Day Support Worker Volunteer Roles in Edinburgh

Wellbeing Facilitator - Scotland 

We’re looking for compassionate individuals to join us as Wellbeing Facilitators in our Living Well with MS programme in Scotland. This is a meaningful opportunity to support others while developing new skills and meeting like-minded people. 

About the Role 

The Living Well with MS programme is a series of peer-led sessions designed to empower people affected by MS to manage their health and wellbeing. As a Wellbeing Facilitator volunteer, you will: 

• Help plan and co-deliver in person and virtual sessions alongside a member of MS Society staff. This includes delivery of our mental health courses; Change, Transition and Loss, which is a pilot course funded by the Scottish Government’s Neurofund as well as our Managing Stress and Anxiety course.
• Foster a positive and supportive environment for sharing and learning.
• Work closely with MS Society staff to prepare and deliver these impactful sessions. 

Time Commitment 

Our roles are flexible to suit your availability. Here’s what to expect: 

• In-person sessions: Two half-days (2.5 hours each).
• Virtual sessions: Three 1-hour sessions.
• Planning time: Up to 1 hour, virtually with MS Society staff. 

To provide flexibility, we’re especially keen to hear from volunteers available on evenings and weekends. We ask for a minimum commitment of two sessions per year to maintain familiarity with the content and ensure consistent support for participants 

Our face-to-face sessions will be held in the Lothians, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, so we would be looking for volunteers who are within the area or live very close to these areas.

Training & Support 

You’ll receive full training to prepare you for the role: 

• Training will be delivered virtually via online platform Zoom, so you can join from the comfort of home.
• We’ll provide ongoing support, resources, and annual refresher training to help you succeed and grow in your role. 

Who we’re looking for 

Volunteers who:

• Are living with MS and willing to share their lived personal experiences positively.
• Have a compassionate and understanding approach.
• Want to support others affected by MS in navigating mental health challenges. 

Ready to Join Us? 

Apply by Monday, 31st March 2025. Please provide details explaining your suitability for the role. 

Spaces are limited, so don’t wait! Successful applicants will be invited for an informal chat online over Zoom.

Make a difference. Share your story. Be a Wellbeing Facilitator!

Become a Trustee at Sunrise Multicultural Project

Are you passionate about making a difference in your community?

We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help guide the future of Sunrise Multicultural Project.

As a trustee, you will play a vital role in shaping our strategy, ensuring we stay true to our mission, and supporting the development of initiatives that promote inclusivity and integration. We are seeking individuals with a range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences – whether in community work, finance, governance, fundraising, or marketing – who share our commitment to empowering minority groups and fostering a more connected, diverse community. 

If you are eager to contribute your time, expertise, and passion, we would love to hear from you!

Tender aims to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence by educating children and young people about the issues through creative projects. Our programmes are safe, enjoyable, and age-appropriate which allow people to engage with sensitive topics and “rehearse” for real-life scenarios. Participants are encouraged to learn through script-work, role-play and creative media such as films and art. Throughout, we enable young people to explore their choices, rights and expectations in relationships and to recognise the early warning signs of abuse. 

Our Trustees are vital to us, setting the strategy for the organisation, ensuring its financial stability and offering insights that help us to ask and answer questions. The Board of Trustees lead and control Tender and are responsible for its governance, policy and affairs. Trustees have responsibilities under charity and company law, and also under Tender’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, for directing the affairs of the organisation, ensuring that it is solvent, well run and delivers Tender’s objects. The day-to-day running of the charity is delegated to the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team.

All trustees are expected to:

• Safeguard and promote the reputation, vision, mission and values of Tender
• Ensure the charity complies with its governing documents, relevant legislation and regulatory requirements
• Determine the overall strategic direction and development of Tender, by agreeing organisational polices, budgets and objectives, and to ensure targets are set and performance is measured against those targets
• Contribute any specific skills, knowledge, and experience which they may have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of Tender and its financial stability
• Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled effectively
• As requested by the Chair, represent the Chair of the Board at functions and events, and lead or be a member of committees/panels/groups
• Collectively own and hold the Board to account for its decisions and activities, ensuring the avoidance of any personal conflict of interest
• Provide support and challenge to Tender’s CEO in the exercise of their delegated authority and affairs
• Engage with volunteers, Patrons and other beneficiaries to keep informed about the organisation's activities and wider issues that affect Tender's work
• Attend Board meetings, adequately prepared to contribute to discussions

What we are looking for

We look for the following qualities in all trustees:

• An interest in and commitment to the mission, values and vision of Tender
• The ability to think and act strategically
• Leadership, communication and influencing skills
• Sound independent judgement and integrity
• An understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship, or a willingness to learn (we will provide training and guidance on charity governance if you do not have previous experience)
• A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
• The ability to inspire trust and confidence in people
• A willingness and ability to devote the necessary time and effort to prepare for and attend board and committee meetings, including remaining in the role for a minimum term of two years

For trustees with communications experience, we are also looking for:

• Experience in developing or implementing communications strategies
• Experience of building communications capacity within a growing organisation
• Knowledge of crisis communications management
• An ability to use communications to aid the diversification of our fundraising

For trustees with policy and influencing experience, we are looking for:

• Knowledge of UK politics and parliamentary processes
• Knowledge of policy areas and governmental departments relevant to Tender, in particular Education, Health and Home Office
• Experience of developing and promoting policy and campaign strategies for an organisation, and creating effective public affairs influencing strategies
• Experience of engaging with stakeholder at different levels of government (Parliament, civil service, local authority) to influence policy decisions

About Springboard 

Springboard Youth Academy supports refugee and asylum-seeking young people who have recently arrived in the UK to help them succeed in the classroom and beyond. By combining participatory learning, life skills and holistic support into action-packed weekend, half-term and summer programming, we work to bridge the gap in support for young people left behind by the mainstream school system. 

Refugee and asylum-seeking young people who have made the difficult journey to the UK – especially those who come alone – are saddled with many challenges common to starting a life somewhere new. Though they are required to enroll in school, more often than not, they aren’t provided with the language and psychological support necessary to succeed in their new circumstances. They are simply not set up to thrive. Coupled with budget cuts to tailored learning provision in schools, these young people often miss their chance to progress at a natural pace and to reach their fullest potential. 

As educators, service providers and youth workers with years of experience working to offset the challenges these young people face, we launched a programme that helps develop young people’s English language skills whilst addressing their psychological and social needs, preparing them for mainstream education and helping them rebuild their lives in London. 

We do this by providing interactive and engaging programming that combines English learning, life skills and practical and emotional strategies for young people on their journey to independence and adulthood. 

About the opportunity 

As Springboard’s Youth Academy’s activities and ambitions continue to grow, we are seeking a Secretary to join our existing Board of Trustees to make our vision possible. 

We’re looking for people who share our love of high quality and inclusive education, as well as our commitment to working with, for and alongside refugee communities. We are keen to meet people who can bring skills, knowledge and both professional and lived experience that will help us scale up. We’re looking for people who can think strategically and creatively, work collaboratively and want to make a significant contribution to Springboard Youth Academy’s future, as well as the wider education sector. 

We are committed to nurturing a board that is representative, diverse and inclusive. We are interested to hear from individuals with experience in governance, as well as those new to Trustee positions. We are particularly encouraging applications from those with personal experience of forced migration and Leaving Care. 

As Secretary you will be required to have expertise in:

• Organising meetings
• Taking minutes and summarising actions for a team
• Overseeing reporting to the Charity Commission
• Preparing papers for board meetings
• Convening the Chair and Director to develop meeting agendas
• Assisting with planning Springboard’s annual Away Day 

You will demonstrate: 

• Strategic thinking 
• Excellent communication skills 
• Confidence and a willingness to speak their mind and ask challenging questions ● Teamwork and collaboration skills 
• Understanding of safeguarding and confidentiality 
• Independent judgment 
• Commitment to making meetings inclusive and welcoming to Trustees with all levels of experience 
• Advocacy and networking skills to help us build new relationships 
• Willingness to offer expertise, skills and personal insight to support us
• Passion for championing inclusive and refugee-focused work 

Time commitment 

Trustees must be able to commit to attending quarterly Board meetings and making time to read paperwork in advance of Board meetings. As Secretary, you will be required to spend approximately on hour per week supporting with preparation for upcoming meetings. We also require new Trustees to spend one day on site during one of our programmes to get a feel for the work, as well as undertake Trustee and Safeguarding training, within the first three months of starting the role. 

Board meetings are currently held virtually, and, where possible, are arranged at least two months ahead. On occasion, Trustees will be required to respond on email or phone in relation to issues that arise outside of Board meetings. Travel costs will be covered if they are a barrier. 

Springboard Youth Academy supports refugee and asylum-seeking young people who have recently arrived in the UK to help them succeed in the classroom and beyond. By combining participatory learning, life skills and holistic support into action-packed weekend, half-term and summer programming, we work to bridge the gap in support for young people left behind by the mainstream school system.

As educators, service providers and youth workers with years of experience working to offset the challenges these young people face, we launched a programme that helps develop young people’s English language skills whilst addressing their psychological and social needs, preparing them for mainstream education and helping them rebuild their lives in London. We do this by providing interactive and engaging programming that combines English learning, life skills and practical and emotional strategies for young people on their journey to independence and adulthood. 

About the opportunity

We are seeking a Chair to work with the Board of Trustees and Director on Springboard's strategic direction and decision making. We’re looking for people who share our love of high quality and inclusive education, as well as our commitment to working with, for and alongside refugee communities. We are keen to meet people who can bring skills, knowledge and both professional and lived experience that will help us scale up. We’re looking for people who can think strategically and creatively, work collaboratively and want to make a significant contribution to Springboard Youth Academy’s future, as well as the wider education sector. We are committed to nurturing a board that is representative, diverse and inclusive. We are interested to hear from individuals with experience in governance, as well as those new to Trustee positions. We are particularly encouraging applications from those with personal experience of forced migration and Leaving Care.

Responsibilities of the Chair include:

• Providing leadership for the board of trustees in their role of setting the strategy and policy of the organisation
• Planning the annual cycle of board meetings and setting the agendas
• Chairing and facilitating board meetings 
• Monitoring that decisions taken at board meetings are implemented
• Representing the organisation at appropriate events, meetings or functions  
• Liaising with the Director on organisational activity and providing support as appropriate 

Qualities:

• Strategic thinking
• Excellent communication skills
• Confidence and a willingness to speak their mind and ask challenging questions
• Teamwork and collaboration skills
• Understanding of safeguarding and confidentiality
• Independent judgment
• Commitment to making meetings inclusive and welcoming to Trustees with all levels of experience
• Advocacy and networking skills to help us build new relationships
• Willingness to offer expertise, skills and personal insight to support us
• Passion for championing inclusive and refugee-focused work

Time commitment

In line with all charities, Trustees are unpaid volunteers. Trustees must be able to commit to attending quarterly Board meetings and making time to read paperwork in advance of Board meetings. As a small charity, our resources are limited and Trustees are also asked to actively contribute their skills in relevant areas. As a guideline, Trustees must be prepared to offer a minimum of two hours per month to the charity. As Chair, you will be required to support with annual reporting to the charity commission, plan the agenda for board meetings and provide intermittent support to the Director. We will also require new Trustees to spend one day on site during one of our programmes to get a feel for the work, as well as undertake Trustee and Safeguarding training, within the first three months of starting the role. Board meetings are currently held virtually, and, where possible, are arranged at least two months ahead. On occasion, Trustees will be required to respond on email or phone in relation to issues that arise outside of Board meetings. Travel costs will be covered if they are a barrier. 

This is an exciting opportunity to help lead Big Leaf Foundation in the next phase of its development, as we transition our self-employed contractors to employee contracts and explore new multi-year core funding opportunities to build greater sustainability in our work. We are looking for someone with direct experience in financial management and/or charity finance and fundraising to fill this role. Ideally you will have experience of moving people onto employee contracts. You will use your skills and knowledge to make a lasting difference to the lives of displaced young people in Surrey.

In addition to the general responsibilities of a trustee, duties of the treasurer include:

• Overseeing, approving and presenting budgets, accounts and financial statements.
• Being assured that the financial resources of the organisation meet its present and future needs.
• Ensuring that the charity has an appropriate reserves policy.
• Preparing and presenting financial reports to the board.
• Ensuring that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place.
• Liaising with any paid staff and volunteers about financial matters.
• Advising on the financial implications of the organisation’s strategic plans.
• Ensuring that the charity has an appropriate ethical funding policy.
• Ensuring that there is no conflict between any funding sources and the aims and objects of the charity.
• Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by funders and the relevant statutory bodies, for example the Charity Commission.
• Ensuring that the accounts are scrutinised in the manner required (independent examination or audit) and any recommendations are implemented.
• Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities.
• Contributing to the fundraising strategy of the organisation.
• Ensuring the accounts are presented in a coherent and easily understandable way in our annual review.
• Sitting on appraisal, recruitment and disciplinary panels as required.

In addition, with other trustees to hold the charity “in trust” for current and future beneficiaries by:

• Ensuring that the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these.
• Being responsible for the performance of the charity and for its “corporate” behaviour; ensuring that the charity complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.
• Acting as guardians of the charity’s assets, both tangible and intangible, taking all due care over their security, deployment and proper application.
• Ensuring that the charity’s governance is of the highest possible standard.