Volunteer Roles in East Midlands

Shannon Trust fulfils an unmet need around adult learning, supporting people who’ve fallen through the cracks in formal education.

We know a lot of people have had negative learning experiences in the past, so our programme is designed to be different, with no exams and no classrooms. Our unique, evidence-based Turning Pages reading manuals are used by thousands of learners in prisons and the community to improve reading skills. 

Prison volunteers live near to their local prison so that they can visit about once a month during the working week to nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by offering advice, guidance, training and support to prison staff and prisoner mentors who help other prisoners to improve their skills 1 to 1.

We are looking for volunteers who are able to work alone, able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and able to deliver engaging training to groups of people in prisons.  Due to the nature of the role, prison security vetting will be required.

We provide training for the role via e-learning and 4 training sessions which are a mix of live, online and group training.

Shannon Trust fulfils an unmet need around adult learning, supporting people who’ve fallen through the cracks in formal education.

We know a lot of people have had negative learning experiences in the past, so our programme is designed to be different, with no exams and no classrooms. Our unique, evidence-based Turning Pages reading manuals are used by thousands of learners in prisons and the community to improve reading skills. 

Prison volunteers live near to their local prison so that they can visit about once a month during the working week to nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by offering advice, guidance, training and support to prison staff and prisoner mentors who help other prisoners to improve their skills 1 to 1.

We are looking for volunteers who are able to work alone, able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and able to deliver engaging training to groups of people in prisons.  Due to the nature of the role, prison security vetting will be required.

We provide training for the role via e-learning and 4 training sessions which are a mix of live, online and group training.

Description

Are you a fluent Urdu speaker and do you enjoy conversing in Urdu? Are you a good listener? Our Talk and Support team is setting up a fortnightly special interest group for blind and partially sighted people who'd like to speak to each other in Urdu. If you're interested in facilitating this group, it would be great to hear from you.

You will contribute to the group to ensure that all participants feel comfortable and that the group runs smoothly

This group will run fortnightly either as a telephone or video call.

How often will I be needed?

• 2 Hours per Fortnight

Key requirements

• This role requires two references.

Description

We’re looking for an empathic person with good listening skills to facilitate our new group for blind and partially sighted veterans. You might be a veteran yourself but this isn’t essential. You’ll help the group run smoothly and the participants to feel comfortable.

This group will run fortnightly by phone.

Description

Are you a fluent Punjabi speaker who enjoys conversing in Punjabi? Are you a good listener? If so, you could be just the right person to facilitate our fortnightly special interest group for blind and partially sighted people who would like to talk to each other in Punjabi.

You will contribute to the group to ensure that all participants feel comfortable and that the group runs smoothly.

This group will run fortnightly either by telephone or video call.

We are looking for a Digital Advertising and Commerce Specialist Volunteer to join our team and help us enhance our online visibility, drive more donations, and raise awareness for our wildlife and welfare initiatives. This volunteer position is perfect for someone with a passion for digital marketing and a desire to contribute to a meaningful cause.

As a volunteer, you will help manage and optimise our Google Ads campaigns, Google Merchant account, and Facebook Commerce presence. Your efforts will directly contribute to increasing traffic to our website, improving conversion rates, and supporting our fundraising efforts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Google Ad Grants & Google Ads: Optimise Google Ads campaigns within the Google Ad Grants programme. Ensure the campaigns are aligned with our goals and meet Google’s guidelines for non-profits.
• Google Merchant Center: Maintain our Google Merchant Center account, manage product feeds, and optimise for visibility in Google Shopping.
• Facebook Commerce: Optimise Facebook Commerce to expand our reach and engage with potential donors and supporters through Facebook’s e-commerce platform.
• Digital Advertising Strategy: Develop a digital advertising strategy across Google Ads, Google Merchant, and Facebook Commerce. This will include keyword research, ad copywriting, audience targeting, and more.
• Campaign Optimization: Continuously monitor and optimise all digital advertising campaigns for improved performance, clicks, conversions, and ROI.
• Collaboration: Work with our communications and fundraising teams to identify key initiatives and align digital marketing efforts with our charitable goals.

What We’re Looking For:

• Experience with Google Ad Grants & Google Ads – Knowledge of managing Google Ads campaigns and experience with the Google Ad Grants platform (preferred).
• Google Merchant Center & Facebook Commerce – Understanding of managing product feeds in Google Merchant Center and running Facebook Commerce shop.
• Digital Advertising Knowledge – A good understanding of digital advertising practices including keyword research, ad targeting, and performance optimization.
• Passion for Wildlife & Animal Welfare – A genuine passion for our cause and a desire to make a tangible impact on animal welfare and conservation efforts.
• Proactive & Self-Motivated – Ability to work independently and take initiative in a remote work environment.
• Excellent Communication Skills – Strong written and verbal communication skills to craft compelling ad copy and collaborate with the team.

Do you enjoy speaking to people and working with computers? Are you organised? You could support our Talk and Support team to run our award winning befriending groups by matching blind and partially sighted people from our waiting list into our telephone befriending groups. You would be helping people to get into one of our groups as quickly as possible and helping to end the isolation of sight loss.

We are looking for someone who is available one day each week who is comfortable using computers and computer based telephony systems and who is familiar with Microsoft Office 365.

Are you a fluent French speaker who enjoys speaking in French? If the answer is yes, we'd really like you to facilitate our new fortnightly telephone group for blind and partially sighted people who wish to communicate in and improve their French language skills. You'll be contributing to the group to ensure that all participants feel comfortable and that the group runs smoothly.

Who we are

MS is a neurological condition affecting the central nervous system creating a wide range of symptoms which vary greatly from person to person.

We work with the MS community, supporting them to make the right choices for themselves about how to manage the impact of their MS and live a life as close as possible to how they wish.

The role
Following our most recent skills audit, we are looking to recruit two or three new trustees to
supplement our combined skill set.

Whilst we are keen to hear from people with a passion for supporting the MS community, we are open to applications from people that can bring specific skills where we have identified gaps also.These include, but are not limited to:

• Health/ holistic healthcare
• Legal
• Fundraising
• Hands on social media implementation and optimisation
• Data strategy and technology

Shannon Trust fulfils an unmet need around adult learning, supporting people who’ve fallen through the cracks in formal education.

We know a lot of people have had negative learning experiences in the past, so our programme is designed to be different, with no exams and no classrooms. Our unique, evidence-based Turning Pages reading manuals are used by thousands of learners in prisons and the community to improve reading skills. 

Prison volunteers live near to their local prison so that they can visit about once a month during the working week to nurture the growth of the Shannon Trust in their prison. They help unlock the power of reading by offering advice, guidance, training and support to prison staff and prisoner mentors who help other prisoners to improve their skills 1 to 1.

We are looking for volunteers who are able to work alone, able to give a regular, reliable commitment for ideally two years and able to deliver engaging training to groups of people in prisons.  Due to the nature of the role, prison security vetting will be required.

We provide training for the role via e-learning and 4 training sessions which are a mix of live, online and group training.

Shannon Trust Volunteer Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) Volunteer

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy levels amongst people in prison?

Shannon Trust’s vision is of a future where everyone can experience the positive impact of learning.  As our Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) Volunteer your role will help us to make this a reality by providing support with a variety of EDIB administrative tasks. This will include supporting with organising EDIB meetings, training and events, taking minutes for EDIB meetings and focus groups, explore EDIB data and information, and other EDIB related admin tasks as needed. We are seeking a proactive, committed, and enthusiastic individual to join our team and help us continue our journey.

This is a home-based role and we are looking for a volunteer who can commit to 7 hours per week on a consistent and reliable basis - the role has been listed as permanent however this is a voluntary role only. The individual will ideally have previous experience of working with a Diversity and Inclusion role or is keen to gain experience.  The ideal candidate will have an awarenss of religous and cultural events, able to operate relevant IT applications including Microsoft Office, have experience of working under pressure and to deadlines and have access to a personal laptop and homeworking space. 

Volunteer benefits include; induction training and ongoing training, support and development in the role, flexible working, recognition for your contribution and reimbursement of expenses where applicable. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

We welcome volunteer applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions.

Closing date: Midnight Monday 3 March - Please note interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis and we may close this vacancy early. 

Farming By Faith

We combat income inequality by transforming emerging farmers into independent, self-sustaining, and prosperous agripreneurs.

Farming by Faith's vision is to combat income inequality by transforming emerging farmers into independent, self-sustaining, and prosperous agripreneurs. We will create a land-linking platform that facilitates business deals at mass and scale between landowners and agripreneurs.

We will create a land-linking platform that facilitates business deals at mass and scale between landowners and agripreneurs. The platform will provide high quality educational material for the agripreneurs as well as an easy search mechanism to find land and projects as well as strategic partners that can help them execute their vision.

Financial Modeller

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

I have 3 projects that we use to generate revenue for Farming By Faith but needs a financial model to it so that we can approach investors.

1. We are trading forex and making 10-15% a month on small capital of $100. I need financial projection of how we can grow a company and how we can ask for funding from investors
2. We buy and sell cars at auctions and make 10-15% margin on each car. We currently only have 3 cars and need to get more working capital to grow the business
3. I currently have a website (www.farmingbyfaith.co.za) with no traffic and not monetised, but need a financial projection of what a revenue model could look like.

Weekly Time Commitment

4-6 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

3-4 weeks

African Development Choices (ADC) is a UK-based Social Enterprise on a mission to reduce poverty by empowering communities to make informed development choices in the management of public finances and resources.

ADC’s purpose is to enable communities to independently meet their needs for essential services, such as clean water and safe sanitation and improve lives in Africa.

At ADC we encourage a working culture of seeking and giving input, showing and taking initiative, and commitment to the organisation and its purpose.

We now have an exciting opportunity for a volunteer Chief People Officer (Remote) to join ADC.

Main Purpose of Job: This role is for a HR leader who can lead and manage a comprehensive HR service through a range of projects and activities in areas such as, but not limited to: Workforce Planning and Recruitment; On-boarding/Off-boarding; Performance Management; Organisational Culture; Learning and Career Development; HR Compliance and Staff Relations; Diversity and Inclusion; Policy and Procedure Development; and Staff Records Management. Reporting to the Founder, you will manage our recruitment team and be responsible for improving staff engagement, participation and retention.

Division: People and Culture

Department: N/A

Position reports to (line manager): Founder and CEO

Who reports to this position (direct reports): HR Coordinator

Main Duties and Responsibilities: 
 

• Develop and implement an HR strategy
   
• Contribute to the development of a collaborative high performing organisational culture by building staff and organisational capability
   
• Develop an effective performance management system ensuring that organisational values are translated into measurable competencies, behaviours and objectives and that job descriptions, performance standards, and performance evaluation instruments are aligned
   
• Develop and implement learning and career development initiatives for all staff and recommend staff training that will enhance growth and development
   
• Prepare and analyse HR metrics and provide reports that support decision making
   
• Implement new, and enhance existing staff recognition and reward programs
   
• Champion the ADC culture and ensure all staff are aware of the expectations
   
• Develop and implement strategies to increase Diversity & Inclusion within the organization
   
• Develop and implement an annual People Survey, communicate results and own activity plan to drive improved staff engagement
   
• Review and approve HR policies and procedures and recommend improvements
   
• Contribute to development of a customised HR management system

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

Essential

· Excellent knowledge of HR General, Learning and Career Development, and Recruitment

· Senior HR leadership experience within a small to medium sized organisation

· Experience of setting up new HR functions and processes would be desirable

· Significant experience of initiating, delivering, leading and embedding change initiatives

· Commitment of minimum 7-10 hours per week

Desirable

• Experience working in an early stage start-up and gone through a scaling phase
   
• Passion for the start-up life and comfortable in a role with a little ambiguity

What ADC Offers You:

This is a volunteer, remote and unpaid position with the following benefits:

• Professional learning and career development opportunities
   
• An opportunity to build on your work experience within your profession
   
• An opportunity to be part of a diverse team representing different parts of the world that is helping to deliver systemic social change in Africa
   
• An opportunity to help shape a start-up social enterprise
   
• We provide work reference

Trustee - International House London (English Language Teaching or Legal Background preferred)

International House Trust Ltd (trading as International House London, (IH London), a registered UK charity is seeking passionate and dedicated new Trustees to join their Board and help drive the mission of delivering high-quality language and communication training that unlocks human potential. As a global leader in language teaching, teacher training, and trainer development, IH London is committed to creating meaningful change in the world by fostering effective communication.

We are particularly committed to creating an inclusive environment and are actively seeking applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds, including women and individuals from underrepresented communities, to ensure that our Board truly reflects the communities we serve. Your unique perspective and expertise will help us expand our impact and create lasting change.

Vision: Do you want to be part of an ambitious, forward-thinking organization that brings people together and acts as a force for positive change? If so, we want to hear from you!

Location: Remote

Report to: Chair of Board of Trustees

Time commitment: Quarterly Board and Committee Meetings (normally remote), ad hoc issues etc.

Remuneration: This is an unpaid voluntary role, with reasonable expenses reimbursed

Responsibilities: As a Trustee, you will play a vital role in shaping the future direction of IH London.

Key responsibilities include:

• Contributing to the strategic and long-term direction of IH London
• Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and aligning resources with objectives
• Protecting and promoting the reputation of IH London and acting in the best interests of the charity
• Ensuring financial stability, sustainability, and effective risk management

Person Specification:

We are looking for candidates who can bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to provide oversight at a senior level to join our strong and committed Trustee Board including:

Proven leadership skills - You will display a record of leadership and a proven track record of working at strategic and senior levels, with an ability to provide sound governance and oversight alongside objective, independent judgment.

Strategic thinking ability - You will demonstrate a proven ability to think strategically, analyse complex concepts and actively contribute to the strategic direction setting of IH London, both over the long and short term.

Communication skills - Demonstrable effective written and oral communication skills, the ability to influence others and to advocate on behalf of IH London.

Specific Expertise: We are actively seeking for candidates with specific expertise in the following areas:

• ELT Expertise: Experience in English Language Teaching to offer strategic oversight on language training programs.
• Legal Expertise: Legal qualification ideally with experience in commercial law to provide legal advice and guidance.

Application process:

If you are interested in joining the Board of one of the world’s most respected English Language educational brands, please submit a CV and a brief covering letter explaining your interest in the role and how your skills can contribute to our success.

Applications should be sent by 5pm 21st March 2025.

The selection process for shortlisted candidates will include an online conversation with the Chief Executive and a meeting with a group of Trustees.