Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones. Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well.
Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include:
- Peer Support Groups (in-person and online)
- A call-back Peer Support Line
- Our eCommunity
In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself.
How volunteers support us
We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email.
Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more.
Our commitment to volunteers:
We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously.
To support you, we will:
- Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles
- Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy
- Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR
- Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff
- Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role
- Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning
- Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation
- Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance
- Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity
- Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development
Training and development
All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate.
Who can volunteer?
As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees.
Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures.
Skills and experience
We look for people who:
- Communicate well
- Enjoy teamwork
- Are able to adapt and willing to learn
- Are reliable, punctual and good at time management
- See situations with objectivity and compassion
- All our volunteers must be 18 or older.
Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation.
We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work.
What we ask of volunteers:
We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two to four hours a week for our phone/email service or up to 4 hours per month for our support groups, for at least six months wherever possible.
We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar. All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services.
Volunteers should:
- Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it
- Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others
- Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing
- Communicate effectively with the team
- Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies
- Have basic IT skills and computer literacy
Our volunteering roles:
- Support Group Co-facilitator (online)
- Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person)
- Support Group Administrator
- Peer Support Line Volunteer
- Media Ambassador
- Fundraising Assistant
- Events Assistant
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Following a review of our Board, we are looking for people who are committed to developing our services to the population of Derby City, South Derbyshire, East Staffordshire, Tamworth and surrounding areas. We are specifically looking for people with a finance, HR or legal background. Applications from women and individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are encouraged.
That is not the only criteria as the main element we are looking for is a passion to help us improve the lives of the people that we serve.
Practical Considerations
Evening Board Trustee meetings are held approximately every 12 weeks. We also hold sub-committees every 12 weeks. The total time commitment for a Trustee is at least 1 day per month; induction and training are provided, as is support from an experienced and knowledgeable Trustee and staff team. Trustees are not paid, but expenses are covered. A DBS (criminal records check) will be required.
Essential
· Will require references
· Own computer or secure access to one
· Long term commitment
If you have any questions or wish to discuss the role, please visit our company website for contact details
Citizens Advice Mid Mercia is a charity created to serve our local community of over 600,000 people across Derby City, South Derbyshire, East Staffordshire, Tamworth and surrounding areas.
We provide information, advice, support and training on a wide range of subjects such as debt, consumer services, energy, family, work, housing, health, digital skills and homelessness. Our Governing Body is a Board consisting of Trustees who provide independent judgement and oversight and are responsible for providing the strategic direction of our organisation.
Trustees play an essential role in ensuring that the charity runs smoothly and to make sure that:
· The services we offer are high quality
· Our clients’ experiences are used to campaign for changes in policies or services locally and nationally
· Resources are secured to meet current and new demands and that all funds are used responsibly
· Recruitment and selection processes for staff and volunteers are fair, and we are representative of the local community
· Training and support are available for staff and volunteers
· Local partner organisations and funders are aware of the charity and its services
About Citizens Advice Mid Mercia
It is an exciting time to join Citizens Advice Mid Mercia. We are a growing organisation that provides a range of services from quick advice, generalist advice, specialist advice, statutory and none statutory health services as well as peer support and training. We provide services in a variety of outreach locations and are also based in Swadlincote, Derby City, Burton and Tamworth. We provide telephone and face to face advice services for people who want advice on a wide range of issues.
to provide free, independent, confidential, impartial advice to everyone, and to improve the policies and practices that affects lives
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are currently seeking to recruit goverenance members to our Local Boards who can contribute to the support and challenge operating in our schools and bring experience, for example in finance, marketing, data analysis, human resources.
We are hoping that you can help us to fill this gap.
There are approximately 210,000 school governors in England – the largest volunteer force in the country. High-quality governance has a significant impact on how well a school is run and what pupils can achieve.
What we are looking for
Contrary to popular thought, you don’t have to be a parent or connected to the school in some way to be on the local board.
For our schools, the main advantage of having you join one of our local boards is the expertise and experience you can bring to the role. Knowledge of e.g. marketing, financial management, human resources, data analysis will greatly improve the effectiveness of our board and have a positive impact on our pupils’ education.
What we require of local board members
In terms of time commitment, we expect that you will attend at least one meeting per term, which will take place at the end of the school day (usually around 4pm) and rarely last more than 2 hours. Plus, take part in agreed school visits focusing on specific areas such as Pupil Premium, SEND and safeguarding. Feedback from members contributes to an evidence-base for self-evaluation and school improvement and you will be offered training and support to help you fulfil your role successfully. All those in governance roles, meet together at least once a year at a conference event.
About our schools
All schools are in rural locations and are firmly rooted in their local communities. We support learners from 4-18 and inclusivity is central to our working. There are two SEND Centres for children with additional learning and cognition needs, supporting children in KS2, 3 and 4. Our schools are: Bacton Primary School, Cedars Park Primary School, Mendlesham Primary School and Stowupland High School.
Experience tells us that our local board members not only make a significant difference to our schools, but also gain much personal and professional satisfaction from the role. If you find that you enjoy the role and gain skills and experience, you may also wish to look at becoming a trustee in the future.
We are happy to talk with anyone interested, or arrange a visit to one of the schools, if you would like to find out more. Please feel free to email or call as detailed below. Further information, including an application form, can also be found on the Governance page of our website: JMAT Governance
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.