Domestic abuse volunteer volunteer roles

Are you passionate about art and would like to facilitate weekly sessions for the children in our refuges? We are looking for passionate and committed female only volunteers to support our refuges during the summer holidays!

Across the UK, almost one million children are affected by domestic abuse every year. At Hestia, we know how important it is for children to feel safe, supported, and free to simply enjoy being children again. That’s why, every summer, our refuges create spaces filled with warmth, play, and joy – and we’re looking for wonderful volunteers to help us make that happen!

Each year during the school summer holidays, we run a six‑week Summer Play Scheme, offering fun activities and special outings for mothers and their children living in our refuges.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Summer Play Scheme gives families a chance to reconnect, laugh, and build happy memories together during what can be an incredibly difficult time.

If you’re passionate about supporting women and children who have fled domestic abuse – and you love getting creative, playful, and involved – we’d love to hear from you! Our volunteers work alongside our Children and Family Workers to bring daily activities and outings to life, helping to make this summer feel brighter, safer, and full of joy for the families we support.

What you will be doing

• To facilitate weekly arts and crafts sessions for children
• To use a range of skills and tools to make sessions interesting and fun for a range of ages.
• To develop positive relationships with the children and women, maintain professional boundaries and keep accurate records.
• To gather ideas and suggestions from service users to plan sessions

The skills you need

• Experience of arts and/or crafts either in a professional, educational, or personal
• Understanding of Domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality

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 are looking for the 'practical hands' to help our families reclaim their childhood. Use music to help families regulate, bond and feel joy again. Whether you sing, drum, strum or play something unique, you’ll help create soothing, expressive sessions that support emotional wellbeing.

We are seeking a diverse, proactive team of volunteers to support a 6-week summer programme (July 20 – Aug 28) across three refuge houses. Our mission is to rebuild parent-child bonds and bring joy back into childhood for families recovering from domestic abuse. You will be volunteering alongside Children Family workers throughout the summer, and will be invited to join an end of summer party.

Are you passionate about Art and would like to facilitate weekly sessions for the children in our refuges? We are looking for passionate and committed female only volunteers to support our refuges during the summer holidays.

Across the UK, almost one million children are affected by domestic abuse every year. At Hestia, we know how important it is for children to feel safe, supported, and free to simply enjoy being children again. That’s why, every summer, our refuges create spaces filled with warmth, play, and joy – and we’re looking for wonderful volunteers to help us make that happen!

Each year during the school summer holidays, we run a six‑week Summer Play Scheme, offering fun activities and special outings for mothers and their children living in our refuges.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Summer Play Scheme gives families a chance to reconnect, laugh, and build happy memories together during what can be an incredibly difficult time.

If you’re passionate about supporting women and children who have fled domestic abuse – and you love getting creative, playful, and involved – we’d love to hear from you! Our volunteers work alongside our Children and Family Workers to bring daily activities and outings to life, helping to make this summer feel brighter, safer, and full of joy for the families we support

Help us create calm, meaningful connections for the children in our refuges that have additional needs, enabling them to engage in the summer activities and events helping create joyful memories throughout the summer. If you understand sensory needs and have experience working with SEND children, you’ll be a steady, reassuring presence for families rebuilding after trauma.

Across the UK, almost one million children are affected by domestic abuse every year. At Hestia, we know how important it is for children to feel safe, supported, and free to simply enjoy being children again. That’s why, every summer, our refuges create spaces filled with warmth, play, and joy – and we’re looking for wonderful volunteers to help us make that happen!

Each year during the school summer holidays, we run a six‑week Summer Play Scheme, offering fun activities and special outings for mothers and their children living in our refuges.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Summer Play Scheme gives families a chance to reconnect, laugh, and build happy memories together during what can be an incredibly difficult time.

If you’re passionate about supporting women and children who have fled domestic abuse – and you love getting creative, playful, and involved – we’d love to hear from you! Our volunteers work alongside our Children and Family Workers to bring daily activities and outings to life, helping to make this summer feel brighter, safer, and full of joy for the families we support.

What you will be doing

• Support non verbal autistic children alongside the Key Worker.
• Help set up sensory programmes, communication boards and PECS resources.
• Create calm spaces where children can communicate and explore.

The skills you need

• Good understanding of autism, non verbal communication, or sensory needs.
• Experience working with SEND children desired
• Patient and supportive
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Ability to speak either Farsi, Bengali, Punjabi, Bangladeshi, or Turkish, Nepalese is desired

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

Could you be a part of our inspiring, hardworking and motivated team making a positive contribution to rebuilding the lives of women and children?

At One YMCA we provide a range of varied and exciting volunteer roles - we currently are looking for support at our Horizons (Domestic Abuse) and Onyx (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) services based in Bedford

Some of the tasks and responsibilities include:

•  Supporting the Horizons and Onyx teams with raising awareness of their services across the Bedford area
•  Liaising and networking with community partners we work with such as GPs, Pharmacies, Community Centres and local businesses
• Attending and supporting promotion of services at local community events and Outreach projects
• Promoting our services by handing out leaflets, putting up posters and sharing posts online as well as word of mouth

You will be: 

• Be of a friendly, welcoming, approachable and a cheerful disposition
• Good communication skills with conversational English.
• Reliable & punctual.
• Be a team player with a flexible approach.
• Be proactive & work under your own initiative.
• A willingness to get stuck in.
• Able to maintain complete discretion in handling confidential information.

 A full induction to the Horizons/Onyx service and specific sites will be provided, including an "Introduction to Domestic Abuse" 1 day training course

You will be required to complete online training, plus a menu of optional training linked the role will be made available.

You will receive regular 1 to 1s and supervision with line manager and oportunities to attend volunteer meetings and events!

Please note you will be required to undergo a DBS check and two references will be taken up prior to commencing the role. 

We are looking for the 'practical hands' to help our families reclaim their childhood! From board game marathons to movie afternoons to day trip adventures, you’ll be the friendly, consistent face children look forward to all week and will be helping us create a safe space for joy to return! This role will involve being onsite on Thursdays and supporting with outings on Wednesdays.

We are seeking a diverse, proactive team of volunteers to support a 6-week summer programme (July 20 – Aug 28) across three refuge houses. Our mission is to rebuild parent-child bonds and bring joy back into childhood for families recovering from domestic abuse. You will be volunteering alongside the Children Family workers throughout the summer, and will be invited to join an end of summer party.

What you will be doing

• Host relaxed, fun sessions like board game marathons, film afternoons, craft corners, and general “chill-out zones”.
• Build relationships with the children so you can be a familiar, grounding presence during Wednesday outings.
• Support the team on day trips and outings

The skills you need

• You love games, fun, and going with the flow.
• Ability to build trusting relationships with the women and children
• You’re warm, reliable, and happy to lead high energy small group activities.
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good communication skills
• Experience in childcare desired
• Ability to speak either Farsi, Bengali, Punjabi, Bangladeshi, or Turkish, Nepalese is desired

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

In this role, you’ll help create a fun, uplifting atmosphere where participants can relax, express themselves, and enjoy music together in a supportive environment. Whether someone wants to belt out their favourite song or simply watch and enjoy, you’ll help make the session welcoming and inclusive for everyone!

What you will be doing

• Set up and pack down karaoke equipment, ensuring everything runs smoothly
• Welcome participants and help them choose songs
• Encourage involvement in a positive, non pressured way
• Create a safe, supportive, and friendly space where everyone feels comfortable taking part.
• Support staff with basic session coordination as needed

The skills you need

• Friendly, approachable, and patient
• Comfortable engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Enjoys music and creating a positive atmosphere.
• Reliable and confident supporting small groups.
• No singing ability required—just enthusiasm!

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 are looking for the 'practical hands' to help our families reclaim their childhood. From bubbles to gloop to water trays, you’ll help toddlers explore the world through sensory fun! Expect giggles, creativity and plenty of foam! This will be an ad hoc role on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We are seeking a diverse, proactive team of volunteers to support a 6-week summer programme (July 20 – Aug 28) across three refuge houses. Our mission is to rebuild parent-child bonds and bring joy back into childhood for families recovering from domestic abuse. You will be volunteering alongside the Children Family workers throughout the summer, and will be invited to join an end of summer party.

What you will be doing

• Support messy play sessions: foam, slime, water trays, gloop and more!
• Create themed Tuff Trays that encourage exploration, creativity and sensory learning.
• Lead bubbles, rhymes, singing and toddler friendly games.
• Help young children feel safe and playful after difficult experiences.

The skills you need

• You enjoy early years play, hands-on activities and don’t mind getting messy.
• You’re creative, energetic and confident with young children.
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good communication skills
• Experience in childcare desired
• Ability to speak either Farsi, Bengali, Punjabi, Bangladeshi, or Turkish, Nepalese is desired

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 are looking for the 'practical hands' to help our families reclaim their childhood. You’ll support women and children with turning blank walls into colourful stories as well general arts and crafts, creating long lasting artwork that celebrates hope, identity and community, helping us create a safe space for joy to return!

We are seeking a diverse, proactive team of volunteers to support a 6-week summer programme (July 20th – Aug 28th) across three refuge houses. Our mission is to rebuild parent-child bonds and bring joy back into childhood for families recovering from domestic abuse. You will be volunteering alongside the Children Family workers throughout the summer, and will be invited to join an end of summer party.

What you will be doing

• Support children and mums to paint multi house community murals.
• Help set up activity boxes, paints, tools, and creative stations.
• Offer 1:1 support to children and adapt art techniques for different ages.
• Bring your own creative skills — anything from drawing to collage to craft!

The skills you need

• You’re creative, practical, and love helping children express themselves.
• You’re comfortable supporting mixed age groups.
• You enjoy collaborative art and don’t mind getting paint splattered.
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good communication skills
• Experience in childcare desired
• Ability to speak either Farsi, Bengali, Punjabi, Bangladeshi, or Turkish, Nepalese is desired

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

Support teens through art, fashion, films, manga or whatever they’re into. You’ll build trust, boost confidence and offer a calm, supportive space during a big stage of their lives. This role will take place once a week or every two weeks!

We are seeking a diverse, proactive team of volunteers to support a 6-week summer programme (July 20 – Aug 28) across three refuge houses. Our mission is to rebuild parent-child bonds and bring joy back into childhood for families recovering from domestic abuse. You will be volunteering alongside the Children Family workers throughout the summer and will be invited to join an end of summer party.

What you will be doing

• Provide mentoring for teens with interests such as art, fashion, films, anime, manga and creativity.
• Offer a safe adult presence who listens, supports, and helps build confidence.
• Lead informal creative sessions based on the young person’s interests.

The skills you need

• Ability to easily connect with teens and build trusting relationships
• You’re happy to tailor sessions to each young person.
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good communication skills
• Experience in childcare desired
• Ability to speak either Farsi, Bengali, Punjabi, Bangladeshi, or Turkish, Nepalese is desired

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 are looking for a creative and encouraging Songwriting Support Volunteer to help service users explore music as a form of expression, confidence building, and emotional wellbeing. You will support individuals or small groups to develop their own lyrics, melodies, and song ideas in a relaxed, person-centred environment.

What you will be doing

• Support service users to create original music, including lyrics, themes, melodies, and simple compositions.
• Encourage creativity and self-expression through structured or informal songwriting sessions
• Help service users explore different styles or genres based on their interests
• Provide positive, trauma informed encouragement to build confidence and celebrate progress.
• Feedback to staff after sessions regarding attendance, engagement, and any wellbeing concerns

The skills you need

• A passion for music, songwriting, or creative arts
• Ability to support and encourage people with varying levels of confidence and ability
• Friendly, patient, and person centred approach
• Good communication and listening skills
• Ability to create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere

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.

Across the UK, almost one million children are affected by domestic abuse every year. At Hestia, we know how important it is for children to feel safe, supported, and free to simply enjoy being children again. That’s why, every summer, our refuges create spaces filled with warmth, play, and joy – and we’re looking for wonderful volunteers to help us make that happen!

Each year during the school summer holidays, we run a six‑week Summer Play Scheme, offering fun activities and special outings for mothers and their children living in our refuges.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Summer Play Scheme gives families a chance to reconnect, laugh, and build happy memories together during what can be an incredibly difficult time.

If you’re passionate about supporting women and children who have fled domestic abuse – and you love getting creative, playful, and involved – we’d love to hear from you! Our volunteers work alongside our Children and Family Workers to bring daily activities and outings to life, helping to make this summer feel brighter, safer, and full of joy for the families we support

Across the UK, almost one million children are affected by domestic abuse every year. At Hestia, we know how important it is for children to feel safe, supported, and free to simply enjoy being children again. That’s why, every summer, our refuges create spaces filled with warmth, play, and joy – and we’re looking for wonderful volunteers to help us make that happen!

Each year during the school summer holidays, we run a six‑week Summer Play Scheme, offering fun activities and special outings for mothers and their children living in our refuges.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Summer Play Scheme gives families a chance to reconnect, laugh, and build happy memories together during what can be an incredibly difficult time.

If you’re passionate about supporting women and children who have fled domestic abuse – and you love getting creative, playful, and involved – we’d love to hear from you! Our volunteers work alongside our Children and Family Workers to bring daily activities and outings to life, helping to make this summer feel brighter, safer, and full of joy for the families we support.

What you will be doing

• To help with the day to day running of the Children & Family Service throughout the summer holidays
• To assist organising and facilitating activities and outings with the Children and Family Worker
• To use a range of skills and tools to make sessions interesting and fun for a range of ages
• To create timetables, posters, maps and instructions for residents
• To offer general admin help: typing, taking meeting minutes, filing and scanning documents
• To develop positive relationships with the children and women
• Support with administrative tasks including attendance and feedback
• To gather ideas, suggestions from families, plan, collaborate and create a timetable of activitiess and sessions. To involve women and children in the planning and designing of the timetable
• To support in providing or purchasing resources for activities

The skills you need

• Experience working with children/childcare/play-work experience - gained formally or informally
• Willingness to learn about domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds.

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

Are you a qualified Yoga Instructor who would enjoy facilitating weekly sessions to help individuals with their general well-being. This is an opportunity for you to share techniques with others.

Practicing yoga has been shown to increase mindfulness not just in class session, but in other areas of a person's life.

What you will be doing

• Design session plans enabling all group members to increase fitness, suppleness and help them relax
• Teach the group yoga postures and breathing techniques which allow a range of mixed ages and abilities to participate
• Inspire and motivate people to attend and get involved in the group activities where possible and encourage the group to help design future sessions
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team

The skills you need

• Skilled and qualified Yoga Instructor
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation

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.