Social Welfare Volunteer Roles

Why we want you
As branch secretary you help coordinate a range of activities and a calendar of events to help spread the word about SSAFA within your community. To ensure that our Armed Forces community know that SSAFA are here to help and that
we need the public’s support to continue offering our services.

What you will be doing

• Communication with branch volunteers
• Providing timely reports and information to SSAFA’s central office
• Co-ordinating a programme of meetings including an AGM, branch meetings, committee meetings, training etc.

The skills you need

• Friendly and approachable
• Strong administration skills
• Great written and verbal communication skills
• Basic IT skills

What's in it for you

• Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience to benefit others
• Support in your role from the team at SSAFA
• Develop your experience and skills which you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews

Disclaimer
SSAFA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those involved in our work and expects volunteers to share this commitment.

Are looking to give back to the local community? By joining our team of befrienders, you will support us to reach some of the most isolated adults in the community to reduce their feelings of loneliness, build friendships and provide support for mental wellbeing.

You will support individuals who struggle to communicate with others and help them to reconnect with their local community. You will support to relight a spark in a hobby, interest or encourage individuals to explore and participate in new social activities.

Loneliness and isolation can affect anyone in life, whatever their age or family situation.

What you will be doing

• Agree a mutual time and frequency to meet in the local community
• To develop and promote a positive relationship with your befriendee
• To encourage your befriendee to engage in social activities and support them in doing so whilst building their confidence
• To support your befriendee in developing their goals and social skills
• To advocate for our Service User if any issues arise with their tenancy or other issues that may need resolving

The skills you need

• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere which motivates and inspires others
• Willingness to engage in activities in the community
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality and follow professional boundaries
• To be consistent in attendance

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Do you enjoy playing games and engaging with people? Are you interested in boosting people’s socialising abilities and cater a safe and cheerful experience? If so, we are recruiting for a volunteer to facilitate weekly games and chat sessions at our Service in Brent.

Playing games is a good boost of confidence every once in a while for everyone playing to feel like a winner. In turn confidence turns into happiness which is an instant mood enhancer. Also holding conversations is a great team activity to help people engage and build their confidence.

What you will be doing

• Coordinate and set up a weekly games and chat group
• Create a safe space for individuals to express themselves
• Teach people how to play new card and board games
• In the sessions encourage members of the group to connect and relate to each other through playing cards, board games and holding conversations

The skills you need

• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Calm, patient, friendly and welcoming
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback, and report any concerns to the staff team.

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications.
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

We are recruiting for a volunteer who would like to play a role in helping others to express themselves through writing. Would you like to support others to use their imagination to portray a message?

Creative writing is a great way to express yourself using your own creativity and imagination through story telling or poetry. It is an opportunity to reflect on your own experiences and put it down on paper. Creative writing has been shown to improve emotional and mental well-being. Through creative writing, we can gain insight into our emotions, develop self-expression and communication skills, cultivate empathy and understanding of others, boost our imagination and creativity.

What you will be doing

• To prepare creative writing sessions, involving individuals in the planning process where possible
• Inspire and motivate individuals to develop and expand their capacity to think creatively, improve their ability to put their thoughts and feelings into writing and allowing others to find their voice
• Encourage individuals to continue independent activities
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback and report any concerns to the staff team

The skills you need

• Experience of creative writing either in a professional, educational or personal level
• Able to collaborate with individuals to plan creative writing sessions
• A calm and patient manner
• Ability to provide a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Good communication skills

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications.
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards, outings, celebration, and social events for our volunteers to get together and have some fun; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering.

olunteer your time at Hestia to make our gardens a beautiful place for adults to enjoy all year through! Are you green fingered and have a passion for gardens and outdoor spaces?

At Hestia we have gardens and outdoor spaces which require your support to bring these back to life by keeping them maintained. We are recruiting for volunteers to motivate and inspire staff and people living in our services to get involved in gardening.

Engaging in gardening has shown to have both immediate and long-term effects on mental health. Gardening for several hours has been known to reduce depression, stress and anxiety.

What you will be doing

• General maintenance of first floor conservatory garden
• Assisting with the maintenance of the Fish Tank
• Assisting staff to maintain the garden areas when needed

The skills you need

• Must be mobile; the garden is the top floor and there is no lift access
• Gardening experience
• Passion for gardening and helping others
• Collaborative, good team working and communication skills
• Experience using gardening tools and knowledge of plants and weeds is a plus

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Do you enjoy walking, meeting others and having a good chat? If so, we have the perfect volunteering role for you?

Facilitating a weekly walking group, you will contribute to a timetable to support people to reduce isolation, improve their physical activity, self-care and create a community for them to come together to build connections and friendships.

Join our team and inspire others to exercise through a weekly walk. You will create an opportunity for people to support each other, provide that additional boost to exercise and go for a walk even when they may not be feeling the motivation. 

What you will be doing

• Coordinate and facilitate weekly walks in local parks to the service alongside other volunteers
• Meet with the walking group weekly
• Hold conversations with people attending the group, checking in on their wellbeing and providing a listening ear/friendly face
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback, and report any concerns to the staff team
• Meet at a designated point and travel via public transport to a local park

The skills you need

• Inspire and motivate people to attend the walking group
• Ability to identify, manage any possible risks that may arise during the walking group. Training will be provided
• Willing and able to go on a weekly walk lasting approximately 60-90 minutes
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages participation
• Calm and patient approach

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Meditation can give us a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both our emotional wellbeing and overall health. Do you have experience in delivering meditation sessions and would like to give back your time to support people in crisis?

We are recruiting for a volunteer to run weekly online meditation sessions.

The hustle and bustle of everyday life can leave us feeling tired and burnt out. People in our services are feeling this more than ever and would benefit from learning mindfulness techniques and strategies. It is important for us to pay more attention to the present moment, our own thoughts, feelings and the world around us as it is known to support and improve our mental wellbeing, sleep, and increase our overall happiness.

Are you interested, if so, get in touch!

What you will be doing

• Facilitate a weekly meditation session, one to one or in a small group over video call
• Plan each session and identify any items needed for the Meditation sessions
• Lead on the logistics and set up of the session alongside the staff team
• Inspire and motivate people using the services to attend
• Keep a record of attendees, provide feedback, and report any concerns to the staff team

The skills you need

• Experience delivering Meditation group sessions
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Calm and patient approach

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Volunteer your time at Hestia to make our gardens a beautiful place for adults to enjoy all year through! Are you green fingered and have a passion for gardens and outdoor spaces?

At Hestia we have gardens and outdoor spaces which require your support to bring these back to life by keeping them maintained. We are recruiting for volunteers to motivate and inspire staff and people living in our services to get involved in gardening.

Engaging in gardening has shown to have both immediate and long-term effects on mental health. Gardening for several hours has been known to reduce depression, stress and anxiety.

What you will be doing

• General maintenance of first floor conservatory garden
• Assisting with the maintenance of the Fish Tank
• Assisting staff to maintain the garden areas when needed

The skills you need

• Must be mobile; the garden is the top floor and there is no lift access
• Gardening experience
• Passion for gardening and helping others
• Collaborative, good team working and communication skills
• Experience using gardening tools and knowledge of plants and weeds is a plus

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues that impact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

Location: Cardiff / Swansea

Advocacy Support Cymru (ASC) is a registered charity with offices in Swansea and Cardiff. ASC provides statutory independent mental health and mental capacity advocacy across much of South Wales, currently employs 45 staff and has an annual turnover of £2.5m.

This is a non-salaried position however expenses are paid.

The Charity Commissions 6 key duties of a Charity Trustee: -

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purpose for the public benefit
• Comply with the Charity's governing document and the law
• Act in the Charity's best interests
• Manage the Charity's resources responsibly
• Act with reasonable care and skill
• Ensure that the Charity is accountable

With respect to the above, you will be expected to play an important role in the governance of the organisation, the maintenance of a vital and healthy organisational culture and the business development of the organisation as a whole in a highly competitive specialist field.

Mae Advocacy Support Cymru (ASC) yn elusen gofrestredig a chanddi swyddfeydd yn Abertawe a Chaerdydd. Mae ASC yn darparu eiriolaeth statudol annibynnol ym maes iechyd meddl a chapasiti meddl, a hynny dros ardal eang o dde Cymru; ar hyn o bryd mae'r elusen yn cyflogi 45 o staff ac mae ei throsiant blynyddol yn £2.5m.

Swydd ddi-gyflog yw hon, ond telir costau.

Chwe dyletswydd allweddol y Comisiwn Elusennau parthed Ymddiriedolwr Elusen:

• Sichau bod yr Elusen yn cyflawni ei dibenion er budd y cyhoedd
• Cydymffurfio a dogfen lywodraethol yr Elusen a'r gyfraith
• Gweithredu er lles gorau'r Elusen
• Rheoli adnoddau'r Elusen mewn modd cyfrifol
• Gweithredu gyda gofal a sgil rhesymol
• Sicrhau bod yr Elusen yn atebol

Yng nghyd-destun yr uchod, disgwylir i chi chwarae rôl bwysig yn nhrefn lywodraethu'r sefydliad, cynnal diwylliant sefydliadol hanfodol ac iach, a datblygu busnes y sefydliad yn ei gyfanwydd mewn maes arbenigol a hynod gystadleuol.

Location: Cardiff / Swansea

Advocacy Support Cymru (ASC) is a registered charity with offices in Swansea and Cardiff. ASC provides statutory independent mental health and mental capacity advocacy across much of South Wales, currently employs 45 staff and has an annual turnover of £2.5m.

This is a non-salaried position however expenses are paid.

The Charity Commissions 6 key duties of a Charity Trustee: -

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purpose for the public benefit
• Comply with the Charity's governing document and the law
• Act in the Charity's best interests
• Manage the Charity's resources responsibly
• Act with reasonable care and skill
• Ensure that the Charity is accountable

With respect to the above, you will be expected to play an important role in the governance of the organisation, the maintenance of a vital and healthy organisational culture and the business development of the organisation as a whole in a highly competitive specialist field.

Mae Advocacy Support Cymru (ASC) yn elusen gofrestredig a chanddi swyddfeydd yn Abertawe a Chaerdydd. Mae ASC yn darparu eiriolaeth statudol annibynnol ym maes iechyd meddl a chapasiti meddl, a hynny dros ardal eang o dde Cymru; ar hyn o bryd mae'r elusen yn cyflogi

45 o staff ac mae ei throsiant blynyddol yn £2.5m.

Swydd ddi-gyflog yw hon, ond telir costau.

Chwe dyletswydd allweddol y Comisiwn Elusennau parthed Ymddiriedolwr Elusen:

• Sichau bod yr Elusen yn cyflawni ei dibenion er budd y cyhoedd
• Cydymffurfio a dogfen lywodraethol yr Elusen a'r gyfraith
• Gweithredu er lles gorau'r Elusen
• Rheoli adnoddau'r Elusen mewn modd cyfrifol
• Gweithredu gyda gofal a sgil rhesymol
• Sicrhau bod yr Elusen yn atebol

Yng nghyd-destun yr uchod, disgwylir i chi chwarae rôl bwysig yn nhrefn lywodraethu'r sefydliad, cynnal diwylliant sefydliadol hanfodol ac iach, a datblygu busnes y sefydliad yn ei gyfanwydd mewn maes arbenigol a hynod gystadleuol.

A fantastic opportunity to join this grant making charity based in Fulham which helps people and organisations in Fulham.  The charity has been in existance for over 400 years old and we are looking for two new Trustes to join the board.  We are looking for people who either have a lived experience of living with need in Fulham or they work closely with people in the Fulham community who are living with need, through either a paid or voluntary capacity.  It doesn't matter if you haven't been a Trustee before, because we will provide support and training if you need it.

We give our grants to individuals and organisations and we need people who can help make these decisions, so as a new Trustee you will also be invited to either join the Relief in Committee or the Development Committe. 

Full details about the charity can be found in the pack and details on how to apply.  Please do also get in touch if you want to have a initial chat and our CEO will be very happy to tell you more about the role and the charity. 

We are looking for a volunteer to work with residents at our supported accommodation to maintain our beautiful and spacious garden. The women we support here have experience multiple disadvantages, which can include experiencing VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls), significant mental health support needs and/or problematic alcohol and/or substance use. We believe that spending time in nature, socialising and working together on a shared project is beneficial for mental and physical health, as well as building positive connections between residents in the house. Ella House is trauma-informed service and endeavours to give the women opportunities for personal agency over their own space.

About the role

You will work alongside our Wellbeing Group worker to support the delivery of outdoor wellbeing sessions, which will also include:

• Maintaining and improving the beauty of our outdoor garden space.
• Supporting the facilitation of gardening activities which could include planting and nurturing trees, bushes, flowers, shrubs and other greenery.
• Tasks may also include other landscaping activities such as building rockeries, shelters, etc.
• Helping to create wellbeing areas in the garden which might include herb gardens, vegetable patches or sheltered quiet spaces.
• Providing supportive encouragement, enabling residents to recognise their self-worth, gain self-confidence and improve their social skills.
• Supporting clients to learn practical skills that may lead to voluntary work or employment.
• Carrying out standard gardening maintenance

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer who has a keen interest and knowledge in horticulture. The ideal volunteer will have:

• Patience, tolerance and understanding.
• The ability to relate positively and respectfully to people, with a non-judgemental attitude.
• The ability to encourage and motivate.
• The ability to share various gardening related skills.
• The ability to make the most of limited or non-existent budgets.
• Basic awareness of mental health issues and substance use.
• Self-motivated – able to carry out tasks unsupervised.
• Flexibility regarding variety of tasks associated with the role.
• An interest or understanding of working with women affected by domestic/sexual violence/mental health/substance use.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Reliable and good time management.

What can you gain from this opportunity?

As part of this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Use gardening skills to gain experience of supporting women with multiple needs in a trauma-informed way.
• Gain a better understanding of the impact of domestic/sexual violence on women and children and how supported accommodation operates.
• Join a positive, motivated and enthusiastic team of women making a difference in people’s lives.

We offer great volunteer induction training, where you will be fully supported to understand and carry put every aspect of the role. Training includes CPD accredited courses, and the opportunity to apply to complete the Tackling and Preventing Domestic Abuse Award (DAPA), which is recognized by the Home Office.

Please note that our volunteer opportunities are open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1), and that these volunteer roles are exempt from the rehabilitation of offenders act 1974 and subject to enhanced DBS checks where applicable.

Applications which are incomplete will not be reviewed. All our roles are during office hours only unless stated otherwise.

Wanstead and Woodford Migrant Support is recruiting passionate

People to join its Team

If you share our belief that everyone, no matter where they are from or what their background is, should be treated with dignity and respect and have equal opportunity to achieve their potential, we want to hear from you.

About us

Motivated by Christian faith, Wanstead and Woodford Migrant Support (WWMS) is a small charity in North East London that provides free immigration advice and advocacy for people seeking asylum, refugees and other vulnerable migrants.

Many of the people that we support have experienced insecure immigration status, homelessness or risk of homelessness, poor physical and/or mental health, difficulties finding employment and money issues. We are currently developing our provision to include more holistic support for those who access our services.

To find out more about our work, please visit our website.

Skills and experience

We are looking for passionate people who will help us to build a vibrant board, and who:

· are able to work effectively as a team and participate at the heart of decision making

· have lived experience of the issues our clients face, or have worked with people experiencing one or more of these issues

· will actively seek and promote equal opportunity for migrants

We would welcome applications from someone who could support us with one or more of our current priorities:

· to identify suitable funders and make applications; and develop a fundraising strategy that will make our work more sustainable

· to recruit a paid volunteer coordinator; and recruit more volunteers to productive and fulfilling positions

About the role

This is a voluntary position.  Previous experience as a trustee is not necessary as training will be provided.  We welcome applications from all ages and backgrounds.

We are looking for people who have time to commit to the organisation. Volunteer trustees are expected to prepare for and attend our regular board meetings, that are held four times per year. We also ask that contribute to other meetings and projects when you can.

To find out more about what it means to be a trustee, see: ‘The essential trustee’. 

What WWMS will provide you

· the chance to make a real difference to the lives of those that we support

· induction and buddy with another experienced trustee

· payment of expenses

· training and networking opportunities with like-minded organisations

· experience in making strategic decisions and developing skills in organisational manage   

The impact a volunteer telephone befriender can have on a lonely individual is amazing and for many of our service users our volunteer telephone befrienders are the only people in their lives who can offer quality time for a nice chat. With just one hour of your time per week you can help provide companionship and support for someone suffering from chronic loneliness. 

You will have to complete a DBS check and an Adult’s Safeguarding training, both covered by our organisation.

For this role volunteers will gain: 

• Confidence using the telephone.

• Develop interpersonal and communication skills. 

• Free Safeguarding and DBS check

Time Commitment 

Volunteers can give a minimum of 1 hour per week and must commit to a minimum of 3 months. However, the longer you commit to this role the more you will benefit. 

Training

• Level 2 Safeguarding adults 

We offer ongoing supervision and regular catch ups with team members. The volunteer has the opportunity to meet with fellow volunteers for monthly or bimonthly zoom events. 

Is a DBS Check required? 

• We require all applicants to provide two references. DBS is required for this role, but the cost will be provided by the Dialogue Society

Personal Requirements 

• Engage with a client to provide support on a weekly basis or schedule a specific time with the client. 

• For this role you will need a clear and polite telephone manner.

• The ability to actively listen, empathise and promote conversation.

• Adhere to the appropriate guidelines while communicating with the clients, preserving the reputation of the organisation. 

• To identify if a person may be at risk and alert a supervisor.

• To maintain confidentiality. 

• To work within a team of volunteers and staff.

• To work within Dialogue Society’s policies and procedures

• A non-discriminatory and a non-judgemental attitude 

• Reliable