Peer To Peer Researcher Volunteer Roles in Manchester

About Pain Concern

Pain Concern is a charity providing information and support to people with pain and those who care for them, whether family, friends or healthcare professionals. Visit our website to find out more about what we do, including our Airing Pain radio programme, Pain Matters magazine, information helpline, community pain education sessions and our research and campaigning work.  

All pain is unpleasant, but for the 7.8 million people in the UK living with long-term pain it is a part of everyday life. It diminishes quality of life more than any other condition, leading often to loss of work, depression and disability. Anyone at any age can develop persistent pain and you will very probably know somebody affected. Although there is usually no cure, people who receive the appropriate treatment, information and support can manage their condition effectively with life-changing results 

Role Purpose

Pain Concern is looking for volunteers to help moderate the charity’s online community on the Health Unlocked platform. Our forum provides peer support and a learning environment for people living with chronic pain and those who care for them. Forum moderators follow Health Unlocked guidance, creating a great culture and setting the tone for the forum.

As a volunteer moderator you will help to ensure that our online community is maintained as a safe, supportive and fun environment. You will gather information on what issues are important to forum users. You will help to monitor and moderate user-generated content. By joining us you will join a fast-growing and respected service.

Previous experience or training is not necessary. We are looking for a willingness to learn and a commitment to help. Knowledge of chronic pain while useful, is not essential. Due to the nature of the role, successful applicants will be required to undertake a PVG check and complete a 1hr Safeguarding online course.

What you would be doing

· Welcoming new members to the community

· Overseeing posts to the forum

· Ensure that posts conform to the community guidelines

· Signpost members to helpful resources

· Share cases with your supervisor and team members

· Help to gather information and feedback for statistics and report purpose

Is this role right for me?

We are looking for an individual who possesses some, or all of the experiences, skills and qualities listed below:

• Access to a computer, or other device, and internet (if volunteering from your own location)

• An empathetic and non-judgemental manner

• Excellent written communication skills

• Knowledge of chronic pain

• Ability to commit to at least 6 months of volunteering 

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

Submit a brief CV as well as a short covering letter setting out how your past experience demonstrates your suitability for the role. 

For further information:

If you would like to discuss this further, please send an email to the CEO, Nigel Tricks.

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.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.

Our challenge
Our Support and Information team offer a wide range of inclusive and accessible services to support those diagnosed with a brain tumour and their families.

One of our most critical services is our Support and Information Line, which is open between 9am-5pm, Monday—Friday. This service offers a place for people affected by a brain tumour diagnosis, to ask questions or raise concerns about a diagnosis, and how to support a loved one. We continue to see an increase in people accessing these services, and strive to work in smarter ways to manage this increase.

How can you help?
We’re looking for volunteers to help us make sure the Support Line runs more efficiently, by answering calls and asking a small number of specific questions to ensure the caller is transferred/triaged to the most appropriate support for them. This role also has the opportunity to develop into providing support to the community about specific areas.

• Answer incoming calls to the Support Line with empathy and understanding
• Ask specific questions to understand the caller’s support needs and transfer to the appropriate teams
•  Accurately record information about the call onto our secure database
• Assist the support team in specific project areas where appropriate
• Respond to support emails from our community
• Support our digital support team with our peer support groups on Facebook • The role could develop into providing support over the phone regarding specific areas

What impact will you have?

This is an opportunity to be the first point of contact for our community, ensuring those that we support get the best service possible.

We’re looking for...

• Experience or confidence in answering calls and speaking on the phone
• Strong IT and computer skills, ideally experience of using databases
• Ability to demonstrate a high degree of empathy and resilience
• Active listening and strong communication skills
• Ability to separate own experiences from others, offering support and signposting in a non judgemental way
• Confidence to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Organisation and reliability
• Demonstrable understanding of confidential working

We particularly encourage applications from those who are significantly underrepresented in our sector, including individuals from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

What can I gain from volunteering with you?

• You’ll have the opportunity to utilise your existing skills, while developing and learning new ones to take forward into the future
• You’ll join a friendly, passionate team and develop an understanding of how this team at The Charity operates
• The satisfaction of knowing that you’re assisting those affected by a brain tumour diagnosis to gain the appropriate support
• The opportunity to expand the role in the future, by taking on additional training

Time commitment

To ensure we have volunteer cover for the full Support Line opening hours, we are looking for volunteers to commit between 1-4 hours a week. However, are open to talking about the regularity of these shifts.

The available times that we currently have are:

• Monday, 9am—10am
• Monday’s, 1pm-5pm
• Tuesday’s, 9am-10am
• Tuesday’s, 12.30pm-5pm
• Wednesday’s, 9am-10am
• Every other Thursday, 9am-1pm
• Friday’s, 1pm - 5pm

Due to the continuous training involved, we would ask that volunteers commit to a minimum of six months spent volunteering with us. This is a remote role where you can volunteer from home. You will have regular contact with our Support and Information team who, while facing tough challenges along the way, look out for each other and nurture an inspiring, positive team environment.

Practical considerations

You’ll receive a full online induction to The Brain Tumour Charity and specific training for the role, as well as training on the use of our database and phone system.

You’ll receive weekly supervision after each shift and ongoing support through online webinars, emails and telephone calls, from a team member within the Support team. You’ll have the opportunity to keep in touch and gain support from other volunteers in the same role.

Incoming support call numbers may vary, so some shifts may be quieter than others. We’ve created a number of different activities that you can get involved in between calls, if you would like to. This role has the opportunity for development to other areas of the support team— guidance and training will be provided for this.

We carry out reference checks for all individuals who will be volunteering with us on a regular basis. Volunteers will also be required to complete some internal data protection and disclosure documentation before commencing the role. Volunteers must be over 18. 

Use your expert knowledge in architectural history and heritage or digital marketing/communications skills to serve a nationally respected charity growing in its grant-making, impact and influence.

The National Churches Trust exists to support churches, chapels and meeting houses so that they remain at the heart of the communities for which they were built and can continue to play an integral part in all our lives.

The future of our churches, chapels and meeting houses is the single biggest challenge facing the heritage of the United Kingdom. It is also a challenge that goes to the heart of questions about the future of our communities, above all those that are more isolated and vulnerable. Our churches include nearly half of our most important historic buildings, listed Grade 1 or equivalent. They also contain by far the nation’s largest collection of art, sculpture and stained glass.

Increasingly too, from food banks to credit unions, the UK’s church buildings provide a growing list of essential services for people in urgent need. They are the ‘National Help Service’ providing the safety net that stops our most vulnerable people falling through the cracks and being the social glue that keeps our communities together.

However, despite their importance, our churches are at risk as never before.

More churches are closing, and many others face a very uncertain future. Historic England’s 2023 At Risk Register includes over 900 churches. In Wales, about a quarter of historic churches have closed in the last ten years, with many more now in danger. Meanwhile, in Scotland, as many as 40% of the Church of Scotland’s churches face closure.

We are seeking three trustees that will further align the board’s expertise with our vision and strategic plans to galvanise long-term support to help as many churches as possible, by bringing skills in one or more of the following areas:

• Architectural history, heritage and Conservation: in-depth knowledge and experience of, as well as strong networks in, the heritage and conservation sectors.

• Digital and technology: experience of leadership where digital technologies or digital marketing are central to an organisation’s strategy.

• Communications: first-hand experience of how the media operate and in-depth understanding of how to communicate effectively with different audiences.

We recognise the immense value of different perspectives brought by those with varied backgrounds, characteristics and life experiences. We particularly welcome applications from under represented sections of the community (specifically in our context, individuals of Global Majority Heritage) and from candidates based outside London and the South-East of England, specifically from Scotland but also Wales and Northern Ireland.

If you have a passion for The National Churches Trust’s mission, please find out more about this opportunity.

Closing date for expressions of interest is Wednesday 15th January 2025 at 12 noon GMT.