Volunteer Roles in East Midlands

A bit about this role

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups and teams, all of which help our feline friends in a different ways. They take in stray and abandoned cats and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they deserve, help raise funds, promote neutering and help spread cat welfare messages. Our volunteer treasurers maintain the finances of local groups and teams, ensuring they hold the funds needed to continue their vital work. Cats Protection relies solely on donations from generous members of the public, and our volunteer treasurers help make sure these funds are spent in the most effective way.  

What can you expect to be doing?

• Preparing budgets
• Keeping accurate financial records
• Reporting financial records via ‘Cashlog’ (Cats Protection supplied software)
• Paying invoices and volunteer expenses
• Being part of a team which ensures there are sufficient funds to meet expenditure
• Updating and advising others on income received, expenditure and available funds
• Managing and monitoring donations made to the group
• Following financial procedures e.g. Gift Aid returns and VAT claims

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by overseeing the finances of a local volunteer groups or team. You will meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Experience or knowledge of accounting, book keeping and/or good numeracy skills
• The ability to collect and present information clearly and logically
• Good communication skills
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Basic IT skills to use Cats Protection systems - training and support can be provided
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to use own initiative  
• Committee volunteers need to be aged 18+

Time expectation

Our current volunteer treasurers usually spend between 2 to 4 hours per week in this role. More hours may be required at certain times, such as towards the end of the financial year but support is always available. 

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 wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

Noria Collective is thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic Advisory Board! We are seeking passionate and dedicated individuals who share our vision of fostering social change and making a meaningful impact in our communities.

We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in HR, community organising and campaigning, fundraising, law, and/or business strategy. Additionally, we value those who bring a personal passion for social justice and equity.

We are currently looking to welcome at least four new Advisory Board members who align with Noria’s mission and are eager to contribute to the growth and evolution of our work. As a small but ambitious organisation, we are committed to expanding our reach and realising bold plans for the future.

We are keen to welcome individuals from all walks of life, particularly those who have lived experience of the migration system, racism, sexism, or marginalisation in any form.

About Noria Collective: 

Noria is a collective of socially-engaged creatives committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and uplifting the voices of people from the global majority living in the diaspora, particularly but not exclusively the Latin America and North African Arab diaspora.

Co-founded by Sandy Abdelrahman and JC Candanedo, our mission is to promote community coherence and representation through consultancy, cultural production and programme delivery.

If you share our values and are excited about the opportunity to shape Noria’s journey, we would love to hear from you!

Family Lives operate a free confidential helpline for anyone experiencing difficulties in their family or relationship.

Our volunteers take calls from parents and carers on a wide range of subjects, whether that might be issues around separation and divorce, isolation, depression, bullying and abuse, dealing with behavioural problems, etc. You can find out more about our services on our website.

We are a national service with home-based call takers county wide and we also have a call centre in Old Hatfield Hertfordshire. Once trained volunteers sign up for a weekly 4-hour shift comprising 3 hours ‘online’ followed by a debrief session with your supervisor which can lasts around half to one hour. 

We recruit volunteers with a range of backgrounds and experiences though we ask that volunteers have experience of parenting or working with children and young people, are good listeners and have a willingness to learn. Being remote it will be very important that you have a PC/laptop, plug in headset with microphone, good Wi-Fi and a private place to work from home. 

You need to be a UK resident.

Our training programme is excellent and will give you the opportunity to develop the skills needed to offer empathic support and guidance to callers whatever their circumstances; all shifts are overseen by a regular shift supervisor who provides ongoing remote support. We ask our volunteers to make a commitment of 1 year (with time off for holidays), obviously we understand that circumstances sometimes make that an impossibility but can be helpful to know at the outset that is the general expectation. 

We have call taker training sessions that run over five sessions and is done remotely connecting you via a Microsoft Teams link.

You would need to be able to attend all five sessions from one of these remote training groups and be available on four occasions to listen into calls, this can be organised remotely.

Module 1 – Wednesday 12th March

Module 2 – Wednesday 19th March

Module 3 – Wednesday 26th March

Module 4 – Wednesday 2nd April

Module 5 – Wednesday 9th April

10am to 2pm

Or

Module 1 - Saturday 8th March

Module 2 - Saturday 15th March

Module 3 - Saturday 22nd March

Module 4 - Saturday 29th March

Module 5 - Saturday 12th April

10am to 2pm

Please note that all roles offered are subject to a satisfactory DBS being obtained, you will receive details of documentation required prior to your training and this must all be in no later than the second session of your training.

Trustee Recruitment Notice

Join Her Strength, Our Voice as a Trustee

We are seeking dedicated and passionate individuals to join the Board of Trustees for Her Strength, Our Voice, a new charity committed to supporting women suffering from fibroids. Our mission is to raise awareness, provide financial assistance, and advocate for better healthcare solutions for women affected by this condition.

About the Role

As a Trustee, you will play a vital role in shaping the vision, strategy, and governance of the charity. This is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of women who often feel unheard and unsupported. Trustees will oversee the charity’s operations, ensuring it fulfills its mission and complies with legal obligations.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome applications from all backgrounds, but we are particularly looking for individuals with skills or experience in the following areas:

• Charity governance

• Fundraising or grant applications

• Financial management

• Marketing and communications

• Healthcare or advocacy

No prior trustee experience is required, but a commitment to the charity’s goals and a willingness to contribute time and expertise is essential.

Why Join Us?

Fibroids affect millions of women, yet the resources and support available to them are often inadequate. At Her Strength, Our Voice, we aim to change that by providing a platform for these women and driving meaningful change in healthcare and community support.

Commitment

Trustees are expected to attend quarterly meetings and contribute approximately 4-6 hours per month to charity activities. This is a voluntary position, though reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

How to Apply

To apply, please following:

1. A brief introduction about yourself

2. Your CV or a summary of your relevant experience

3. Why you’re passionate about joining Her Strength, Our Voice

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference!

Join our innovative motivational video department at the intersection of neuroscience and generative AI technology.

The Role:
Unify Giving is seeking an experienced Product Manager to lead our generative AI video production initiatives. You'll drive our technology roadmap to deliver content that transforms viewers lives.

Key Responsibilities:
•⁠  ⁠Lead product development for our AI-driven video production platform
•⁠  ⁠Define product vision, strategy, and execution plans
•⁠  ⁠Manage the product lifecycle from conception to launch
•⁠  ⁠Analyse user feedback and metrics to continuously improve effectiveness

Requirements:
•⁠  ⁠Experience in product management for generative AI or video production
•⁠  ⁠Demonstrated success delivering AI-powered content creation tools
•⁠  ⁠Passion for creating transformative motivational content
•⁠  ⁠Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills

This is a volunteer position supporting the amazing work we do at Unify Giving, where we're pioneering the future of motivational content that creates meaningful, measurable change in people's lives.

Join the Movement at Unify Giving

Are you passionate about creating videos that truly transform lives? Unify Giving is seeking a talented Generative AI Video Producer to volunteer with our innovative team. Help us harness cutting-edge AI technology to create profound impact.

What You'll Do:
•⁠  ⁠Create compelling motivational videos using generative AI tools
•⁠  ⁠Experiment with emerging AI video technologies
•⁠  ⁠Help people transition from desperation to motivation and positive change

What We're Looking For:
•⁠  ⁠Experience with generative AI video tools 
•⁠  ⁠Video editing and production skills
•⁠  ⁠Creative storytelling ability
•⁠  ⁠Passion for creating content that makes a genuine difference
•⁠  ⁠5-10 hours weekly commitment

This volunteer position offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of AI video production while contributing to Unify Giving's mission of creating transformative content that changes lives.

Be part of something extraordinary—where technology meets human potential.

Following a change to our Articles concerning the composition of our Board, the successful candid could be the first Trustee in the 60-year history of the British Wheel of Yoga to be drawn from outside the membership, as part of our commitment to increasing the skills base and diversity of our Board.

We have a high-performing staff finance team so this is not a “nuts and bolts” Treasurer role where you are required to do the book keeping. Instead you will be the key link between the finance team and the Board as you lead your fellow Trustees in the performance of their fiduciary duties and engagement with the charity’s finances.

Key requirements include:

• ​Good knowledge, understanding and experience of charity and company finance, accounting requirements and procedures
• ​Good knowledge and understanding of the regulators’ (Charity Commission, Registrar of Companies) requirements regarding charity and company finance and reporting
• The ability to be an effective member of the Board team and its finance sub-committee (which you will chair), thinking strategically and working cooperatively.
• The ability and willingness to commit sufficient time to fulfil the role effectively.

Meeting schedule:

• Quarterly Board meetings in March, June, September and December
• Financial Planning Workshop in May
• The above meetings are all held via Zoom
• In person Board Retreat (January). A 24-hour residential event which gives an opportunity for Trustees to get to know each other and do some strategic thinking and planning.

With the exception of the Board Retreat, this is a fully remote role that would suit candidates from anywhere in the UK.

Buckinghamshire Disability Service (BuDS) is a leading disability charity operating across England.. The role of Co-Treasurer will be pivotal for the charity as it moves forward from a county to a national charity.

What will you be doing?

BuDS is an independent pan-disability organisation which is not tied to Government, NHS or council contracts. Our visionary aim is to abolish disability by building a world which is Fair4All, free of the barriers which disable people. We are led by disabled people and committed to the social model of disability.

We have decided to recruit Co-Treasurers because we recognise that the role will be easier to manage if divided between two individuals.The Co-Treasurers will be Trustees of BuDS and will need to embody our values and ethos. BuDS values diversity and inclusion and encourages everyone who meets the needs of the role to apply, regardless of their background or circumstances.

What Does the Role Entail? 

The role of Co-Treasurer is expected to involve a time commitment of around 2-3 hours per week, a combined total of 4-6 hours between the two post-holders. BuDS works remotely and flexibly using Microsoft Teams, so much of the work can be done at your own pace at times which suit you best. Meetings are kept to a minimum as all the Trustees are busy people. 

Working closely with the Co-Chairs and Co-Secretaries, and split between the two Co Treasurers, the five key responsibilities will be: 

1. The charity’s financial health and managing financial risks or hazards
2. Supporting grant or contract applications and funding proposals 
3. Supervising financial admin and ensuring best practice and compliance
4. Supporting the move to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation
5. Curating the Annual Accounts

What are we looking for?

These are the skills and experience we think are needed for this role, divided between the two Co-Treasurers. We are keen to develop people’s knowledge and skills through training and mentoring. 

Essential: 

• Strategic budgeting and forecasting 
• Microsoft Office 365 applications for remote working 
• A flexible, positive, problem-solving and organised approach to tasks 
• Commitment to the social model of disability 
• Lives in England 

Desirable: 

• Accountancy qualifications
• Charity finances and reporting and the SORP 
• Knowledge about Charitable Incorporated Organisations
• Lived experience as a disabled person or someone with a close personal connection

What difference will you make?

Our Trustees’ lived and professional experience of disability will help keep us on the right path as we grow. Trustees also have a key role in ensuring that our Values permeate the organisation at all levels, including within the Board itself.

Change and growth is a challenging time, and the continuing strategic and oversight role of Trustees will be critical to BuDS’ continuing success, with the officers (Co-Chairs, Co-Secretaries & Co-Treasurers) playing a pivotal role. The decisions to which you’ll be asked to contribute will be important

Award-winning inclusion charity seeks Co-Chair to shape and lead next phase of growth

WAVE (We’re All Valued Equally) for Change inspires, encourages and enables people with and without learning disabilities to enjoy working together, creating genuinely inclusive worship and social places in the heart of their communities. You will be co-leading our Board of Trustees in North London and supporting our CEO to ensure that our mixed-ability groups and activities positively change experience and attitudes around learning disability.

Youth Leaders work directly with young people in St John Ambulance Badger Setts and Cadet Units. By organising a mixed weekly programme, this role will support the learning and development of young people into the next generation of health citizens. Youth Leaders also help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be, as well as supervise and support other adult volunteers in their team.

You’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering an essential service. It’s great for you, great for your community and great for our nation, and it requires only a small commitment of your time. 

Closing date for these opportunities is:Friday 30th March 2025

We are looking for new Trustees to join the RiDC Board.

Who are we? 

The Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) is the leading expert in person-centred research involving disabled and older consumers. ​

 ​We are an independent, national charity with over 50 years’ experience in consumer research in this specialist area. We were originally founded by Lord Young of Dartington as part of Which? and have operated as an independent charity since 1991. ​

 We are run by - and for - people, the majority of whom have lived experience of disability.

Our approach

We always start from the perspective of disabled and older consumers. ​​By working with disabled and older people, listening to their needs and reflecting real lives in our research, we make sure nobody is excluded or left behind. ​

​We have a pan disability consumer panel of over 4000 disabled and older people who are the experts on the ground and are core to all our work. ​

As a result, we have developed a strong track record of providing unique insights and solutions to businesses, government and charities. ​

Who are we looking for?

Make a difference to the lives of disabled consumers.

The charity is looking for three new board trustees. We are particularly interested in applicants with lived experience of disability, a long-term health condition or the challenges of ageing.

We are committed to diverse representation and encourage applications from anyone, regardless of age, background, education or cultural heritage. Previous board or trustee experience isn’t needed as full training on the role of a charity trustee will be available. Your passion, energy and commitment to help are much more important.​​

1. Are you an enthusiastic and creative individual who enjoys a challenge?

· Do you want to join a team who are determined to grow the reach and impact of the organisation?

· Do you have a lived experience of disability or long-term health condition?

· Do you have the time to commit to helping us grow the impact of RiDC?

2. We would be particularly interested to hear from you if you have expertise in one or more of:

· Legal

· Finance

· HR and people management

· Social media and digital technology for business

3. In addition to the above, knowledge and expertise in one or more of the following areas would be an advantage;

· Developing and growing an organisation;

· Consumer affairs

With respect to the time you are expected to commit to RiDC, there are four board meetings a year. These are held in north London over an afternoon or over Zoom.

We also a have a number of sub-committees, including Nominations and Finance which meet four times a year, as well as ad hoc project groups. New trustees will be invited to join one or more of these if they have skills or enthusiasm to contribute.

Finally, there is an annual staff/trustee away day that looks at the strategy and overall direction of the organisation. We cover any reasonable travel expenses so that trustees can attend the meeting.

EQUAL AQUA is an award-winning NGO providing equal access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in Uganda. Equal Aqua is managed by an international team of volunteers, based mainly in the UK and Uganda. Our mission is to tackle inequalities in access to WASH by providing safe and sustainable WASH facilities and services to those that need it most.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: We are recruiting a new People Manager in order to grow and empower our team of international volunteers, enabling us to reach more communities and transform more lives.

ROLE: People Manager (volunteer; part-time)

• Lead on the design, development and delivery of an effective and inclusive People/HR strategy, based around our international, hybrid working model, aligned with the vision and values of EAU;
• Lead recruitment and on-boarding of new team members;
• Guide the organisation on both day-to-day and longer-term strategic decision making with regards to its people and processes;
• Lead and manage organisational structure and restructure where necessary;
• Lead and manage the creation of a positive culture that supports international working;
• Drive key areas of the organisation’s retention and talent acquisition strategy forward;

ABOUT: ‘Equal Aqua’ is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in the UK; it operates equally and in unison with ‘Equal Aqua Uganda’, a registered Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Uganda (‘EAU’ refers to both).

Our Vision: To become a leading organisation in Uganda in addressing inequalities in WASH, and interrelated issues of gender and sustainability

Our Mission: We will achieve this by working with partners and local communities to develop the required skills, knowledge and practical interventions 

Objectives:

• To improve access to safe and sustainable WASH for those facing the greatest inequalities in Uganda
• To strengthen the participation of local communities in WASH, in particular women and girls, and displaced peoples
• To take action to protect the natural environment, reduce pollution and tackle climate change

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• 32,866 people with improved access to safe water
• 11,044 people with improved sanitation
• 11,755 people with improved WASH knowledge and skills
• 3,877 people with improved menstrual hygiene knowledge
• British High Commission award winner

VALUES: At Equal Aqua we champion bottom-up grassroots development. To make this possible, we have created a proactive and friendly environment, which strives to create practical and lasting solutions to WASH-related issues. Each member of Equal Aqua is passionate about WASH inequalities, and our values are a central basis for inspiration and the culture of the organisation.

We are looking for one new committee member with legal experience to join the existing committee to uphold the principles of the Code of Ethics for Museums and oversee the effective and consistent operation of the code.

The aim of the Ethics Committee is to:

• Develop and champion the application of sound ethical principles and behaviours within the museum community
• Give advice and guidance on ethical matters to the museum community, including the MA board and staff
• Review the code and recommend to the MA board amendments to the Code of Ethics where necessary.

The role involves attending approximately four online meetings per year and liaising as a committee via email and telephone. The role is not remunerated but expenses are reimbursed.

We welcome applicants from museum professionals from all backgrounds and parts of the sector. We would particularly welcome applicants that have legal experience and people from a range of diverse backgrounds including people with disabilities, people of colour, people who identify as LGBTQI+ and people from a range of socio-economic and educational backgrounds. 

All applicants must be individual members of the Museums Association. The successful applicant will be asked to join the Museums Association if not already a member.

If you are interested in this role, please complete the application form and equality and diversity monitoring form via our website.

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Sunday 30 March 2025.

Help Shape the Future of Wellbeing Through Acts of Kindness: Research Volunteer Opportunity

Do Me A Favour Buddy is seeking volunteers for an exciting research study exploring how personalised acts of kindness impact wellbeing, happiness, and sense of purpose.

About the Study

We're conducting an 8-week research project to understand how targeted acts of kindness affect both givers and receivers. Our research aims to gather evidence on how personalised kindness activities might improve mental wellbeing, reduce feelings of loneliness, and enhance life satisfaction.

What's Involved

• Complete an initial onboarding survey about your personality traits, preferences, and wellbeing
• Participate in our 8-week programme
• Receive personalised suggestions for simple acts of kindness
• Track your experiences and feelings
• Complete brief weekly check-ins
• Share your feedback through a final survey
• Participate in follow-up assessments at 3, 6, and 12 months to help us understand long-term effects

Time Commitment

• 8 weeks for the main study period
• Approximately 10-15 minutes per day during active participation
• Weekly check-ins (about 5-10 minutes each)
• Brief follow-up surveys at 3, 6, and 12 months post-study (about 15 minutes each)

Who Can Apply

We're looking for participants who are:

• Age 18 or older
• Willing to commit to the full 8-week programme
• Able to participate in follow-up assessments over the course of a year
• Interested in exploring how kindness might impact wellbeing
• Comfortable using a mobile app for daily interactions
• Open to providing honest feedback about their experiences

Benefits of Participating

• Be part of groundbreaking research on wellbeing
• Gain personal insights about your happiness and mental wellbeing patterns
• Potentially experience positive changes in your own life satisfaction
• Help develop an evidence-based approach that could benefit thousands
• Receive a comprehensive report of the study findings

About Do Me A Favour Buddy

Founded after a transformative experience with the power of targeted kindness, we're developing data-driven approaches to improve wellbeing through simple, personalised acts. Our work has already engaged 15,000 followers and validation from King's College London.