Volunteer Roles

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

As a charity we rely on funds donated by generous members of the public to continue to help cats and kittens in need. Our fundraising volunteers are part of a passionate team that help raise funds to help our feline friends in need. They help plan and deliver exciting and varied fundraising events, which can be anything from craft fairs, cake sales, sponsored abseils – and anything in between!

What can you expect to be doing?

• Helping organise fundraising events in your local area 
• Sharing fundraising ideas with other volunteers and putting these into practice 
• Sharing your passion for cat welfare and promoting Cats Protection
• Promoting National fundraising initiatives where appropriate

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and help raise funds that will make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens in need. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good communication skills
• Confidence in handling money
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Confidence in speaking to members of the public
• Knowledge of local community networks (would be an advantage)

A bit about this role

Across the UK, many cats are cared for by volunteer fosterers who provide a stable, safe and loving environment in their homes or in purpose-built pens in their gardens. They provide vital hands-on care and accommodation to stray or abandoned cats or cats whose owners could sadly no longer keep them, and are part of a dedicated team of volunteers committed to finding new homes for cats in need. Our fosterers carry out this role with support from their local branch or centre.

Most of our fosterers care for one or two cats at a time and enjoy providing lots of TLC to those cats, who have been pre-loved or have had a difficult start in life. Some of our fosterers look after new mums and kittens and provide round-the-clock care to newborns to give them the best start in life.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Meeting the needs of the cats and kittens in your care
• Cleaning and looking after the cats’ environment and equipment
• Feeding, grooming and administering medication
• Spending time enriching the cats’ experience in care including; play, exercise and stroking
• Maintaining high standards of animal welfare

A bit more information about this role and the team

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 in need by caring for them before they find new, loving homes. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• A dedicated suitable spare room in your house or space in your garden for a purpose-built pen – you can read more about this here
• Basic knowledge of cats, cat care and understanding their needs
• An appreciation of cat welfare and hygiene standards
• Good interpersonal skills
• Patience, commitment and empathy
• Willingness to be part of a team

Link Age Southwark is a vibrant local charity providing support to over 800 older people in Southwark who are feeling lonely or isolated. Our vision is for friendly local communities where older people and those living with a diagnosis of dementia can thrive in their later years.

All our volunteering opportunities are within the London Borough of Southwark, predominantly south of the borough - Camberwell, Peckham, Nunhead, Dulwich and around. 

We run a mixture of social, exercise and activity groups for older people across the borough of Southwark. From singing to yoga, bridge to computer groups, we have something to suit everyone.

Many of our groups are run by professional tutors and our wonderful volunteers who help to set up, welcome group members, serve tea and coffee and tidy up at the end. We are always looking for new faces to join our groups. 

If you have a skill or talent that you would like to share with the group, whether it be arts & crafts, singing, dancing, knowledge of local history or anything in between, we'd love to hear from you!

The role could involve:

• Leading activities
• Setting up and clearing away activities
• Ensuring that appropriate refreshments are available and served and cleared away
• Socialising with group members
• Assisting in completing basic admin tasks to ensure that attendance records are kept
• Assisting in publicising activities within the venue and local community to attract more participants

The role requires:

• a cheerful and friendly personality
• good communication/listening skills
• good physical health
• commitment to supporting a group on either a weekly or fortnightly basis, dependent on the group
• good timekeeping and reliability
• able to work independently
• attendance at a volunteer induction and other relevant training opportunities
• completion of a full Disclosure and Barring Service and character reference check
• a commitment to working within the policies of Link Age Southwark, in particular health and safety, confidentiality, safeguarding and equality and diversity

If you have a skill or talent that you would like to share with the group, whether it is arts & crafts, singing, dancing, knowledge of local history or anything in between, we'd love to hear from you!

Becoming a volunteer with Link Age Southwark is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and get to know more about your local community.

We cover all reasonable expenses and we are happy to provide references for volunteers who have completed 6 months of volunteering with us.

Please note that all our volunteering opportunities are within the London Borough of Southwark, predominantly south of the borough - Camberwell, Peckham, Nunhead, Dulwich and around. 

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

About the Youth Team role

​Youth Team Volunteers work with young people from a wide breadth of backgrounds, ensuring they really feel part of the St John family. Volunteers will help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. 

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. 

Getting started

You will usually be able to start volunteering very quickly, joining your new youth unit, meeting the young people and your colleagues and beginning to learn on the job. However please be aware you will have some online training to do, and you will need to engage with classroom training opportunities when available. There is also optional training for those who wish to pursue higher youth team qualifications.

Pursuing the role

We do not have a fixed closing date, but we may pause recruitment if we become oversubscribed - so if you want to pursue this, please do not delay!

If you are not already a St John Ambulance volunteer, after getting some brief details we will first invite you to an interview with our Welcome Team.

When pursuing this role, we will check you meet the minimum criteria and then invite you to a Youth Team interview, after which we'll be able to tell you if you've been accepted for this role.

We are looking to appoint trustees to join our Board at a very exciting time of growth and change. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the next phase of the charity’s development.

First and foremost, you will have a commitment to improving the lives of children and families and enthusiasm for our work. You will have experience of developing strategies and plans and understand the role of trustees in the governance of charities.

We are particularly seeking applicants who have experience in

- grant making

- children’s social care

- special educational needs

- audit and risk

It is important that you can commit time to read and consider papers and reports, attend meetings and contribute to discussion and decision making. Trustees meet face to face as a Board a minimum of four times a year, plus an annual away day. There may be other meetings and sessions to attend, usually online. You will be asked to join one of Lifelites’ committees and may be asked to work with staff on specific projects, which will give you further opportunities to contribute your skills and knowledge to the Charity.

Purpose of the role

Together with fellow Board members, as a Trustee you will act in the Charity's best interests, set the strategy and policies, make key decisions and oversee the management of the Charity.

Key duties

1. To ensure that Lifelites complies with its Constitution, Charity Law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
2. To ensure that Lifelites pursues its charitable objects as defined in the Constitution.
3. To scrutinise Board papers and contribute to debate and decision making.
4. To ensure Lifelites uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects: the organisation must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are.
5. To contribute actively to the Board of Trustees in giving firm strategic direction to Lifelites, setting overall strategy and policies, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
6. To safeguard the reputation and values of Lifelites.
7. To ensure that Lifelites considers and mitigates key risks.
8. To ensure the effective and efficient administration of Lifelites.
9. To ensure the financial stability of Lifelites.
10. To protect and manage Lifelites’ assets and to ensure the proper investment of its funds.
11. To contribute their skills and expertise to Lifelites projects, and to support the Charity’s fundraising.
12. To appoint the Chief Executive Officer and monitor their performance.

 Other duties

 In addition to the above responsibilities, each Trustee is expected to apply their skills, knowledge, experience and best judgement to enable the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions.

This may involve:

· Working on sub-committees.

· Supporting the development of new areas of work.

· Leading on and presenting on key issues.

· Using networks to create new opportunities for the organisation.

 Person Specification

· A strong commitment to the work of Lifelites.

• Experience of operating at Board or senior level professionally.
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort.
• Good, independent judgment.
• Strong strategic thinking.
• Willingness to articulate opinions whilst understanding the importance of collective responsibility.
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to access and use IT including email, video conferencing and Microsoft Office.

About Lifelites

Lifelites is a charity that passionately believes all children should be able to enjoy a childhood that they and their families can cherish, filled with special moments of fun, happiness and meaningful connection.

By harnessing sensory and assistive technology, children and young people with life-limiting conditions are empowered to play, learn, connect with their families and access the support they need to thrive. Lifelites provides the latest equipment, training and ongoing support, free of charge, for the children’s palliative care sector throughout Britain and Ireland, reaching 13,500 children.

However, there are an estimated 99,000 children and young people in the UK living with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, who could benefit from Lifelites’ services. As part of our ambitious 2023-28 Strategy, Lifelites is aiming to improve impact and increase reach so that every child with a life-limiting condition is empowered to experience unforgettable moments of connection and joy with their families.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. These words are engrained in our services and our culture. As an organisation that seeks to empower children and young people with life-limiting conditions and complex disabilities, we are similarly committed to these values in the way we recruit and develop our people, build our teams, work in partnership and cultivate success. We actively welcome, nurture and celebrate the different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender of candidates, existing staff, stakeholders and volunteers.