Writing volunteer roles

Communications Board Member

YAF’s Communications Team underpin all of the organisation's outputs by managing our communication channels and brand identity. They are instrumental in providing a voice for our Board, our members and our industry peers. 

This position offers an exciting opportunity to work as part of a creative and proactive team, with the autonomy to devise innovative content plans and company-wide messaging. It’s a great opportunity to develop a combined fundraising, marketing and digital skill-set, offering tangible and versatile professional experience. 

What you’ll gain:

• Fantastic opportunity to develop new skills and experience outside of your work and boost your CV

• Chance to work with a friendly team and like-minded people that are passionate about transforming the landscape of voluntary professional development in arts fundraising

• Develop your network with leaders in arts fundraising and in the cultural sector

• Attend all YAF’s events and networking opportunities

Brent Foodbank are seeking to recruit two trustees - one to act as our Fundraising Lead, with the other supporting the work of the Board of Trustees more generally to support the food bank to meet its core purpose.

What will you be doing?

General Trustee Key responsibilities:

• As board members, we work to set a long-term strategy for Brent Foodbank, defining clear objectives and milestones to be monitored and refined.
• Managing Brent Foodbank’s resources responsibly, including ensuring the charity’s assets are used only to carry out its purpose, avoid undue risk and not over-commit the charity.
• Ensure appropriate financial plans are in place for future budget allocations as well as ensuring that the charity is accountable, actively complying with statutory accounting and reporting requirements and the law.
• Adhering to best practice for governance of the Foodbank’s assets and staff.
• Ensure the Foodbank has appropriate procedures in place to comply with current legislation and best practice, including - employment, health and safety, safeguarding, equal opportunities and GDPR/data protection compliance.
• Ensure the Foodbank treats all its Clients with dignity and respect taking account of the diversity of our Clients.
• Acting with reasonable care and skill.
• Seeking to promote Brent Foodbank in the community. Acting as an ambassador for Brent Foodbank, promoting Brent Foodbank widely, for instance, on social media to our stakeholders, including: our Clients, Volunteers and potential funders/donors.

Note that if a Trustee becomes involved in making a Gift Aid claim for the Foodbank, a fit and proper person referral would be required.

Fundraising Lead Trustee Key responsibilities (in addition to the above):

• To work alongside the Treasurer and the rest of the Board to plan what level of funds are required to be generated to ensure the effective running of the charity.
• To work alongside the Trustee Board to ensure that any grants are sought and written with the purpose of meeting the charity's vision and objectives.
• To pilot the organisation of a fundraising sub-committee and lead on local fund-raising opportunities to support the running of the charity, including incorporating national Trussell fundraising campaigns/events throughout the year.
• To oversee, with operational management support, the writing of high-quality grant applications that align with the charity's vision and objectives.
• Regularly communicate with the rest of the Trustee Board via Trustee meetings or any other communication of any relevant information and/or developments regarding fundraising or grant applications.

What are we looking for?

The role involves acting as a charity trustee to set the strategic direction for the food bank.  Providing good governance, ensuring that the food bank meets its objectives and fulfils its charitable purpose.  Ensuring the food bank operates within its budget and in compliance with its charity, legal and operational goals.

Trustees are required to comply with the food bank’s governing documents, charity law and other relevant laws. They must act in the food bank’s best interests, including deciding what will best enable the charity to carry out its purpose, as well as making informed decisions to support food bank staff in achieving the vision/objectives of the food bank and ensuring there is a good relationship between the Trustee Board, food bank staff, and our stakeholders including: volunteers, our clients, funders, donors and the community in Brent.

Brent Foodbank are seeking to recruit Trustees with an interest in helping others, who are willing to uphold the food bank’s values, and who can bring life experience to the board of trustees. We are looking for people who want to help their local community and work towards the eradication of food poverty whilst supporting the food bank to continue to provide emergency food to people who find themselves in crisis. Our ideal candidates would demonstrate:

• A commitment to the work of Brent Foodbank.
• A knowledge and passion for your local community.
• Passion for our vision and goals.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Willingness to actively participate in discussions concerning needs of the foodbank’s beneficiaries, staff, and the trustee board.
• Independent judgement and ability to think strategically.
• Able to work effectively as part of a trustee team, contributing and considering others’ views.
• Able to commit the time and effort required.
• Bring relevant capabilities that help the board perform its role effectively and achieve the food bank's vision.
• Understanding and commitment to principles of equality, equity, diversity and inclusion.

The food bank would particularly welcome applications from those with experience in one (or more) of the following areas: 

• Serving on a board of trustees or committee
• Strategy development
• Working or volunteering in a fundraising role
• Designing or organising events
• Grant writing

What difference will you make?

By supporting the governance of the food bank, you are part of a team providing a vital holistic support function in your local community, ensuring a dignified experience to anyone visiting or anyone who comes into contact with Brent Foodbank.

East London Waterworks Park is looking for comms strategists and PR managers to help grow East London Waterworks Park's audiences.

East London Waterworks Park is a charity that has raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces. 

We are looking for communications strategists and PR to participate in our community-led working group who are promoting public awareness and support of the project. 

There is opportunity to lead on projects across communications, content creation, social media, PR, newsletters, film, podcasts or any other channels of interest, and facilitate the direction of the working group.

The Comms Circle currently meets fortnightly on a Tuesday evening on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely.

You should be experienced in implementing effective strategic communications, managing media relations and social media platforms by creating engaging content, and building online communities. Strong writing and editing skills for various materials including press releases and social media posts. Comfortable with community-led processes. Our roles are quite flexible. We hope that people bring radical imagination, peace with nature, and courageous inclusiveness to the role. 

Contribute to the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. Your strategic communication will be instrumental in fostering a strong connection between our community, the park, and its biodiversity. Your input will help us craft compelling narratives that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

Location: Remote (with occasional in-person meetings, if possible)
Time Commitment: Flexible hours + monthly team meeting (First Thursday of each month, time TBC)

Do you have an eye for detail and a passion for securing funding for a good cause? We’re seeking a Volunteer Project Manager to lead and coordinate our Grants Team, helping us access essential funding to deliver life-changing programmes.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead and coordinate the Grants Team to identify, apply for, and manage funding opportunities

• Chair monthly meetings and track team actions and outcomes

• Support the preparation and submission of compelling grant applications

• Monitor funding deadlines, reporting requirements, and application status

• Work closely with the leadership to align funding with organisational goals

• Occasionally attend in-person meetings (if feasible)

Qualifications & Experience:

• Previous experience in project coordination, grants, or fundraising (desirable but not essential)

• Strong writing and communication skills

• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines

• Collaborative team player with leadership potential

• Familiarity with budgeting or nonprofit finance is a plus

• Comfortable with remote tools and flexible working

Benefits & Impact:

• Help secure critical funding that directly supports children and vulnerable communities

• Gain hands-on experience in grant writing, team management, and nonprofit strategy

• Flexible, remote volunteering tailored to your availability

• Contribute to a growing, mission-driven organisation

• Receive support, recognition, and opportunities for personal growth

• Make a tangible difference in people’s lives while building your own skills and network

Period Reality

We fight for gender equity through system-level change by educating about and advocating for living in sync with your cycle.

Period Reality aims to address period related issues and stories by sharing the real life stories from girls and women globally. Although half the population experiences a menstrual cycle, the stark contrast in the different realities of girls and women is very real and through storytelling we aim to educate and provide relatable content.

Through sharing stories from girls and women focused on their common humanities. Even though our realities might be very different depending on many factors (physical, geographical, socio-economical, mental etc.) we all share a lot of the same questions, worries, dreams, anxieties, ambitious etc. Making these stories relatable and accessible will educate and inspire and create a movement of girls and women being able to first and foremost understand their own cycle, in order to be kind to themselves.

Fundraising Team

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Are you someone who is passionate about fundraising, grant applications and wants to help promote Women's health and gender equity?

We are seeking a new member for our Fundraising Team, exploring all funding avenues, from governments and grants to individual giving and platforms.

This is a hybrid role combining coordination and writing, offering ownership of the full process, from mapping out a market landscape to writing the proposals, dealing with third parties and supporting with related content like donor decks and marketing copy. You will be gaining a lot of hands-on experience across the fundraising journey.

Commitment: 8 hours/week.

Weekly Time Commitment

7-9 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

We’re looking for a volunteer fundraiser who is passionate about our cause and eager to help us develop creative strategies to engage the community and secure financial support for our projects. You'll take the lead on writing grant applications, membership campaigns, and donation drives.

Key information

Contract: Voluntary

Hours: Two to seven hours per week (part-time, flexible)

Location: Remote, with the option to work from our office: Two Queens, 2 Queen Street, Leicester LE1 1QW

Applications closing date: Thursday 29 May, 4pm

Any questions? If you have any questions please email info (at) leicester.news

We particularly encourage applications from women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and people from working-class backgrounds.

Role responsibilities

• Researching and submitting grant applications to secure funding for projects and salaries.
• Establishing and maintaining strong connections with current and potential funders to foster ongoing support and collaboration.
• Promoting and selling consultancy services to potential clients.
• Collaborating with the EMSM team to market and sell advertising space to local businesses and organisations.
• Managing daily operations of the online shop, including inventory management, customer service, and sales strategies.
• Working alongside the community lead to encourage new memberships and engage current members.
• Identifying and reaching out to high net worth individuals to secure significant donations.

About you

Essential

• Proven track record of successful fundraising campaigns.
• Experience in writing compelling proposals and grant applications.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage with donors and stakeholders.
• Understanding of the nonprofit sector and its challenges.

Desirable

• Experience in sales techniques and strategies to drive fundraising efforts.
• Experience in major gift fundraising and cultivating relationships with high net worth individuals.
• Experience in a newsroom or journalistic environment.
• Experience in or enthusiasm for democratic and inclusive ways of working.

What we offer

Although you'll join us as a volunteer, there are many benefits to being part of our team:

• Remote working
• Office space
• Mentorship
• Training opportunities
• Free resources and tools
• Team socials
• Worker membership

… and more!

About the Leicester Gazette

The Leicester Gazette is a local, independent newspaper, free to access for all online and soon in print.

We are a member-funded, community-owned news outlet about Leicestershire. We're building on a movement of co-operative media pioneered by West Highlands Free Press, the Bristol Cable, Norwich Radical, Manchester Meteor, the Ferret, and Exeter Observer.

Our mission is to hold those in power accountable, push for change, and amplify the voices of marginalised communities while finding real solutions to the challenges we face.

We publish investigations, news features and human interest stories that go beyond the headlines. Our journalism is fact-based and rigorous, and we prize good writing over clickbait and sensationalism.

Local journalism has been devastated in recent years, with thousands of reporters laid off and newsrooms being stripped of their worth, leaving communities plagued by a jungle of ads and stories that have nothing to do with local issues. The Leicester Gazette is our revolution against a broken industry.

Anti-oppression and liberation

We are committed to creating a progressive, supportive workplace and community. We’d like the way we work to actively challenge the power structures that reproduce inequality and injustice, and consciously choose to work in ways that are liberatory, or anti-oppressive.

We embrace and value the lived experiences of women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and people from working-class backgrounds.

The role

We are looking to recruit a small Communications team so one person will not necessarily be expected to fulfil all of the following. Work may be shared according to applicants’ experience, skills and interests.

● Coordinating appropriate responses to any media enquiries, including monitoring and managing our media@  email address

● Engaging proactively with relevant media to help publicise our activities, needs and events by:

○ Writing occasional press releases

○ Creating content and posting on our social media channels

○ Occasionally updating our website.

● Coordinating the production of a quarterly membership newsletter.

● Monitoring and moderating content on our social media channels, taking steps to ensure it’s in line with our values and ethos

● Assisting in the development of written copy and visuals so that they support our aims, and are in line with our values and responsibilities

● Supporting our fundraising team by assisting it to develop and implement effective communication plans

● Monitoring national and international media for relevant issues that BWR should be aware of and may wish to take action to support

● Working closely with the Management Committee and contributing to the overall management of the charity

● Development of a communications strategy and its implementation in line with our wider policies

Your skills and experience

 Ideally you will have a background in communications in a commercial, public sector or charity setting or you may have a background as a journalist. 

Excellent written communication skills are needed and previous hands-on experience of managing social media feeds would be preferable. Skills in the development of visuals for use both online and in hard copy would also be welcomed.

As a regionally based charity, local media contacts would also be very valuable to us.

You will need to undertake a DBS check.

The role may suit someone who works part time or has recently retired.

Are you a proactive fundraiser and looking to support a small charity? We're looking for 2 energetic and enthusiastic fundraiser volunteers to increase the fundraising opportunities for the charity as well as developing corporate partnerships, legacy giving, individual giving and major donors. This role may also include:

• Develop new and imaginative fundraising activities, many of which involve organising events
• Project manage fundraising events, from inception all the way through to evaluation
• Recruit and promote supporters and volunteers for challenge and national events.
• Assisting with researching and approaching corporate entities for event sponsorships, partnerships, Charity of the Year partnerships, and donations from corporate foundations
• Writing emails and speaking with potential partners about the work of Burning Nights CRPS Support with the aim of securing funds for the organisation
• Helping to maintain the fundraising database, ensuring accuracy and consistency of all records;
• Development in fundraising opportunities
• Keeping in contact with current & past donors and assisting in finding new donors
• Communicating with past fundraisers and encourage them to consider fundraising in the future
• Assist in marketing our events
• Development / Improvement of fundraising support (e.g fundraising packs and materials)
• Create fundraising & donation posts for social media & email marketing

Key & Desirable Skills:

• Fully computer literate and fully able with the main Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint as well as the internet and email
• Knowledge of using CRM systems or ability to learn

• Outgoing, friendly and proactive character
• Good initiative and ability to work with little direct supervision but will ask when help is needed
• Be comfortable volunteering within a small team or by yourself
• Good communication skills - Ability to communicate effectively at a number of different levels
• Ability to communicate effectively by telephone, written correspondence and in person
• Experience of writing funding proposals and working in fundraising would be an advantage
• Strong organisational skills
• Knowledge of corporate fundraising techniques including Charity of the Year, sponsorship, donations, marketing would be an advantage
• An ability to present and engage potential partners/sponsors in a compelling way
• Maintaining strict confidentiality

Practical Considerations:

• Age over 18 only
• Expenses will be given in line with the charity’s expenses policy
• It is an indoor role at one site – your home, but occasionally meetings are held in other offices and in the office of the charity or online
• This role is suitable for people wanting to learn new skills as well as improve previously learnt skills

Not sure if you have the right skills? Then contact us or apply as you may have some great translatable skills that would be applicable for this role!

About the Charity: Burning Nights CRPS Support is a UK wide charity that works to improve life for those living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), their families, loved ones, carers and friends. As a charity we raise awareness about the condition amongst the public, health and legal professionals by providing CRPS awareness sessions so that patients can be diagnosed quicker to enable treatment to start more rapidly.

Application Process:

Apply on Charity Job with CV and covering letter telling us why you would be a good fit for our charity

We are looking for volunteers for our Hastings drop in group, which meets for a communication cafe-style drop-in group on the last Friday of  the month between 10.30-12.30.

The Say Aphasia charity provides support groups across the UK for people with aphasia; a language and communication disability caused by a brain injury like a stroke. Aphasia affects over 350,000 people in the UK but is little understood or known about by the public. It is the only aphasia charity set up by people with aphasia for people with aphasia; helping them to adapt to their new way of life and regain their independence and confidence.

Aphasia occurs due to injury to the brain such as a stroke. It affects access to language, resulting in difficulties following conversations, speaking, reading and writing.

Volunteers will support the running of the group with communicating, and will have the opportunity to utilise their communication skills and IT knowledge to take a register of attendance.

Responsibilities

• Provide companionship and support to individuals, particularly those living with asphasia.
• Assist in organising activities that promote social interaction and engagement.
• Communicate effectively with participants, ensuring their needs are understood and met.
• Help maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
• Collaborate with other volunteers to enhance the group.

Qualifications

• An understanding or knowledge in aphasia is desirable.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse groups.
• Proficiency in IT, including familiarity with common software applications.
• A compassionate and patient attitude towards individuals in need of support.

This volunteer position offers a rewarding opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of others while developing personal skills and experiences.

If you're interested in a career in fundraising with a focus on trust fundraising, this role would provide the perfect foundation, giving you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop key skills.

Citizens Advice Barnet is a local, independently registered charity and member of the Citizens Advice network. We help people find a way forward with their problems by providing expert advice, enabling people to uphold their rights and access the help they need and are entitled to. While our services are available to everyone in our community who needs us, we prioritise those who need us the most, such as people with disabilities, a language barrier or those experiencing poverty.

A significant amount of our funding comes from trusts and foundations. It is only through the grants we receive that we're able to provide free specialist casework that helps the most vulnerable people with the most complex problems.

Duties include:

• Identifying funders we could approach, such as by searching funder databases
• Researching funders to clarify whether or not we are eligible to apply, how much funding we could apply for and which project they’d be most likely to fund
• Recording the above information in a spreadsheet and keeping this record up-to-date
• Updating a master document which collates key information for applications
• Writing applications for small grants with support from the Head of Business Development

About You

No previous experience or knowledge of trust fundraising is required; this role would suit you if you have the following skills and attributes:

• strong research skills
• analytical thinking skills
• high attention to detail
• IT skills, especially MS Word and Excel at a basic level (sort, filter, basic formulas) or willingness and ability to learn
• ability to present complex information in a clear and easily navigable format
• clear and persuasive writing skills

Be responsible for finding funding opportunities for the charity and writing professional proposals to earn grant money, whilst raising awareness and building relationships with donors and supporters alike. 

What will you be doing?

- Develop and manage fundraising events.

-  Work with the marketing team to develop and produce fundraising communication material.

-  Prepare presentations and manage meetings.

-  Support the CEO and Trustees to create a fundraising strategy.

What are we looking for?

• excellent knowledge of proposal submission and fundraising processes
• ability to study and understand programmes and funding requirements of the organisation
• excellent multitasking, organisational and time management skills
• excellent written and verbal communication skills
• the ability to deal with information in a confidential manner and respond with sensitivity
• proficiency in using email and Microsoft Office
• commitment to the values of Rebuilding Lives UK

Time commitment and expenses:

• 1-3 hours per week, either in or out of office hours.
• We request a minimum commitment of 3 months volunteering.

What difference will you make?

- Increased confidence.

- Development of new skills.

- Make new connections.

- Changing the lives of those who need it the most.

We are looking for a number of trustees to join our board who are able to support the growth of Twinkleboost CIO. We are looking for a trustee with experience in at least one of the following areas:

• Experience of grant writing and bid applications

• Experience of income generation within a charity

• Experience of accounting

• A academic background of Speech and Language Therapy

• Personal experience of facing challenges as a parent

• Those living in the areas Twinkleboost operates: Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester

• Experience of business or management

Twinkleboost CIO equips new parents with the skills they need to support their child’s communication development, so children can have better outcomes in life.

We deliver this support in the non-threatening context of a fun; multi-sensory parent and baby class; led by Speech and Language Therapy Assistants. Each week, parents and carers are taught an evidence-based speech and language strategy which is practiced throughout the session. We focus on providing free sessions to families of children living in disadvantaged areas and children with SEND.

This is an opportunity to lead the protection of the vital footpaths and rights of way network across the countryside of East Sussex and ensure walking in the natural environment is accessible to all.

You will coordinate a team of Local Footpath Wardens and will be responsible for assessing proposals affecting paths and for developing Ramblers' response to and comments on those proposals, liaising with Ramblers' central office and other stakeholders as necessary.

You will represent Ramblers' Sussex Area on rights of way issues with the local authority and at meetings and public events.

To undertake the role you will need to keep up to date with legal and policy information about paths and planning issues nationally as well as in your local area.

The skills required for the role are to be confident but diplomatic; able to understand complex rights of way and legal issues; be friendly and personable with the ability to influence; and good at presenting arguments in writing and in person.

The role will offer you the opportunity to use your existing networking skills; to develop new skills and knowledge in relation to rights of way issues; and to work with a small group of fellow volunteers to influence local policy.

Who are we?

Switchboard LGBTQIA+ exists to provide members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their friends, family and those supporting them, with a listening service that they can contact via phone, instant message and email between the hours of 10am to 10pm every day.

We are happy to talk to service users about any topic they wish. Topics we often talk to service users about include: sexual health, safer sex, relationships, coming-out, gender identity, transitioning, mental health, experiences of hate crimes, support for meeting other LGBTQIA+ people and making friends, and much more.

However, we want to also be upfront and transparent about the fact that not all of our conversations are positive or constructive. Our volunteers can also be exposed to abuse from the public, manipulative callers, sexual fantasies and safeguarding concerns.

Training for POC volunteers

At Switchboard we are working to ensure that our volunteer membership reflects everyone within the LGBTQIA+ community. We want service users to be able to speak with volunteers who can empathise with their experiences and volunteers to connect with folks from a wide range of different backgrounds, cultures and identities.

To help enable us to do this even more, we have created brand new dedicated training groups for different identities within the LGBTQIA+ community. 

This group training group is specifically set up for people of colour. By joining this group, you'll undertake our Core Acceptance Training programme which equips you with the skills needed to support those contacting us via phone and instant message. Our hope is that this safe space enables you to freely ask questions, put our listening toolkit into practice and discuss approaches to different scenarios in an engaging, enjoyable way.

Who are we looking for?

To ensure we can provide a high quality service to those who contact us, we are looking for volunteers who:

• Simply put, like communicating and chatting with other people (you’re most likely a people-person who feels energised by this type of communication)

• Feel comfortable taking calls and speaking over the phone to people you do not already know

• Are familiar with different instant messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp and other chat tools) and the types of communication they might receive

• Are able to read between the lines to decipher messages

• Are good listeners who let others lead conversations and instead create the space they need

• Are able to ask broad, open questions to keep conversations flowing

• Understand the importance of using the right tone when communicating in writing, and are able to flex their writing style to suit different people

• Have a strong attention to detail, with a particular focus on spelling and grammar

• Are able to evaluate sources of information and identify those that can be trusted, from those that cannot

• Know when to challenge and when to step back

• Have essential digital literacy skills (such as using email tools such as gmail and outlook, search the web for information and copy and paste website URLs)

• Understand and support our mission

• Have an awareness of the challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community

• Are empathetic in nature

• Agree to uphold our values of being non-directive and non-judgemental