Volunteer Roles in East Midlands

Overview

In partnership with a second, and possibly third Leader, you will lead a Fire (Group) of 8-12 Young Explorers. Social Leader role is to ensure that all young people can develop and thrive on our expeditions. They provide additional support with pastoral care and behavioural management for young people, particularly those facing challenges. Social Leaders will have demonstrable experience of working with young people in residential environments.

We are looking for applicants who are:

• Able and passionate about leading, inspiring, and facilitating sessions with young people.
• Comfortable spending extended periods in remote and sometimes harsh environments.
• Able to commit to all pre-expedition training events. 

As a charity, all Leader positions are undertaken on a voluntary basis and Leaders join for the intrinsic value of adventure, education, and personal development of young people. 

Chair of Trustee -  a visionary leader for an exceptional charity supporting children, young people and families.

About Grief Encounter:

Grief Encounter is a leading charity dedicated to providing transformative bereavement support for children, young people, and their families. With a compassionate approach and evidence-based programmes, we empower those navigating the complexities of grief, with the mission to ensure that no child grieves alone. As we embark on an exciting new chapter of growth and innovation, we seek an exceptional individual to lead our Board as Chair of Trustees.

Role Overview:

This pivotal position will require a visionary leader who is not only passionate about our work but also possesses the strategic acumen to guide the charity in its mission to support bereaved families, As Chair, you will work closely with our talented Board, management team, and stakeholders to drive our vision, foster impactful partnerships and ensure governance excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership to the Board, setting a clear vision and direction for Grief Encounter.
• Oversee the effective governance of the charity, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and ethical standards
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive culture within the Board and across the organization.
• Represent Grief Encounter at key events, fundraising initiatives, and public engagements, acting as an ambassador for the charity.
• Cultivate relationships with stakeholders, partners, and the community to enhance awareness and support for our mission.
• Lead the Board's performance evaluation processes, ensuring continuous improvement and strategic alignment.

What we are looking for:

• Proven experience in a senior leadership role, preferably in the charity sector or with organizations focused on mental health, education, or social care,
• Strong understanding of governance, financial management, and strategic planning in a non-profit context.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and engage a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated passion for supporting bereaved children and families, with a commitment to advancing their needs.
• A track record of successful relationship-building and influence within organizational or community settings.

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to lead a respected charity making a difference in the lives of children and families experiencing loss.
• A collaborative and dynamic Board committed to innovation and excellence in bereavement support.
•  Networking opportunities with influential leaders, stakeholders, and supporters in the non-profit sector.
• A chance to shape the future of Grief Encounter, driving impactful initiatives and contributing to our strategic growth.

Join Grief Encounter in leading the charge for change and healing, ensuring that every child and family receives the compassionate support they need during their most challenging times.

Grief Encounter is an equal-opportunity organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.

About Us

Youth Advantage UK is a charitable organization that uses a research-led approach to inform policy work and projects
that aim to promote and further the human rights of young people aged 11 to 25 across the United Kingdom.

Overview

We are looking to recruit a Specialist Fundraising Trainer who is able to grow and develop our fundraising team, supporting the organisation to get the funding it needs to operate and be successful.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide training sessions to new fundraising volunteers
• To teach others how to complete grant applications
• To equip volunteers with the skills and knowledge to carry out fundraising for the organisation
• To support the development of skills and knowledge within the fundraising team aiming to support those who have non or limited experience in fundraising

​Requirements

• To have at least 3 years in charity fundraising
• To have the ability to guide and support others
• To have good spoken communication skills
• To be able to deliver training sessions to groups
• To be able to use remote working systems
• To be familiar with grant fundraising and sponsorship

What We Offer

• An opportunity to make an impact in our mission-driven organization.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• A supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Professional development opportunities.

Our charity is entering an exciting phase, we are looking for a bid writer to generate more income to support our families of neurodivergent children and children affected by trauma, can you support our small charity?

Barefoot and Free are seeking a passionate Bid Writer to join our team.

The primary responsibility of the Bid Writer will be to research, apply and secure funding opportunities to support our Charity that provided much needed funded staycations to families of Neurodivergent Children and children affected by trauma, we also fund breaks for parent/carers to get a break from their caring duties. This is a crucial role with responsibilities that include identifying grants, matching them to our objectives and writing funding applications to contribute to the growth and sustainability of our organisation. Commitment is vital in this role as the charity relies soley on funding to operate.

What are we looking for?

• Passionate about the Charities missions and goals.
• Experience in bid writing in the non-profit sector.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and enjoy networking.
• Strong research and analytical abilities.
• Familiarity with funding sources relevant to what our charity offers.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Meet funding deadlines and all reporting deadlines.
• Maintain a database of funding applications and outcomes.
• Research and build a database of national, regional, and local funding opportunities. 
• Self motivated with goals

What difference will you make?

By securing funding through successful bids, you will be supporting Barefoot and Free towards building a more sustainable and resilient organisation. Your input will be instrumental in establishing long-term sustainability, ensuring that our vulnerable families are supported over time. Families are often stretched to the limit with carer roles, supporting vulnerable children and young people without breaks or respite, by securing suitable funding you will be supporting them and the long-term sustainability of the organisation's efforts with the ultimate goal of profoundly improving the quality of life for our families.

This is your chance to flex your creative muscles, build your portfolio, and be part of something awesome! 

Perks:

• Free to search out and start to finish bids
• Build experience with a purpose 
• Inspire a community and support vulnerable families
• A chance to join a warm welcoming small team where your impact will be appreciated and felt.

About Us

Youth Advantage UK is a charitable organization that uses a research-led approach to inform policy work and projects
that aim to promote and further the human rights of young people aged 11 to 25 across the United Kingdom.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing operational management for either the Sponsorship Team or the Grant Fundraising Team

• Ensuring senior officers are providing effective supervision for volunteers

• Ensuring that the fundraising department are aware of the funding needs of the whole organisation and working towards progress them

• Providing regular guidance and advice to senior officers

• Providing support and getting involved in building grant applications

• To regularly meet with direct reports and the team

• To ensure the team is aligned with the wider planning of the organisation and department

Sponsorship covers:

• Emailing potential donors for donations

• Fundraising events

• Marketing the organisation to encourage donations

• Building relationships with donors and potential donors 

• Identifying sponsorship

Grant Fundraising covers:

• Identifying core funding needs (by liaising with HoDs across YAUK and C Level)

• Identifying grant funding available to cover core funding needs

• Building applications to submit for funding

• Supporting output departments such as (Project Ops and Research & Policy etc) to help them get funding for specific project / policy work / research work

• Supporting volunteers in output departments (as requested by management) to build applications or doing it for them in order to get grant funding for specific work

• Identifying funding opportunities and sharing them with relevant teams in output departments (for example a Research Team should be made aware of funding relevant to the topic their team are focusing on)

​Requirements

• Ability to manage and oversee others

• Experience in grant fundraising

• Excellent written communication skills

• Excellent ability to use remote systems

• Excellent ability to work with others

• Excellent research skills

What We Offer

• An opportunity to make an impact in our mission-driven organization.

• Flexible working arrangements.

• A supportive and collaborative team environment.

• Professional development opportunities.

How to Apply

If you’re passionate and want to use your skills to support a meaningful cause, we’d love to hear from you!

Please send your CV and a cover letter explaining your interest in the role and how your skills align with our needs to.

Overview - This is a Senior Leadership team role.

The Deputy Chief Leader (DCL) role varies on each expedition. The DCL will work closely with
the expedition’s Chief Leader to take a prominent role in planning and training before & during
expedition, and in post expedition reporting.

We are looking for applicants who are:

• Comfortable spending extended periods in remote and sometimes harsh environments.
• Able to commit to all pre-expedition training events. 

As a charity, all Leader positions are undertaken on a voluntary basis and Leaders join for the intrinsic value of adventure, education, and personal development of young people. You do not have to fundraise to lead on our expeditions.

The Role

The Treasurer oversees WRS general bookkeeping and accounting, acting as the primary contact for all the charities financial queries. As WRS is a registered charity it is required that the Treasurer also stands as a trustee. The Treasurer will lead on all budget planning, financial reporting, financial record-keeping, and manage payments, with regular communication and feedback with the other Trustees. The Treasurer must have a strong understanding of basic financial principles.

Please note this is a voluntary role and works alongside the charity’s voluntary trustees.

Key Tasks

• Collecting member subscriptions and any other money due to the charity.
• Processing and paying invoices.
• Keeping accurate records of financial transactions using established accounting systems.
• Ensuring all cash and cheques are promptly deposited.
• Ensuring funds are spent appropriately.
• Reporting regularly to the Trustees on the charity’s financial position.
• Preparing a year end statement of accounts to present to the auditors.
• Arranging for the statement of accounts to be audited.
• Presenting year-end financial reports to the AGM and the Charity Commission.
• Financial planning, including an annual budget and monitoring it throughout the year.
• Helping to prepare and submit any statutory documents that are required for grant applications.

The charity’s Trustees meet quarterly, with extra working group meetings being held on a more regular basis.

The amount of time dedicated to fulfilling these duties varies throughout the year.

Next Steps

This is an exciting time to join the charity.  Whether you’re an experienced Finance Professional or newly qualified and just setting out in your career, working as a volunteer will give you huge personal satisfaction, a fun team to work in, experience of working in the charity sector within a successful long established charity and a welcome addition to strengthen your CV.

If you’re interested in the role of Treasurer or would like to learn more about the role or WRS, please feel free to contact Danni Chalmers for an informal chat. 

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

Barking Mad Dog Rescue are seeking to recruit two trustees to help us take our charity forward.  We have big ambitions.

Who we are

We are a UK registered charity (1160985) that operates two shelters in Constanta district, Romania, with around 350 dogs and puppies.  They are cared for by our small, effective Romanian team of paid workers, who run operations there. In the UK, our charity operates through a team of dedicated volunteers. They manage adoptions, fundraising, marketing, social media and charity promotion.

What we do

Dog welfare is low on the political and public agenda in Romania and life is hard for many street dogs, particularly since the introduction of the 2013 killing law. This, alongside poor uptake of spaying/neutering, means an endless stream of stray and abandoned dogs; pregnant mums, puppies, the old, the sick and the surplus to requirements. This is where Barking Mad Dog Rescue steps in. We work in our local community to educate, spay/neuter, rescue and where possible rehome.

We have made huge strides in dog welfare in our local Romanian community over the past ten years of operation. People are: bringing their pets for neutering and encouraging neighbours to do so; reporting sick, injured and abandoned dogs in need to us; caring for street dogs who live nearby; and, in some cases, adopting dogs in need. Since our establishment in 2015, we have rehomed approximately 3,000 dogs in the UK, Germany and other EU countries.

The future – growing our ambitions

This year we have an exciting opportunity to start to build a new more spacious shelter on land we own, which was kindly purchased for us by a generous donor. With this, come opportunities to work more closely with our local community, to have enhanced facilities for our dogs and shelter team, and to expand our ambitions for what we want to achieve as a charity.

Who we are looking for

To support us to take these exciting next steps, we are looking for two additional trustees who are passionate about dog welfare, willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking and expertise on our board. We are particularly hoping to attract trustees with proven business backgrounds and strong business networks and experience, experience of fundraising and/or with construction or large-scale capital projects, who will take a keen interest in understanding about our work, and helping us to grow and thrive.  

Personal skills and qualities

·    Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of Barking Mad Dog Rescue.

·    Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member.

·    Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion.

·    Willingness to bring their expertise and networks to help Barking Mad Dog Rescue determine and deliver its goals

·    A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

·    Enthusiasm for our vision and mission.

·    Willingness to lead according to our values.

·    Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Time commitment

·    Attending four Board meetings annually (evenings). Meetings are held remotely.

·    Providing additional time and expertise via e-mail, ad hoc meetings as relevant

·    Membership of working groups where relevant, to support the charity and its projects (time commitment agreed as part of working group set-up)

Find out more

A role descriptor for the position is attached

You can read more about our charity and our work on our web-site

If you would like an informal conversation about the role ahead of applying, please e-mail us and we will get back to you to arrange a convenient time.

About Roots Academy

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries.

Our vision is enabling university students to live God-centred lives, so we teach structured, engaging and transformative face-to-face foundational Islamic education to over 1,800 students across the UK.

Role Summary

Roots Academy is a non-profit company, established in 2020. The team currently consists of 80 core volunteers across the UK. Roots first began fundraising during Ramadan 2023, raising over £25,000 in one off donations, and £2,200 in monthly commitments. Building on this, Roots is now seeking a Volunteer Fundraising Team Leader, to build the Fundraising function, and help increase donations.

Key tasks

• Work with the Exec team to develop a fundraising strategy
• Identify opportunities for Roots Academy to raise funds – e.g. networking with major donors, events, community fundraising, mosque collections, partnerships, grants, trusts, foundations etc.
• Lead the fundraising team of volunteers to implement the fundraising strategy, and raise funds
• Work with the marketing and finance teams to maintain donor records
• Work with marketing to give feedback to donors on how funds are utilised to deliver Islamic Education

What we’re looking for

• Experience in income generation, fundraising or business development in the non-profit sector
• Knowledge of Islamic values and faith-based giving
• Experience working with the Muslim Community, in the UK

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 80+ dedicated volunteers from across the country.
• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform.
• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.
• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen.

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position.

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy.

About Roots Academy

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries.

Our vision is enabling university students to live God-centred lives, so we teach structured, engaging and transformative face-to-face foundational Islamic education to over 1,800 students across the UK.

Role Summary:

• Define and execute the product vision and strategy for the digital products at Roots Academy.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements, prioritise features, and ensure alignment with organisational goals.

• Develop and maintain a product roadmap that reflects user needs and business objectives.

• Conduct market research to inform product decisions and identify opportunities for enhancement.

• Work closely with the development team to define user stories and acceptance criteria, ensuring the timely delivery of product features.

• Monitor product performance and user feedback, utilizing data to inform future development and improvements.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the development team.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven experience as a Product Manager or in a similar role, preferably within the education technology sector; prior involvement with Islamic Societies (ISOCs) is a plus.

• Strong understanding of web and mobile application development processes and methodologies.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse teams.

• Experience with Agile methodologies and product management tools (e.g., JIRA).

• A passion for education and a commitment to delivering high-quality digital experiences.

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 80+ dedicated volunteers from across the country.
• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform.
• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.
• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen.

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position.

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy.

The Chair of Trustees provides strategic leadership and direction to the Board, ensuring the effective governance of the charity. In this role, you will guide the organisation in its mission to help adults learn to read, ensuring that it operates efficiently and sustainably while delivering a profound impact on individuals’ lives.

You will lead the Board and work closely with the CEO to advance the charity’s vision that every adult who wants to learn to read, can.

Key responsibilities

Leadership and Governance:

• Lead the Board of Trustees in providing strategic oversight and effective governance, ensuring compliance with the charity’s constitution, legal, and regulatory obligations
• Ensure the charity stays true to its mission of helping adults learn to read and that all activities align with its vision, values, and strategic objectives
• Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and accountability within the Board

Board Management:

• Chair Trustee meetings, setting agendas in partnership with the CEO or senior staff to ensure discussions focus on the charity’s priorities
• Encourage open, respectful debate and collective decision-making among Trustees, ensuring clarity of outcomes and actions
• Oversee the recruitment, induction, and development of Trustees, ensuring the Board is diverse, skilled, and effective in fulfilling its responsibilities
• Monitor and assess the performance of the Board, supporting Trustees to carry out their duties

Support to Senior Staff:

• Function as the primary link between the Board and the CEO, offering guidance,support, and constructive challenge
• Conduct regular appraisals and set objectives for the CEO, ensuring they have the resources and backing to succeed
• Serve as a sounding board for major decisions and initiatives, especially those that advance the charity’s literacy goals

Advocacy and Representation:

• Function as an ambassador for the charity, promoting its work to external stakeholders, including funders, partners and the public
• Represent the charity at public events, campaigns, and meetings to raise awareness about adult literacy challenges and successes

Risk and Compliance:

• Ensure the charity has effective policies and systems for financial management, safeguarding and risk mitigation
• Oversee the preparation of statutory reports, ensuring compliance with the Charity Commission and other regulatory bodies
• Safeguard the charity’s reputation and ensure its activities comply with all relevant laws and its governing documents

Strategic Planning:

• Collaborate with Trustees and staff to monitor progress against strategic goals,adapting plans as necessary to meet evolving challenges and opportunities

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Unfortunately our cats can occasionally stray or get lost, which can be extremely distressing for their owners. Our lost and found volunteers are passionate about reuniting lost cats and bringing families back together. They help cats and their owners by advertising lost cats and providing support, advice and guidance to people searching for their cats.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

• For this role there will be a requirement to perform site visits to scan 'found' cats for microchips.

What we need from you

You’ll be:

• Responding to enquiries from the public about lost and found cats
• Keeping up to date records of lost and founds cats
• Matching cats that are reported lost with those reported found
• Advertising lost and found cats
• Providing help and information to owners about their lost cats

Time expectation 

Our lost and found volunteers usually spend between 2 to 3 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

You may be just the volunteer we’ve been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

As a Trustee, you will provide strategic guidance and oversight to the charity, ensuring it achieves its mission of helping adults learn to read. This role specifically seeks a Trustee with experience and insight in working with, large numbers of volunteers, to support the charity in developing, sustaining and empowering its national volunteer network to maximise impact.

You will work closely with the Board, CEO and Senior Team to advance its vision of ensuring that all adults who want to learn to read, can.

This role is ideal for someone with a passion for volunteering and an understanding of its impact in driving social change. If you are ready to help empower volunteers to create a brighter future for adults struggling to read we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities
 

Strategic Oversight:

• Contribute to the charity’s overall strategy with a particular focus on its volunteer-led initiatives
• Apply your insights and suggestions to help further develop the organisational strategy to maximise impact from volunteers
• Advise on best practices for recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers at scale
• Support the development of policies and frameworks that ensure a positive and effective experience for volunteers

Volunteer Management Expertise:

• Provide an insight into managing largescale volunteer programmes, including geographically dispersed teams
• Advise on the design and implementation of systems for communication, engagement, and recognition of volunteers
• Share experience on strategies to address challenges such as volunteer retention, motivation and recognition
• Advise on strategies to promote and ensure diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging,including reaching new, or currently underrepresented, volunteer communities
• Add value for the volunteers of Read Easy by supporting the team to meet expectations of volunteers and ensure a quality experience of volunteering with us

Governance and Compliance:

• Ensure the charity’s volunteer practices comply with legal requirements, safeguarding protocols and best practices.
• Support the Board in overseeing the performance of volunteer programmes and their contribution to the charity’s goals
• ​Advocate for inclusive, equitable approaches to recruitment and management across Read Easy

Advocacy and Representation:

• Champion the roles, value and impact of volunteers within the charity, ensuring that their ideas and views are considered instrategic planning and development
• Act as an ambassador for the charity, building relationships with stakeholders and potential partners who can enhance its volunteer network

Collaboration and Leadership:

• Work closely with staff and other Trustees to support the charity’s volunteer-focused activities
• • Share expertise to strengthen the charity’s capacity to manage a growing and diverse volunteer base
• • Contribute to broader discussions and decision-making as an active member of the Board of Trustees

A Little About Us!

Youth Advantage UK is a research-led, un incorporated un registered charitable organisation. We use a research-led approach to protect the rights and interests of young people through positive action such as projects, policy work, research, services, events. We promote and empower change.

Why we need you!

Youth Advantage UK are in our early stages but are growing and looking for volunteers to help achieve our aims to become a registered charitable organisation. Your skills and expertise are what we need to continue to grow. Without our volunteers we cannot grow and appreciate those who apply with us!

What we offer!

Anybody who wishes to help and contribute to a good cause are welcome to apply for one of our volunteering positions. We will speak to you about what your aims are to ensure that the volunteering position you are applying for is suitable. By volunteering you have the chance to learn something new and contribute to a successful organisation who is looking to help young people in the UK.

Note - if you apply for this role and are unfortunately not appointed, we will consider you for the Marketing Manager role

We are looking to appoint a volunteer who has experience in management and who is able to support the functions of our Marketing Department through the effective management of our marketing team and marketing policy. These functions include; website, social media, engagement, events and sponsorship (as a temporary function within this department).

Key accountabilities:

• Departmental strategic management 
• Marketing policy development 
• Social media output 
• Website development and design 
• Engagement and events 

Requirements 

• To have experience working in the charity sector or voluntary sector 
• To have experience in managing a team of people 
• To be competent in IT, social media and website design 
• To be an effective communicator