Communications Assistant Volunteer Roles in Belfast

Choice International is a non-profit organisation promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK and overseas. It researches, develops and implements development projects for disabled people and other disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas.

We are seeking a Fundraising Volunteer to support with writing funding proposals, completing funding applications to trusts and foundations as well as contacting corporates for sponsorship for events and one-off projects. You will work form our office based in East London to support with raising funds for our events and organisation in the long term.

Your Key responsibilities will include:

- Assisting with researching and approaching corporate entities, national and international, for event sponsorships, partnerships, Charity of the Year partnerships, and donations from corporate foundations

- Assisting with writing and delivering compelling presentations and proposals for funding to trusts, foundations and other institutes

- Writing emails and speaking with potential partners over the phone about the work of Choice with the aim of securing funds for the organisation.

You will have the following skills and experience:

- A good level of  written and oral communication

- Experience of writing funding proposals and working in fundraising would be an advantage

- 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

We are seeking a motivated and talented volunteer to support us in this role.

Working in a small team, you will be supporting Choice Directors, and will have responsibility for corporate, major donor and other fundraising. You will get involved with some of the largest grant funders in the UK, including the Big Lottery, Comic Relief, London Council and others.

The ideal candidate must have good written communication skills, with experience of writing funding proposals, as well as being motivated to develop a career in fundraising for a good cause.

Further, you should be able to work under your own initiative. We provide a wide array of training, development and guidance for our volunteers. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to support development projects to improve the quality of life of marginalised people.If you are passionate about equality, diversity and international development and keen to gain valuable, hands-on experience, then we would like to hear from you.Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid position, with a possibility of contributing to the cost of travel from your home to our office.

Please note due to the volume of applications we receive we are unable to respond to all applicants, hence only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Volunteer Role Description

Light Touch Volunteer

Responsible to: Volunteer Coordinator

Time commitment: Minimum 3 hour’s a week

Location: Home

About the service

North East Wales Mind is a progressive mental health organisation that supports people experiencing mental health difficulties to flourish. The aim of our work is to help people build on their strengths, overcome obstacles, and become more in control of their lives. We have faith and optimism in our clients and so the services we deliver are built around their needs. We support the people of Flintshire and Wrexham to discover their own resources to ‘recover’ from periods of poor mental health, and to live life independently with their mental health condition.

Purpose of role:

To provide phone support to service users from home/ office. This role is flexible (you can make calls anytime between 5-7pm and requires you to call a client for up to half an hour a week for a period of up to 3 months.

Must have access to the internet and a phone that can switch to private setting or NEWMIND can provide them with a phone, or use of office equipment.

Main tasks:

· Providing emotional support via phone

· Assessing surrounding support

· Advising them with available provisions and services locally

· Providing practical support such as learning activities, wellbeing practises and links available to service user from home

· Writing records of dates and times and phone discussions

· Reporting back to the Volunteer Coordinator via email and phone for any extra available support

· Report any safeguarding concerns immediately to a member of staff.

What we are looking for:

· Confident and effective communication

· Understanding of professional boundaries

· Caring nature

· Knowledge of local services is desired.

· Lived experience of mental health difficulty desirable

· Understanding of, or experience of caring for someone with mental health difficulty, can be helpful but is not essential.

· Good listening skills, non-judgemental attitude, and empathy

· Ability to motivate.

· Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner.

· Commitment for a minimum of 6 months

· Volunteers must be aged 18 and over.

What we can offer you:

· All volunteers will receive training in mental health awareness, confidentiality, boundaries, risk management, plus on-going training relevant to the role.

· Regular supervision with the Volunteer Coordinator

· Volunteer expenses

We are looking for self-motivated and compassionate individuals to help deliver our Helpline service and make a difference to the lives of anyone affected by cancer.

The Helpline offers those with cancer a chance to share their feelings and experiences with someone who has empathy for what they are going through. Helpline Volunteers create a safe and welcoming environment, listen, and provide emotional support and signposting individuals onto further information.

No special qualifications are needed for this role, but access to a telephone in a comfortable quiet setting is essential.

Main purpose of job: To host our Parent/Carer online community support group as part of Mast Cell Actions community support services.

Key tasks include:

· Host support sessions with professionalism and enthusiasm.

· Moderate Q&A sessions, and facilitate audience interaction to keep participants engaged.

· Manage technical aspects of virtual events, to ensure smooth execution.

· Take the register and send post event emails using our bespoke event platform

· Raise safeguarding concerns using internal processes and procedures. Training will be provided

· Maintain confidentiality and follow charity policies and procedures

· Undertake relevant training

Key Objectives Include:

· The main purpose of this role is to facilitate and host our Parent/Carer Support Sessions alongside another volunteer

· Host support sessions in a manner that captivates and engages the audience, keeping them interested and actively participating throughout the event.

· Reassure and validate participants' experiences whilst encouraging story-sharing.

· Manage the technical aspects of virtual events proficiently.

· Represent Mast Cell Action professionally at all times, demonstrating strong communication skills, reliability, and adaptability in a virtual environment.

Experience/skills required:

· Proven experience as a virtual event host, moderator, or similar role is desirable but not essential as we can train you.

· Must have personal experience of being a parent or carer for a child with MCAS or suspected MCAS

Little Cell of Mine Foundation

Little Cell of Mine Foundation empowers individuals with sickle cell disease through healthcare, mental health support, and entrepreneurial training.

Little Cell of Mine Foundation addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by individuals living with sickle cell disease. These include limited and often inadequate access to specialized healthcare, recurrent pain crises that disrupt daily life and productivity, and the financial burden associated with ongoing medical expenses. Additionally, the foundation recognizes the psychological impact of the disease, including isolation, anxiety, and depression. By providing comprehensive support, from healthcare and mental health services to economic empowerment programs, we aim to improve the overall quality of life for those affected by sickle cell disease.

Fundraising Officer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Are you passionate about fundraising and looking to gain more experience in international and Nigerian nonprofit fundraising? Little Cell of Mine Foundation is seeking a Fundraising Assistant to help us secure resources and expand our impact for sickle cell warriors.

What You’ll Do: Assist in researching and identifying funding opportunities (grants, corporate sponsorships, donor programs). Support in drafting proposals and fundraising campaigns. Help develop and execute creative fundraising strategies. Engage with potential donors and partners to build relationships. Track fundraising progress and assist in reporting.

What We’re Looking For: Someone with some experience in fundraising and a desire to grow. Knowledge of international and Nigerian nonprofit fundraising is a plus. Strong communication and research skills. A proactive and detail-oriented mindset.

Weekly Time Commitment

4-6 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

Methodist Modern Art Collection Management Committee – curatorial/registrarial volunteer vacancies

Experienced and creative art curators or registrars are invited to express interest in volunteering as members of the Management Committee for the  Methodist Church’s Modern Art Collection. We are seeking expertise to help us to care for and exhibit these works, to advise Borrowers and support exhibitions ‘on the ground’, while always ensuring the Collection is being used as an effective tool for mission.

This unique and world class, touring collection comprises of more than 55 artworks by renowned artists such as Sutherland, Frink and Hambling. Works from the Collection are loaned for exhibition several times each year, usually to churches rather than professional galleries, as well as being shown annually in the highly interactive setting of the Church’s assembly for children and young people.

We are seeking one or more committed volunteers to join the Methodist Modern Art Collection Management Committee and or be co-opted to one of its working groups. The Committee normally meets three times a year online, plus an in-person ‘away day’, with electronic communication and online working groups convened in between. We pay all reasonable expenses for volunteers to attend in-person committee meetings, and to visit potential exhibition venues, meet exhibition organisers in person, or to support the installation/de-install of exhibitions.
 

Closing date : 7 April 2025

Meet with the Nomination panel :25 April 2025

Want to be part of an online community and make a difference? Do you like talking to people online? Are you the peace keeper in your friendship group? If all of the above are true then you might have the right skills to become a Support Chat Moderator at The Mix!

As a Support Chat Moderator, you’ll oversee live chat sessions on The Mix, offering empathy, information and support to our online community of under 25s.

If you’re enthusiastic about online communities, interested in developing your helping and listening skills and can see the benefits of chatrooms for peer support this could be the opportunity for you.

About this role: As a Support Chat Moderator, you’ll oversee live chat sessions on The Mix, offering empathy, information and support to our online community of under 25s. In this role you’ll oversee and contribute to live chat sessions on The Mix; working to make sure that chat members feel welcome, at ease and included. You’ll encourage and facilitate peer support; offering empathy, information and support to chat members as and when needed. You’ll also deal with inappropriate conversations and diffuse any conflict in the room.

What does volunteering look like?

• Two hours a week (7:45- 9:45pm on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays)
• No experience necessary
• Minimum commitment of six months
• Oversee and contribute to live chat sessions on The Mix
• Encourage and facilitate peer support
  Offer empathy, information and support to chat members as and when needed
• Deal with inappropriate members and diffuse any conflict in the room
• Maintain contact with your volunteer manager for ongoing support

What we are looking for

• To be 18-25
• To be based in the UK
• To be non-judgemental, diplomatic and have a good sense of humour
• Basic computer skills (particularly typing) and the ability to access the internet on a regular basis
• A strong interest in online communication
• A good grasp of the English language 

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.

Are you passionate about issues relating to gender inequality and ending violence against women and girls?

If so, come and volunteer with Women and Girls Network’s Sexual Violence Helpline!

About the opportunities

We are seeking Sexual Violence Helpline Volunteers who will thrive in a multi-cultural feminist environment. In this unique role, you will provide emotional support for self-identifying women, girls, and non-binary people affected by sexual violence. You will create a safe space where survivors are free to be themselves, have their voice heard and safely explore the impact of their experiences.

As a Sexual Violence Helpline Volunteer, you will make a difference to survivor’s lives, gain valuable front-line experience within London’s VAWG sector and join a friendly, committed and passionate team. We also offer a comprehensive induction programme, access to specialist training courses and ongoing support. 

About the service

As part of the Ascent partnership within the London Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Consortium, the SVHL provides free and confidential emotional support to self-identified women aged 14+ and based in London, and who has been affected by any form of sexual violence at any time in their lives.

The SVHL consists of a specialist team of women, including trained counsellors and volunteers, who provide a safe space for survivors to explore their feelings. Support is also provided to the friends and families of survivors and other professionals to understand how best to support survivors of sexual violence.

Services provided by the SVHL includes a Freephone Helpline, Emotional Webchat, and Emotional Services Session (for those on the counselling wait list).

About WGN

Established in 1987, Women and Girls Network (WGN) is a community-based organisation providing women with a comprehensive range of therapeutic services which facilitate healing and recovery from experiences of violence. We work with all forms of gendered violence, whether physical, sexual or emotional.

The crimes of violence committed against women and girls usually involve assault and violation of both mind and body with devastating consequences. Where women’s lives may have been shattered and fragmented by gendered violence, our services provide a holistic healing journey engaging all aspects of self: mind, body and spirit.

We are committed to offering services which empower women with a choice of therapeutic activities that encourage them to be self-nurturing, creative and active participants in their healing process.  We recognise the individuality of every woman and the uniqueness of her experience; we view healing as a partnership where women retain control by choosing specific programmes which meet their needs.  Our work is intended to inspire and facilitate growth, resolution and change, moving a woman from survivor to thriver.

Interview details

Interviews are expected to take place on a rolling basis until all posts are filled, early applications are highly encouraged.

Further information

These posts are subject to pre-volunteering checks including DBS, references, and social media background screening 

WGN is an equal opportunities employer. 

The above posts are exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1.