Volunteer Support Workers Volunteer Roles in Bristol

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.

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.

 Home-Visiting volunteers are an essential part of the Home-Start in Suffolk service – providing emotional and practical support to a family, in the family’s own home, once a week.

As a volunteer, you will be carefully matched with a family, then introduced by one of our experienced staff team.  A unique support package will be devised based on the needs of the family and a day and time for each weekly visit will be agreed to suit both you and the family.

You will build a trusting professional friendship with the family, offering emotional support, guidance and practical help during your visits, sharing your own experiences, with the ultimate goal to empower families with the confidence and skills to cope alone once support ends, creating a legacy of a long term difference.

No experience is needed as full training is provided.

We host a range of groups across Suffolk from Stay & Play, infant massage and Special Education Needs,  to groups for Military families, cooking workshops and pre- and post-natal support. Group volunteers play a key role in the running of these sessions, providing additional support to the attending families and helping with group-based activities. 

No experience is needed as full training is provided.

Do you enjoying talking with people and helping them based on your life experiences?

Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?

Yes? We’d love to hear from you.

What is knus?

knus is the UK’s first free, confidential, mental health peer support and coaching online chat service. knus offers mental health educational plans, relaxation experiences and live workshops.

What does knus mean? 'hug' in Danish.

Here’s some further information on what’s needed:

Are you over 18 and living in the UK?

You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.

Do you have a laptop?

A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.

How much time can you give?

A minimum of 3+ hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.

Do you like to learn?

We provide training for all volunteers that join us. Our peer support training is CPD accredited.  20-25 hours of volunteering training is required and is self led online.

If you’re interested head over to our website and we can have a chat or apply here.

Please note - all successful volunteers are required to donate the cost price of £20.60 for an Enhanced DBS check.  If you've got a current Enhanced DBS on the update service, this cost will not apply.

You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.

You will make weekly contact via telephone or video call for up to 1-hour, providing emotional support and a listening ear for our families based in Suffolk.  Perhaps sharing your own experiences, to help families navigate through a challenging time.

 Telephone support is a great way to give back even when your time is limited. Telephone and virtual support can suit full time work as well as company volunteering opportunities. It is flexible and can fit in around your other regular commitments allowing you the chance to get involved and give back to your community in Suffolk at a time that suits you and the family you are supporting.

No experience is needed as full training is provided.

Would you like to have fun in your local area and get reimbursed for your time? We are always looking for caring and compassionate people to take out a local child or young person for fun activities.

Right now we are looking for applicants in the South Wales area for a fabulous young person who enjoys marvel, climbing, cinema, food and chats. They would prefer a male, but we have other young people who would fit well with a female volunteer.

Activities can include things like: playing football in the park, trampolining, cinema, food, swimming, climbing, play centres, beach, cycling, board game cafes, escape rooms, circus, shows, concerts, go karting etc.

We reimburse reasonable expenses, including travel, for you and your young person up to around £40 a month.

Preferred experience:
- Driving and use of a car due to sometimes rural locations. (We are unlikely to be able to find you a suitable match if you do not drive.)
- Ability to communicate in English.
- Basic IT skills for completing reports and submitting receipts via an easy to use App.

Benefits:
- Opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
- Gain valuable experience in supporting children and families.
- Access to online training portal with hundreds of courses. - Access to local authority training.
- All travel and reasonable documented expenses reimbursed.

If you are passionate about helping others and making a positive impact, we would love to hear from you.

Volunteer Role Description

Light Touch Volunteer

Responsible to: Volunteer Coordinator

Time commitment: Minimum 3 hour’s a week

Location: Home

About the service

North East Wales Mind is a progressive mental health organisation that supports people experiencing mental health difficulties to flourish. The aim of our work is to help people build on their strengths, overcome obstacles, and become more in control of their lives. We have faith and optimism in our clients and so the services we deliver are built around their needs. We support the people of Flintshire and Wrexham to discover their own resources to ‘recover’ from periods of poor mental health, and to live life independently with their mental health condition.

Purpose of role:

To provide phone support to service users from home/ office. This role is flexible (you can make calls anytime between 5-7pm and requires you to call a client for up to half an hour a week for a period of up to 3 months.

Must have access to the internet and a phone that can switch to private setting or NEWMIND can provide them with a phone, or use of office equipment.

Main tasks:

· Providing emotional support via phone

· Assessing surrounding support

· Advising them with available provisions and services locally

· Providing practical support such as learning activities, wellbeing practises and links available to service user from home

· Writing records of dates and times and phone discussions

· Reporting back to the Volunteer Coordinator via email and phone for any extra available support

· Report any safeguarding concerns immediately to a member of staff.

What we are looking for:

· Confident and effective communication

· Understanding of professional boundaries

· Caring nature

· Knowledge of local services is desired.

· Lived experience of mental health difficulty desirable

· Understanding of, or experience of caring for someone with mental health difficulty, can be helpful but is not essential.

· Good listening skills, non-judgemental attitude, and empathy

· Ability to motivate.

· Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner.

· Commitment for a minimum of 6 months

· Volunteers must be aged 18 and over.

What we can offer you:

· All volunteers will receive training in mental health awareness, confidentiality, boundaries, risk management, plus on-going training relevant to the role.

· Regular supervision with the Volunteer Coordinator

· Volunteer expenses

Zambia Orphans Aid UK (ZOA-UK) is looking for part-time volunteers to support our Digital & Communications work by giving three hours a week. The ideal candidate/s will have a passion for all things digital and an interest in international development. We are seeking people who have good digital understanding, a flare for design and experience of creating social media content across a range of platforms.

You will possess a positive attitude together with a proactive approach to problem solving. You will be home-based and have the freedom to set your own hours, so self-motivation is essential. 

This post will support ZOA-UK’s communications and digital activities to increase the reach, profile and influence of the charity and build our brand as a leading charity supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Africa. Our volunteers support the small team to create a cohesive and effective approach to delivering our messages to target audiences, driving supporter engagement and donations, and raising awareness of the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.

Range of likely duties to include:

1. Write up case studies and stories of change and ensure they and accompanying photographs and video footage are stored securely in our image and case study database

2. Help build our social media activity to achieve measurable outcomes in terms of raising awareness, and increasing numbers of supporters who convert to become donors

3. Use Canva to create inspiring content for social media channels – Instagram, facebook, X, linkedin etc

4. Create blogs, infographics and other content for the website, ZOA-UK’s supporter newsletters and annual report

- Join the Movement: Empower Young Migrants with We Belong! -

Board of Trustees Chair Role

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of young migrants? Do you believe in creating a fair and inclusive society for all?

Immigration is not just a topic of discussion—it's a reality for thousands of young people in the UK. At We Belong, we're pioneering change. We're not just another charity; we're a community led by young migrants, fighting for equal treatment and an end to the hostile immigration environment.

Our Mission:

Co-Founded in 2019 by Chrisann Jarrett MBE, We Belong is more than a charity—it's a force for change. We've already achieved significant victories, from challenging unfair immigration policies to securing scholarships for deserving young people. In 2021, We Belong’s work contributed to a new shorter route to settlement being introduced. Young migrants who are fully integrated in the UK now have five-year route to settlement, rather than the previous 10-years. It’s estimated that that over 300,000 children and young people could benefit from this policy change. Now, we're on a new mission: to ensure that every young migrant has the opportunity to thrive in the UK.

What We Offer:

- Immigration Support: Legal advice, training, and resources to empower young migrants.

- University and Career Support: Guidance on applications, scholarships, and career pathways.

- Leadership Development: Mentorship programs to nurture the leaders of tomorrow.

- Engagement Opportunities: Join our outreach and community engagement efforts.

- Safe Space & Community: A supportive network for guidance and connection.

You can learn more about our work by watching our videos: Education, Leadership Progammes, Mental Health and Support. Please see Position Description attachement for the links to the videos.

The Opportunity:

We Belong is seeking a voluntary Chair to lead our board of Trustees. This is a chance to drive real change, working alongside passionate individuals dedicated to our cause. We need someone with strategic vision, governance experience, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

Key Responsibilities:

- Chair board meetings and provide strategic leadership to the Trustee team.

- Ensure compliance with governing documents and charitable objectives.

- Support the CEO on strategy and best practices.

- Critically assess risks and opportunities and develop effective strategies in the context of the Charitable purpose of We Belong.

- Resolve conflicts and make timely decisions.

Experience & Skills:

We're looking for someone with a background in the migration field, governance, or related fields. Experience in leadership is essential, advocacy, or youth development is highly desirable. We value lived experience and so candidates with lived experience of the UK immigration system are welcome to apply. Most importantly, we need someone with a passion for making a difference.

Time Commitment & Location:

Preparation for quarterly board meetings, both in person and remote, as well as the opportunity to participate in selected committees. The Chair will also supervise the CEO through regular 1:1 meeting and represent We Belong at sector events.

Join Us: Shape the Future!

This is an exciting opportunity to lead We Belong into our next phase of development. If you're ready to champion diversity, empower young migrants, and drive meaningful change, we want to hear from you.

Apply Now: Send your CV and a covering letter outlining why you would like to be the next We Belong Chair to us by the 26th February 5pm. Interviews will be held on the week commencing 3rd and 10th March depending on availability.

Together, let's create a brighter future for young migrants in the UK. With We Belong, you belong.

We Belong - Empowering Young Migrants

Join Us as a Volunteer and Make a Difference!

Here are 4 reasons you’ll love to volunteer with us:

Be Part of Change - Help create a more connected, peaceful community.

Flexible Opportunities - Choose the mission that resonates with you.

Grow Your Skills - Gain valuable experience in a supportive environment.

Work with an Inspiring Team - Our volunteers are passionate about what they do.

About Global Education and Development cic

Global Education and Development is a youth organization dedicated to peace education and global citizenship. Our mission is to provide educational tools, activities, and training for children and young people (ages 3-18) as well as adults who support them. Within several international projects, we actively participate in youth development and youth worker exchanges. 

Volunteering with us

We have several inspiring projects where your support is invaluable! Choose one of the following or propose another project that interests you:

• Visit the Elderly: Spend meaningful time with seniors, creating interpersonal connections and brightening their days.

• Youth Mentorship and Guidance: Provide young people with positive, informal learning experiences that encourage growth and support.

• “Friendship Fridays” Organizer: Help us host our vibrant, diverse social gatherings where everyone can connect and celebrate unity in diversity.

We are also open to proposals! If you have a project that is close to your heart, share it with us, and together we will see how to integrate it into our program.

Why Volunteer with GLED?

At GLED, we strive to create a space where everyone feels valued and empowered to make a difference. By joining us, you’re contributing to initiatives that promote peace, education, and positive change for communities locally and globally.

What We’re Looking For

You are located in the UK. You don’t need any specific experience—just a passion for working with people, an open mind, and a commitment to our mission. We value diverse backgrounds and perspectives, as they strengthen our team and impact.

Next Steps

If you're interested, we’d love to hear from you! After you apply, we’ll invite you for an informal chat to discuss the role and get to know each other. We may ask for a couple of references (personal contacts who can vouch for you).

How to Apply

Send us an email expressing your interest via the apply button.

Join GLED and become part of an organization dedicated to peace, global citizenship, and a world where everyone can make a difference!

We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative volunteer to join Jawbone Collective as a Publicity and Public Relations coordinator. This role is perfect for someone passionate about arts and culture who wants to gain hands-on experience in public relations and marketing.

This is more a traditional Public Relations role as we have someone on our team working with social media. However there is a requirement to align the promotional strategies and content with this team member.

As part of our inclusive creative community, you'll contribute to an organisation that champions diverse voices, including neurodivergent, disabled, LGBTQIA+ and working-class writers. While a love for literature isn't required, you'll be supporting a mission that makes literary opportunities accessible to all through affordable programs and free submission opportunities.

We will consider applicants who wish to hold a temporary position (12 weeks minimum)

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement publicity strategies to promote Jawbone Collective's events, publications and workshops
• Proactive in sourcing opportunities for The Jawbone Collective to be promoted locally and online.
• Write and distribute press releases and media announcements
• Maintain relationships with local media contacts and community partners
• Assist in organising and promoting public events
• Track and report on publicity efforts
• Create engaging content for social media platforms (

Ideal Candidate:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Basic knowledge of graphic design and photo editing
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Interest in arts, culture, and community engagement

Time Commitment:

In the initial settling period there would be more hours per week, this can be negotiated (possible 10 - 15 hours) however long term the hours may sit at 6 hours a fortnight.

Remote working however if you live in the SW of England and wish to be more involved in the activities of Jawbone Collective this is encouraged.

Benefits:

• Gain valuable experience in public relations and marketing
• Build a professional portfolio
• Network with arts and culture professionals
• Be part of a dynamic and creative community organisation

To apply, please send your CV and a Cover Letter

About The Jawbone Collective

The Jawbone Collective CIC is a dynamic non-profit voluntary arts organisation based in the Southwest of England, dedicated to nurturing poets and writers across the Wessex Region. Founded in 2019, we've grown from our initial mission of publishing poets to becoming a comprehensive creative hub offering multiple activities to engage and contribute to our community.

Our core community of 15 poets and writers represent diverse voices, including LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, disabled communities. We actively challenge publishing industry norms by making literary opportunities accessible to groups in the community that need to overcome many barriers to have a profession in literature. Our mission centres on building confidence in creatives and enabling them to celebrate and share their work through publication and performance.

Here at Youth4Youth, we have grown a strong, tight-knit community of individuals who are passionate about making a difference and improving the lives of young people across the UK. Our growing team of volunteers all contribute, significantly, to the impact that we have as a charity on our direct beneficiaries, regardless of the department that they work in of the level of time that they are able to commit. Our services primarily offer a peer-support network to young people right across the UK, allowing them to access a peer mentor who is of a similar age to them and somebody that they feel more comfortable speaking with.

If successful, you will be joining a growing team of diverse, but likeminded individuals, collaborating to increase the reach of the Charity and improve support provisions available to young people. All of our volunteers and employees are remote workers, but that doesn't stop us keeping in touch and maintaining a strong positive culture amongst our whole team.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join a rapidly scaling Charity, supporting the delivery of all critical leadership activities. Working directly with the CEO, the EA to the CEO will provide crucial support to enable the CEO to deliver their core activities in driving the Charity forward. This role will involve core, regular tasks, as well as opportunities to get involved in a variety of projects and initiatives where possible. 

Responsibilities 

• Provide regular administrative support to the CEO of the Charity, including calendar management, filing, scheduling, internal engagement and other activities as required.
• Provide support to the broader network of Administrative staff and the Executive Leadership Team as required.
• Maintain financial records of the Charity by ensuring all transactions are correctly recorded into financial systems with the appropriate approvals and evidence in place.
• Distribute monthly financial reports to the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees that are produced from financial systems.
• Collect and collate key data across all areas of the Charity to populate leadership KPI scorecards and distribute monthly KPI reports to the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.

Skills 

• Technically capable, with experience in using Microsoft Platforms and Xero (specific system experience desired but not required as training can be provided)
• Ability to be self-motivated and organised, as well as an ability to organise and support others
• Positive, can-do attitude to get involved with any activities required to support the CEO and the broader Charity
• Ability to learn quickly, and be adaptable to change as the Charity scales
• Ability to lead, coach and mentor others, especially other administrative staff within the Charity.

Our mission is to continue to grow towards becoming one of the best charities in the UK. Our aim is to do this by building a diverse team, rich with different backgrounds and perspectives. Therefore, even if you feel you only are a 75% match, we would still love to hear from you. Skills can be learned, but diversity cannot.

Benefits of volunteering with Youth4Youth

We recognise that you will be joining us and giving your time as an 'in-kind' donation, but there must be benefits for you too. When joining our team, you will be open to the following benefits:

• Professional and personal development opportunities in a variety of skill areas through volunteering in real roles. This may be general development or tailored to your specific needs or ambitions
• Becoming a member of a strong network of likeminded individuals, spread across the UK, who you can connect with and collaborate with both within and outside of the Charity
• Access to bespoke discounts, specifically designed for non-profit workers and Youth4Youth volunteers
• Opportunities to truly shape the future of the Charity, having a direct influence over the impact that Teenage Helpline has on its direct beneficiaries

The hiring process

Our hiring process typically has two stages 

1. Video or Written Application (when applicable) 
2. Interview with the Volunteering Coordinator for that role

Some roles will have extra stages but we’ll let you know as early as possible if so.

Please let us know if you require any accommodations for the interview process, and we’ll do our best to assist.

We are looking for a committed, experienced person to join our voluntary Trustee board as Treasurer. This is a strategic/advisory, and the focus of the Treasurer is not to manage the Charity’s finances on a day-to-day basis. 

The overall role is to:

• Advise the Board of Trustees on the Charity’s financial health, liaising where appropriate with the CEO and the Head of Finance and Administration. 
• Chair the Finance and Income Generation subcommittee, in line with our terms of reference. 
• Provide Board level liaison with external auditors. 
• Support and advise the CEO and Head of Finance and Administration, on the requirements underpinning proper financial governance and procedures. Regular liaison with Chair of Trustees, CEO and HFA is expected. 
• Commitment of 18 hours per year + Quarterly Board meetings plus 5 Finance Committee Meetings

The ideal candidates will possess: 

• A strong financial background and ability to interpret accounts.
• Demonstrate good independent judgement with a willingness to ask questions when necessary. 
• Ability to work as part of our Board of Trustees, showing commitment to the role, the principles of EDI and the charity’s goals and mission. 
• A willingness to contribute time and effort to the Charity by volunteering for some of our fund-raising events and service provision.

A high level accounting qualification is not necessary but accounting experience will be paramount, please get in touch to discuss.