Volunteer Roles

Prison Bike Workshop Volunteer

Do you have a passion for bikes? Could you use your bike maintenance skills to help prisoners turn their lives around?

We’re looking for people with competent bike maintenance skills to volunteer on our Bikes Beyond Bars programme.

About this role

As a volunteer, you’ll work alongside prison-based bike maintenance course participants, helping them refurbish a wide range of donated bikes. Working at our workshops at HMP Bristol or HMP Fosse Way, you’ll help residents to develop cycle maintenance skills and earn a professional Cytech qualification. These new skills will equip them for better job opportunities upon release.

You’ll support our dedicated Prison Bike Mechanic Tutors, providing hands-on assistance in the workshop and making a meaningful impact on the participants’ journey toward rehabilitation. This is a great opportunity for those who enjoy working with people from all walks of life and want to use their bike know-how to help make a real difference in their community.

"Life Cycle helped me massively in prison, keeping me occupied and out of the cell… I contacted Life Cycle when I was released because I wanted to give back something to the people that helped me. I felt respected and treated as a valued member of society, not just an ex-con." – Jon (name changed).

About Life Cycle

Life Cycle is a charity that works with people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds at every stage of their cycling journey, from learning to ride, to building a career in the cycle industry.

In this role, you’ll be working on our Bikes Beyond Bars programme, Life Cycle’s innovative bike recycling project based at HMP Bristol and HMP Fosse Way. Unwanted bicycles are taken to the prisons, where the men learn how to strip down, clean and refit them, giving them a new lease of life.

The bikes are taken to our community Hub in Bristol where they are quality assured ready for sale by Life Cycle’s mechanics and our team of volunteers. Anyone can buy a bike; however, many go to local people on low incomes, enabling them to get a bike and start cycling.  

About you

We’re looking for someone with competent bike maintenance skills, who’s confident working on bike refurbishments with light support from our friendly Prison Workshop Tutors. If you’re unsure, please feel free to give us a call.

Due to the nature of the role, you must have an open, non-judgmental attitude and believe in the possibility of change for those who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system.

Bikes Beyond Bars wouldn’t be possible without our amazing volunteers! So, if you enjoy meeting people from all walks of life and you’re enthusiastic about Life Cycle’s charitable mission, we’d love to hear from you.

How to apply: please apply via our ‘Volunteering and Jobs’ page on our website.

Volunteer with us!

At Acorns we provide care and support for life limited or life threatened children and their families. We are a charity, so most of the care that we provide is funded through fundraising and through our shops.

To help us to continue to provide the care that we do, we are looking for fun and enthusiastic volunteers to join us in our Shirley Shop. Our shops are exciting and dynamic, with no two days being the same. From our walk-in customers, to receiving donations, and everything in between

As a Shop Volunteer with us, you will be:

• Engaging with customers
• Accepting and sorting donated stock
• Pricing donations for sale
• Working on the till

Our shops are open Monday to Saturday (some open on Sundays too) 9am to 5pm.  You can volunteer the hours that suit you, but it would be great if you could support in the shop for at least 3 hours a week.

Why Volunteer at Acorns?

• To help a local charity and make a difference in your local community
• Connect with likeminded people and make new friends
• Enhance your CV by learning new skills and gaining experience
• Opportunities to progress to other roles
• Access to free online training courses
• Retail discounts
• Invites to social events and participation in our volunteer recognition schemes and rewards

Full training will be provided

What we do

We help everyone use parks and their transformative health and wellbeing benefits. DEFRA estimates that if everyone spent time in parks, the NHS could save £2.1 billion a year, however often the people who could benefit most from using parks, do not.

We work with under-served communities to help them spend time in green space and we support small groups and community organisations to do the same. From supporting people with complex mental health needs to connect with nature and build community, to identifying and removing physical barriers to park access, we work to make sure parks fulfil their potential as free to use, community assets.

The role

As a Trustee, you will take the lead at board level, whilst ensuring that the collective responsibility of the Trustees for the management, support and development of our staff is maintained. All Trustees share responsibility for the organisation.

The main responsibilities of a Trustee is to:

• oversee the strategic direction of the charity as it scales to meet demand, and support the CEO in managing this growth;
• use their expertise to help guide the process;
• ensure the organisation works within the law and in line with its governing document and policies;
• keep informed about the activities of the charity in order to maintain effective oversight;
• take a financial overview and ensure that the organisation’s finances are adequate and responsibly managed;
• promote the work and safeguard the reputation of Your Park Bristol and Bath.

Skills and experience needed

Our beneficiaries come from all walks of life and hire great people from a variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. If you share our values and enthusiasm for health, nature and accessibility, you will find a home here.

All applicants will be treated equally but we want to build our level of lived experience of barriers to parks. Therefore, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from people who are from ethnically diverse backgrounds, Disabled people, people who are caring for a loved one, and/or from low-income households. 

Please state in your cover letter whether you would like to be considered under our guaranteed interview scheme for Disabled or ethnic minority candidates. This scheme guarantees these groups an interview if they meet the essential skills, experience and qualities. 

A well established care home in Dagenham East London caring for the elderly is looking for Trustees to assist with the governance and strategy of the charity.

We provide high quality, stimulating and holistic residential care for elderly people living with dementia. The support and care we provide to our residents enables their families to go about their everyday lives knowing that their loved ones are safe and well cared for in a homely environment.

What will you be doing?

The care home is very well respected in the community and mostly looks after residents from the local area.

The care home was established 32 years ago and is looking for trustees with various skills, such as marketing, finance, healthcare and strategy to join the existing trustee. A care background would be beneficial but is not essential.

The care home has a good reputation in the area and is ranked as 'good' by the Care Quality Commission.

The management in the home have been in position for many years and are a great source of stability for the home.

Estimate of time needed: 0-5 hours / month

What are we looking for?

· Marketing and income generation

· Strategy

· Finance 

· Healthcare

What difference will you make?

As a trustee and part of the board you will play a vital role not only ensuring current good governance but also with the discussion and development of a strategy for the business, to help the charity and care home evolve to reflect the changes over the last 32 years.

How to apply

To apply, please click on the link provided and follow the instructions provided.

Job Description for Programmes Assistant (Volunteer)

Job title: Volunteer Programmes Assistant

Reporting to: Head of Programmes

Location: CR0, London

Contract type: Part time (14 hours)

About Youth PWR Charity

Youth PWR Charity is a dynamic youth development and empowerment organisation set up to work with communities to engage, inspire and educate young people with a central commitment to empower the youth for constructive engagement and empowerment for a sustainable future.

We provide social and recreational activities for young people, as well as providing skills development programmes that are beneficial to young people in order to upskill them; organising workshops and activities to raise awareness and tackle issues around various subject matters that are relevant and of interest to young people, such as mental health, youth violence & employability amongst others.

Driven by our values and behaviours, we are a high-performing, forward-thinking and solution-focused organisation. We value teamwork and actively seek other opinions to ensure we can deliver to the highest standard, as well as commit to reflecting upon our work to ensure a continual improvement culture. We welcome applications from individuals who are inspired by our values and behaviours. Our vision is for a world where all young people achieve their full potential and shape the future with power and confidence.

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and confident individual to join our Programmes team, supporting the development and delivery of youth programmes and initiatives across the charity.

Core responsibilities

1. Assist in the design and delivery of programmes and activities to young people.

2. Support with completing all required documentation accurately and within agreed timescales.

3. ring new ideas and approaches to our work.

4. Administrative duties as required, such as minute taking and completing end of session reports.

5. Providing support for events, e.g. collating invitation list and monitoring responses, preparing delegate packs, attending events on the day.

The ideal volunteer candidate:

• will be willing to volunteer approx. 14 hours per week, 

• will have a passion and enthusiasm for working with young people

• will have good communication skills -  spoken, written and presentational

• will have an understanding of inclusion and differing needs of young people from varying backgrounds, cultures and experiences

• will have understanding of child protection and safeguarding (training will be provided)

• will be an articulate and confident communicator with good written communication skills and great attention to detail.

• will have strong interpersonal skills, with ability to build relationships across organisation and with other stakeholders.

• will have good administrative skills including excellent attention to detail and effective time management skills.

• will have a positive and collaborative attitude across all aspects of work.

You will receive:

• New skills and experiences in your area, we will support you to try new things wherever possible and boost your CV

• Some lunch and travel costs

• Grow your confidence, network and meet new people

• We can be flexible around your education, family, work, or health etc.

• Possible references for future employers

Job Description for Brand & Marketing Assistant (Volunteer)

Job title: Brand & Marketing Assistant

Location: CR0, London

Contract type: Part time (10 hours)

Who we are

Youth PWR Charity is a dynamic youth development and empowerment organisation set up to work with communities to engage, inspire and educate young people with a central commitment to empower the youth for constructive engagement and empowerment for a sustainable future. 

We provide social and recreational activities for young people, as well as providing skills development programmes that are beneficial to young people in order to upskill them; organising workshops and activities to raise awareness and tackle issues around various subject matters that are relevant and of interest to young people, such as mental health, youth violence & employability amongst others.

Driven by our values and behaviours, we are a high-performing, forward-thinking and solution-focused organisation. We value teamwork and actively seek other opinions to ensure we can deliver to the highest standard, as well as commit to reflecting upon our work to ensure a continual improvement culture. We welcome applications from individuals who are inspired by our values and behaviours. Our vision is for a world where all young people achieve their full potential and shape the future with power and confidence. 

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic, creative individual with social media, design and content creation skills to join our Brand & Marketing team.

Core responsibilities

1. Visual content creation: Create visually captivating graphics, images, and videos that align with our mission and style guide to complement written content and enhance our online presence, leveraging social media and digital platforms, newsletters, blog posts and web updates to reach and inspire diverse audiences.

2. Video and visual content creation: Create short video and Instagram reel content to boost engagement and participation in events, activities and campaigns.

3. Storytelling: Craft blogs that capture the essence of our work, highlighting the impact of our activities and initiatives on empowering individuals to envision and create a sustainable future.

4. Collaboration: Collaborate with team members to brainstorm ideas, develop content strategies, and coordinate content calendars, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and priorities.

The ideal volunteer candidate

• You will be willing to volunteer between approx. 10 hours per week, split between 2 days contributing to our ongoing projects

• You will have some experience of working as part of a team 

• You will have some experience with creating social media graphics and/or illustrations, using graphic design software (for example, Canva Pro), and adhering to a style guide to ensure consistency across our platform

• You will have some experience with creating short video content and reels using video editing software and/or Instagram reels, or you are willing to learn and give this a go

We are very happy to provide as much or as little guidance as you feel you need to carry out your chosen volunteer role, and will support you to develop your existing skills. 

You will receive:

• New skills and experiences in your area, we will support you to try new things wherever possible and boost your CV

• Some lunch and travel costs

• Grow your confidence and meet new people

• We can be flexible around your education, family, work, or health etc.

• Possible references for future employers

About CARAS: 

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About Youth ESOL: 

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to young people at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling young people to do well at school or college.

About the Role: 

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our face-to-face study programme called ‘Get Ready for School.’ 

This programme is attended by young people out of education and is based in Tooting on Mondays and Wednesdays. Core delivery of the programme includes English, Maths, Digital skills, complemented by Reading and Writing for Pleasure.

Volunteers in this role are required to commit to at least one 2-hour session per week, during these times:

• Monday 9:30 am to 3pm

• Wednesday 12:30 to 6pm

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

Volunteer  Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes;

• Help young people to build confidence in digital literacy;

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Engaging learners in informal conversations or games during breaks to help them practice their conversational English.

• Checking the session plan aims with the lead teacher and assisting learners achieve them;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session;

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class;

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project;

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential;

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements;

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential 

• To be 18 years or older;

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (travel and food expenses can be reimbursed);

• An interest in education and English language teaching;

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;

• To be reliable and punctual;

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;

• The ability to volunteer on Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons/evenings during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of four months;

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum seeker or refugee status

• Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check (DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a Caras community member who is more recently arrived in the UK);

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role 

Desirable 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months’ regular volunteering 

To Apply: 

To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form from the CARAS website using this volunteer role description to inform your answers with email subject header “Youth ESOL Teaching Assistant Volunteer”. 

Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with a member of the CARAS learning staff team and a community member. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP! 

 All volunteers must complete an enhanced DBS check for working with young people and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role. 

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support. 

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About the CARAS ESOL Team:

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to adults at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling people to attend college and access other services in the future.

About the Role:

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our face-to-face adult ESOL classes in Tooting. Volunteers in this role are required to commit to at least one 2-hour session every Wednesday during these times: 

• Pre-entry ESOL 09:15 to 11:15

• Entry 1 ESOL 11: 15 to 13:15

• Entry 2 ESOL 13:45 to 15:45 

• One-to-one employability and language learning support on Wednesdays 16:00 to 18:00 

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities:

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes; 

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session; 

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class; 

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project; 

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential; 

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements; 

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential: 

• To be 18 years or older; 

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (travel expenses can be reimbursed); 

• An interest in education and English language teaching; 

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds; 

• To be reliable and punctual; 

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English; 

• The ability to volunteer on Mondays or Wednesdays during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of three months; 

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum-seeker or refugee status 

• *Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; 

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role. 

 *DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK. 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

INDEPENDENT READING GROUP VOLUNTEER (FACE-TO-FACE) 

CARAS Youth ESOL Programme – Monday, Wednesday mornings  

About CARAS: 

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support. 

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About Youth ESOL: 

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to young people at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling young people to do well at school or college.

About the Role: 

• CARAS is looking for Reading Group Volunteer to support our face-to-face study programme for young people.
• The reading group is in Tooting and is an important element of a study programme for young people aged 14 to 18 who are out of formal education.
• Students will be supported to read at length and complete challenges that are adapted to their ability level.
• The reading group aims to foster independence and a joy of reading among the young people and requires volunteers to learn about the young peoples' interests in order to help them select an appropriate text.
• The ESOL teacher will provide volunteers with tips to support reading and understanding for emerging learners of English, such as phonics and elicitation strategies.
• Volunteers will work with 1-5 students, mostly reading out loud with them or helping them to decode unfamiliar language.
• Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates. 

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities: 

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within the Reading Group sessions; 

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources; 

• Contributing to debriefs to inform the ESOL teacher how each student found the lesson/task and the students’ areas of greatest challenge and success;  

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session; 

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class; 

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project; 

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential; 

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements; 

• Listening and supporting students to select, read and understand a text; Showing flexibility to the wide range of ability levels in the classroom; 

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential

• To be 18 years or older; 

• An interest in education and English language teaching;

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum-seeker or refugee status 

• * Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; *DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK.  

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role 

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (food and travel expenses can be reimbursed); 

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with young people from diverse backgrounds; 

• To be reliable and punctual; 

• Good communication skills, especially with people who are new to English; 

• An interest in books and stories, writing and poetry 

• The ability to volunteer on Wednesday during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of four months; 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish; 

• Experience of reading with young people or learners of English, or teaching ESOL or phonics. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies such as literacy and phonics strategies for emerging learners of English; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering. 

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is seeking to appoint a new Trustee/ Non-Executive Director, with income generation and/ or digital marketing expertise. Joining our Board offers an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of one of the UK’s leading pre-hospital emergency care charities, ensuring our vital service continues to save lives across the Midlands region and beyond.

We’re looking for an individual who can bring the following attributes:

1. GOOD GOVERNANCE

The ability to make a strong contribution to the governance and success of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (with a track record of successful leadership, and experience of operating at board level or the ability to contribute at board level).

2.  INCOME GENERATION AND/ OR DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTISE

An experienced leader with income generation experience – charity or commercial sector, 

AND/OR

An experienced leader within the digital marketing/ social media sector, with the ability to enhance the charity’s digital marketing engagement strategy and capabilities (including data and analytics, and innovations in this space such as AI).

Becoming a Trustee for Herts Musical Memories

Herts Musical Memories are celebrating there 8th Year of becoming a charity and we are now at last, beginning to recover from the Pandemic. We urgently need to expand our board to ensure that the charity continues to grow – the following provides some background to our work and lays out what it means to become a trustee.

Herts Musical Memories purposes are:

• To facilitate structured group sessions designed around the principles of music therapy and group singing for people with dementia and their carers.

Herts Musical Memories objectives are:

• To provide activities for people with dementia and their carers that help stimulate memories

• To provide activities that incorporate social interaction and peer support for people with dementia and their carers

• To reduce feelings of isolation for families coping with dementia and to provide access to artistic and social stimulation

What Herts Musical Memories values are:

Health, wellbeing and equality will be at the core of all Herts Musical Memories activities relating to service users, staff and volunteers and the wider public.

In relation to our service users Herts Musical Memories will actively promote equality for people with dementia.  To free them from fear and isolation and to use our services to demonstrate to the wider public that people with dementia still have a place in society and should be treated with dignity and respect.

The Singing Sessions:

‘Thank you for Bringing the sunshine into my Mum’s week.’  Carer

Herts Musical Memories provides stimulating social activities involving music, seated movement and singing for people with dementia and their carers.  The charity runs 9  groups in 4 weekly blocks across Hertfordshire with an admin and song preparation session every 5th week.  There is an average of 25 people per session with sometimes over 30 people attending.  The sessions last 90 minutes with time set aside for socialising and light refreshments. 

Most of the participants are dealing with the impact of an early diagnosis and are usually accompanied by a family member, usually a spouse.  People who live alone often come with a professional carer.

Sessions are held at fixed dates and times in community centres or church halls. The venues are chosen carefully for ease of access, to be on regular bus routes, good parking and for having good facilities. This does mean that, sometimes the venue can be expensive, but the venue plays an important part in making the sessions a positive experience.

The sessions are structured to include a range of activities that are repeated each week providing the service users with a routine that becomes familiar with regular attendance.  Songs are chosen from popular music from the 1950s going up to the 1970s. The sessions will include; songs that require movement, singing rounds where people get a chance to sing in harmony, rhythm exercises using percussion instruments and exercises in dexterity using bean bags.

The service users are taught new songs – incredibly due to the way the human brain remembers music, people with dementia can cope with this and actively enjoy learning new things – this increases their confidence and boosts their self-esteem.

The sessions are delivered by a professional group leader with the support of volunteers. 

Finances:

Herts Musical Memories has no formal funding – we raise a contribution through fees which are £6 per session, we raise up to £10,000 per year through events held on our behalf another £5,000 through donations and the rest we have to fundraise for.  To run the charity effectively we need to raise just over £10,000 per group.  To help us achieve this we have developed a 5 year fundraising strategy.  Our goals are to achieve enough funding to recruit a part time administrator, create a reserve of 6 months running costs ensuring a sustainable future.

‘I’d like to thank you, you make me feel so happy’ - guest

What Does it Involve to Become a Trustee

Trustees share formal responsibility for the charity and must act in its best interests, regardless of how they're elected or appointed. Some trustees may take on specific roles on the board, such as chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer.

Herts Musical Memories meets 4 times per year mainly on Zoom but with some face to face in West Hertfordshire.  If a trustee has particular expertise in finance, fundraising, HR we do occasionally hold one on one sub meetings with the CEO.  No experience is necessary as there is plenty of training available – it is a commitment but it is a rewarding commitment.  Becoming a trustee is about taking on a position where you can make a real difference to the people who live in your local community.

Top five traits of a good trustee

· A good trustee is ready for a challenge – running a small charity is always a challenge and supporting the CEO in facing those challenges is a vital role of a trustee.  Whether it be support, advice or helping to access the necessary expertise that can support the charities development

· They are open and listen to many voices – there are many people prepared to offer advice and many voices to be heard, from the team running the charity to the beneficiaries.  Listening and understanding enables a trustee to offer advice and help the charity seek solutions that will improve and enable it to reach its goals.

· Trustees are team players – running a charity is a team effort which is relevant from the Board through to the beneficiaries by working together as a team a charity is more likely to prosper and grow.

· Trustees have expert knowledge – this expert knowledge can be in training, marketing, fundraising, HR, Law or it could be in a first hand knowledge of the charities services and the impact it has on families and the ability to use that understanding to enhance the charities service for people living with dementia.

· They exercise good judgement and care – this is essential, working with vulnerable adults comes with a lot of responsibility. We need to be sure we work within the parameters of Charity Commission’s guidelines to ensure good practice which protects all involved from the  trustees, staff and beneficiaries.

A good trustee also knows what they are doing within the framework of their role. At a basic level, they should understand and know how to act as described by The Charity Commission.  The regulator’s ‘The essential trustee’ guidance sets out six main duties:

· Ensuring that the charity is working for the benefit of the public

· Compliance with the law

· Acting in the best interests of the charity

· Ensuring accountability

· Financial responsibility

· Acting with reasonable care and skill

It may seem overwhelming to become a trustee but it is, as mentioned so rewarding and the satisfaction, that as a trustee you are truly making a positive difference to people lives.

 Please note Herts Musical Memories is based in Bushey, Hertfordshire (Hence why this is the position location listed), however meetings with trustees are typically held in locations within West Hertfordshire or remotely via Zoom.

About Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN)

Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) is recognised for its work to reduce undernutrition globally. We enhance the effectiveness of nutrition policy and programming by improving knowledge, stimulating learning, connecting key actors and building evidence. We are passionate about being network-driven, independent and evidence-based. 

Our vision is that every individual caught up in a nutritional emergency, or suffering from malnutrition anywhere in the world, gets the most effective help possible.  We undertake knowledge management, research, and advocacy to support national governments, civil society, UN agencies, donors and academic organisations, and communities of practitioners. Through our work and collaborations, we support agencies and individuals to implement evidence-based nutrition programming, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries and in fragile and conflict-affected states.

ENN has its head office in Oxfordshire, UK. ENN is financially supported by foundations and trusts, bilateral donors, international non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies. For more information about ENN see our website.

What we do

ENN’s work includes our “Field Exchange” publication that provides up to date information from research, programme learnings, and news from the sector, generated by practitioners, and distributed to our large network of researchers, practitioners and policy makers globally.  We have projects specialising in Infant Feeding in Emergencies, Wasting and Stunting, Maternal and Adolescent Nutrition and support for Small and Nutritionally at-risk Infants under six months & their mothers and also manage a peer-to-peer forum offering timely answers to the questions challenging those on the front line of providing services to treat and prevent malnutrition in the world.  ENN does not directly implement programmes but works to improve the effectiveness of all nutrition practitioners by helping to shape policy and practice at global and national levels.

Our Funding

ENN receives funding from governments, UN agencies, private foundations through grants and agreements, as well as contributions from partners.

This Role

The Emergency Nutrition Network needs to expand its funding base.  To do this we would like to open funding potential from the private and corporate sectors, new foundations and other funders that may have an interest in working to improve nutrition for people in emergency and high malnutrition contexts. 

The work will involve identifying potential funding sources, developing relationships and helping to finesse opportunities that can match ENN with potential funders.  This will be closely supported by the CEO and technical team.

The position will report to the Technical Director (Operations & Platforms)

About You

We are looking for someone who would enjoy the challenge of working with a charity to raise funds to provide support for projects and practitioners working in difficult and resource poor situations to treat and prevent malnutrition. 

If you have experience in the private or corporate sector, and skills that you believe could enable you to fundraise, we would love to hear from you.

Terms and Conditions

Hours of work: fully flexible/negotiable

Location: Oxford area ideally, but the work does not need to be office based, so other locations should be workable. 

Remuneration: This is a voluntary or pro bono position, however, reasonable expenses can be reimbursed for travel and subsistence in line with ENN’s policies.

To apply and For further information please see Emergency Nutrition Network's website

Please note: ENN does not intend any employment relationship to be created from this voluntary position, either now or at any time in the future.

We are currently recruiting volunteer trustees who are passionate about supporting young people.

Gospel Oak Action Link Youth Club (GOALYC) is a Camden based Charity providing at no cost to our users, a rich variety of sports, music, education and other activities to mostly disadvantaged young people in the Gospel Oak area. We offer training and employment opportunities for older teenage members, helping to boost their skills, self-confidence and aspirations, regardless of background or learning abilities. Our Trustees will guide the charity's direction, upkeep, and policies, making key decisions that create a positive difference to our youth. This involves: • Overall strategy decisions. • Organise fundraising. • Liaising with our partner organisation, QCCA. • Reviewing grant applications and reports to funders. • Board Meetings three to four times a year.

 

Join the Board of Trustees at Shine Lincolnshire!

Are you passionate about improving mental health and supporting your local community?   Shine Lincolnshire, a leading mental health and well-being charity, is looking for dynamic individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help us shape the future of our work.

Who We Are

At Shine Lincolnshire, we empower individuals to achieve mental wellness by connecting them with vital support services, providing education, and fostering resilience. Our mission is to create a mentally healthier Lincolnshire, and we need your skills to make this vision a reality.

Who We’re Looking For

We are seeking enthusiastic and skilled professionals with expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Information Technology (IT): Help us leverage technology to streamline our operations and enhance our digital outreach.
• Marketing: Use your creativity and strategic insight to amplify our message and increase engagement with our community.
• Human Resources (HR): Bring your knowledge to support effective governance, team development, and ensure we remain a great place to work.
• Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Sector Experience: Your understanding of this sector will help Shine Lincolnshire thrive and impact the lives of many.

Whether you’re an experienced trustee or new to charity governance, your commitment, ideas, and professional skills will help us grow and achieve greater impact.

What’s Involved

As a Trustee, you’ll:

• Attend Bi-monthly, in person,  board meetings.
• Provide strategic oversight and contribute to our decision-making processes.
• Act as an ambassador for Shine Lincolnshire within your networks.

This is a voluntary role, but the rewards are immense, knowing you’re making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Apply Now

If you’re ready to help Shine Lincolnshire in supporting health and wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you!

Together, we can make a difference in Lincolnshire.