Sunshine charity volunteer roles

CREATIVE VOLUNTEERS (FILMMAKERS, DESIGNERS, EDITORS, MOTION GRAPHICS, PHOTOGRAPHERS)

Help SUNSHINE explode across London — and create the visuals that change lives

About SUNSHINE

SUNSHINE is a small but ambitious grassroots charity on a mission to reduce loneliness and help people feel truly seen, valued and connected. Every week, our volunteers bring warmth, joy and human connection to people who feel isolated, overlooked or alone.

As we prepare to launch publicly, we’re building a creative team who can help us bring SUNSHINE to life visually — through film, design, photography, motion graphics, storytelling and content that radiates hope, energy and connection.

Your creativity won’t just build a brand. It will help someone who feels invisible feel seen. It will help volunteers feel proud and part of something bigger. It will help SUNSHINE reach people who need us most.

This is your chance to shape the look, feel and heartbeat of a movement.

What You’ll Be Creating

Filmmakers & Video Editors

• Short films that capture real stories of connection and courage.

• Launch videos, social clips, micro‑documentaries and campaign content.

• Warm, human visuals that show the impact of SUNSHINE’s work.

Graphic Designers

• Social media graphics, posters, flyers and campaign visuals.

• Designs that feel joyful, inclusive and unmistakably SUNSHINE.

• Creative assets that help us reach people facing loneliness.

Motion Graphic Designers

• Animated content that brings our brand to life.

• Movement‑energy visuals for campaigns, launches and storytelling.

• Short, uplifting animations that spread SUNSHINE across London.

Photographers

• Warm, authentic images of volunteers, community moments and events.

• Portraits that capture dignity, joy and human connection.

• Visual stories that help people understand who we are.

Creatives of All Kinds

• If you’re creative, we want you.

• Writers, illustrators, editors, content creators, brand thinkers.

• Anyone who can help us tell stories that matter.

This Role Is for You If…

• You’re a creative soul who wants your work to mean something.

• You care deeply about loneliness, wellbeing and community.

• You want to help build a brand with heart, hope and purpose.

• You love storytelling, visuals and creating emotional impact.

• You’re excited by the idea of shaping a new charity from the ground up.

• You’re based in or connected to London.

• You want to grow your portfolio with meaningful, real‑world work.

Practical Details

• Location: Remote/Hybrid/Flexible

• Time: Flexible — contribute as and when you can

Why This Role Matters

Your creativity will reach people who feel forgotten. Your visuals will help someone take their first step into community. Your films, designs and images will help volunteers feel proud, connected and inspired. Your work will help SUNSHINE grow across London — and eventually beyond.

This is not just creative work. It’s storytelling with purpose. It’s design that heals. It’s art that brings people together.

How to Apply

Send a short note about yourself and (if you have one) a link to your portfolio or examples of your work. We review applications on a rolling basis — join us and help bring SUNSHINE to life.

LONELINESS AWARENESS LEAD (VOLUNTEER)

Raise Awareness, Tell Human Stories & Help SUNSHINE Change the Way London Understands Loneliness

About SUNSHINE

SUNSHINE is a small but ambitious grassroots charity on a mission to reduce loneliness and help people feel truly seen, valued and connected. Every week, our volunteers bring warmth, joy and human connection to people who feel isolated, overlooked or alone.

We’re now looking for a Loneliness Awareness Lead — someone who can help us shine a light on the realities of loneliness, share the stories of the people we support (with dignity and care), and spread SUNSHINE’s message of hope across London and beyond.

Your work will help people understand that loneliness is not a personal failure — it’s a human experience. Your storytelling will help people feel less ashamed, less invisible, and more connected. Your leadership will help SUNSHINE reach the people who need us most.

What You’ll Be Doing

1. Raising Awareness of Loneliness Across London

• Lead campaigns that highlight the emotional, social and practical realities of loneliness.

• Share insights, facts and stories that help the public understand the issue with compassion.

• Help shift the narrative from stigma to empathy, from silence to connection.

2. Telling the Stories of the People We Support

• Work with participants (with full consent and care) to share their experiences.

• Create warm, respectful, human‑centred stories that honour their courage.

• Show the impact SUNSHINE has on confidence, wellbeing and connection.

3. Creating Content That Spreads SUNSHINE’s Message

• Develop blogs, interviews, social posts, short films or written stories.

• Work with our Creative Volunteers to bring stories to life visually.

• Help build a public voice that feels hopeful, inclusive and emotionally resonant.

4. Building Relationships With Media & Community Platforms

• Identify opportunities to share SUNSHINE’s work through local press, podcasts, newsletters and community networks.

• Represent SUNSHINE with warmth, clarity and movement‑energy.

• Help us become a recognised voice in the loneliness and wellbeing space.

5. Supporting SUNSHINE’s Growth & Impact

• Ensure our messaging reflects the lived experiences of the people we serve.

• Help shape campaigns that inspire volunteers, partners and supporters.

• Strengthen SUNSHINE’s presence across London as we grow.

This Role Is for You If…

• You’re a natural storyteller who cares deeply about people.

• You want to help change the way society understands loneliness.

• You’re empathetic, thoughtful and able to hold stories with care.

• You enjoy writing, interviewing, content creation or awareness‑raising.

• You’re based in or connected to London.

• You want to help build a new charity from the ground up.

• You want to grow your skills in communications, advocacy or community engagement.

Practical Details

• Location: Hybrid/Flexible — remote with occasional London meetups.

• Time: Approx. 3-5 Hours per week (This is a fully flexible volunteer role with no set hours)

Why This Role Matters

Loneliness is often hidden. People carry it quietly — in their homes, on the bus, at work, in crowded streets. Your work will help bring these stories into the light with dignity and compassion.

Every story you share will help someone feel less alone. Every campaign you lead will help someone understand they are not the only one. Every message you craft will help SUNSHINE reach people who need connection, hope and community.

This is not just awareness work. It’s storytelling that heals. It’s advocacy that empowers. It’s connection — shared with the whole city.

How to Apply

Send a CV and a short note about why this role speaks to you. We review applications on a rolling basis — join us and help spread SUNSHINE across London.

PROGRAMME LEAD (VOLUNTEER)

Create Life‑Changing Programmes for People Facing Loneliness in London

About SUNSHINE

SUNSHINE is a small but ambitious grassroots charity on a mission to reduce loneliness and help people feel truly seen, valued and connected. Every week, our volunteers bring warmth, joy and human connection to people who feel isolated, overlooked or alone.

Loneliness doesn’t just mean being by yourself — it affects confidence, mental health, motivation, identity, and the simple belief that you matter. As a Programme Lead, you will design and shape one or more of SUNSHINE’s community programmes that directly support people facing these challenges. Your creativity, compassion and leadership will help build spaces where people feel safe, welcomed and uplifted.

This is a role where your ideas become real experiences — and those experiences change lives.

What You’ll Be Doing

1. Designing Meaningful Programmes

• Create one or more community programmes that bring people together, reduce loneliness and build confidence.

• Shape activities, themes and experiences that feel warm, accessible and joyful.

• Ensure programmes are inclusive, safe and emotionally supportive.

2. Understanding the People We Support

• Listen to the stories, needs and realities of people facing loneliness.

• Design programmes that respond to real barriers: low confidence, anxiety, grief, isolation, social fear, or lack of belonging.

• Make sure every session feels welcoming, gentle and empowering.

3. Leading with Warmth & Vision

• Bring volunteers together around a shared purpose.

• Offer encouragement, clarity and movement‑energy.

• Help volunteers feel confident delivering the programme.

4. Building Connection & Community

• Create moments that help people feel seen, valued and part of something.

• Foster friendships, confidence and a sense of belonging.

• Celebrate small wins — because small wins often change everything.

5. Improving & Growing the Programme

• Gather feedback from participants and volunteers.

• Make thoughtful improvements that strengthen impact.

• Help SUNSHINE build a model that can grow across London and beyond.

This Role Is for You If…

• You’re a creative, people‑centred person who loves designing experiences.

• You care deeply about loneliness, wellbeing and community.

• You want to make a real, lasting difference to people who feel isolated.

• You enjoy leading, organising and bringing people together.

• You’re based in or connected to London.

• You want to grow your skills in programme design, community work or leadership.

Practical Details

• Location: London - Hybrid/Flexible

• Time: Approx. 3-5 Hours per week (This is a fully flexible volunteer role with no set hours)

Why This Role Matters

The programme you create may be the first place someone feels welcomed in months. It may be the first time they laugh with others. The first time they feel safe. The first time they feel like they belong.

Your ideas will become real moments of connection — moments that help people rebuild confidence, rediscover joy and feel less alone in the world.

This is not just a volunteer role. It’s a chance to design something that genuinely changes lives.

How to Apply

Send a CV and a short note about why this role speaks to you. We review applications on a rolling basis — join us and help build London’s kindest community programmes.

COMMUNICATIONS LEAD (VOLUNTEER)

Create the Buzz, Energy & Storytelling That Launches SUNSHINE Into London — and Changes Lives

About SUNSHINE

SUNSHINE is a NEW small but ambitious grassroots charity on a mission to reduce loneliness and help people feel truly seen, valued and connected. Every week, our volunteers will bring warmth, joy and human connection to people who feel isolated, overlooked or alone.

As we prepare for our public launch, we’re looking for a Communications Lead who can help us build excitement, visibility and movement‑energy around our brand. Someone who can turn our mission into stories, moments and messages that make people stop, feel, care — and get involved.

Your creativity won’t just shape our brand. It will help reach people who feel invisible. It will help volunteers find a place where they belong. It will help Londoners facing loneliness feel less alone.

What You’ll Be Doing

1. Creating Buzz & Energy Around SUNSHINE

• Craft warm, hopeful, movement‑driven messaging that captures hearts.

• Build excitement around our launch, projects and volunteer community.

• Help shape a brand that feels joyful, human and impossible to ignore.

2. Storytelling That Changes Lives

• Share real stories of connection, courage and community.

• Highlight the experiences of people facing loneliness (with care and consent).

• Show the impact volunteers make — and the transformation they experience too.

3. Social Media & Content Creation

• Create posts, visuals and campaigns that radiate SUNSHINE’s warmth.

• Grow our online presence with consistent, uplifting content.

• Help us reach people who need us — and people who want to help.

4. Brand Voice & Identity

• Shape a voice that is kind, inclusive, hopeful and unmistakably SUNSHINE.

• Ensure our communications feel safe, accessible and emotionally resonant

• Bring creativity, colour and joy to everything we share

5. Launch Support & Campaigns

• Support our public launch with storytelling, visuals and campaign ideas.

• Help us build a sense of movement, belonging and excitement.

• Create moments that make people want to join, support and share.

This Role Is for You If…

• You’re a natural storyteller who loves creating content with heart.

• You want to use your creativity to make a real difference.

• You care deeply about loneliness, wellbeing and community.

• You enjoy shaping brand identity and building excitement.

• You’re based in or connected to London.

• You want to grow your skills in communications, marketing or creative leadership.

Practical Details

• Location: London Remote/Hybrid/Flexible

• Time: Approx. 3-5 Hours per week (This is a fully flexible volunteer role with no set hours)

Why This Role Matters

Your words, visuals and ideas will reach people who feel forgotten. Your storytelling will help someone take their first brave step into community. Your creativity will help volunteers feel proud, connected and part of something bigger. Your work will help build a London where more people feel seen, supported and valued.

This is not just communications. It’s connection. It’s hope. It’s impact. And it starts with you.

How to Apply

Send a CV or portfolio (if you have one) and a short note about why this role speaks to you. We review applications on a rolling basis — join us and help bring SUNSHINE to London.

VOLUNTEERING LEAD (VOLUNTEER)

Help Build London’s Kindest Volunteer Community — and Change Lives Every Week

About SUNSHINE

SUNSHINE is a small but ambitious grassroots charity on a mission to reduce loneliness and help people feel truly seen, valued and connected. Every project, every conversation, every moment of joy we create is powered entirely by volunteers who give their time, heart and hope to others.

Loneliness in London is rising — and it affects everything: confidence, mental health, motivation, identity, and the simple belief that someone cares. As our Volunteering Lead, you’ll help build the community that supports both our volunteers and the people we serve. Your warmth, organisation and encouragement will ripple outwards, touching lives in ways you may never fully see — but will always feel.

What You’ll Be Doing

1. Welcoming & Supporting Volunteers

• Make every new volunteer feel celebrated, valued and part of something meaningful.

• Offer gentle support, encouragement and connection to help volunteers thrive.

2. Volunteer Experience & Engagement

• Build a culture where people feel safe, included and uplifted.

• Help create small moments of joy and belonging that make a big difference.

3. Induction & Pathways

• Shape simple, warm, movement‑energy induction experiences.

• Help volunteers find roles that match their strengths, passions and confidence.

4. Best Practice & Organisation

• Support our journey toward the Investing in Volunteers quality mark.

• Help us build systems that make volunteering easier, kinder and more accessible.

This Role Is for You If…

• You’re a natural encourager who loves helping people feel seen and supported.

• You enjoy organising, connecting and bringing people together.

• You care deeply about wellbeing, inclusion and community.

• You want to make a real difference to people facing loneliness and isolation.

• You’re based in or connected to London.

Practical Details

• Location: London both Hybrid/Flexible

• Time:  Approx. 3-5 Hours per week (This is a fully flexible volunteer role with no set hours)​

Why This Role Matters

Every volunteer you welcome, support and uplift goes on to support someone facing loneliness, anxiety, grief, isolation or low confidence. Your kindness becomes their kindness. Your leadership becomes their hope. Your presence helps build a London where no one feels invisible.

This is not just a role — it’s a chance to change lives, one connection at a time.

How to Apply

Send a CV and a short note about why this role speaks to you.

We review applications on a rolling basis — join us and help build London’s kindest volunteer community.

We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Volunteer Researcher to support our Corporate Fundaising team. Your role will be pivotal in identifying and researching prospects and Charity of The Year Partnerships who align with our mission. You will help us grow our pipeline of supporters and inform personalised, strategic approaches that lead to meaningful engagement and transformational support.

About Us:

Rays of Sunshine is dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill young people and their families by granting wishes and providing ongoing support in hospital and within the community. We are seeking a motivated volunteer to support our major gifts team by conducting research and helping to build our partnerships pipeline.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify and research prospective corporate partners, with a focus on Charity of the Year opportunities

• Build and maintain a structured prospect pipeline to support new business development

• Research CSR strategies, ESG priorities, funding history, key decision-makers and employee engagement programmes

• Strong research and analytical skills

• Commercial awareness and understanding of corporate partnerships

• Excellent attention to detail

• Confident using LinkedIn, Companies House, Charity Commission and online research tools

• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently

What You’ll Gain:

• The opportunity to directly contribute to securing high-value corporate partnerships

• Insight into charity new business and pipeline strategy

• Experience working with a dynamic, ambitious team

• A chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of seriously ill children and their families

• A reference upon successful completion of your volunteering

Purpose of the role
In this important role, you will be responsible for assessing the eligibility of applicants for our grants and services, in adherence with Variety’s structured grant management approach (guided interviews, weighted scoring and panel review) to maximise impact for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.

You will be required to handle grant applications and supporting information with the utmost confidentiality, following organisational policies to ensure the privacy and security of all sensitive and personal information.

Using our defined eligibility criteria and assessment tools, you will evaluate applications and conduct fair and consistent assessments, making award recommendations to support the decision-making process. You will bring an independent voice, playing a key role in ensuring that decisions are made fairly, equitably and transparently and will be required to support your recommendations with evidence of sound analysis and reasoning.

Key Responsibilities
• Review applications and supporting evidence prepared by the case management team.
• Clarify points with applicants when required (within agreed boundaries).
• Conduct structured, remote assessments (by telephone/video call) to understand need, urgency and likely impact on the child, their family life and communities.
• Establish the baseline for monitoring and evaluation by articulating the impact of the intervention.
• Where applicable, use the weighted assessment tool (base on the eligibility criteria and the Theory of Change) consistently and document clear, impartial rationales to prioritise need.
• Prepare concise, written recommendations aligned to policy, criteria and evidence.
• Attend quarterly Assessor Network meetings, which are a forum for sharing good practice, peer support, news sharing, undertaking essential training and reward and recognition.

Optional, Additional Responsibilities
• Where applicable, support the Impact Monitoring and Evaluation team to undertake post-award follow-up interviews to measure the impact made over time.
• Where applicable and available, represent Variety at events, presentations of awards and through online content.

Adherence to Policy and Quality
• Act as a beacon of good practice in fair grant assessment.
• Uphold safeguarding, confidentiality, GDPR, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and anti‑bias standards throughout the assessment process.
• Escalate concerns (quality, safeguarding, unusual risk, conflicts of interest) in line with policy.
• Follow process controls and segregation of roles, supporting a robust, auditable trail.
• Participate in induction, refresher training, and calibration sessions to ensure consistency and continuous improvement.
• Adhere to Variety’s Code of Conduct.

Time Commitment
• Assessments: the time commitment for these varies and is flexible but we expect you will be spending 4 – 8 hours per month on these, dependent on demand and pool of assessors.
• Assessor Network: hybrid meetings that will last 1.5 – 2 hours and will be held quarterly.
• Training: short modular induction plus periodic refreshers usually rolled into Assessor Network meetings.

Support & Supervision
• Induction & training: policy, criteria, assessment skills, impact tools, safeguarding, data protection.
• Ongoing support through Programme Manager, Programmes Support Officer and Head of Programmes.
• Expenses: out‑of‑pocket expenses will be reimbursed in line with Variety’s Expenses Policy.

Impact Measures (Volunteer‑Appropriate)
• Timely completion of assigned assessments; adherence to guidance and safeguarding.
• Quality of written rationales; consistency of weighted scoring.
• Constructive contribution to committee discussion and calibration.
• Positive feedback from applicants (tone/respect) gathered via staff.
• Case study preparation

Person Specification
We welcome people from many walks of life. If you’re feel that you are the right person for this role but are unsure whether you “tick every box,” please still consider applying; training and support are provided.
What you’ll bring (essential)
• Fair assessment mindset: you can weigh information against clear criteria and explain your reasoning.
• Analysis skills: comfortable reviewing forms/evidence and using a simple scoring tool. Able to summarise and analyse complex information to extract relevant data, paying attention to detail.
• Communication: great written and spoken English (we have templates to help).
• Lived experience or insight: personal, professional or volunteer experience that helps you understand the challenges faced by disabled or disadvantaged children and young people (or you can demonstrate thoughtful knowledge of these issues).
• Friendly and approachable: comfortable conducting sensitive conversations by telephone/video call with empathy and professionalism.
• Reliability and care: you follow guidance, meet agreed timeframes where you can, and ask for help if something isn’t clear.
• Values & conduct: commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion; willing to complete safeguarding training and a DBS check.

Helpful extras (nice to have, but not essential)
• Comfortable using basic digital tools (email, online forms, video calls) – we can show you the rest.
• Experience in any of the following is desirable:
o Grant-making
o Community/children’s services
o Health/education/SEND
o Occupational Therapy
o Social care
o Structured interviewing
o Teaching