Volunteers volunteer roles in gerrards cross, buckinghamshire
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!
Zebra is seeking a qualified accountant to join our board of trustees as our next Treasurer.
Zebra is a not-for-profit social enterprise (exempt charity) providing accommotation to postgraduate international students living in London. We believe in the importance of international studies and have been going for over 60 years. We are a healthy organisation with a strong reputation and ambitious plans for the future.
This is an important time for Zebra. We are currently going through the process of deregistering with the Regulator of Social Housing and are changing our accounting practices and systems as we make the transition away from the housing association sector and to a more appropriate structure to prepare us for growth in the future. We have an experienced Finance Manager on our staff team who you will be working with along with the CEO and the rest of the board members.
We ideally need a Treasurer with some understanding of the charity or social enterprise sector. This is an unpaid volunteer role - there are four boars meetings per year (all online), Audit and Risk Committee meeetings (also online), and occasional meet ups in London - but you can be based anywhere to carry out this role.
Duties
- Acting as a mentor to the Finance Manager, supporting her through this period of transition while Zebra puts in place a new structure and new financial systems
- Chairing the Audit and Risk Committee - number of meetings per year to be decided as this is currently under review
- Meeting with our external auditors on Zoom
- Reviewing our quarterly accounts, annual accounts and reports and providing feedback
- Using your expertise to provide advice and support to other board members, including our Co-Chairs, to support them in understanding our finances and helping them to be able to provide good scrutiny and governance
- Attendance of four board meetings per year on Zoom, where you will provide input and opinions especially around financial matters
- Attending one Board Strategy day per year in London for which expenses can be paid (and ideally also attending our Christmas meal)
- The Treasurer should expect to serve for a minimum of 12 months
To apply please submit your CV in the first instance.
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!
Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.
We are looking to recruit a Communications Volunteer for the Amersham and Chesham Group. As our Communications Volunteer you’ll make sure people know they have a local MS Society group to turn to.
In this role you’ll be able to develop your writing skills, and gain an experience of communicating across a range of digital channels.
Time commitment
We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.
This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.
About you
You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.
You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the area the group to carry out this role.
Apply
1. Read through the role description carefully
2. Please apply online
The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.
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 creative? Would you like to support others to express their emotions through arts and crafting?
Art plays a valuable role in mental wellbeing with research showing that crafting, regardless of the medium you use can boost your mood, self-confidence and reduce stress overall. Taking part in art-based activities increases our resilience and engages us in the here and now. You will be supporting people to express their emotions, provide a time for people to relax and feel proud of their final art products!
We are recruiting for a volunteer to support and facilitate an art and craft group.
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
- To prepare arts and craft sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
- Inspire and motivate individuals to develop their arts and craft skills, assisting them in the creation of their projects and supporting them to brainstorm and use their own initiative
- Encourage individuals to continue independent activities
The skills you need
- Experience of arts and/or crafts either in a professional, educational, or personal level
- Able to collaborate with individuals to plan an art group session and facilitate confidently
- A calm and patient manner
- Ability to provide a trusting, open, kind-hearted atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
- An effective communicator with a patient and sympathetic nature
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 - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun
We deliver services across London as well as campaign and advocate nationally on the issues that affect the people we work with.




Are you looking for a meaningful, flexible way to support others? Join the Talking Bubble Project and help tackle loneliness through the power of a simple phone call.
Since the pandemic, many befriending services have wound down—but Talking Bubble remains one of the few projects still offering regular, phone-based companionship to those who need it most. Demand for this kind of support remains high, and we’re actively looking for kind, compassionate English-speaking volunteers to help meet this growing need.
What is the Talking Bubble Project?
☎︎ It’s a phone-based befriending service that connects volunteers with older adults and vulnerable individuals across the UK who are experiencing loneliness and social isolation. By committing just a little time each week, you can offer someone the warmth of conversation and a regular point of connection.
Why Volunteer With Us?
✔ Make a genuine impact on someone's life
✔ Enjoy flexible volunteering hours from the comfort of your home
✔ Receive full training, ongoing support, and a reference upon completion
✔ Boost your sense of purpose and community
What You’ll Need
✅ No experience required—just a kind heart, a listening ear, and a willingness to talk
✅ Volunteers must complete Safeguarding Adults Level 2 training and undergo a DBS check—we cover the cost of both
✅ Must be a UK resident
How to Get Involved
Apply now via the CharityJob website, or contact us directly for more information. Together, we can keep connection alive—one call at a time.
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!
Amazing, giving, and inspiring are a few words we would use to describe our volunteers.
Our volunteers play an integral part in the services we provide and the people we support. If you are looking for a rewarding role where you will really make a difference whilst gaining experience along the way, then join us here at Rethink Mental Illness.
About the role
We are looking for Volunteer Befrienders to support our Brent Mental Health service in the London Borough of Brent.
As a Volunteer Befriender, you will be required to travel across Brent to meet with service users and carry out your role. Ideally, you will be able to commit a minimum of 2 hours per week to volunteering.
You will be supported by Befriending Volunteer Coordinators who will provide regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role. You can read more about the benefits of volunteering on the full advert on our website.
About the service
Our Brent Mental Health service provides support to people aged 18 and above who live in the Borough of Brent, and who have a mental illness and are known to the local NHS trust, Central and North West London (CNWL).
The aim of the Befriending Service is to;
- Reduce social isolation of service users
- Increase the confidence of service users in accessing community resources independently
- Provide meaningful activities and peer support for service users
- Help service users to live happier, healthier, independent lives
- Provide volunteering opportunities for people with mental health issues
- Reduce stigma and raise mental health awareness
What you will be doing as a Volunteer Befriender:
- Meeting with service users in locations and times which meet their needs (including evenings and weekends)
- Provide befriending support to a maximum of 2 service users at any one time
- Provide emotional support based on your own lived experience
- Support service users to access and build social and community networks and activities
- Act as a community connector to local services
What will make you a great fit for this role?
- You will have good communication skills
- You will be flexible in order to meet the needs of the service users
If you would like to express an interest in this opportunity, please complete an application as soon as possible, as the advert may close early if we receive a high level of interest.
Who are we?
We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”
It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.
We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
We’re Rethink Mental Illness and no matter how bad things are, we can help people severely affected by mental illness to improve their lives.
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!
Here’s 5 reasons you’ll love to volunteer in our shops:
1. It's fun
2. It's flexible
3. You'll learn and share skills
4. You'll be making a difference
5. You'll work with a great team
We’re passionate about what we do, and love giving second-hand clothing a chance of going to a good home. Our shop teams are key to raising vital funds for our work and act as incredible advocates for the rights of children both in the UK and around the world.
Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests.
Volunteering in the shop
Mary's Living & Giving for Save the Children is unique - a vibrant result of the generous gifts of local individuals and companies being turned around by the skills and passions of volunteer teams, to create a destination retail experience. Selling womenswear, menswear, shoes, and bags to household goods, our shops can be found in the London villages and bring in vital funds for Save the Children.
Our Wandsworth Shop Volunteers are in the middle of it all, and there’s plenty to get involved with. You might be sorting and pricing stock, engaging with customers, ringing items through the till, creating fantastic window displays or keeping our shop floor looking organised.
It’s up to you how much you commit. We have volunteers who support for a couple of hours a week and some do more. Many people volunteer either a morning or an afternoon each week - this is something that will be discussed at the selection stage, after you’ve applied.
Why volunteer with Save the Children?
In over 110 countries, we support children to transform their lives. By providing live-saving short-term help, and pushing for deep-rooted social change, we help children take, their future into their own hands. We believe every child has the right to learn. Every child should have good food to fuel their bodies and every child should have medicine when they're sick.
Skills and experiences we seek
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 and to follow our policies as well as be an excellent representative for Save the Children.
We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, and we will do what we can to find a role that works for you.
What happens next?
After you’ve filled in an application, we will invite you for an informal trial shift. It’s a great opportunity to visit the shop, meet some of our existing volunteers and have a go at some of the tasks that you would be supporting with as a shop volunteer. Hopefully allowing you to get a feel for the role and make sure it’s for you. We also ask for a couple of references (these don’t have to be formal workplace ones, just someone who has known you for over 6 months and isn’t related).
How to apply
Express your interest on email via the apply button.
Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid role, based in the UK. We are unfortunately not able to provide support with visa requests.
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!
Join FARA, a charity with over 30 years of experience and 40 charity shops across London. Our Chiswick Kids store is looking for a dedicated Retail Volunteer to assist us a minimum of 4 hours per week. By volunteering with us, you'll not only support our charitable work but also contribute to creating a positive experience for our community of customers. You'll also play a key role in ensuring that items FARA cannot sell are responsibly redirected, helping us further our commitment to a sustainable economy.
The Role:
As a volunteer, your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):
- Tagging clothes
- Pricing books
- Assisting with the placement of merchandise on shelves
- Creating engaging displays
- Greeting and assisting customers
The Volunteer:
We’re looking for someone who:
- Has a genuine passion for volunteering
- Is friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic
- Ideally connected with the local area
- Has a minimum of 4 hours per week to volunteer with us
What’s in it for You?
At FARA, our shops are run by welcoming, collaborative teams where everyone works together. You'll gain valuable experience, working alongside supportive colleagues who help each other develop, challenge, and celebrate each other's contributions. Full training will be provided, and we offer a positive and safe environment where you can learn and enhance your skills.
Your Time:
Our shop operates from 09:30 to 17:30, and we're looking for someone who can volunteer for a minimum of 4 hours per week. We are happy to accommodate flexible hours to fit your schedule.
If this sounds like the role for you, please click the "Apply" button.
FARA is committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please don't hesitate to let us know.
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 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 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.
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!
No Panic is a national charity helping people to manage their anxiety.
We are looking for volunteers to join our Social Media Engagement Team.
We are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
The role of a Social Media Engager is to:
· Create and edit social media content about the support offered by No Panic.
· Create social media and podcast content with patrons, partners and other professionals.
· Amplify content published by other No Panic teams.
· Respond on behalf of No Panic to interactions with our social media.
You will need to provide a reference.
Expected amount of time spent doing this role is 3-4 hours a week, this will vary.
We ask you to commit to volunteer for a year.
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!
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
Thousands of cats each year rely on the help of animal charities because they have been abandoned, they have strayed or because there has been a change in their owner’s circumstances. Becoming an administration volunteer is just one way you can help improve the lives of cats in your local community. Our administration volunteers help provide vital admin support to our volunteer groups and teams across Cats Protection. They help keep up to date records of the number of cats that have been rehomed, collate supporter details and send out newsletters. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administrative experience, a passion for cats, or both!
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:
- Recording relevant information related to your volunteer group
- Signposting enquiries to the relevant teams within Cats Protection
- Sending information to supporters, volunteers and to our Head Office
- Distributing information leaflets if required
Time expectation
Our administration volunteers usually spend 2 to 3 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.
You may be just the volunteer we’ve been looking for!
We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.
Making a better life for cats, because life is better with cats


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!
Who are we?
We are Buttons & Bubbles CIC. We are dedicated to increasing inclusion and representation across society for disabled families.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for volunteers to help with our social media. We want to massively improve and increase our content from TikTok to You Tube. So much goes into social media from the physical filming and scripts to making the small everyday promotional posts to bigger videos, editing and posting them. We need people to help with every aspect of social media But don’t panic we are not asking one person to do all of this! So keep reading....
Who are we looking for?
- Somebody who is fun loving
- Be creative. Content creation is all about being creative.
- Knowledge or willingness to research algorithms and social media trends.
- Willing to learn or has knowledge of editing and posting videos
- Enjoy building online community
- No previous experience is necessary but a willingness to learn is essential.
What do we expect?
- Must be willing to undertake our training programme which will be done virtually and at a time to suit you.
- Have a basic DBS check (preferably be on the update system)
- Sign our volunteer contract. (If you disagree with anything in it please do discuss it with us and we will be happy to have a conversation and make small changes if appropriate).
- A positive attitude to disability and illness. We are happy to answer questions on this.
Interested?
Get in touch and we can chat. Please note we are looking for volunteers who are based in the UK and ideally located around Berkshire, Outskirts of London, Surrey and Hampshire.
If you require any adjustments please feel free to talk to us. Anything you disclose will be kept in the strictest confidence.
To increase inclusion and representation across society for disabled families.
1MM is a unique, community-based, mentoring system with the aim to transform our society by connecting one million young people with one million opportunities.
Our mentoring program that empowers young people to become the best version of themselves: building relationships - free of assumption and judgement - where they benefit from another’s experience and perspective and can think bigger, find their own answers and take the next meaningful step into their future.
We recruit and train volunteers to be mentors and then connect them with young people aged 14-25 years old, via schools or youth groups or independent 18+ sign-ups.
Our 1:1 mentoring sessions are for one hour, once a month, a mixture of face-to-face and online or completely remote.
The large choice of programmes and delivery models that we offer means that you have a choice of volunteering locations. You can choose to participate in one of our face to face, hybrid (online and in person) or fully virtual partnerships.
This autumn, we have opportunities over a range of boroughs from Tottenham, Newham, Barnet, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Redbridge and Haringey!
Requirements:
· We ask our volunteers to sign up to our platform and complete some mandatory online training.
· Mentors to have 5 year's experience, 2 year's experience post graduate or retired / on a career break.
How to apply: Click 'Apply' to be directed to our website so you can sign up and become a mentor today.
To transform our society by connecting one million young people with one million opportunities.





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!
Why do we need your help?
Food banks provide three-day emergency food parcels for people in crisis, working in partnership with organisations across the community. Drivers play a fundamental role in the running of the food bank, collecting food donations from a variety of locations such as supermarkets or churches across the local area as well as distributing the sorted donations from the warehouse to the local food bank centres. You will be given all the required training and provided with ongoing support and development opportunities. You will also have a main contact at the food bank throughout your time volunteering with us.
What will you be doing?
-
Collecting food donations from collection points such as supermarkets, schools and churches within Brent
-
Coordinating with the warehouse manager and supermarket community champions
-
Delivering the food donations to the warehouse, located in Willesden
-
Transporting sorted food from the warehouse across two food banks within Brent
-
Regular loading and unloading of vehicles, helping your driver buddy
-
Regular driving across the local area
The skills you need:
-
Clean and current driving licence
-
Physically strong and capable of carrying heavy boxes of canned foods
-
Experienced and confident driver, you will be driving a small van around Brent
-
Adaptable and flexible, sometimes we need to change your driving route or times
-
Personable and committed, you will be the representatives of Brent Foodbank amongst our supermarket community
-
You will need to follow the driving policy of the food bank
-
You should enjoy being part of a volunteer team
-
Have an eye for detail and be able to solve problems
-
If you can’t drive but enjoy being out on the road, you can also be a driver buddy!
What’s in it for you?
-
Using your existing skills to make a difference
-
Meet new people who share your passion to end poverty in the community
-
Make a real difference to the running of your food bank
-
The opportunity to serve your local community
You will be given all the required training and provided with ongoing support and development opportunities. You will also have a main contact at the food bank throughout your time volunteering with us.
We recognise that we have under-represented groups within our team. As part of our commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity we are actively encouraging applications from under-represented groups such as parents or carers who are re-entering volunteering after a career break, people who are LGBTQ+, from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition.
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!
Our small friendly Charity Shop in South Westminster
As well as being an important source of revenue for the Centre, the shop on Horseferry Road is the public face of the Cardinal Hume Centre to the residents and workers of Westminster. It can be a very busy environment with lots of regular customers. You will be part of a friendly, international team! You will receive excellent support and opportunities to learn team skills and customer service. You can obtain a reference for future employers.
How does this role make a difference?
You will be part of the fundraising team, raising funds to support the work of the Cardinal Hume Centre and promoting the work of the Centre to the public. Typically, the Charity Shop raises in the region of £50,000 per year.
What will you be doing?
Flexibility will be given where possible, but in general, volunteers will undertake the following tasks as part of this role:
· Customer service on the till
· Cashing up at the end of the day and walking the takings round to the reception and handing in to Finance Team
· Greeting and helping customers
· Replenishing the stock on the shop floor
· Sorting donations
· Helping present top items in window display and around the shop
· Promoting the work of the Centre to the public
Want to increase your skills in retail?
If you want to develop in this role, we are keen to support you. There are more responsibilities you can take on in the shop, for example; opening and closing the shop, cashing up at the end of the day and helping with the induction of new volunteers. Let us know if this interests you. We also have employment advisors who can provide employment support. Furthermore, if you want to expand your experience in the voluntary sector, you can combine your role in the shop with a volunteer role elsewhere in the organisation.
What are we looking for?
No special qualifications are needed to work in our shop, as relevant training will be given, however, we will be asking for the following qualities:
· Over 16+
· Good spoken English needed – at least Entry Level 3
· The ability to contribute to a positive team culture and atmosphere
· Be able to provide a friendly, high-quality service to customers
· A commitment to equal opportunities and to treating all individuals who visit or work in the shop with dignity and respect
· Physically fit - able to lift light bags and boxes and to comfortably use the stairs between the shop floor and the stock room. Manual handling training will be given.
What is the time commitment?
The shop opening hours are 10am – 4.30pm, Monday – Friday. A full or half day (10 – 1pm or 1 – 4.30pm) is ideal, but we are flexible and are grateful for even a couple of hours help each week. Ideally, volunteers will commit to a period of at least 4 months.
How will you be supported?
· You will be supported and trained in all areas of retail and customer service by the Charity Shop Manager and the Assistant Shop Manager.
· You will receive a Centre induction from a Volunteer Coordinator
· You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses such as travel and also lunch if working a full day.
· For volunteers who stay for more than three months, we are happy to provide a reference.
The Centre enables families, children and young people to overcome poverty and avoid homelessness.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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:
-
Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend
-
Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing
-
Be open-minded
-
Be supportive
-
Be reliable
-
Be discreet and able to respect confidentiality at all times
-
Be accepting and non-judgemental
-
Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout
-
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:
-
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.
-
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.