Volunteer volunteer roles in luton, bedfordshire
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Our vision for volunteering
Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.
The difference you will make to cats and people
At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats and kittens each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups. We have branches across the UK, all of which help our cats in different ways. Branches take in stray and abandoned cats and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they deserve; help raise funds, promote neutering and help spread cat welfare messages. Our branch team leader volunteers lead their local team by supporting and managing volunteers within their group, maintaining communications with both volunteers and employees, and helping promote a positive and professional image of Cats Protection.
You can expect us to
- Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
- Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
- Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
- Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities
What we need from you
You’ll be:
- Supporting your team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure volunteers are happy and confident
- Making sure the team observes charity best practice and compliance
- Collaborating with your Branch Development Manager (BDM) to plan volunteer activity
- Leading the team to follow Cats Protection policies, procedures and guidelines
- Monitoring expenditure and helping ensure long term financial stability of the volunteer group
- Organising and chairing team meetings
- Acting as an ambassador for Cats Protection
Making a better life for cats, because life is better with cats


Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us: GT Scholars is a charitable social enterprise that tackles educational inequality by giving ambitious young people the support, skills and strategies they need to achieve aspirations. We run a wide range of programmes that help young people achieve their academic and career aspirations, particularly those from less-privileged backgrounds.
What makes us different? We run tutoring, mentoring & career insight programmes that help our scholars, aged 11-18, discover their strengths, develop their mindsets and design their own futures.
There are many charitable organisations and social enterprises offering programmes to improve the life chances of young people.
However, our programmes use a unique 3:1 model which means that we’re able to sustainably use our profits to provide additional places on our programmes, to young people from low income homes.
We believe that all young people are gifted and talented, regardless of their background.
Our mission is to empower and develop the next generation of leaders and change-makers and we’re looking for volunteer tutors that are passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives!
If you are an undergraduate or graduate, you could make a difference by joining us as a volunteer tutor. As a volunteer tutor, you’ll need to:
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Have a passion for helping children and young people
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Provide online one-to-one tutoring support for 1 hour week
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Build pupil confidence in Maths.
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Have strong subject knowledge (confident enough to tutor up to GCSE)
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Work collaboratively with other tutors and mentors
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Have a minimum of an undergraduate degree or be working towards this
Volunteer tutoring can be extremely rewarding and volunteers with GT Scholars benefit from:
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A flexible schedule - you can choose online tutoring hours to suit your schedule
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The chance to grow your contacts and meet like-minded volunteers
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The chance to make a real difference in the life of a young person.
Additional information: We’re looking for tutors that can commit to a minimum of 2 academic terms of volunteering.
We will need to conduct reference checks and you will need an Enhanced DBS for this role as you will be working directly with children. We can process this for you or you may submit one if this is less than 3 years old.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us: GT Scholars is a charitable social enterprise that tackles educational inequality by giving ambitious young people the support, skills and strategies they need to achieve aspirations. We run a wide range of programmes that help young people achieve their academic and career aspirations, particularly those from less-privileged backgrounds.
What makes us different? We run tutoring, mentoring & career insight programmes that help our scholars, aged 11-18, discover their strengths, develop their mindsets and design their own futures.
There are many charitable organisations and social enterprises offering programmes to improve the life chances of young people.
However, our programmes use a unique 3:1 model which means that we’re able to sustainably use our profits to provide additional places on our programmes, to young people from low income homes.
We believe that all young people are gifted and talented, regardless of their background.
Our mission is to empower and develop the next generation of leaders and change-makers and we’re looking for volunteer tutors that are passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives!
If you are an undergraduate or graduate, you could make a difference by joining us as a volunteer tutor. As a volunteer tutor, you’ll need to:
-
Have a passion for helping children and young people
-
Provide online one-to-one tutoring support for 1 hour week
-
Build pupil confidence in Maths.
-
Have strong subject knowledge (confident enough to tutor up to GCSE)
-
Work collaboratively with other tutors and mentors
-
Have a minimum of an undergraduate degree or be working towards this
Volunteer tutoring can be extremely rewarding and volunteers with GT Scholars benefit from:
-
A flexible schedule - you can choose online tutoring hours to suit your schedule
-
The chance to grow your contacts and meet like-minded volunteers
-
The chance to make a real difference in the life of a young person.
Additional information: We’re looking for tutors that can commit to a minimum of 2 academic terms of volunteering.
We will need to conduct reference checks and you will need an Enhanced DBS for this role as you will be working directly with children. We can process this for you or you may submit one if this is less than 3 years old.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Support the work of St John Ambulance in your community by volunteering as a Community Volunteer, an exciting new role which is designed to revamp how volunteering looks in the modern world; flexible, innovative and is open for all.
We need people who have a passion for helping others, care about their communities and want to make a difference, supporting them to become safe and more resilient. Community Volunteers can choose from a wide selection of activities – including fundraising, talks and demonstrations, supporting at events, volunteer welfare, social media and administration support.
Through supporting the growth of community partnerships, you will bring people along to our cause, growing our membership and fundraising base and spreading the message that First Aid Saves Lives.
Give as much (or little) time as you can afford. With this new role, you simply volunteer when it works for you. That means you can give as much time as you like or as little as 24 hours across a whole year, whenever it suits you. It’s perfect for busy lives, changing schedules, or for anyone seeking a low-commitment involvement.
The Community Volunteer provides an easy way to stay connected and contribute meaningfully to your local community. Here are some examples of what you could do:
- Community fundraising
- Talks and demonstrations
- Support at events
- Volunteer welfare
- Community Roadshows
- Supporting national campaigns
- Counting and banking money
- Booking events
- Supporting Networks
- Administration support
- Writing thank you and community letters
- Media and social media
- Community news and Network newsletters
Through volunteering as a Community Volunteer, 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.
Once we have completed your selection and screening for this role, we will provide you with an induction, as well as invite you to any necessary training sessions. We will also provide you with a supportive environment while you are volunteering with us. Information about our volunteer roles are included in the role descriptions. What you can expect from SJA, and what we expect from those who volunteer with us, is included in the volunteer charter.
Volunteers would be expected to attend events and promote the work of St John. They would also be expected to attend network meetings.
Candidates will be interviewed in person at the unit, by the VEL and Community Network lead.
The welcome event will be arranged and delivered by the VEL and Community Network lead
Closing date for these opportunities is: 20/07/2025
To apply for this opportunity please follow the link below:
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Volunteer Co-chair at Watford and Three Rivers Refugee Partnership (WTRRP)
Job summary:
We're looking for a Co-chair to lead and shape the strategic vision of WTRRP as we move forward into our 25th year as a charity. We are looking for someone to support us with our strategy in line with our mission and our values. In this role, you will act as one of two Trustee committee co-chairs of the charity, responsible for the agenda and actions of Trustee meetings and AGM, improving good governance and acting as a senior ambassador of the organisation. We are looking for someone with enthusiasm, availability and leadership skills to work collaboratively with staff and volunteers.
WTRRP exists to support asylum seekers and refugees in Watford and Three Rivers who do not yet have settled status in the UK or may have specific needs relating to their application process or welfare. The main services of the charity are a drop-in session and social hub every Tuesday (at St Mary’s Church in central Watford), ESOL classes, providing financial support and advice to its clients and assisting them to integrate into the local community.
The Partnership has grown dramatically over the past 5 years, which is why we are looking for a co-chair to join us. WTRRP is run by a committee that meets typically every 2 months and it also provides supervision to our 3 staff members and support to our 70 volunteers.
We would welcome applicants with any of the following experience:
- Governance and previous Committee experience
- Business development and charitable fundraising
- Human resources and people management
- Lived experience of being a Refugee or Migrant
- Financial background
Principal responsibilities:
- Be part of the Committee, supporting the organisation as it grows and develops.
- Have availability to regularly attend the Tuesday hub at St. Marys church from 11- 2pm to support the team and be present.
- Oversee the administration and coordination of sub-committees.
- Serve as line-manager to the Caseworker and conduct planned supervision and appraisals.
- Represent the Partnership as required to the public or external parties such as funders and Community groups.
This is an important role that will support the charity as we adapt and change. If you feel that you may have some of the skills we are looking for and want to have an initial chat with our chair, then please contact us.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you have a coaching qualification, or are you working towards one? Would you like to help managers across our organisation develop their skills and confidence? As a coach, you will support managers to improve their leadership abilities, build confidence, and enhance their effectiveness in their roles. Your coaching will help them tackle challenges such as personal effectiveness, leadership credibility, career development, and conflict resolution. By providing guidance and encouragement, you will play a key role in helping managers grow, develop new skills, and lead their teams more effectively.
What you will be doing
- Deliver coaching sessions for managers at various levels, from team leads to department heads.
- Provide a safe, open, and confidential space for coaching conversations focused on leadership, communication, conflict resolution, managing change, and interpersonal skills.
- Use clear and effective coaching methods and models.
- Maintain confidentiality and follow Hestia’s coaching programme guidelines.
- Define clear roles for both the coach and coachee, ensuring there are no conflicts of interest.
The skills you need
- A recognised coaching qualification (or currently studying towards one), such as ICF or EMCC, or significant coaching experience at a management level.
- Experience in the social care sector (desirable but not essential).
- Strong communication and listening skills.
- Willingness to participate in supervision and continuous learning.
- A friendly, approachable, and supportive manner.
- Understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries.
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.
We deliver services across London as well as campaign and advocate nationally on the issues that affect the people we work with.




Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Are you a talented Graphic Designer passionate about using your creativity for social good? Do you want to shape the visual identity of a brand-new charity dedicated to empowering young people in London? Then join us at REMIX!!!
REMIX is a dynamic new charity on a mission to "remix young lives" from disadvantaged backgrounds across London. We aim to guide, mentor, and inspire young people through positive role modelling, comprehensive personal development, and vital employability skills. We have our logo, but now we need your design expertise to build a compelling visual identity that truly reflects our vision and impact.
We are seeking a dedicated Volunteer Graphic Designer to create our brand styling guide and develop key communication materials. This is an incredible opportunity to apply your design skills to a meaningful social cause, helping us attract young people to our programmes, inspire people to volunteer, and encourage vital support.
Who We're Looking For
We need a creative, and detail-oriented designer who understands the power of visual communication. You'll likely possess:
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Proven Graphic Design Experience: A strong portfolio showcasing your ability to create engaging and effective visual content across various platforms.
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Brand Identity Development: Experience in creating brand guidelines or style guides, defining visual elements like typography, colour palettes, imagery, and usage rules.
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Design Software Proficiency: Expertise in industry-standard tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign).
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Versatility: Ability to design for different mediums, including social media, print (booklets, flyers), and digital presentations.
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Understanding of Audience: Ability to create designs that appeal to diverse audiences, including young people, potential volunteers, and funders.
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Attention to Detail: Meticulous in ensuring brand consistency and high-quality output.
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Collaborative Spirit: Eagerness to work with our Trustees and other volunteers to translate our mission into powerful visuals.
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Passion for Social Change: A genuine commitment to REMIX's mission and empowering young people.
Your Role as Graphic Designer
In this vital set-up phase, you will be instrumental in:
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Developing a Brand Styling Guide: Building out a comprehensive visual identity guide that defines our brand colours, typography, imagery style, logo usage, and overall design principles.
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Designing Core Communication Materials: Creating templates and initial designs for:
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Social media posts: Engaging graphics for platforms like X, Instagram, LinkedIn.
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Publicity materials: Flyers, posters, and simple brochures to reach young people and the wider community.
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Information booklets: Designing layouts for programme information, volunteer guides, or impact reports.
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Presentation templates: Creating professional templates for pitches to funders and partners.
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Ensuring Brand Consistency: Helping to apply the new brand identity across all our communications.
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Visual Storytelling: Translating REMIX's mission and impact into compelling visual narratives.
What We Offer
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The unique opportunity to define the visual brand of a new charity, directly shaping how we are perceived.
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An incredible chance to apply your design expertise to a profound social cause, seeing your work make a tangible difference.
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Collaboration with a passionate and strategic Board of Trustees.
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The satisfaction of knowing your designs will help attract young people, inspire volunteers, and secure vital support to "remix young lives."
This is a voluntary role, where you will manage your own time and workload to establish our core brand identity and initial materials. We are flexible and can work around your availability.
Ready to Design a Brighter Future with REMIX?
If you are a talented and passionate Graphic Designer eager to leave your creative mark on a transformative cause, we'd love to hear from you.
Help us design the visual identity that will inspire and empower us to "remix young lives" across London!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..
The role in a nutshell:
Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?
Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.
How would you be supported in this role?
When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.
Why do we need volunteers in this role?
Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.
Additional information:
We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.
What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?
We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Do you enjoy organising things and making this happen?
Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?
Yes? We’d love to hear from you.
We’re looking for admin volunteers to help with our daily operations. We have a variety of ways you can get involved:
- Responding to client requests and enquiries
- Fundrasing and partnership management
- Managing and updating company databases
- Keeping track of partnership enquiries
- Maintaining internal, volunteer, and client records
- Drafting and mailing client correspondence and newsletters
- Organising events, scheduling meetings, and making travel arrangements
- Providing administrative support to other departments or projects as needed
- Performing other duties as agreed in advance
We’ve designed our volunteering programme to be flexible and adaptive to you. All volunteering is 100% remote and you’re supported fully by our team. You control what you do and how many hours per week you want to volunteer. Some roles may require an Enhanced DBS check. If your application is successful, we will ask for a donation towards the cost of your enhanced DBS check if it's required for your role. This cost is £20.60.
Here’s some further information on what’s needed:
Are you over 18 and living in the UK?
You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK. You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.
Do you have a laptop?
A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.
How much time can you give?
A minimum of 2 hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.
Training
We provide CPD accredited training with 3 short courses needing to be completed prior starting your volunteer role. After, you’ll have access to over 90 CPD accredited courses should you want to study further.
To always be ‘by your side’ when you need mental health peer support.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Would you like to become an Ambassador for knus? We've introduced our new arm-chairing volunteer position.
If you're interested arm-chair volunteering (our most flexible, low commitment role) and applying to volunteer at knus, simply read through the information on this page and apply.
- Are you over 18 and living in the UK? You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.
- Do you have a mobile phone or laptop? You can do this role whether you are, whether it be on a sofa or on a plane.
- How much time can you give? As much as you want to do. We are flexible and like to work around you.
- Do you like to learn? We provide training for all volunteers that join us. You'll have access to our CPD courses to help you advance your knowledge and certificates to add to your CV.
How does it work?
In 2025 we launched our arm chair volunteering initiative to help us spread the word about our service and to give people the opportunity to take part in surveys and projects to help us deliver the best mental health support to the UK public.
We'd like to embrace what you love doing, whether that be sharing on socials, proof reading, surveys, sharing experiences or getting involved in our fabulous projects.
Important information:
In order to volunteer for knus as an ambassador, you will need to complete a brief application form and a ID check. A DBS is not required for this role, however, if you wish to progress to another role you may need a disclosure. We do this to ensure of service remains a safe place to volunteer for all. Please do not worry about this, we will help you as much as we can.
Training is provided by us and our training partners. You will be required to attend this training using online conferencing software such as zoom or teams.
To always be ‘by your side’ when you need mental health peer support.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Ready to Design a Brighter London?
Ignite Hope, Connection, and Joy with SUNSHINE!
Imagine a London where loneliness fades, replaced by vibrant connections and powerful community spirit. That's the future we're building at SUNSHINE, a brand-new, 100% volunteer-run charity launching with a heartfelt mission to combat loneliness and transform countless lives.
We're in the exhilarating start-up phase, laying the groundwork to officially launch. This isn't just an opportunity; it's an invitation to be a founding force, to shape our visual identity, and to make a monumental impact from day one. Your passion, creativity, and energy aren't just welcome—they're essential to lighting up London!
Calling All Graphic Design Visionaries!
We're seeking a dedicated Graphic Designer to join our pioneering team and help us build something truly extraordinary. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and bring our mission to life through stunning visuals, this is your chance to leave an indelible mark on London's heart.
Your brilliant designs will be crucial in promoting SUNSHINE and inspiring widespread support. We need you to craft positive, impactful publicity materials and social media posts that will:
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Promote SUNSHINE's Mission: Create visuals that clearly communicate who we are and the incredible change we're making.
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Inspire Participation: Excite people to join our programmes, find connection, and enhance their well-being.
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Recruit Volunteers: Motivate passionate individuals to lend their time and talent to our cause.
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Encourage Support: Inspire donations, in-kind contributions, and other forms of support from the community.
Beyond static graphics, we're also keen to explore motion graphics or short videos that will capture attention and make SUNSHINE instantly recognisable and memorable.
Here's where your brilliance can make a difference:
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Visual Storytelling: Translate our mission and impact into compelling graphics for web, print, and social media.
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Brand Building: Help establish a strong, uplifting visual identity for SUNSHINE from the ground up.
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Engagement & Outreach: Design materials that captivate audiences and encourage them to act – whether joining, volunteering, or donating.
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Creative Innovation: Explore new visual formats, including motion graphics and short video concepts, to spread our message far and wide.
Why SUNSHINE?
This is more than volunteering; it's a chance to be part of a vibrant movement from the very beginning.
You'll:
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Shape a Legacy: Be a foundational member of a charity set to profoundly impact London.
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Connect & Grow: Work alongside passionate individuals, expand your network, and develop new skills.
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See Your Impact: Directly contribute to creating a more connected, joyful city.
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Experience the Excitement: Thrive in a dynamic, start-up environment where your ideas matter.
Ready to Ignite Change?
If you're eager to transform lives and build a brighter, more connected London, we want to hear from you!
Your help during this initial phase is absolutely critical to bringing SUNSHINE to glorious life.
Join our passionate team and help us build a brighter, more connected world for all.
We're SUNSHINE:
Combating Loneliness and Social Isolation across London and Beyond!
SUNSHINE is London based dedicated to bringing people together, fostering connections, enhancing wellbeing and transforming lives.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
VOLUNTEER CASE OFFICER
Across the UK, our 65 local branches work with disabled people to help them live the lives they choose. Our network of skilled volunteers respond to thousands of requests each year to design and make customised equipment free of charge.
Our Case Officers are a vital part of our local branch activities. They use their organisational and IT skills, sometimes along with a knowledge of engineering, to make sure their branch is best able to support people.
What the role involves
This is a varied role that each branch tends to do a bit differently, but it will involve:
• Processing and allocating cases which have come to the branch
• You may have engineering experience or be a skilled craftsperson, but this is not essential
• Using our online referral portal to manage and update case notes
• Attending regular meetings of the local branch
We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, and there’s an induction that covers all the areas above. You’ll also have chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us.
What you’ll need for this role
• Warm, approachable and confident to call referrers/clients to initiate discussions
• Comfortable working with people, listening to them and understanding their needs
• Able to apply our risk management system
• Able to apply disability, equality, and inclusion practices
• Able to keep people’s personal details safe
• Willing to follow Remap policies and procedures – and a commitment to our values
• A commitment to our values
You’ll also need to complete the induction checklist and some online training.
Why volunteer
When you volunteer with us, you join a community of committed people with a passion for helping to improve the lives of others. We’re a volunteer led organisation and we couldn’t do what we do without you – your hard work, skills and commitment.
N.B. We’ll reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses during your time with us.
REMAP exists to improve the quality of life for people who experience short or long-term disability through infirmity, illness or ageing.
Shout is the UK’s only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. When people text 'Shout' to 85258, they are connected to a Shout Volunteer for a text conversation. Our volunteers provide a safe space for people to share what's causing them distress, while showing warmth and compassion.
Tasks and Responsibilities
If your application is successful, you’ll be enrolled in a training group. New groups start every two weeks.
Shout Volunteers receive 25 hours of free training in communication, listening, managing and assessing risk, and problem solving. The training is self-paced and done online. You’ll learn how to bring people in distress to a place of calm and practice skills that will be useful to you throughout life.
As we are investing in you throughout your time with us, our hope is that you will complete the training in a timely manner and look at this as a longer term commitment. The experience you gain over time is valuable and our goal is to have volunteers commit to 200 hours on the platform, which can take up to two years to complete, as we ask you to take one 2-4 hour shift per week.
Our Volunteer Training Support team is here to support you, answer any questions and provide feedback during training and throughout your time with Shout. You’ll be joining an incredibly supportive volunteer community and have access to the resources you need to do your role.
As a volunteer, you’ll be supporting people in distress, so it’s important we see the skills required to do that while you are in training. While most trainees complete the training and go on to volunteer, not everyone will pass the training. If this happens, there are other ways you can still support us.
Selection Criteria
A Shout Volunteer is kind and compassionate, a good listener, and has the ability to remain calm when supporting people in crisis. You will also:
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Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend
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Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing
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Be open-minded
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Be supportive
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Be reliable
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Be discreet and able to respect confidentiality at all times
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Be accepting and non-judgemental
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Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout
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Adopt a growth mindset, and be willing to accept feedback
Requirements
- You must live in the United Kingdom or New Zealand while volunteering.
- You must be over 18 years of age.
- You will need a reliable internet connection and a private place to take your shift.
- All of your volunteering must be done using a laptop or desktop computer and Google Chrome.
It’s worth spending time thinking about the nature of the role, and whether it’s right for you. We support all texters, regardless of race, religion, sexual identity or issue. You will need to be comfortable addressing topics frequently discussed with texters (suicide, self-harm, depression, etc.) without compromising your own mental health.
Before you apply, please consider whether either of the following applies to you:
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Have you recently experienced grief, loss or change issue/s? For example; someone close to you has been ill or has died, you’ve lost your job, your relationship has ended.
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Is your current mental health and wellbeing in a place such that the stress and pressure of listening to the challenges of others would bring additional burden to you personally?
Benefits to Volunteers
The role is rewarding and can save lives. Shout Volunteers tell us they gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and purpose from taking conversations. They also tell us that their own wellbeing increases, they learn valuable skills and gain experience they can use at work and in their personal lives.
Volunteering can also be a great addition to your CV. You do not need to have any past experience in mental health to be a Shout Volunteer - we’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to do the role.
Application Process
You will need to create your account and fill in the application using a laptop or desktop computer and in a Google Chrome browser. This is a standard requirement for all of our systems at Shout, from the application through to the platform.
You should leave up to an hour to complete the form. As Shout is a text based service and we do not conduct in person interviews for our volunteer candidates what you write in your application and the strength of your references are how we get to know you.
We appreciate when candidates take the time to write thoughtful, considered answers. We recommend you review your application with an eye toward things like spelling, grammar and punctuation. While some of our texters will occasionally reach out using more informal text speak, our volunteers respond in full sentences and double check their messages for accuracy before hitting send.
Your application will be reviewed once we have received responses from both of your references. We ask for a personal reference and a professional reference. The personal reference can be a friend or colleague but the other must be someone who knows you professionally or has supervised you in some way.
This could be a manager or supervisor from where you work or a teacher or educator from where you study. We recommend you choose references who are able to speak to your ability to fulfil the selection criteria outlined above.
We do not accept references from family members. This includes your partner or their relatives, your children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or godparents.
Please allow up to a month for us to review your application and return a decision.
If your application is approved, you can book your place on training. Training groups usually start every two weeks and spaces are available to book a couple of months ahead. While you are in training and before you are allowed on the platform we will carry out a background check.
Shout is the UK’s only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..
The role in a nutshell:
Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?
Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.
How would you be supported in this role?
When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.
Why do we need volunteers in this role?
Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.
Additional information:
We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.
What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?
We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About us
Age UK is the country's leading charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The over-60s is the fastest-growing group in society and there are more of us than ever before. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging. At Age UK we provide services and support at a national and local level to inspire, enable and support older people. We stand up and speak for all those who have reached later life, and also protect the long-term interests of future generations..
The role in a nutshell:
Volunteers help to keep our UK charity shops running like clockwork and are an essential part of everything that we do. Our charity shops raise vital funds that support the wide range of services Age UK delivers, so if you have some free time available and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you are looking to gain new skills and experiences, use those you already have or are just looking for a way to get out and meet new people, then we have flexible options to suit you! What will you be doing?
Volunteer Shop Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks in their roles. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, keeping our shop floor full and organised or supporting with raffle ticket sales and promoting gift aid.
How would you be supported in this role?
When you begin your role, you will receive a mix of e-learning and in-person training to get you started. Throughout the role, you will receive refresher training as required as well as ongoing support, reimbursement for role-related expenses and the opportunity to further shape the volunteering you do.
Why do we need volunteers in this role?
Age UK operates charity shops to raise funds for the delivery of services for older people in need. Volunteers play a key role in the shop team, ensuring our shops are welcoming places in the community and selling the items that are generously donated to our organisation.
Additional information:
We offer a variety of flexible shifts for volunteers.
What skills, interests or experience might be helpful in this role?
We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. What’s important to us is that you are a team player, open to learning, will follow Age UKs policies and be an excellent representative for the charity. We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities, so we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.