Mental Health Volunteer Roles

***This is an unpaid voluntary role***

Tech Buddies is a project with a huge positive impact on social connectedness and mental health among our older neighbours. The aim of Tech Buddies is to inspire and then support older people to get digitally connected and confident, to stay safe online and to use the internet regularly until they are happy to do so on their own. Together, the Tech Buddy volunteer and learner explore what technology can offer.

Wednesdays and/or Saturdays you’ll be helping members aged 60+ get savvy using their smart phones, tablets, and laptops. You could be helping with anything from sending emails to installing apps.

Qualities you need for this role

• Tech Buddy volunteers need to be regular users of technology (e.g. computers/tablets/smartphones) with a genuine desire to share your skills and help older people use technology. 
• Warm and friendly, a good listener
• Reliable and dependable (good timekeeper)
• Non-judgmental, patient with a good sense of humour!
• A good communicator who knows their boundaries and has good spoken English 

When you'll be needed

• Wednesdays 2-4pm (30-60 min sessions) and/or
• 1st Saturday of each month 10:00am – 12:00pm (30-60 min sessions)

Become a Volunteer Advocate: help parents with a learning disability express themselves, and understand important information regarding their children.

A Volunteer Advocate plays an incredibly important role when it comes to supporting a parent with a learning disability. By having an advocate, parents have a much better chance at being able to navigate difficult processes about their children and be treated fairly throughout.

As a Volunteer Advocate, you will support the parent at meetings that are within children services by making sure they understand the information that is being shared, reasonable adjustments are made in line with their learning disability, they have the opportunity to share their views and feel like their voice is heard, as well as talk through the options that they have and discuss the consequences of each option so they can then can make an informed decision.

Full training will be available to understand more about learning disabilities, advocacy, as well as the potential processes parents are affected by when the local authority are involved with their family.

You will also;

• Receive supervision & development.
• Gain interpersonal communication skills.
• Gain an insightful experience within a social care setting.
• Make a real difference to someone’s life.
• Gain teamwork skills with an amazing team!
• As well as planning & organization skills, problem solving skills and positive attributes.

"Volunteering gives me the opportunity to connect with people & gives a sense of belonging to my community in a mutually beneficial way."

Join our amazing volunteer team in this flexible opportunity that puts you at the heart of our work supporting blind and partially sighted people. You’ll make taking part in events and carrying out volunteering easier and more enjoyable for our customers and volunteers with sight loss. You’ll take some of the stress and anxiety out of getting around and taking part in activities as a blind or partially sighted person. The help you give will encourage people to do more. What you’ll be doing • Sighted guiding / giving practical help to individuals in and around venues, so they can take part in events. • Supporting volunteers with sight loss with their volunteering activities which range from facilitating a regular community group to delivering a talk about sight loss to a local business. Your role would involve things like guiding; Meeting and greeting at group activities or creating a welcoming and interesting display stand at events. In this role you will only be helping individuals in places open to the public, often in a group setting. We will provide training in sighted guiding techniques and understanding sight loss. What you’ll gain from the role: • An opportunity to give something back. • A chance to build a strong community. • A sense of achievement through the difference you make. • A chance to be part of a team of like-minded people • An opportunity to develop and explore different roles with RNIB, including our internal job vacancies. In return for donating your time we will provide: • A rewarding experience. • A great Induction and training. • A supportive manager. • Regular updates and catchups. • Expenses. • An opportunity to connect with other volunteers.

What skills and experience are needed?

• • An outgoing, friendly approach to meeting new people. • An empathetic and professional manner. • The ability to take the supportive and helpful role.

Citadel Volunteer Role Description 

Role Title: Citadel Volunteer Reporting To: Citadel Coordinator 

What is Citadel? 

Citadel is a project that matches people who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness with local community volunteers. Volunteers and the person they support normally meet once a week, to share a coffee, a conversation, a helping hand or a sympathetic ear.

Is that it? Well, sort of… 

Citadel is just this, and yet SO MUCH more.

The word citadel literally means a ‘fortress 'or ‘stronghold’. The aim of the project is for people to find that ‘stronghold’ within the community and within themselves. By bringing together people who have experienced homelessness with volunteers.

The Citadel Volunteer may provide support with some, or all, of the following: 

• Emotional support - just being there to listen and share stories and experiences. 

• Connecting with the community - this could be through a community group, a club, a sport, a hobby, or just spending time in a local café. We love volunteers to bring their own passions and community connections with them to Citadel and to help the people they support to find or nurture theirs! 

• Support with finding a home – in some cases our volunteers help those in short term housing find their next step. This could be going along to house viewings or helping liaise with housing providers.

• Support in making a house a home - Sourcing household items and furniture, help with moving or DIY and maintenance.

• Support with keeping a home – by helping with budgeting, setting up utility accounts or understanding a tenancy and liaising with a landlord for example.  

You may help with some or all these areas, but you do not need to be an expert at any of them and will receive support and training from your Citadel Coordinator.  If you feel you have a specialism or excel in one of these areas, let us know - we can find a position that suits you! 

Application

• You will be invited to fill in an application form. After your application has been processed and references accepted, you will be contacted by the coordinator with next steps.

• You will need to complete a DBS check – the coordinator will send this information to you.

• You will meet with your Coordinator – this is a great opportunity to find out more about the service and the people we support and ask any questions. 

Induction and Training

• You will be given a full induction to Citadel and adequate training before meeting the person you’ll support.  This training includes Lone working, Professional Boundaries and understanding trauma. 

• Safeguarding training is mandatory and will need to be completed before you volunteer with us  - this protects everyone involved in the project.

• We would also like to hear from you about any further training you would feel would be beneficial. Talk to your Coordinator if there is anything specific that would help you. 

• Regular training will continue whilst you volunteer with Citadel – this will be available online and face to face.

 Support & Supervision  

• After the first meeting with the person you support, your Coordinator will check in with you to make sure you are happy with the match and address any concerns. 

• Following this, you will be required to attend supervision sessions bi-monthly. These will be facilitated by the Citadel Coordinator.

• If you are unable to attend, please let the Citadel Coordinator know and alternative arrangements can be made.

Commitment

• The nature of the Citadel Volunteer role is to develop a relationship within which support can be offered to the individual. You are expected to commit to the relationship for between 3-6 months (this can be shorter or longer). We ask that you commit to at least 1 hour per week.

• The time and duration of meetings will be negotiated between you and the individual.

• It is expected that you will meet on a weekly basis.

• If you can volunteer for more hours each week, you may be matched with more than one client – please discuss this with your Coordinator.

• If you are interested in volunteering in a more specific role, for example organising events, please do speak to your Coordinator so this can be considered and further explored. 

The difference you will be helping to make is invaluable and we really appreciate your support.  

Are you passionate about volunteering in the heart of your local community and driven by making a difference? Then Citizens Advice Mid Mercia is the organisation for you.

Our advice helps people solve problems in a confidential and impartial manner. Whatever the problem, we won’t turn people away. We make a difference. Our trusted brand and the quality of our research mean we make a real impact on behalf of the people who rely on us.

We are looking for a Volunteer Admin to join our team at our office in Derby. This is a key volunteering role which makes a huge contribution to the work of our office. You will help us to provide a welcoming face to all visitors and help our teams with admin tasks.

Experience is not necessary, but we are looking for individuals who:

• Are friendly and approachable
• Have administration skills and/or reception experience
• Are experienced in working with a diverse range of people and providing a welcoming environment for clients
• Are able to understand information and explain it to others

Full training and support will be given to the successful candidate to enable them to carry out their role

Some examples of what you could do:

• Collecting, sorting incoming post and franking/recording of outgoing post
• Scanning / photocopying
• Stock control (stationery / leaflets / consumables etc)
• Data input using Excel
• Calling clients (courtesy calls for appointments/ booking and rescheduling appointments)
• Meeting and greeting clients and other visitors at the reception area and showing them to the offices

What’s in it for you?

• make a real difference to people’s lives
• build on valuable skills such as communication and listening
• increase your employability
• work with a range of different people, independently and in a team
• increase Administrative skills

Orchard House is a move on service for adults with mental health needs.

We are looking for a gardening volunteer to develop and run sessions as our service users are really keen to make use of our fantastic garden space. We have a very large back garden with space for growing plants and vegetables.

We are looking for people who have a good knowledge of gardening, in particular growing and looking after plants and would like to pass on that knowledge. The gardening sessions will run on a weekly basis and our service users will be included in the decision making. The volunteer role will also involve an element of fundraising for our gardening project and we’d welcome your ideas and support with this.

If you love gardening and have experience of allotments, or planting and growing vegetables in your back garden then this is the volunteering opportunity for you!

We support our volunteers with an Induction, training for the role, a named volunteer supervisor, a monthly newsletter and a monthly online peer support group.

Duties:

· Coming up with ideas for gardening sessions

· Sharing knowledge of how to grow plants and look after the garden space

· Clearing away at the end of the session

· Helping to promote the sessions to service users

As a volunteer with Creative Support we offer training for your role, access to a volunteer supervisor, an induction, a monthly volunteer newsletter, and an online volunteer support network group on Zoom.

We are a passionate, inclusive and anti-racist organisation. We embrace diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. As a Disability Confident Employer we welcome applications from people with a disability, and as a proud Stonewall Diversity Champion we actively encourage applications from the LGBT+ community.

The Scunthorpe office is located close to the train station. We support adults with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health in our services around Scunthorpe.

We are setting up a fortnightly coffee morning at our office in Scunthorpe to be attended by our Services Users. We’re looking for volunteers to help our staff set up and run the coffee morning and help tidy away at the end of the session. As part of your role you will take direction from staff and set up the room, moving tables and chairs and making sure the space is accessible for wheelchair users.

During the coffee morning you will circulate and chat to our Service Users making sure that people are having fun, and that the music is playing. Prepare and hand out the tea and coffee. When the event has finished you will move the tables and chairs back to their original place, and help staff to wash up making sure that all of the items are tidied away.

As a volunteer with Creative Support we offer training for your role, access to a volunteer supervisor, an induction, a monthly volunteer newsletter, and an online volunteer support network group on Zoom.

We are a passionate, inclusive and anti-racist organisation. We embrace diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. As a Disability Confident Employer we welcome applications from people with a disability, and as a proud Stonewall Diversity Champion we actively encourage applications from the LGBT+ community.

Do you have a love for organising events? We are looking for passionate volunteers to join us and support us to coordinate events across Hestia! You will be the driving force behind organising and supporting us with the management of our events.

What you will be doing

• Researching event spaces
• Supporting with various tasks related to our events program.
• Help delivering events on event days

The skills you need

• Good communication verbal and written skills
• Good organisational skills
• Willingness and desire to learn about event management
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive environment
• Good IT knowledge and skills

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.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? You just need the ability to listen, strong IT skills and good written and spoken English. If you think this could be the role for you, we’d love to hear from you.

What is a Caseworker?

Caseworkers visit clients to work out what type of support they need. You will listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help those serving, who have served and their families to navigate life in and beyond military service. Some examples of support are securing funding for special equipment for someone with a disability, adaptions to a property so an older client can remain at home or funds for a rental deposit. Caseworkers also sign-post clients onto specialist local services for advice on benefits, housing, mental health, debt, finding work etc.

Why do we need you?

We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1885. Our clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like the Falklands or Afghanistan. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us.

There are SSAFA branches throughout the UK and overseas who support local volunteers to deliver services to veterans, serving personnel and their families. Some branches are divided into smaller divisions to ensure the best local service delivery. Each branch has a team of volunteer caseworkers, support volunteers, executive roles, and fundraisers.

Volunteer Caseworkers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical, and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan.

When would you be needed and where would you be based?

The essential part of the role is visiting clients, so you will need access to a vehicle or another way to travel to meet clients at home or in a care home setting. As part of your local branch, you might have access to an office, but you can complete the administration part of the role from home as long as you have access to IT equipment and the internet.

What would you be doing?

• Contacting beneficiaries and arranging to meet them at a mutually convenient time.
• Meeting beneficiaries and completing a form to assess their circumstances, using good communication skills, empathy and understanding.
• Sign-posting clients onto local services providing specialist advice.
• Applying for funding on the behalf of the beneficiary through a specific process and system  
• Arranging for the purchase of goods and services
• Keeping the beneficiary informed of their case progress.
• Liaise with the branch and regional office, regarding your availability.
• Keeping up to date with training and SSAFA news so that you are best able to support clients.
• Being a positive ambassador for SSAFA remembering that anyone you meet could be a potential client, volunteer, or fundraiser.
• Volunteering within the standards and values of SSAFA
• Adhering to SSAFAs policies and procedures at all times, including safeguarding, volunteering policy, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.  

What can you gain from this volunteering role?

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others.
• Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community
• Experience, training, and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews.
• Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression!

What training and support would you receive?

• Role specific training to prepare you for your voluntary role – confidentiality and boundaries, personal safety, caseworker training, and caseworker IT system training. The caseworker training takes 3 days and a further half a day for the other training.
• Mandatory on-line training modules to complete at home, so you are up to date on how to keep clients, their families safe and personal information safe.
• Access to a range additional e-learning courses as well as local opportunities for your personal and professional development.
• Local induction including assigning a person from the team who will be your main point of contact.
• Regular opportunities to meet and share best practice with other caseworkers.
• Range of support from central and regional volunteer operations team.
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses
• Volunteers will be covered by SSAFAs Public Liability Insurance whilst carrying out the role.

What are we looking for?

• Friendly and approachable with good listening skills, patience, and a positive attitude.
• Good communication skills both written and verbally.
• Respectful and non-judgemental approach with beneficiaries, their family, other agencies and SSAFA colleagues
• Willingness and ability to use IT systems for initial and on-going training and to enter cases on the Casework Management System. Willingness and ability to send and receive emails – you will receive your own SSAFA email address which you will be required to use when exercising your role.
• Ability to make enquires on behalf of beneficiaries by phone, email, letter or by filling in forms.
• Ability to keep within boundaries of the role with regards to friendship or giving advice
• Reliable, prompt and trustworthy.
• Access to public transport or a car to travel to appointments with clients.

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, abilities, races, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and of all faiths and none. SSAFA are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support volunteers with disabilities, so they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as volunteers who do not.

Minimum Age: 18

Safer Recruitment: SSAFA undertakes a systematic approach and utmost care at every step of the process of volunteer recruitment, selection, and retention to ensure that those recruited are suitable and appropriate. Measures taken at points along this journey work together to make volunteering at SSAFA a positive and safe experience.

References Required: Yes. We will ask for two character references, this can be a former employer or someone that know you well (other than a relative)

Is a criminal record check required? Yes, this is provided by SSAFA at no cost to the potential volunteer. This role requires an enhanced check (including checks against the children and adults barred list)

*A disclosure certificate that contains convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or other information may not automatically mean that you are not able to volunteer. All certificates will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and, where possible, a modified or alternative role will be offered. 

Volunteer your time at Hestia to make our gardens a beautiful place for our service users to enjoy all year through! Are you green fingered and have a passion for gardens and outdoor spaces?

At Hestia we have gardens and outdoor spaces which require your support to bring these back to life by keeping them maintained. We are recruiting for volunteers to motivate and inspire staff and people living in our services to get involved in gardening.

What you will be doing

• Inspire and motivate staff and people in the services to get involved in maintaining and growing the garden
• To provide tips on how to maintain and grow the garden - sowing seeds, planting bulbs, taking cuttings
• Provide basic maintenance such as cutting the grass, emptying bins, managing weed control and leaf raking
• Lead in planting and nurturing new trees, flowers, and various plants
• Provide best practice on how to use the correct gardening tools
• Inspire people in our services and staff to maintain a clean garden
• Advise staff on the costs of plants and garden necessities

The skills you need

• A basic knowledge/ experience of plant care and use of gardening tools7
• Calm and patient approach
• 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 - 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 volunteer to support us with collecting food donations from local stores. Do you enjoy being out and about in the community? The role would involve travelling to stores around the local area to collect food donations, and then delivering these to the service.

The donations will be approximately a bin bag full so may be more suitable for someone who drives and has a car but the locations are a few stops on the tube from the service. The locations of the collections are around Victoria and Waterloo and will be delivered back to the service in Lambeth. Please note that all travel expenses will be reimbursed!

What you will be doing

• Making regular visits to collect donations
• Dropping off the donations at the service
• Travelling to different stores to pick up donations

The skills you need

• Good communication
• Calm and patient approach
• To be consistent in attendance

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.

DCF are a family-founded charity focusing on supporting children and young people's wellbeing. We provide youth groups, workshops and 121 support in schools and in the community. 

This is an exciting, key opportunity to develop our income generation, therefore supporting us to reach more young people.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop and lead our fundraising approach as an organisation.  Our CEO currently has a very active role overseeing all areas of the charity.  We are looking for someone to take the lead on developing our fundraising strategy and submitting grant applications.

There is flexibility in how the role could develop and we would value your expertise in how best to diversify our income and sustainability. 

We currently deliver services in two boroughs (Croydon and Merton) and have a 5 year plan to expand to four boroughs. 

The role would include: 

1. Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies to support the financial needs of the organisation.
2. Identify grants and funding opportunities and draft, submit and manage application forms.
3. Support the Income Generation Volunteer to identify and cultivate relationships with potential donors, sponsors, and partners to expand our donor base and increase fundraising opportunities.
4. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising efforts, tracking key metrics and making necessary adjustments to improve results.
5. Stay informed about trends and best practices in fundraising, incorporating innovative approaches to enhance our fundraising strategies.
6. Maintain accurate records of donors, donations, and fundraising activities.

What are we looking for?