Volunteer interpreter volunteer roles in city of london, london
This role is an opportunity to get experience of working in a busy office environment supporting a legal advice service. Through providing vital administrative support, responding to enquiries, arranging client meetings and coordinating interpreters, you will help our expert legal advisers to deliver specialist legal advice and representation to refugees and survivors in complex cases. Through this role, you will get experience of working in a legal advice organisation and an understanding of its administrative and support needs. As the role develops, there may also be the opportunity to gain basic knowledge of Legal Aid procedures and client care.
Main tasks and activities
· Providing general administrative support such as copying, scanning, filing documents, data entry and generating reports from client databases;
· Basic reception duties including answering the phone, taking messages, opening and distributing post, and monitoring our email inboxes;
· Maintaining signposting list and providing information about alternative services where we cannot assist;
· Booking client appointments and interpreters, and maintaining interpreter register;
· Assisting the Legal Administrator and/or Billing Coordinator with preparing files for billing or transfer to another provider.
Skills and experience needed
· Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of Asylum Aid;
· A demonstrable empathy for our vulnerable clients, including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture and trafficking;
· Punctual, reliable and self-motivated with a positive, ’can-do’ attitude;
· Basic understanding of the challenges facing our clients and of the UK asylum system
· High degree of accuracy and attention to detail
· Experience of working with spreadsheet computer programs (e.g. Excel) and databases
· Confidence with IT skills
· Excellent organisational skills
· Strong communication skills – written, verbally on the phone and face-to-face
· Ability to work well as part of a team and form effective working relationships
· Understanding of the importance of confidentiality and respect for client confidentiality
· Ability to complete tasks independently once given a clear brief
What you will get out of the role:
· Greater understanding of the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees;
· Knowledge of the UK asylum process and associated legal systems;
· Experience of working in a busy legal advice service;
· Basic awareness of Legal Aid eligibility and procedures;
· Experience of taking calls and responding to enquiries from vulnerable and often distressed clients;
· Stronger administrative skills;
· Ability to process large amounts of data and prioritise or categorise it;
· An ability to multi-task between competing priorities.
Equal Opportunities
The Helen Bamber Foundation and Asylum Aid are 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 Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
Please attach a cover letter under 'Supporting Documents' along with your CV. Unfortunately, applications which do not include a cover letter cannot be taken forward to interview.
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.
Please note that successful candidates will be offered the volunteer position subject to an Enhanced DBS certificate.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Sustainability Research Volunteer
People & Planet is looking for volunteers to assist with compiling its 2025/26 People & Planet
University League; the only higher education ranking that classifies based on ethics and climate
justice criteria.
Universities impart skills and knowledge, form life-long beliefs and behaviours, act as centres of
communities, employ, house and feed large numbers of people and promote the creation and
sharing of knowledge. We believe this makes them uniquely placed to lead on environmental and
ethical issues. For this reason the People & Planet University League has been running since 2007
and has been published by high-profile media partners such as The Guardian (2021, 2022. 2023,
2024) and whose data is used in the Sunday Time Good University Guide.
Volunteers will research publicly available university documents and assess universities against
our marking criteria, which cover a wide range of climate and social justice issues including
decarbonisation, fossil fuel divestment, ethical banking, workers’ rights and environmental
management among others. This work will help to incentivise the university sector towards taking
immediate and appropriate action on the climate crisis and upholding the rights and wellbeing of all
people internationally.
The role will develop and improve the following areas:
● Qualitative research skills
● Attention to detail
● Use of data collection software
● Time management and keeping to deadlines
● Working independently and remotely
● Communication skills
● Knowledge of environmental management processes and sustainability reporting.
Training is provided for the role. We believe the skills and experience gained could be valuable for
a number of career paths, including working in NGOs, corporate sustainability, estates
management, higher education policy making, research and campaigning among many others.
People & Planet would like to support volunteers in their future careers, so will give all volunteers
an official reference letter on successful completion of their placement and will act as a referee for
future positions for which you may apply. From last year’s cohort, 100% said they would
recommend this position to someone who wanted to add experience to their CV.
Feedback from previous volunteers
‘I think as someone looking for relevant experience to bolster a CV, this is a helpful and
not-too-time-consuming position. It had exactly the kind of flexibility that I required at this point in time.’
‘It's a really great opportunity to hone one's research skills, learn more about what our universities can do to
improve their impact on the planet, and make a small but real difference.’
Person Specification -the following are essential:
- Access to a computer or laptop and internet connection.
- Familiarity with desk-based research.
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently to agreed standards.
- Reliability and commitment to completing work to deadlines.Sustainability Research Volunteer
- Able to communicate needs with staff at People & Planet and if needed, ask for appropriate
- support to complete tasks in time.
- Ability to search policy documents for specific information in English.
- Ability to assess information against standardised frameworks.
- Ability to work remotely and independently
The following are desirable:
● Awareness of current issues in sustainability and ethics.
● Experience of research and data collection.
● An interest in higher education policy.
You will need to commit to
● Two 25 hour weeks of remote work in July and August.
● 5 hours work per day for the two week period. Volunteers can manage their own time
flexibly and will receive support from People & Planet, but must meet task deadlines on a
weekly basis and attend a short daily meeting.
● One half day of remote training and induction the week prior to your 2 week engagement.
● Attending a brief meeting in the morning or afternoon each day and one individual check-in
meeting in week 1.
Summer timetable
June 30th-July 11th Ethical Investment and Banking, Ethical Careers and Recruitment,
Education for Sustainable Development. Training and induction w/c 23rd June
July 21st-1st August Sustainable Food, Staff & HR, Environmental Policy and Strategy
Training and induction w/c 14th July
August 11th-August 22nd Managing Carbon, Workers’ Rights, Staff and Student
Engagement, Environmental Management and Auditing. Training and induction w/c August
4th
Application
Applications will be processed on a rolling basis until positions are filled, so please apply early to
avoid disappointment. The deadline for applications is Friday June the 6th 2025
Candidates will need to attend a non-competitive group recruitment session and complete an
online self-access task before being invited to volunteer with us.
Please let us know if you have specific access needs and what we can do to make the interview,
training and volunteer experience more accessible to you, including organising a one-on-one
interview. We welcome people with hearing loss, deaf and or disabled people to apply for thisSustainability Research Volunteer volunteer opportunity -unfortunately we don't use BSL so would need to make alternative support provisions for the training, unless a BSL interpreter can join you. If you have specific needs where
we might support you by making this volunteering opportunity more accessible, please let us know via email
People & Planet welcome applications from BAME folks and people of colour, from disabled people, from LGBTQI*people, from people who speak English as a second language, from people who identify as non-binary gender, from women, from people of different ages, from people with caring responsibilities and from people with irregular migration status, people seeking asylum in the UK or with a migrant background, folks with a working class background, and everyone else.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Salusbury World advice team have been successfully helping clients to navigate welfare benefits, immigration problems, housing support and to find work for 20 years. 70% of our clients require an interpreter.
We particularly need interpreters to support our Arabic-speaking clients.
Some appointments take place virtually and some are face-to-face appointments, usually in the London borough of Brent.
Your main tasks will be to:
*offer clear independent interpreting of the client’s issue and responses from the advice worker to the client.
*support clients from a variety of Arabic-speaking countries, many with almost no English.
Experience of interpreting is desirable but not essential. You need a warm personality and an ability to build a rapport with people quickly, a high standard of English, and a non-judgemental and supportive approach.
Commitment: this is an irregular commitment, as and when needed. It is likely to be 2 or 3 hours per month but may be less.
We offer induction training, support and reimburse travel costs.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
This is an exciting opportunity to get involved as a Learning Trustee in an engaging, decision making role in a charity that inspires and empowers young disabled adults to live fulfilling, independent lives – promoting personal development through the arts.
About the Orpheus Centre
The Orpheus Centre is a charity and college which supports young disabled adults aged 18-25 to learn essential life skills, gain formal qualifications and prepare for future employment.
There are currently 66 students with 21 living on site in Godstone, Surrey. Students come from across the UK and all have a love of the arts.
Started by lyricist and musician Sir Richard Stilgoe, the organisation offers learning, care and development opportunities at the college and in the wider community, working with professional artists, businesses and other charities.
The overall aim is to equip the students with the skills they need to live as independently as possible and to pursue their chosen careers.
Our core values are to be Joyful, Bold, Inclusive, Resilient and Determined. These values are the foundations for all our work and are what the organisation stands for.
Why should you apply?
Orpheus is a vibrant Independent Specialist college for young disabled adults who have a passion for the arts and a desire to live independently. Orpheus believes that disabled people should have the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers.
The Board of Trustees are looking for a new Trustee who is passionate about our vision to empower and equip young disabled people with the skills and confidence they need in order to live independent and fulfilling lives in the community.
Time commitment
The time commitment is between 10 and 15 days per annum, including four Board meetings including the AGM (mainly in person), four committee meetings (mainly virtual), one or two awaydays and ad-hoc attendance.
What will you be doing?
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of Orpheus, developing the organisation’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document and with legal and regulatory guidelines.
The role of the Learning and Care Committee Co-Chair includes but also goes beyond the role of other Trustees. So in addition to your duties as a Trustee, you will take a leadership role in ensuring that the Board fulfils its responsibilities for the governance of the Orpheus Centre in relation to Learning and Care. You will also work closely with the Chief Executive, Principal and Head of Care to support them in achieving the aims of the Orpheus Centre in the areas of Learning and Care, and will act as the channel of communication between the committee and the Board.
You will lead the committee, ensuring that it fulfils its responsibilities for good governance, and will work in partnership with the Principal and Head of Care, helping them to achieve the department’s aims.
Your responsibilities will include:
- providing effective scrutiny, challenge and questioning related to curriculum and learner progress;
- supporting the learning management team with quality activities, including annual trustee learning walks and quarterly deep dive activity;
- ensuring that you undertake a thorough induction programme;
- leading the Learning and Care Committee, including chairing committee meetings effectively;
- monitoring progress in implementing decisions taken at committee meetings and keeping in close touch with the work of the Learning and Care Departments in general – while always respecting the boundary between the respective roles of executives and non-executives;
- acting as a spokesperson for Orpheus when requested and as appropriate;
- providing a written and oral update of the last committee meeting at each Board meeting;
- assessing and monitoring risks relevant to the Learning and Care functions of the Orpheus Centre;
and
- monitoring and scrutinising performance data within the Learning and Care Departments.
How to apply
If you wish to apply for this position, please supply the following:
- A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements.
- A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the person specification. Please note that the covering letter is an important part of your application.
- Contact details of two professional referees together with a brief statement of their relationship to you and over what period of time they have known you; referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.
The Orpheus Centre is proud to be a disability confident employer
We have made a positive commitment to employing disabled people. Reasonable adjustments will be made to the recruitment procedure as required in consultation with the applicant to ensure no-one is disadvantaged because of their disability. If a disabled person is selected for a position, reasonable adjustments will be made to the workplace, including premises and equipment, work duties and practices or policies, as appropriate. All disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role as set out in the role profile and person specification will be considered for interview.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are:
- Challenging attitudes towards disability
- Increasing understanding of disability
- Removing barriers to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions
- Ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspiration
We are focused on inspiring and empowering young disabled students to live fulfilling, independent lives




The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Activity Alliance looking for a Chair and three new Trustees who will add value to the charity and exciting journey ahead. You will bring your expertise and/or lived experience to drive meaningful change for disabled people. Two Trustees will be Board-appointed, and one will be Member-appointed. Their start times will vary. We are pleased that you are interested in joining us to work towards our vision and thank you for your interest.
The key responsibilities of the Chair will be:
- Provide visionary leadership to the Board of Trustees, ensuring that Activity Alliance fulfils its mission and objectives.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the organisation.
- Oversee the governance framework, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
- Lead the Board in monitoring organisational performance and ensuring effective risk management.
- Act as an ambassador for Activity Alliance, promoting our vision and mission. This includes being a spokesperson for the charity with the media and at events.
- Champion the voices of disabled people, advocating for change and influencing policy and decision-making at the highest levels.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including partners, funders, and government bodies.
The key responsibilities of the Trustees will be:
- Have outstanding commitment to Activity Alliance with a strong understanding of the organisation’s values as well as of the Nolan Seven Principles of Public Life.
- Contribute actively to the Board of Trustees role in giving strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
- Ensure that the organisation complies with its governing documents, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
- Safeguard the reputation and values of the organisation.
- Represent the organisation at functions and meetings when appropriate, and act as an ambassador for Activity Alliance.
Currently, we are particularly interested in recruiting Trustees with understanding, skills, and/or experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Legal
- Commercial and corporate affairs
- Income generation
- Application of AI and technology
The posts are for an initial term of up to three years, which may be extended for two further terms of three years.