Youth / Children Volunteer Roles in Berkshire

GoodWork is a young and fast growing non-profit, supporting employers to offer fairer opportunities to young people from marginalised communities.

As a Community Interest Company, our Board is made up of Non-Executive Directors and our CEO. As we transition into a charity over the next 6-12 months, our NEDs will become Trustees and our CEO will step down from the Board to continue serving as a member of staff.

With this in mind and as some of our early team members move on, we’re looking to add 2-3 new Board Members to fill key skills gaps and ensure we have a strong, diverse Board to lead GoodWork and ensure we deliver against our ambitious growth plans.

We’re prioritising applications from NEDs with specific skills and expertise to join our team.

However, we are open to hearing from those who are enthusiastic about our mission and believe they can offer capacity or expertise that we’re currently missing.

If you don’t fit one of our priority skills gaps but are keen to apply, please ensure you’ve had a look at our current team’s profiles and explain what you could add to our Board in your application.

Our priority skills gaps:

NEDs will not have sole responsibility for delivering this work, but will support the CEO and staff team. At their discretion, NEDs may wish to give more time to support delivery in specific areas.

• Education & Social Mobility, Policy & Campaigning, Impact Evaluation
• PR, Communications & Marketing

Responsibilities:

• Ensure GoodWork is delivering against its strategy and in line with its mission
• Help set our future goals, putting the interests of young people first
• Act with care and attention, making use of your skills and asking for advice when you need it
• Manage GoodWork’s resources carefully and without taking undue risks
• Hold GoodWork accountable for operating lawfully and responsibly
• Attend and engage with Board Meetings and Away Days, as required
• Act honestly and reliably, delivering the things you commit to
• Behave in GoodWork’s best interests, and do nothing that could bring our work into disrepute
• Be a proactive and enthusiastic ambassador for GoodWork, with your existing network and beyond

What we’re looking for:

• Demonstrable understanding of and commitment to GoodWork’s mission and vision
• Open-mindedness, flexibility and a problem solving approach
• Strong communication skills, tact and empathy
• Ability to provide challenge and ensure that we uphold robust governance
• Analytical skills, curiosity and ability to engage with detail (e.g. financial reports, plans for growth)
• Willingness to consistently commit the time needed to drive our work forward
• Commitment to GoodWork’s policies and procedures, including our Safeguarding Policy
• Strong belief in the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Commitment to championing our work and being a vocal, enthusiastic ambassador for GoodWork
• Experience of working with charities, non-profits, start-ups or other small and fast growing organisations (desirable)
• Experience of working with young people or marginalised groups (desirable)

We work with a diverse group of young people from marginalised communities. We particularly encourage applications from minority ethnic candidates and those who have lived experience relevant to our programme, including non-graduates and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

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

As a Fundraising Volunteer, you will work with the fundraising team lead to raise funds for Roots Academy. The funds will be used to support Roots Academy’s work – providing free, essential Islamic education to university students across the UK and beyond.

Key tasks

• Using your connections and communication skills, raise awareness of Roots Academy’s work, and ask for donations in an effort to raise money to support our education programmes.
• This may include but is not limited to:

○ Networking, attending or hosting events

○ Reaching out to contacts, mosques, and community centres

○ Arranging and attending collections

○ Online fundraising through Launchgood, Justgiving or other online platforms

○ Other ways of fundraising e.g. bake sales, bucket collections, challenges etc.

What we’re looking for

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong understanding of the Muslim community
• Passionate about Islamic education

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 40+ 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.

Home-Start believes that the earliest years make the biggest impact. Our work is with families who have (at least) one child under five and that are facing challenges such as loneliness, postnatal depression, or multiple births. We train volunteers to visit the family once a week, supporting them in a variety of emotional and practical ways. This is for 2 to 3 hours a week, one day per week.

By visiting a family in their own home, our volunteers represent a lifeline to families who are struggling to cope. They offer non-judgemental, confidential support in a way that is tailored to the needs of that individual family. By doing this, our volunteers support them to grow in confidence, strengthen their relationships with their children, and forge links within their local community.

Our approach works because our volunteers have parenting experience or experience with children, and they understand the stresses and strains of life. They are there to listen; not to judge.

To volunteer with Home-Start, we ask that you are a good listener, have an interest in supporting families, and are able to volunteer in the daytime for a minimum of 6 months. You should have experience with children/families, a desire to help and support others and have a 'can-do' attitude.

You might not think it, but your lived experience, your unique background, and the languages you speak, could hugely benefit the families we support. You can work alongside them to help them regain their confidence and resilience. In doing so, you can directly increase the chance of local children growing up happier and healthier.

Full training is provided (25- hour course) and an enhanced DBS check will be required. 

Languages particularly needed: Albanian, Arabic, Syrian Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Bengali, Pashto, British Sign Language.

While gaining invaluable experience in recruitment, human resources and NFP Social enterprise,                           practice your passion within real-life scenarios.

We are looking for Recruitment Managers to join our team. The ideal candidate will play a vital role in sourcing, engaging, on-boarding and will help us build a diverse and dedicated team to support our brand messages and visions.

If you are enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated about building a dynamic volunteer team and are excited to contribute your recruitment skills to a meaningful cause, join us as a Recruitment Manager Volunteer. Together, we can create a positive and lasting impact in our community.

Please note the role is a voluntary position and could be entirely remote. Any incurred reasonable expenses will be paid.

Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with HR and leadership team to understand volunteer needs, roles and requirements.
- Develop and implement effective recruitment strategies and campaigns.
- Utilise online platforms, social media, and community networks to advertise opportunities.
- Assist with review volunteer applications and inquiries, and assess candidate suitability.
- Conduct interviews with potential candidates to determine their skills, motivations, and alignment with our values and visions.
- Coordinate volunteer orientation, ensuring all are well-informed and equipped for their roles.
- Maintain a database of potential and current candidates and keeping track of their skills, interests, and availability.
- Work closely with leadership team and other team members to ensure a seamless transition from recruitment to engagement.
- Regularly report on recruitment metrics and effectiveness to the leadership team.
- Continuously seek opportunities to improve recruitment process.

Requirements:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to effectively market and promote volunteer opportunities.
- Experience in recruitment, human resources, or volunteer management is a plus.
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively.
- Proficiency in using online platforms, social media, and communication tools.
- Dedicated and willing to learn.
- Committed to our values and mission 

Please send your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience. We look forward to reviewing your application and discussing how you can become a vital part of our team.​

ABOUT TESYouth 

TESYouth (Training, Employment Opportunities & Social Development for Youth) is a NFP social enterprise which focuses on improving the rate of youth employment, through volunteering, interactive and skill-based workshops, work-experience and training programmes. Together with our strategic partners, we collaborate with organisations to provide youth to develop their skills, and to assist in achieving their career aspirations.

Our ambition is to continue to develop outstanding services that meet the needs of our community; if you want to be part of our future, we would love to meet you to discuss this further.

The Trustee Board is crucial to the successful running of the Home-Start Southwark. The Board, in partnership with the CEO and senior executive team, ensures that the organisation operates effectively, setting its strategic vision and supporting the delivery of business plans and key objectives. The Treasurer role is to oversee the charity’s financial and risk management processes; monitor the charity’s income, outgoings and cash-flow forecasting; and maintain a strategic overview of the organisation’s financial resources.

Bookmark Reading Volunteers directly support children who are at risk of leaving primary school unable to read well. Struggling to read can contribute to poor educational attainment, lower literacy in adulthood and has even been linked to a lower life expectancy. You can help ignite the joy of reading and change a child’s story.

In this volunteer role, you’ll have 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week. This is across 6 weeks with a child aged between 5 and 11 years old. Each session will involve reading stories and playing literacy games on our secure online platform or face-to-face. You’ll book your reading programme through Bookmark’s Volunteer Hub and select sessions on days and times that work with your commitments.   

To become a Bookmark Reading Volunteer, you should be: 

• 18 and over, and currently living in the UK.
• able to provide enthusiasm, encouragement, empathy and patience.
• free to commit to 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week, across 6 weeks.
• able to provide two references for your application (for safeguarding reasons).prepared with access to a PC, laptop, Chromebook or iPad with a webcam and internet connection, and feel relatively comfortable using technology (for online reading programmes).

Volunteers tell us they find the role flexible, impactful and rewarding. More than 60% also say their own wellbeing has improved because of volunteering with Bookmark!

Bookmark pays for your DBS checks, provides online training and offers volunteers ongoing support so that you can deliver fantastic and fun reading sessions, enabling all children to discover the joy of reading. 

Bookmark are proud to offer inclusive volunteering and work to deliver a greatly accessible volunteering role. Many of our reading programmes take place online, so there’s no need to travel or access a physical location to volunteer with Bookmark. Our application process and training are all completed online, and we have a helpful team at hand to offer support with technical or access requirements. If you’d like to discuss adjustments which may be helpful, please email us and we’ll be happy to help. 

Bookmark is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community. We aim to create an environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit.

Bright Futures UK works with young people who have been forced to take time out from education due to chronic illness. We provide programmes to help stimulate learning in addition to having a social aspect that offers respite to isolation these young people face due to their unfortunate circumstances.

We are urgently looking for warm and energetic volunteer tutors of all subjects to provide educational support and a fun, safe space for these young people. Tutoring experience is not essential as full training is given. Our sessions also are all currently online.

We need someone who is able to engage with young people in a positive and friendly way, helping them overcome their experiences and not feel defined by their illness. You would engage with a young person on a one-to-one basis to help catch up on their studies, increase their confidence in their own skills, and have some fun with them in order to help them progress. 

The young people we work with have missed so many experiences in school which we take for granted. The time you can offer to help fill in those missed periods is invaluable to their development. Your sessions will be fully supported by Bright Futures UK staff – from questions or queries, resources or materials or just to bounce an idea off the team, we’re here to help.

Volunteering with Bright Futures UK is something that can easily fit into your working day or a busy schedule with commitment starting from as little as 1 hour per week. We are so grateful for any support you might be able to provide, as are our young people.

We’re looking forward to working with you to help our young people reach their true potential!
 

Practical Considerations:

We cover all expenses and materials used.
We are asking for one hour online a week.
DBS will be provided where needed
Safeguarding training provided with certification

We are looking for editors, proofreaders, and typists to support young people's stories!

You do not have to be a published writer, just have lots of enthusiasm for creative writing and young people. Super Power Agency volunteers come from every walk of life. Some want to give back to their local community, others want to gain experience in publishing and some just want to help out!

All of the work our young writers do is published into a book of some form.

If you’d like to be involved but find it difficult during typical school hours, then the Extraordinary League of Editors, Proofreaders, Helpers And Nifty Typists (E.L.E.P.H.A.N.T.) might be the editing collective for you! This is back-end remote volunteering, and is integral to publishing the young writers’ work.

The writing is split up into batches, each taking approximately one hour, and you are welcome to do as many or as few as your schedule allows!

About Super Power Agency

Founded in 2016, The Super Power Agency aims to improve the lives and literacy rates of some of Edinburgh's most under-resourced young people. Through a range of writing workshops, interdisciplinary creative programmes and the help of community volunteers, we aim to empower children and young people (8-18 years) through literacy. We are currently working with Leith Academy, with plans to expand to other schools and youth-serving organisations in Edinburgh and beyond.

Bright Futures UK works with young people who have been forced to take time out from education due to chronic illness. We provide programmes to help stimulate learning in addition to having a social aspect that offers respite to the isolation these young people face due to their unfortunate circumstances.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide educational support and a fun, safe space for young people.
• Engage with young people in a positive and friendly way, helping them overcome their experiences and not feel defined by their illness.
• Interact with a young person on a one-to-one basis, leading conversations or trying new hobbies together (e.g., book club, video games, music, crafts).

Why You'll Love It:

• Make a significant impact by helping young people who have missed out on school experiences.
• Fit volunteering into your working day or busy schedule with a commitment starting from just 1 hour per week.
• Receive full support from Bright Futures UK staff, including training and resources.
• Gain personal fulfillment by providing much-needed companionship and support to young people facing challenging times.

What We’re Looking For:

• Warm and energetic individuals who can positively engage with young people.
• No tutoring experience necessary; full training is provided.
• Ability to create a fun and safe space for young people to explore new interests and skills.

Your sessions will be fully supported by Bright Futures UK staff – whether you have questions, need resources or materials, or just want to bounce an idea off the team, we’re here to help.

We’re looking forward to working with you to help our young people reach their true potential!

Thank you for considering this opportunity. Apply now and make a difference!

Practical Considerations:

We cover all expenses and materials used.

We are asking for one hour online a week.

DBS will be provided where needed.

Safeguarding training provided with certification.

Must be 18 or over to volunteer.

Home-Start Trustees Recruitment  - Trustees including Chair of Trustees

Home-Start Epsom, Ewell and Banstead (HSEEB) is a voluntary organisation committed to promoting the welfare of families and children.  Staff and Volunteers offer regular support, including providing emotional and practical help to families in the families’ own homes and connecting families with specialist services within the community.

We are looking to recruit a new Chair of Trustees and additional Trustees; who will increase the range of skills and experience on the Board. This is essential for us to make the best decisions for HSEEB and our families.  For the Chair role, you will need leadership skills and a good understanding of governance. For the Trustee roles, there is no requirement for you to have  been a trustee before, however, you do need to be passionate about improving the lives of children and the families we support.

You will be good at working with others, ready to speak up and ask questions, be thoughtful and open to learning and able to stand back to see the bigger picture. You must take the responsibilities of a Trustee seriously.

We are looking to better reflect the experiences of our community, to bring the skills and experiences of diverse Trustees to the Board, as well as recruiting Trustees with lived experience of or insight into socio-economic disadvantage.

We would like to hear from people who can bring some of the following skills and expertise: Contracting; Governance; Event Planning; Bid Writing; Early Years; Mental Health; IT and Media

An enhanced disclosure check will be required.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30th September 2024 at 5pm

 Interviews:  October

 For more details about how to apply, please see our website.

 Please note: We do not accept CVs

 Registered Address: 128 Great Tattenhams, Epsom Downs, Surrey, KT18 5SE

 Home-Start is committed to equality of opportunity and diversity.

Home-Start Epsom, Ewell and Banstead is committed to safer recruitment practice as an important part of safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults

Home-Start Epsom, Ewell and Banstead is a Company Limited by Guarantee No 8765689 & a Registered Charity No 1156539