, as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the organisation. You will also be a part of a supportive team with great awareness of wellbeing and the mental health sector.

To apply, please send your CV and expression of interest addressing the below answers

Please tell us why you would like to volunteer at Men’s Minds at HFEH Mind? (minimum 50 words)

Please share any relevant skills or experience you have for the role, particularly in counselling or mental health skills.  This may include education, work or voluntary experience (minimum 100 words)

IvybridgeLink the charity for the BridgeLink Community Centre is looking for trustees with a passion for social justice, a concern for under represented groups and the willingness to support our staff in developing activities and services for our diverse local community.  Useful previous experience would be: fundraising, governance and compliance, community work, education, human resources, IT, buildings management, food and catering.

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR CHARITY TRUSTEES

Overall Purpose

The Board of Trustees are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity Ivybridgelink, supporting its values and developing the organisation's aime and objectives.

Main Responsibilities

• To ensure that the charity and its representatives function within the legal and regulatory framework of the sector continually striving for best practice in governance.
• To uphold the aims and objectives of the charity IvybridgeLink:
  • To promote learning and educational achievement
  • To encourage pathways into employment
  • To support healthy lifestyles and emotional wellbeing
  •  To offer opportunities for recreation / leisure activities
  • To build a positive sense of community
• To determine the overall direction and development of the charity through good governance and clear strategic planning.
• To follow non-discriminatory and non-judgemental practice, and adhere to the confidentiality policies and procedures.
• To ensure the charity complies with regulatory requirements, as laid out in the governing document. 

 Main Duties

• Acting in the best interest of the charity, beneficiaries and future beneficiaries at all times.
• Promoting and developing the charity in order for it to meet the needs of local residents. 
• Overseeing sound financial management of the charity’s resources, ensuring expenditure is in line with the organisation’s objectives, and investment activities meet accepted standards.
• Overseeing recruitment processes following safer recruitment procedures.
• Monitoring the effective and efficient administration of the charity and its resources.
• To follow the IvybridgeLink confidentiality policy and maintain absolute confidentiality regarding all information shared or received.
• An understanding and commitment to equalities issues in relations to working in the community.
•  Support the centre’s management team to deliver projects and run events

Accountable to:

As the board are responsible and liable for the governance and functioning of the charity,they are accountable in varying degrees to a variety of stakeholders, including: service users, members, funders, the Charity Commission, and Companies House. Close attention must be given to the governing document to ascertain the type of organisational structure and the range of interested parties.

Are you interested in facilitating a peer support group for people who are struggling with their mental health? We are looking for passionate volunteers to facilitate a weekly online or face-to-face group, to discuss topics relating to mental health. We are hoping to find someone who has either ‘lived experience’ of mental health issues and is now at a positive place with their own recovery or someone who has good knowledge of mental health and looking to support others.

We work with people who need support with their mental health across London and the South East. Our support ranges from registered accommodation services for people with severe mental health conditions to drop-in community and crisis services.

In the last year, 9,499 adults accessed Hestia’s mental health support.

We help people to feel safe, develop hope for a better future, and achieve their personal goals. These goals may include rebuilding relationships with family members and friends or connecting more with their local community.

What you will be doing

• Facilitating weekly peer support groups, covering topics related to mental health.
• To encourage participation and to provide focus and guidance for discussions within the group
• To negotiate/facilitate conflicts or disagreements that may arise during group meetings

The skills you need

• Strong listening and communication skills
• Ability to create and maintain a safe environment where the participants' thoughts and feelings are valued, and group members are treated with fairness, equity and respect
• Lived experience of mental health or desire to learn

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.