Social Welfare Volunteer Roles

We are looking for someone to co - lead a support group, with an exsisting support group lead volunteer, for people both living with and affected by Motor Neurone Disease, at our local in person support group meeting in Waltham Forest, that takes place in person, the last Saturday of every month, you must be available from 9.30am to 1pm.

What’s involved?

Support exsisiting volunteer group lead to organise a once a month in person support group meeting, held on the last Saturday o every month, for people living with MND, their families and carers

Send invites - where appropriate 

Arrange, organise and serve refreshments (all expenses can be claimed back of course!)

Ensure that all who attend the events feel welcome, included and have an enjoyable social experience

Regular check in' and communication with Community Support Coordinator, leading up to and after support group meeting

Lead and manage, group support volunteers

This role will suit me if I:

Am a good communicator

Have good organisational skills

Have warm and empathetic manner

Am a team player

Am able to encourage people to come along and meet others

What’s in it for me?

Become part of a friendly and dedicated team

Make a positive impact to the lives of people affected by MND

Get access to a range of workshops and events

Build on skills and experience

How flexible is the role?

Support Meeting Lead, work from home for approximately 1 to 2 hours a week and attend in person monthly meetings, once a month every month for approx. 3/4 hours on a Saturday.

What sort of training/induction will I receive before starting?

You’ll be inducted into the role and informed about the Association, with full support from the Community Support Coordinator.

We are looking for someone who is dedicated and committed, that will work with the Community Support Coordinator, and exsisting support group volunteer to orgnaise and deliver the in person support group in Waltham Forest.

The volunteer group support lead, must be committed to this role and attend every in person monthly meeting, with exceptions of holidays/sickness, where conversations with the Community Support Coordinator must take place in order to arrange appropriate cover in a timely manner.

We are looking for someone to be a part of the recruitment process when looking to expand the group volunteer support team.

We are looking for someone that is comfortable with initial expenses of refreshments and biscuits for each group, which will be reimbursed upon submission of expense form and receipts.

We are looking for someone, who is looking for a long term volunteering opportunity

Join us in making a difference in our community by ensuring everyone has access to the food they need. Your help can bring a positive change to many lives!

Role Overview:

Join our dedicated team at Abbey Community Centre to help combat food insecurity in our community. As a Community Food Club Volunteer, you will play a crucial role in ensuring that food donations are efficiently received, sorted, and distributed to local elderly people and families with young children aged 5 and under. Your efforts will directly contribute to providing much-needed support to those experiencing food insecurity.

Key Responsibilities:

Receiving Food Deliveries:

  - Welcome and assist delivery drivers.

  - Check and record the received items against delivery notes.

  - Ensure all food items are handled and stored according to safety guidelines.

Sorting and Bagging Food Donations:

  - Sort donated food items by type and ensure they meet quality standards.

  - Organize and pack food items into bags or boxes for distribution.

  - Ensure that the right quantity and variety of food is packed for each family and elderly recipient.

Distribution Preparation:

  - Help set up the distribution area.

  - Ensure all packed bags are ready for distribution days.

  - Assist in maintaining a clean and organized workspace.

Record Keeping:

  - Help maintain accurate records of food received and distributed.

  - Assist with inventory management to track stock levels.

Skills and Experience:

Essential:

  - Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.

  - Ability to work as part of a team and communicate effectively.

  - Physical ability to lift and carry bags/boxes of food.

  - Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and respecting the privacy of recipients.

Desirable:

  - Previous experience in a similar role or in food handling.

  - Knowledge of food safety standards.

  - Basic record-keeping skills.

Personal Qualities:

- Compassionate and empathetic attitude towards people facing food insecurity.

- Reliable and punctual.

- Willingness to follow instructions and adhere to health and safety guidelines.

- Positive and proactive approach to volunteering.

When you'll be needed:

Between 2-3 hours on Tuesday afternoons

Benefits:

- Gain valuable experience in food distribution and community service.

- Make a meaningful impact on the lives of local families and elderly individuals.

- Meet new people and become part of a supportive and friendly team.

- Receive training and ongoing support from our project coordinator.

Abbey Community Centre is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences.

***This is an unpaid voluntary role***

Perfect for you if you are a people-person, warm and chatty (and love cuppas and biscuits!). Co-host our Friday Coffee Mornings at 10.15 am – 12.15 pm (event runs 10.30 am -12.00 pm), welcome, chat and engage others in conversation. Help us set up and clear away as well to round off the fun!

Qualities you need for this role

• Someone able to chat and engage people in conversations 
• Ability to communicate with people of all different ages and backgrounds, being mindful of any support needs or health conditions people may have
• Reliability and punctuality

When you'll be needed

• Fridays 10:15am – 12:15pm.

***This is an unpaid voluntary role***

Tech Buddies is a project with a huge positive impact on social connectedness and mental health among our older neighbours. The aim of Tech Buddies is to inspire and then support older people to get digitally connected and confident, to stay safe online and to use the internet regularly until they are happy to do so on their own. Together, the Tech Buddy volunteer and learner explore what technology can offer.

Wednesdays and/or Saturdays you’ll be helping members aged 60+ get savvy using their smart phones, tablets, and laptops. You could be helping with anything from sending emails to installing apps.

Qualities you need for this role

• Tech Buddy volunteers need to be regular users of technology (e.g. computers/tablets/smartphones) with a genuine desire to share your skills and help older people use technology. 
• Warm and friendly, a good listener
• Reliable and dependable (good timekeeper)
• Non-judgmental, patient with a good sense of humour!
• A good communicator who knows their boundaries and has good spoken English 

When you'll be needed

• Wednesdays 2-4pm (30-60 min sessions) and/or
• 1st Saturday of each month 10:00am – 12:00pm (30-60 min sessions)

***This is an unpaid voluntary role***

Make an amazing difference in someone’s life through being a friendly face connecting them with the outside world, reducing isolation and loneliness and bringing a much-needed smile to their day.

Our award-winning Kilburn Good Neighbours scheme has been a lifeline for over 60s in Kilburn and West Hampstead for almost 25 years. Volunteers visit members regularly in their homes, building a relationship with them and working with the Kilburn Good Neighbours lead to communicate any additional needs they have. Some volunteers also support with odd jobs like shopping, escorting the member to the centre or DIY tasks. Training and induction is provided. 

Qualities you need for this role

• Chatty, friendly, open-minded people, preferably living locally
• Able to maintain good boundaries
• Reliable, dependable and great at timekeeping
• This role requires an enhanced DBS check, which we will organise

When you'll be needed

• A minimum of 1 hour per week, for a minimum of 6-12 month

***This is an unpaid voluntary role***

Mornings couldn’t be more fun! You’ll be part of a wonderful team of dedicated staff gaining excellent experience in childcare and family support.

Our Children's Services runs creative, fun sessions for under 5s and their parents/carers which offer a nurturing and supportive environment for all children. In these roles you could be assisting with activities like crafts, storytime and songtime, helping children develop skills inline with Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, setting up and clearing away equipment, greeting parents and carers and building relationships with them.

Qualities you need for this role

• Reliable, dependable, and great at timekeeping
• Honest, committed and patient with a good sense of humour!
• Open-minded, respectful, and an excellent team player
• All Children's Service volunteers undergo a DBS check and induction with their manager; they must also submit two references.

When you'll be needed
Drop-ins: Mondays -Thursdays 9.30 am – 12.30 pm and/or 
Creche: Volunteering Monday – Thursdays 12.45pm – 3.15 pm

The secretary's role is to ensure our Foodbank charity runs smoothly and efficiently, and complies with all relevant laws and regulations. As secretary you will be responsible for the following areas:

Governance

You will be responsible for the charity's governing document, and ensure that the trustees' actions are in line with it. You will ensure that all appropriate policies and procedures are in place and advise the board on the legal and regulatory implications of the charity's strategic plan.

Meetings 

You will plan trustee meetings, including the AGM, and any sub-committees. You will also be responsible for preparing agendas, booking rooms and supporting the chair and minutes secretary.

Compliance 

You will ensure the charity complies with all relevant laws and regulations, including health and safety, the Charities Act 2009 and the Charities Governance Code and you will also help trustees file statutory returns with the Charities Regulator. You will also ensure that the Charity and Trustees are appropriately insured, negotiating cover to obtain reasonable value.

Records 

You will maintain registers of members, trustees, and secretaries, and keep other legal documents, such as insurance policies.

Communication 

You will liaise with the chair and operations manager, and communicate with the board about compliance requirements.

Public relations 

You will help oversee aspects of public relations where needed. 

Trustee - Safeguarding Lead 

The role would include, but is not restricted to the following:

• To liaise directly with our volunteers, team leaders and the board of trustees
• To manage and promote safeguarding policies 
• Induct new volunteers and provide refresher learning with regards to safeguarding via bi-monthly awareness sessions

Requirements are, but not limited to:

• Prior safeguarding experience
• Attend regular trustee meetings - usually 2 hours, bi-monthly or quarterly
• DBS check

Strategic

• Review our strategic plans and make sure they reflect safeguarding legislation, regulations specific to your activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charities Commission.
• Work with the board and staff and designated safeguarding lead regularly to review whether the things the organisation has put in place are creating a safer culture and keeping people safe.
• Check our risk register reflects safeguarding risks properly and plans sensible measures to take, including relevant insurance for trustees liability.

Effective policy and practice

• Make sure there is an annual review of safeguarding policies and procedures and that this is reported to trustees.
• Understand the monitoring undertaken does to see whether policies and procedures are effective.
• Call for audits of qualitative and quantitative data (either internal or external) when they’re needed.
• Learn from case reviews locally and nationally, to improve our policies, procedures and practices.
• Oversee safeguarding allegations against staff or volunteers, together with the board and staff and designated safeguarding lead as needed.
• Be a point of contact for staff or volunteers if someone wishes to complain about a lack of action in relation to safeguarding concerns.

Creating the right culture

• Champion safeguarding throughout the organisation.
• Attend relevant safeguarding training events and conferences.
• Support the trustees in developing their individual and collective understanding of safeguarding.
• Attend meetings, activities, projects to engage with staff, volunteers and beneficiaries to understand safeguarding on the ground.
• Work with the board, staff, designated safeguarding lead and communications team in order to manage all serious safeguarding cases.
• Support regular safeguarding updates for staff, volunteers and beneficiaries.
• Make sure you have ways of gathering the views of staff and volunteers in relation to safeguarding and sharing these with the board.

The role

Become a Trustee for Fresh Visions Charity!

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young adults facing extreme disadvantage?

Then this just may be the role for you!

Fresh Visions, a subsidiary charity of Southern Housing, is seeking a dedicated Trustee to join our team and help us support those in need. We are particularly keen to attract candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds to ensure our board reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.

About Us:

Southern Housing is one of the largest housing association providing over 80,000 homes across London, the Midlands, and south-east England. Fresh Visions focuses on supporting children and young adults who face challenges such as poverty, domestic abuse, lack of education, and social exclusion. Our projects aim to remove barriers and create opportunities for those in some of the poorest areas in the UK, helping them build successful lives through confidence, motivation, and skill development.

Who We Help:

• People at risk of or facing trauma from domestic abuse, violence, intimidation, or anti-social behaviour.
• Isolated, lonely, or vulnerable individuals, especially those leaving care or in social housing.
• People needing help with life skills to break away from poverty.

What We Do:

In 2023/24, Fresh Visions' funded activities generated a £5.56m social impact value on wellbeing in local communities, with a ratio of £1 charity investment to £7 impact value. We continually innovate to heighten our impact and benefits for residents, ensuring efficient investment and significant outcomes.

Role Purpose:

The Board of Trustees is collectively responsible for ensuring the success of Fresh Visions and compliance with all legal and regulatory obligations. Trustees set and monitor the strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring its work is effective, responsible, and legal. They safeguard finances, resources, and property to further the charity’s purposes and ensure financial sustainability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Further the charity’s overall purpose and set its direction and strategy.
• Ensure the charity’s work is effective, responsible, and legal.
• Ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory obligations.
• Safeguard finances, resources, and property to further the charity’s purposes.
• Ensure the charity is financially sustainable.

Key Duties:

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit.
• Manage the charity’s resources responsibly (“duty of prudence”).
• Act with reasonable care and skill.
• Ensure the charity is accountable.
• Adhere to and work in accordance with the charity’s safeguarding policy.

If you are committed to making a positive impact and have the skills and dedication to help guide Fresh Visions, we would love to hear from you. Join us in our mission to support those facing extreme disadvantage and help them achieve their potential.

What you’ll need

• Strategic Fundraising experience,
• Previous / current Trustee/NED experience
• Business management experience
• Demonstration of empathy with FV social purpose

**Please note this is an unpaid role. The successful candidate will not be entitled to any employee benefits** 

About us

At Southern Housing, our residents are at the heart of everything we do. As one of the largest housing providers in the UK with over 77,000 homes across London, the Southeast, the Isle of Wight, and the Midlands, we give over 167,000 people somewhere affordable to call their own! We also understand the difference that safe, secure, and affordable homes can make to people’s lives.

A career at Southern Housing will allow you to make a difference every day you come to work. Working in the housing sector with us will bring fresh challenges and give you the opportunity to grow and develop, too. 

What’s in it for you

• Full induction programme
• Enhance your career
• Develop your skills
• IT equipment provided
• Paid expenses
• Fully funded training
• Giving something back 

Inclusion and Diversity
We work hard to create a diverse and inclusive culture and environment where people are respected for who they are. Encouraging inclusion is not just about protected characteristics, it’s about celebrating differences of thought, opinion, experience and perspective of each individual. We’re all different in our own way and we want our colleagues to feel comfortable, that they belong, and are safe to be themselves at work, without fear of being judged or excluded, but valued for their contribution to our One Team approach.

Citizens Advice Cornwall is currently seeking to recruit two to three more volunteer Trustees, including a new Chair of the Trustee Board.
 

The successful candidates will join our Trustee Board, which provides strategic direction and oversight to the charity. We’re looking for ambitious and forward-thinking people to help us deliver on our dual mission of advice and advocacy. 
 

This position would suit someone taking their first steps to develop wider board level experience, and for those who might be new to governance. We welcome applications from all ages and backgrounds, so no matter what experience you have, we will provide full induction, onboarding and regular training for your Trustee role.
 

At Citizens Advice Cornwall, we embrace and value diversity and we feel passionately that our Board should be representative of the diverse communities we serve. We’re looking for people who understand the reasons why people turn to us for help and support, helping us to continually evolve our work with this in mind. We therefore particularly welcome applications from those who may have lived experience of the issues our clients face, and we encourage people from all ages, communities and backgrounds to join us. 
 

We’re also looking for people who have strategic-level experience in one or more areas where we’re building our capability:
 

·        Business Development, Fundraising and Marketing,
 

·        Using data and insight to campaign for policy and practice change,
 

This is an exciting time for our organisation, providing opportunity to bring in fresh perspectives and skills to our Board. With our current Chair coming to the end of their term in September 2025, we’re looking forward to finding our next Chair to lead the Board and bring valuable skills and experience to the organisation.

Digital Literacy Trainers / Digital Literacy Supporters

For Hodan Somali Community

We’re urgently seeking short-term and longer-term volunteers to help us reduce social isolation, improve access to benefits and services, and prevent poverty by training people in basic digital literacy skills.  You can work within your own networks – relatives, friends and neighbours – or with Hodan’s existing service users.  It’s a great opportunity to gain valuable skills for the job market as well as doing something good for the local community!  We’ll provide training and expenses, as well as references for job applications if you need them.

Job title: Volunteers – Digital literacy trainers / Digital literacy supporters

Location: West London

Hours: 1-3 hours per week

Salary: Voluntary – Volunteers expenses will be provided

Duration: short and long term

Volunteer Befriender

Octavia works with people affected by unemployment, ill health, social isolation or low income to connect them with opportunities for positive personal change. Our vision is to build stronger, happier and healthier communities in central and west London to help create an enriched life where we live. Please help us to do this by volunteering to befriend a member of the local community, who is isolated and vulnerable, in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea.

Reasons to volunteer

Would you like to assist an isolated person in your local area? Would you like to provide them with the emotional support, social skills and confidence that will help them to feel happier in their everyday life?

 You will know that you have helped someone to move on in their life and take part in society
 Full induction, ongoing training and support. This includes training on: communication, empathy, health and safety, confidentiality and safeguarding
 Opportunity to enhance your CV and to learn new skills
 We are able to provide references to employers and/or further education establishments
 Travel costs and out of pocket expenses reimbursed on the provision of receipts*

What would I be doing?

 Meeting once a week with the person you have been matched with, in their own home or an agreed public place, at a mutually agreed time
 Encourage communication on a shared interest or topic
 Arrange activities and listen to your Befriendee with empathy and encouragement
 On occasion you may be asked by your befriendee to accompany/escort them outside on a one to one basis or do some shopping in circumstances where they are unable to

What skills are we looking for?

 Good communication skills
 Understanding of empathy and the needs of people with isolation issues
 Understanding of confidentiality
 Able to use own initiative and work unsupervised, reliable and trustworthy
 We ask that you volunteer for 1 hour per week, for a minimum of 6 months

Sounds great! How do I sign up?

When you aplply, we ask for 2 references but these do not need to be from employers. For instance, they can be character references from college tutors or support workers who know you well. We also carry out Enhanced Disclosure checks on all volunteers, but this would only happen if we both agree that Befriending is the right fit for you.

We are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Please contact us should you prefer to apply over the phone or via hard copy, for accessibility reasons. If you require any adjustments due to a disability (including: physical, psychological or neurological disease or disorders) in order to get the most out of your time volunteering with us, please do let us know so that we can ideally facilitate this.

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.

Family Lives was formed over forty years ago by volunteers with the aim of ensuring that all parents had somewhere to turn before they reach crisis point.

Remote Family Support Volunteer – Live Chat

We know that the right support at the right time makes all the difference. Family Lives provides targeted early intervention and crisis support to families who are struggling.

Organisational values:

Mission: We build better family lives together.

Vision: Families should have access to active support and understanding. 

Values: Trustworthy, Compassionate and Collaborative

Purpose of the role: To be part of a flexible team providing empathic, caring and informed support to families, carers and others who use our services.

Live chat: is a free confidential service that is accessed via our website. Service users are offered emotional support, information and advice and guidance on a broad range of family issues.

Supervised by: The Shift Supervisor

 Activities: The volunteer will be fully supervised, supported and trained to provide the following activities:

·Provide emotional support to family members via our live chat service

·Use the Family Lives support model and tools to provide an empathic responses

·Ensure that all service users receive a high quality experience

·Sign post users to other agencies for information and additional support

·Complete conversation data records

·Alert the shift supervisor to any difficult situations

General: Volunteers should be willing to:

·Attend the relevant volunteer training

·Maintain confidentiality and adhere to the other policies and procedures of the organisation

·Participate in regular support, supervision meetings and learning sessions as agreed

For home based volunteers only:

·Volunteers will need a Laptop/PC, plug in headset with microphone, fast broadband and a private place to work from home

·Volunteers need to be IT/PC literate and confident troubleshooting should they have technical difficulties

 Time: We would be looking for volunteers to commit to one four-hour shift per week, plus attending training and supervision.

Location: working remotely from home

 You need to be a UK resident

Supervision and Support:

·Supervision during shifts

·Debrief after every shift

·1 to 1 supervision every 6 months

·Staff available outside of shift within office hours

·Annual review

The Benefits of Volunteering:

·Satisfaction in making a real and lasting difference to families who are struggling

·An opportunity to develop experience for CV and references. Family Lives is committed to helping volunteers develop their own learning and development, gaining new skills, knowledge or work experience

·Being part of a team of Family Lives volunteers and staff

·Personal development

·Opportunities to meet and interact with a wide range of people

·Out of pocket expenses reimbursed to a maximum of £10 per session if working from a centre

·Flexible hours

Volunteer Person Specification. We are looking for individuals who:

·Have experience of parenting/being in a parenting role or demonstrable experience of working with parents or children e.g. in their work, previous volunteering or a previous role

·Have an ability to respond empathically to emotional content

·Good written and verbal communication

·Have good keyboard skills and IT skills, with a minimum of 50 wpm

·Can demonstrate a willingness to question their own attitudes e.g. toward different forms of parenting

·Have a fluent, descriptive and expressive use of English

·Can remain open minded and non-judgemental

·Willing to commit to work within Family Lives’ policies, in particular our Confidentiality Policy and Risk of Harm Procedures

·Willing to commit to attending regular supervision and support sessions

·Willing to work as part of a team

·Willing to commit to a mutually agreed period or ideally a 12 months commitment to the organisation.

Typing Task Prior to Application for Live Chat

Prior to you submitting your application for a Live Chat Volunteer, we will require you to do a speed test, we ask for a minimum speed of 50 words per minute. 

Please take a screen shot and send it across with your application

You can have up to 3 attempts and decide which result you would like to forward as part of your application

Typing task

Go to the website typingtest

You are required to take the one minute typing test recording all of the results (speed, number of errors and adjusted speed).

We have remote voluntary call taker training groups the dates are below are you would need to be able to attend all 5 Modules from the training group.

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.