Team manager volunteer roles in muswell hill, greater london

Working as a member of the Family Services team, across all areas of the service, you’ll be offering information, guidance and support to families and loved ones of those in prison. Based in the prisons visitor's centre meeting and greeting visitors, you will provide practical and emotional support to families ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect and their voices are heard. As well as supporting in the visitor's centre, you will also be required to support Pact's play and children’s services, including our family days, and potentially with our refreshment service in the prison visits hall.

What you will be doing

• Offer a friendly and welcoming environment within the Family & Visitors’ Centre, where people visiting the prison can spend time before and after their visit
• Assist with booking/checking in of visitors in line with Pact and the prison’s procedures
• Encourage families to access support or signposting them for their needs by interacting with visitors, offering information and advice as appropriate on a confidential basis and ensuring first time visitors are provided with enhanced support and reassurance
• Help maintain an area in the visitors’ centre for children, which may include displays of children’s artwork, relevant posters and information, as well as toys and other materials to engage children before and after a visit
• Liaise with prison staff, including visits and security staff, to ensure close co-operation in the smooth and efficient reception of visitors at the prison
• Promote opportunities for children to engage with their loved one who is in prison in an appropriate way during a visit and family days
• Ensure the play equipment is safe, clean, and able to fulfil its requirements, storing and restocking as required
• Provide an excellent, friendly, and welcoming refreshment service to prisoners and their families in the visitors centre and/or visits hall
• Support the planning and delivery of an agreed number of family/teen days per year and to help Pact deliver high quality facilitated play/activities appropriate for the age ranges attending the family days
• Support the Family Services team with other ad-hoc tasks
• Adhere to policies and practices relevant to this role: Confidentiality; Health & Safety; Child Protection and Safeguarding; Equality and Diversity; and Prison security rules etc
• Report any incidents and concerns related to Health and Safety or Safeguarding to a member of the Pact staff team

The skills you need

• Ability to communicate effectively
• Sociable and friendly
• Non-judgemental and empathetic attitude
• Flexible and willing to do any of the service tasks
• Solution focused and resilient
• Good understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries and confidentiality

What's in it for you

• Feel connected to those you are helping in your local community
• Full training and induction provided with regular ongoing support
• Develop skills and enhance your experience for future volunteering / employment opportunities
• Some out of pocket expenses covered in line with our expenses policy

Disclaimer

This role is subject to the completion of Pact's mandatory training and checks which our staff will be on hand to support you through.

Training

Safeguarding, Professional Boundaries, Equality and Diversity, Data Security and Health and Safety training is required for this role, as well induction training related to the role. We anticipate the entire training will take between 10-12 hours to complete in total, of which most can be completed in your own time. You will also have access to a range of other training opportunities.

Checks

3 years of employment history or other activities (e.g., studying, travelling) Enhanced DBS check (Disclosure & Barring Service) with child barring Security Vetting by His Majesty’s Prison Service.

Because of the recruitment process which can take several weeks, Pact hopes you will commit to volunteering for a minimum of 1 shift a week (approx. 3-4 hours) for at least 6 months from when you your onboarding is complete.

We are looking for up to ten UK university students to join our volunteer Student Ambassadors team and help Ygam achieve its social purpose by reaching out to students at university. This will be achieved by advising Ygam on the needs of students, supporting with content development, organising activities at your campus, and join us at events to raise awareness of gaming and gambling harms.

We are seeking individuals who are outgoing, with a confident personality. You will enjoy engaging with other students and be able to advise us on the experiences of students with regards to gaming and gambling.We’d love to hear from students with an interest in mental health, psychology, content development, and gaming. 

OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation was established as an educational charity in 2003. Our aim is to develop spiritual awareness and to support people of all faiths, and none, by delivering a range of training programmes that allow open-hearted adults to serve their chosen communities through Ministry, Spiritual Counselling and in supporting life’s transitions. Our interfaith ministers bring unconditional love and radical commitment to members of the public through ceremony, ritual, spiritual counselling, and other methods of support.

We are seeking new trustees, with a focus on marketing and/or legal experience, with a commitment to the vision and purpose of the organisation to join our board. Trustees are appointed for a term of 4 years and are essential to the progress and growth of our organisation.

Organisational purpose:

To benefit the public by the education of mature adults in:
• the core principles of the world’s religions, faiths, and spiritual traditions;
• principles and methods of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace-making;
• and the practice of non-denominational spiritual and pastoral service in the community.

Our Vision

is a world in which humanity awakens into an inclusive global spirituality that encompasses us all in the field of love and life.

Our Mission

is to work towards evolving consciousness in the world, by facilitating open-hearted people to awaken to inner leadership and their capacity for forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace-making.

Ideally, you will have experience working in a not-for-profit organisation and will be passionate about spiritual life and faith-freedom. We would particularly love to hear from anyone with experience of Human Resources, Adult Education, Financial Management, Fundraising, Legal, and IT.

Formal trustee meetings take place with senior staff quarterly, and we hold up to nine trustee-only meetings annually. To ensure our work is collaborative, we also have an annual two-day gathering of trustees and the wider leadership team. All trustees are volunteers, with expenses available for travel to and from meetings and other incidental expenses where applicable. Please note that meetings are currently being held via Zoom.

We have a strong commitment to diversity and aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with on our Board of Trustees. We welcome all candidates irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, culture, religion, age, responsibilities for dependants, physical/mental disability (“protected characteristics” as per the Equality Act 2010), economic status or offending background.

We welcome both OneSpirit ministers and candidates who are not OneSpirit ministers.  However, we expect all candidates to adhere to OneSpirit’s code of ethics.

Volunteer Helpline Advisor – Role Description 

Purpose of role:

As a Volunteer Helpline Advisor, responding to Helpline enquiries from parents and carers, you will be playing a part in helping ERIC to achieve its key goal of reaching even more families.

You will work remotely, with equipment and training provided.

If you are passionate about helping to improve the lives of families whose children are affected by continence issues, and can commit your time on a regular basis, we’d love to hear from you.

Terms:

Due to the nature of the work, our helpline volunteers are continence nurses or qualified healthcare professsionals.Volunteer sessions are a full day of 5 hours, on the same day each week, please note that currently we need more volunteers on Mondays & Tuesdays only. We ask volunteers to commit to this regular weekly pattern, ideally for a period of one year or more. This helps to maintain consistency and a high standard of professional practice. 

Expenses may be paid, subject to agreement in advance . 

Tasks could include:  

· Answering calls on the Helpline

· Signposting to information on our website

· Responding to & following up enquiries by email  

· Entering information onto our IT system

Skills and qualities:

· Professional qualification and/or clinical experience

· Enjoy working as part of a team

· Friendly and positive with a can-do attitude

· Well organised with good time management skills

· Empathetic and non-judgmental

· Able to use standard IT packages including Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and Outlook)

· Able to follow ERIC’s policies, including safeguarding and confidentiality 

· Willing to continuously develop professional practice.

Independent Visitor Role Description
Purpose: To appoint a volunteer to visit, advise, and befriend a young person in the care of the Local Authority, providing contact with someone independent of their professional network.

Accountable to: Independent Visitors/Mentors and Peer Mentoring Coordinator

Main Tasks

• Visit a young person monthly and build a positive relationship as an adult friend.
• Encourage participation in activities for social, emotional, and educational development.
• Provide timely written reports on visits.
• Maintain contact with responsible adults for the young person.
• Ensure the young person’s views are heard.
• Ensure the young person knows their rights and is encouraged to participate in decisions.
• Promote the young person’s unique needs related to their race, culture, language, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, challenging discrimination.
• Abide by the confidentiality policy and report any safeguarding concerns.
• Keep secure records of visits and significant events.
• Safely destroy documents once no longer part of the scheme.

RBKC Values and Behaviour

• Putting Communities First: Inclusive, quality service.
• Respect: Value personal experiences and a fair approach.
• Integrity: Open, honest, and responsible communication.
• Work Together: Collaborate for better community impact.

Personal Attributes, Skills, and Abilities
Attributes:

• Committed - Ideally, relationships should last at least two years.
• Resilient - Building trust takes time and patience.
• Consistent - Develop trust through consistency.

Skills:

• Sensitivity to young people's needs.
• Ability to build positive relationships.
• Initiative and time management.
• Ability to travel.

Equal Opportunities
Independent Visitors/Mentors are recruited from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We actively recruit male and female volunteers from all religious faiths and socio-economic backgrounds. Independent visitors/mentors with disabilities are also welcome to apply.

Volunteers are expected to adhere to RBKC’s policies on diversity, equal opportunities, and anti-discriminatory practice. Training provided includes equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices to ensure that all Independent Visitors/Mentors are knowledgeable and can apply these in their role.

The Independent Visitor/Mentors Role is a valuable one, and if you choose to apply and are accepted onto the scheme, you could be a positive influence in a young person’s life.

South West London Law Centres (SWLLC) is an independent registered charity providing specialised legal advice and assistance covering Wandsworth, Merton, Croydon, Kingston-upon-Thames, Richmond-upon-Thames and Sutton in South West London.

Our vision is a future where people who cannot afford a lawyer:

• Have equal access to assert and enforce their rights;
• Are empowered to benefit from everything a healthy society has to offer;
• Are treated equally with dignity and respect.

You will play a critical role in helping SWLLC to grow and prosper. If you have a passion for access to justice and believe that you can improve the impact the SWLLC can make, then we look forward to hearing from you. 

What will you be doing?

Our previous chair stood down after an extended term of 6 years. They helped oversee the law centre during the pandemic and its aftermath during which we have seen the law centre continue to flourish in a very challenging environment. We are looking for a new chair who believes in what we do and is prepared to lead and act as an ambassador for the charitable trust so that we can continue to do this work. We currently have a strong trustee board of varying skills and tenures and the day to day management of the law centre is delegated to a small team. This team is small for what the law centre is trying to achieve. We need you to bring your expertise, energy and networks to the law centre. The role isn't glamorous, it's unpaid, and it's sometimes unacknowledged, but it is rewarding. You will play a critical role in helping SWLLC to support over 6,000 people a year, who would not otherwise have access to legal advice. We are very proud of the impact that we have had over the last 50 years, and continue to have. SWLLC continues to operate in a challenging environment, the work of the law centre is regulated and audited by a number of external bodies, our finances continued to be challenged by static legal aid, grants and donations, despite this we have continued to flourish, but the need for our services is greater than we can provide. The main areas that our trustees board can support alongside the role of governance of the law centre are:

• Finance
• Fundraising
• Human Resources
• Communications and Marketing
• IT and facilities
• Community Engagement and Community Activism

Time commitment:

6 Board meetings per year. Take place through a mixture of in person and online meetings in the evenings (usually midweek between 6pm – 7:30pm). The Chair will also need to have regular meetings with the Chief Executive, and Senior Management Team outside of these regular board meetings. Such meetings will typically be brief, online and arranged at a mutually convenient time. The Chair will also need to represent the Charity at various events and meetings with key stakeholders. Our head office is based in Croydon with other offices in Clapham Junction and Morden. We expect the role to take around 1 -2 days per month.

What are we looking for?

Principal responsibilities:

Strategic leadership

• Act as representative of the whole board and not its defacto head
• Provide leadership to the charity and its Board, ensuring that the Charity has maximum impact for its beneficiaries

Governance

• Ensure that the governance arrangements are working in the most effective way for the Charity

External Relations

• Act as an ambassador for the cause and the charity in partnership with the CEO

Efficiency and effectiveness

• Chair meetings of the Board of Trustees effectively and efficiently, bringing impartiality and objectivity to the decision-making process
• Ensure that Trustees are fully engaged and that decisions are taken in the best, long-term interests of the Charity and that the Board takes collective ownership

Relationship with the Chief Executive and the Senior Management Team

• Establish and build a strong, effective, supporting and a constructive working relationship with the Chief Executive, ensuring s/he is held to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives 

Personal Qualities:

• Personal gravitas to lead a significant organisation demonstrating a strong and visible passion and commitment to the law centre, its strategic objectives and cause  
• Exhibit strong inter-personal and relationship building abilities and be comfortable in an ambassadorial role
• Demonstrate tact and diplomacy, with the ability to listen and engage effectively
• Strong networking capabilities that can be utilised for the benefit of the law centre
• Ability to foster and promote a collaborative team environment
• Ability to commit time to conduct the role well, including travel and attending events out of office hours

Experience:

• Experience of operating at a senior strategic leadership level within an organisation
• Successful track record of achievement through their career
• Experience of external representation, delivering presentations and managing stakeholders
• Significant experience of chairing meetings and events Knowledge and skills
• Broad knowledge and understanding of the legal sector and current issues affecting it
• Strong leadership skills, ability to motivate staff and volunteers and bring people together
• Good understanding of charity governance and finance issues Terms The charity’s Chair (and board members) will serve a four-year term to be eligible for re-appointment for one additional term.

What difference will you make?

The impact the Chair will have is to ensure the continuation of the law centres' successful mission 

Law Centres are community-led, not-for-profit organisations that help local people to understand and enforce their legal rights. Their services are free, and they attempt to target the people who most need them – people who are at risk of discrimination and ill-treatment and those who are least able to protect themselves, for example because they lack the money to hire someone with legal expertise to help them.  We are currently celebrating our 50th year. SWLLC s is one of the larger Law Centre in Great Britain covering six London boroughs – Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth. Our catchment area covers 1.7 million people. We now operate from 3 branch offices. We help over 6,000 people each year with a face to face service covering 3 broad services. 

• Expert casework and representation in the social welfare law covering community care, debt, employment, housing, immigration/asylum, public law, welfare rights and cost of living support 
• Emergency representation as part of the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme 
• Pro Bono Clinics 

Amongst the results we achieve that make us proud of what we do are:

• the prevention of homelessness 
• the prevention and reduction of poverty 
• the protection of family life by reuniting people living in the UK with those living abroad
• the prevention of torture and death beyond our borders by the provision of advice and representation to people fleeing persecution 
• the prevention of ill-health by successfully challenging unfit living conditions 
• the prevention of mental ill-health by assisting people to deal with their personal debts

Before you apply

If you would like an initial discussion before putting in your application please message through the Reach Volunteering Platform and Senior Management Team will be on contact to further discuss the role and the opportunity. A panel of trustees and senior management team will review your application. If we consider that your skills and experience are a good fit with the Law Centre, you will be invited for an informal discussion with the panel about our work and the trustee role. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and we encourage early submissions.

Communications Board Member

YAF’s Communications Team underpin all of the organisation's outputs by managing our communication channels and brand identity. They are instrumental in providing a voice for our Board, our members and our industry peers. 

This position offers an exciting opportunity to work as part of a creative and proactive team, with the autonomy to devise innovative content plans and company-wide messaging. It’s a great opportunity to develop a combined fundraising, marketing and digital skill-set, offering tangible and versatile professional experience. 

What you’ll gain:

• Fantastic opportunity to develop new skills and experience outside of your work and boost your CV

• Chance to work with a friendly team and like-minded people that are passionate about transforming the landscape of voluntary professional development in arts fundraising

• Develop your network with leaders in arts fundraising and in the cultural sector

• Attend all YAF’s events and networking opportunities

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: 

• Mondays ESOL 9:30 to 13:30

• Tuesday 9:30 to 11:30

• Tuesday One-to-one employability and language learning support 15:00 to 17:00 

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. 

Job description - Trustee

We are a successful and professionally run charitable preschool at the heart of Walthamstow with a strong ethos and excellent reputation. We’re here to make sure everyone has access to high quality and affordable early years education and childcare.

The Board

The Board can have up to nine members and may include a Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer. The role of the Board is to make sure Shernhall Preschool acts within the law and within the best interests of residents (we currently have 5 members).

We’re keen to recruit people with experience of any of the following:

• Professional experience of working in education/teaching

• Professional expertise within Human Resources

• Financial management experience.

The Board must act as a group, not as individuals and takes decisions collectively.

· Ensure that Shernhall Preschool complies with its governing document (its Articles of Association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations,

· Keep up-to-date with the Charity Commission’s Regulatory Framework,

· Contribute actively to the Board by giving firm strategic direction to Shernhall Preschool, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets

· Ensure the financial stability of Shernhall Preschool,

· Ensure the organisation’s accounts are a true and fair representation of the organisation’s finances,

· Ensure Shernhall Preschool applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects. For example, it must not spend money on activities which are not included in the objects, however worthwhile they may be,

· Make decisions for the benefit of the organisation, exercising independent judgement and declaring any interests, exercising reasonable skill, care and diligence in carrying out activities,

· Safeguard the good name and values of Shernhall Preschool,

· Adhere to Shernhall Preschool’s Code of Conduct.

In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board reach sound decisions. This may involve leading discussions, identifying key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, and evaluating or offering advice on other areas in which the trustee has particular expertise.

To apply

Please send the completed application form outlining why you’re interested in our organisation and what you would bring to the Board along with a CV to our Manager, Lilijana Markaj.

Deadline: Tuesday 29th April 2025

Ofsted Registration: 153685

Registered Charity No: 1123684

Company Number: 6420566

Fundraising Volunteer

Thank you for your interest to become a Fundraising Volunteer at Cats Protection!

Our vision is a society where every cat has their best possible life because they are protected, cared for and understood by everyone.

We are a movement of people championing the welfare of cats. We lead society in a richer understanding of all cats and care for those that need our help.

Our Purpose is to to help people see the world through cats’ eyes

Our brand new Community Fundraising Hub is here to support you in this role, so there's never been a better time to get involved!

A bit about this role:

As a charity we can help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations from our supporters. Raising funds is a key role in our charity, helping to raise the vital funds needed to help more cats and kittens in need.

As a fundraising volunteer, we will support you every step of the way to ensure your time at Cats Protection is a positive and rewarding one. Whatever time you can give really does make a big difference We have lots of exciting activities to choose from for example attending a fundraising event, fundraising online, promoting fundraising activities on social media, handling administrative tasks, or contributing to the development of new fundraising ideas. Whatever your skill set, this role could be perfect for you!

What can you expect to be doing?

As a flexible role, you have the choice to be involved in the following:

• face-to-face fundraising – organising or helping with fundraising events, attending supermarket collections and monitoring collection boxes.
• online fundraising – assisting with online appeals, increasing social media engagement to maximise funds raised.
• bringing new ideas! We always love to come up with new ideas to raise funds for cats and we’d love to help bring yours to life.
• engaging with your local branch and Fundraising Hub and feeling like an integral part of the team.

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge though Cats Protection’s learn online system, providing you with the skills to thrive as a fundraiser. You’ll also have the chance to meet new people and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers. Money raised by our volunteers enables us to put cats first. Cats are at the centre of all we do. We care for them, ensure their welfare, and help others to understand and better support them.

We're looking for someone with:

• Sympathetic to cats and our values
• Happy to be part of a team of dedicated volunteers and employees.
• Flexible and adaptable to different events/activities
• Open to new ideas and ways of fundraising

Time expectation

This role is very flexible, often certain times of the year are busier than others. You can choose your level of involvement to suit your schedule.

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The well being of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we encounter as part of our activities.

If you would like to find out more about this role, please contact: Emma Vipond, Volunteer team leader 

Volunteer Admissions Assistant

You'll be multitasking throughout the day, with a mix of responsibilities including customer service, ticket sales, promoting Gift Aid donations, shop duties, guiding visitors and providing information about the Museum and the collection. If you enjoy a fast-paced environment and love engaging with people, this is the role for you. 

The Volunteer Admissions Assistant role is all about making a lasting impression and creating a memorable visitor experience. You’ll be:

• Welcoming and engaging with visitors, sharing information about the museum and its collection.
• Selling tickets and gift shop items, ensuring smooth transactions and great customer service.
• Collecting data for Gift Aid and marketing purposes, including how visitors found out about us.
• Creating positive experiences to encourage return visits and word-of-mouth recommendations.
• Helping visitors explore the Museum through interpretation, answering questions and distributing trails, accessibility and family activities.
• Maintaining the gift shop, including restocking, counting stock, and setting up attractive displays.
• Conducting online research and building contact lists to support marketing efforts.
• Promoting the Museum locally, raising awareness and encouraging more visitors to discover what we have to offer!

Who we’re looking for:

We’d like to extend an invitation to anyone, particularly members of the local community.  Full training will be provided, we are looking for anyone with:

• Great customer service skills – you will be friendly and confident about approaching visitors of all ages and backgrounds
• Great communication skills – you will be able to clearly explain information about the Museum and ticketing to visitors
• Good computer skills – with training, you will be able to use our ticketing system, email and Microsoft Office
• Good Sales Skills – you will be able to promote ticket sales and gift shop items as well as encouraging Gift Aid donations
• Multitasking skills – with various responsibilities such as selling tickets, guiding visitors, and managing the gift shop, you will be able to juggle tasks efficiently
• A good telephone manner
• Good team working skills

This role offers plenty of variety, and you'll play an important part in making every visitor's experience unforgettable.

Training and support:

All volunteers will first be invited for a trial shift.  We have an induction and training process, during which we give volunteers the information they need to enjoy their time with us. Training is mainly 'on the job', supported by an experienced volunteer as well as the manager on duty. Volunteers are given regular feedback and we remain open to suggestions on how we can improve the volunteer experience. The Admissions Assistant receives continued training and development throughout their time with us.

Availability:

We are primarily looking for Saturday volunteers, as this is our busiest day.  We are looking for volunteers who would ideally like to donate 2-4 shifts per month, either as a 10-1.30pm shift, or a 1.30-5pm shift, or a full day, for a minimum of 3 months. Ideally you will be able to start immediately, although this is not essential. Travel expenses up to £5 will be paid, with up to an additional £5 for lunch expenses if you are on a full day shift.

Please note: Applicants from some overseas countries are required to have a relevant work permit or student visa to volunteer in the U.K. We’ll need to see this for our records before volunteering can commence.

The Housing and Welfare team is a fast-paced team which works to make sure that all of our clients have safe and comfortable accommodation and are able to access any benefits to which they are entitled. People seeking asylum are restricted in the benefits they can access, if any, and their legal status determines whether or not they can engage in employment and what statutory accommodation is available for them, so the Housing and Welfare team is vital in helping HBF’s clients to navigate this system. People recently granted refugee status and those who have experienced exploitation are also at high risk of destitution, homelessness and unsuitable accommodation.

As a very busy team, our casework volunteers are invaluable, supporting the staff team on anything from liaising with statutory bodies and voluntary agencies, to drafting grant applications for individual welfare needs. To be able to meet the enormous demand for welfare and housing support, we ideally need to have volunteer support throughout the week.

Main tasks and activities

· Assisting clients to access asylum support, community care, housing, mainstream benefits, charitable support (etc.), within the remit of prevention of homelessness and destitution;

· Maintaining contact with clients within the remit of prevention of homelessness and destitution;

· Liaising with statutory bodies (Asylum Support, DWP, local authorities), solicitors and voluntary agencies to ensure client needs are met;

· Referring clients internally and externally as appropriate for specialist help with issues that fall outside the remit of the housing and welfare casework service, including health/therapeutic services, referrals to immigration/housing/community care solicitors;

· Maintaining accurate and timely client records and follow-up work;

· Other administrative duties as required, including database management and filing.

Skills and experience needed

· Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of the Helen Bamber Foundation;

· A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including people seeking asylum, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking;

· Some knowledge of the challenges facing vulnerable clients including people seeking asylum, refugees and survivors of torture, trafficking;

· Some experience in a casework and/or advice role;

· Some knowledge of the rights and entitlements of people seeking asylum and refugees;

· Some knowledge of mainstream benefits, housing, social care;

· Ability to keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relating to welfare, housing and immigration;

· Punctual, reliable and self-motivated;

· Able to commit regularly (ideally same day each week)

· Awareness of confidentiality/data protection;

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;

· Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage own time and workload, and to prioritise a range of competing demands;

· Excellent IT skills including the use of databases, email, word processing;

· Flexibility and willingness to undertake other duties as required.

What you will get out of the role:

· A better understanding of UK processes and systems which concern people seeking asylum and refugees (including asylum support, homelessness, welfare benefits, local authority support etc.) and what support is available;

· Increased confidence in working on a one-to-one basis with clients;

· Stronger administrative skills;

· Ability to process large amounts of data and prioritise or categorise it;

· An ability to multi-task between competing priorities;

· Experience of working with a multi-disciplinary team in a Human Rights charity.

Equal Opportunities

The Helen Bamber Foundation and Asylum Aid is an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer. We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates as we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in at every level within the organisation.  We particularly welcome applications from those with migrant and refugee backgrounds and those with lived experience of the UK’s immigration systems.

To apply, please attach you CV and cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will, unfortunately, not be considered.

Due to capacity constraints, we will only respond to applicants who are being invited to interview. 

Please note, a three-month probation period is in place across all HBF voluntary roles.

Successful candidates will be offered the position subject to a DBS check.

We know that thousands of people in need of bereavement support are waiting to access ongoing bereavement support. We are now recruiting for additional volunteers, if you would like to know more about volunteering for this popular service, we would love to see you at our UYBO Open Day.

What will you be doing:

• Presenting and facilitating one off online group sessions for bereaved people with fellow volunteers
• Creating a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space to deliver practical bereavement information and guidance
•  Facilitating peer engagement in small discussion groups
• Delivering clear messaging for onward signposting

Skills and experience you’ll need:

• Effective listening and communication skills
• Good IT literacy or an ability to learn (training will be provided)
• Access to a computer
• Comfortable talking about grief and death
• Empathetic and warm
• Confident facilitating discussion in a group setting

Want to find out more? 

Join us for an Open Day on Wednesday 28th May 2025 (2:00pm to 3:30pm or 6:00pm to 7:30pm) to learn more, talk to current UYBO volunteers and find out about our training programme and the support we offer volunteers.

Please note that should you wish to become a UYBO Volunteer after attending the open day, we will be holding informal interviews from Monday 2nd June.

We are looking for volunteer to work with residents at our refuge to maintain our beautiful and spacious garden. The women we support here have fled to refuge due to experiencing VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) who also have additional barriers to accessing other services such as significant mental health support needs and/or problematic alcohol and/or substance use. We believe that spending time in nature, socialising and working together on a shared project is beneficial for mental and physical health, as well as building positive connections between residents in the house. Frances House is trauma-informed service and endeavours to give the women opportunities for personal agency over their own space

About the role

You will work alongside our Wellbeing Group worker to support the delivery of these sessions. Tasks may include:

• Maintaining and improving the beauty of our outdoor garden space.
• Supporting the facilitation of gardening activities which could include planting and nurturing trees, bushes, flowers, shrubs and other greenery.
• Tasks may also include other landscaping activities such as building rockeries, shelters, etc.
• Helping to create wellbeing areas in the garden which might include herb gardens, vegetable patches or sheltered quiet spaces.
• Providing supportive encouragement, enabling residents to recognise their self-worth, gain self-confidence and improve their social skills.
• Supporting clients to learn practical skills that may lead to voluntary work or employment.
• Carrying out standard gardening maintenance including cutting the grass, managing weed control and leaf raking.
• Explore possibility of using garden materials for therapeutic craft activities.
• Providing guidance to the team on matters related to the garden.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer who has a keen interest and knowledge in horticulture. The ideal volunteer will have:

• Patience, tolerance and understanding.
• The ability to relate positively and respectfully to people, with a non-judgemental attitude.
• The ability to encourage and motivate.
• The ability to share various gardening related skills.
• The ability to make the most of limited or non-existent budgets.
• Basic awareness of mental health issues and substance use.
• Self-motivated – able to carry out tasks unsupervised.
• Flexibility regarding variety of tasks associated with the role.
• An interest or understanding of working with women affected by domestic/sexual violence/mental health/substance use.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Reliable and good time management.

What can you gain from this opportunity?

As part of this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Use gardening skills to gain experience of supporting women with multiple needs in a trauma-informed way.
• Gain a better understanding of the impact of domestic/sexual violence on women and children and how supported accommodation operates.
• Join a positive, motivated and enthusiastic team of women making a difference in people’s lives.

We also offer great volunteer induction training, where you will be fully supported to understand and carry put every aspect of the role. Training includes CPD accredited courses, and the opportunity to apply to complete the Tackling and Preventing Domestic Abuse Award (DAPA), which is recognized by the Home Office.

We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis for this role.