Youth Children Volunteer Roles

Become the new friendly face in your local Tŷ Hafan charity shop!

We are Tŷ Hafan. We provide comfort, care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their loved ones.

This opportunity is a great way to develop new skills and enjoy yourself at the same time.

Our shops generate funds that directly support the whole family, from medical care and therapeutic services for children, to emotional and practical care for families, to sibling support activities & experiences.

Your role will help us continue providing vital care and support to Tŷ Hafan children and their families.

Considerations:

Age requirement: 16+

Commitment:  Our shops operate Monday-Saturday, 9am-4:45pm and we appreciate any time you can spare, but ideally at least 2 hours per week.

Shifts will be discussed during your informal chat.

Background checks: We will ask you to provide us with the details of two referees.

Activities include:

• Providing a warm and friendly welcome to all customers entering the shop;
• Helping customers to locate items they are looking for;
• Serving customers at the till;
• Taking donations and promoting Gift Aid;
• Selling and processing our raffle/lottery tickets;
• Acting as an ambassador for Tŷ Hafan, promoting our Big Ambition within your local community..

Benefits of Volunteering for Tŷ Hafan

​• Volunteer discount in our charity shops
• Professional reference after 3 months
• TempoTime Credits
• Value in the Vale credits (for Vale of Glamorgan)
• Meet new people and make new friends
• Develop professional skills
• Most importantly, have fun and know you are making a difference.

This role is purely voluntary and this arrangement is not meant to be a legally binding one or an employment contract.

Providing care and support is something we are only able to do because of the kindness and commitment of our wonderful staff, supporters and volunteers.

Bright Futures UK is looking for passionate and knowledgeable KS3 English tutors to provide educational support and a fun, safe learning environment for young people living with long-term illnesses. 

What will you be doing? 

• Run tutoring sessions online to support a young person. 
• Offer subject area knowledge and expertise related to KS3 English curriculum. 
• Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions. 

What are we looking for? 

• Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of KS2 and KS3 English concepts and specifications.
• Teaching Skills: Ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.
• Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.
• Reliability: Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment.
• You must be a UK resident and be at least 18 years old.

What difference will you make? 

• Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.
• Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.
• Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. 

What will you gain?

• The opportunity to fight education inequities and make a difference in a young person's life
• Enhanced DBS Certificate
• Safeguarding level one training
• Skill development opportunities and practical experience

Location 

• Remote/Online

Time 

• 1 Hour per Week 
•  Duration: 14 Weeks minimum

Everyone has hopes, dreams and ambitions, for some of us it is more difficult to turn them into reality. At St Albans Mencap we believe everyone is unique and deserves the chance to reach out and create their own future.

SNAP (Special Needs Activities and Play) is an organisation that offers respite care to children and young people aged 5 to 19 years old, who have learning disabilities of varying severity. Some service users may also have physical or sensory disabilities and/or behaviour that is challenging. We aim to provide stimulating play opportunities and good quality childcare, tailored to meet the needs of children and young adults with special needs.

We run ongoing Saturday clubs during school term-time in both Hemel Hempstead and St Albans, as well as running Playschemes during the Easter, Christmas, Summer, and half term school holidays. Volunteer can choose which of our dates they would like to work, allowing for flexibility around other commitments.

All volunteers are provided with training opportunities to enable us to provide a high standard service. Some of our training opportunities include: Safeguarding, Paediatric First Aid, Epilepsy Awareness and Seizure Response, and Moving & Handling. Our roles will give you the chance to enjoy a variety of challenging and rewarding experiences.  

Being part of the St Albans Mencap team enables you to meet new friends and gain life and work experience in a setting you may currently be unfamiliar with. It can also count towards your Duke of Edinburgh Award and shows commitment to supporting your local community, which ultimately looks great when applying for college, university places, or even a new job.

We also have opportunities for volunteer to progress to staff - Play Worker position. 

Positions are subject to satisfactory DBS check and references.

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Schedule:

• Flexible hours
• Weekends
• Christmas, Easter and Summer Holiday
• School term time

Multilingual Support Volunteer - make a difference in a day during a half term and/or weekend

Date: 

Workshops will take place during the half term or weekends. The dates for these workshops will be confirmed in the new year  as workshop dates are decided closer to the time. We have provisional dates where the workshops will fall into. These dates are:

Monday 17th-Friday 21st of February 2025
Monday 7 April - Monday 21 April 2025
Monday 26 May - Friday 30 May 2025

Volunteers can be made aware of ad hoc sessions from now until August 2025

Location: Within community centres; Ealing, Greenford and Northolt (West London)

Address: TBC

Timings: Most likely 10am-1pm

Volunteers: up to 6 volunteers

Who will see the difference? Family members of children and young people receiving mental health support 

We have a new pilot project aiming to support the referral of young people into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) with a focus on early intervention, particularly within BAME communities. Our goal is to raise awareness of mental health among young people while identifying barriers to accessing mental health support. We collaborate with children, young people, and their families in the community to empower them to discuss mental health openly and seek support when needed. As link workers, we engage with BAME communities, including Punjabi, Somali, and Arab populations, by delivering workshops and focus groups within the community. We work closely with parents, offering workshops to help them support both themselves and their children. Through these sessions, we’ve identified that some attendees need language support. To ensure that everyone benefits from our workshops, we provide assistance to parents for whom English is not the first language, enabling them to fully engage with the content in their first language. By offering this support, you will help make a meaningful difference for those who might otherwise feel excluded.  

The volunteering activity:

We will require support with;

•    Putting in a MS meeting beforehand so that we can go through anything you want to talk about/discuss with us 
•    Answering any questions that the participants may have 
•    Sitting with individuals who need support in the session
•    Finding ways in which we can support you after the workshop  

Key considerations:

Ability to translate from English to one or more of the following languages noted below.  We aim to create a welcoming environment where both parents and volunteers feel comfortable and supported. It's important to us that parents can express themselves in their native language and feel safe and heard. If you share this vision and would like to be part of this effort, please reach out.

These are the languages we need support with to translate:

Languages for translation

Somali

Hindi

Arabic

Polish

Punjabi

Gujarati

This is a one off volunteering role where you can make a difference in as little as half a day or multiple half day shifts.

Exact dates and locations of shifts to be decided in the New Year. 

Next steps:

Please complete our application form via our website outlining your skills and qualities for the activity and sign up to the activity via your volunteering profile (opportunities tab) to confirm your attendance.

Bright Futures UK is looking for passionate and knowledgeable KS3 Spanish tutors to provide educational support and a fun, safe learning environment for young people living with long-term illnesses. 

What will you be doing? 

• Run tutoring sessions online to support a young person. 
• Offer subject area knowledge and expertise related to KS3 Spanish. 
• Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions. 

What are we looking for? 

• Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of KS3 Spanish curriculum and specifications.
• Teaching Skills: Ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and engaging way.
• Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.
• Reliability: Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment.
• You must be a UK resident and be at least 18 years old.

What difference will you make? 

• Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.
• Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.
• Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. 

What will you gain?

• The opportunity to fight education inequities and make a difference in a young person's life
• Enhanced DBS Certificate
• Safeguarding level one training
• Skill development opportunities and practical experience

Location 

• Remote/Online

Time 

• 1 Hour per Week 
•  Duration: 14 Weeks minimum

COULD YOU HELP SPORTSAID AS AN INDEPENDENT MEMBER OF A&R?

Helping young people to reach their personal best

“The sense of belonging that you were able to convey to the kids today, and the platform you gave us parents to share thoughts and views with people just like us but outside of our specific sport parent group, was invaluable. The interest, curiosity and care that you show with every athlete you partner is very apparent.” Parent feedback from a SportsAid workshop.

SportsAid’s Mission is to encourage, enable and empower the next generation of athletes to achieve their ambitions in sport and life. Since 1976, we have been side-by-side with Britain’s greatest emerging sporting talent – from Mo Farah to Jessica Ennis-Hill, from Ade Adepitan to Ellie Simmonds – and so many others. SportsAid provides vital support to young sports people at a pivotal moment in their development.

We are looking for an independent (non-executive) member to join our Audit & Risk Committee. With our five-year fundraising strategy underway and a long-standing and vibrant relationship with Sport England in place, it is an exciting time to join us as we develop new, impactful partnerships to deliver our mission towards and beyond SportsAid’s 50th anniversary in 2026. As an independent member of the Audit & Risk Committee you will work with the committee Chair and other committee members to provide effective oversight of the financial matters of the charity in line with good practice and governance and provide support and guidance to the executive finance team. This includes assessing whether procedures are effective and efficient, that sufficient resources are available and that agreed controls and procedures have been followed. You will have knowledge and understanding of current financial good practice relevant to charities and experience with financial planning and risk management; ideally you will have some experience of fund managers and efficient cash management too.

We are seeking an accounting qualification and ideally prior charity board or similar sub-committee experience for this key role. This is a vital role as part of SportsAid’s financial oversight and good governance and offers the chance to join a committed and driven charity at an exciting time. You do not need to be a sports expert, but you will have a desire to help young people and a willingness to get stuck in. You can make a difference.

The minimum commitment as a committee member will be to attend four Audit & Risk meetings per year (typically held in London but with the facility to join remotely if necessary); subcommittee positions are unremunerated but reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

SportsAid recognises that certain sections of the community have been affected by structural inequities and may be denied the opportunity to participate equally and fully in sport at all levels. SportsAid as an organisation believes our role is to remove the barriers that our most under-served, at risk and minoritised groups of young people experience when trying to access sport and physical activities. SportsAid therefore positively welcomes, and seeks to achieve, diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants, volunteers and employees receive equal and fair treatment. We positively encourage applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, marriage and civil partnership status, gender identity, background, religion, faith, sexual orientation, maternity status, pregnancy, belief or nationality. A more detailed role description is available on request.

 On receipt of your application you will be sent a confidential equal opportunities form which all applicants will be asked to complete.

About Vibes in Care (ViC)

Vibes in Care CIC is a newly forming Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) dedicated to amplifying the voices of children and young people who are care-experienced or at risk. By harnessing insights from lived experience, we develop training, workshops, and advocacy initiatives that reshape professional practices within the care sector.

• Founded on Lived Experience: We believe that those who have gone through the care system have the clearest insights into how to improve it.
• Innovative Training & Workshops: Our programmes empower professionals - such as social workers, educators, and youth workers - to bring about lasting change in how care is delivered.
• Collaborative Culture: Partnership is at the heart of ViC. We work closely with local authorities, youth organisations, and sector specialists to co-create solutions.

Why We Need You

We are seeking Trustees who share our passion for transforming the care experience. Whether you have direct care experience (e.g., have been in care yourself), professional experience in the sector, or simply a deep commitment to improving outcomes for care-experienced children and young people, your voice and leadership are invaluable at this pivotal stage of our growth.

The Role

• Steer Strategic Vision: Help shape and refine ViC’s long-term plans, ensuring that lived experience remains at the core of every decision.
• Champion Good Governance: Oversee compliance with charity regulations, manage financial health, and set policies that maintain transparency and integrity.
• Advocate for Care-Experienced Children and Young People: Act as an ambassador, raising awareness about ViC’s mission and the importance of centring care-experienced voices.
• Support Growth & Partnerships: Contribute insights on fundraising, partnership-building, and community engagement to help ViC expand its reach and impact.

What We’re Looking For

1. Care Experience (Highly Valued): We particularly encourage applications from individuals who have first-hand insights into the care system.
2. Dedication to Social Impact: A genuine desire to improve day-to-day experiences and long-term outcomes for care-experienced children and young people.
3. Collaborative Mindset: Ability to work well in a team, valuing diverse perspectives and open dialogue.
4. Integrity & Oversight: Commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards and acting in the best interests of ViC’s beneficiaries.
5. Strategic Thinking: Capable of understanding big-picture objectives, assessing organisational risks, and spotting growth opportunities.

Skills & Experience (Desirable)

• Professional or Personal Care Experience: Lived experience, in social care work, child protection, or related fields.
• Finance/Accounting: Competent in budget oversight, financial planning, or grant management.
• Legal & Compliance: Familiarity with UK charity regulations or basic legal frameworks.
• HR & Governance: Ability to guide policy setting, recruitment, and staff/volunteer support.
• Fundraising & Communications: Skill in securing resources and raising organisational visibility.

What’s In It For You?

• A Real Chance to Influence: Your perspective will be integral in shaping how ViC evolves.
• Professional Development: Gain governance experience, hone leadership skills, and build your professional network.
• Impact & Legacy: Contribute directly to improving practices that affect some of society’s most vulnerable young people.
• Flexible & Supportive Environment: We meet quarterly, with much of our collaboration happening remotely, so you can fit your responsibilities around other commitments.

Time Commitment

• Board Meetings: Held four times per year (virtually or in person).
• Preparation & Engagement: A few hours each quarter to review papers and stay updated on organisational developments.
• Additional Involvement: Optional sub-committees or working groups on areas like safeguarding, finance, and training delivery.

Application Process

• CV & Cover Letter: Apply via CharityJob outlining your relevant experience (especially care experience), why you’re passionate about our cause, and how you hope to contribute as a Trustee.
• Informal Interview: We’ll invite shortlisted candidates for a conversation with our Director (Founder) to explore mutual fit and answer any questions.
• Appointment: Successful applicants will be welcomed onto the board, pending usual referencing and compliance checks.

Join us in creating meaningful change for care-experienced children and young people. Your lived insight, passion, and dedication could transform how professionals approach care and, ultimately, transform futures. We look forward to hearing from you!

Volunteers needed to provide support to local families within Southwark and Lewisham

Volunteers needed to support local families within Southwark and Lewisham, offering peer support to families with children under the age of 5. Support would typically include helping the family to access local activities, playing with children and offering a listening ear. All volunteers are required to attend our 6 session volunteer preparation course which covers topics such as safeguarding, personal safety, child development and developing listening skills. Next Course begins on 4th February.

Volunteering with Home-Start is suitable for anyone keen to offer peer support to local families and is particularly suitable for those who are parents or have experience of working with young children and would like to give back to their community. It is also a great opportunity for those wanting to get back into the work place or to gain experience for a career within family or social work.
Please complete our online application form via our website

All travel expenses are paid for volunteers when they attend our preparation course and for visits to families

Are you passionate and committed to supporting children and women who have fled domestic abuse? We are recruiting for volunteers to support our Children and Family Workers across London.

We are looking for volunteers who are interested in facilitating activities such as sports, arts, drama, cooking, baking, arts and crafts, cooking/baking, and dance.

What you will be doing

• To help with the day to day running of the Children & Family Service
• To assist organising and facilitating activities and outings with the Children and Family Worker
• To use a range of skills and tools to make sessions interesting and fun for a range of ages
• To create timetables, posters, maps and instructions for residents
• To offer general admin help: typing, taking meeting minutes, filing and scanning documents
• To develop positive relationships with the children and women
• To gather ideas, suggestions from families, plan, collaborate and create a timetable of activities and sessions. To involve women and children in the planning and designing of activities
• To support in providing or purchasing resources for activities

The skills you need

• Experience working with children/childcare/play-work experience - gained formally or informally
• Willingness to learn about domestic abuse and its impact on children and women
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality
• Good communication skills
• Ability to provide a supportive, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages learning and participation
• Calm and patient approach
• Ability to work with women and children as a family unit

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.

We are looking for volunteers to support us in our reception team. Volunteers will assist with some or all of the following tasks, dependent on skills and experience:

• Greet visitors to the hospice 

• Act as a first contact for all telephone and drop-in enquiries.  Aim to deal with the request or forward on to the most appropriate person/team as soon as possible

• Communicate with members of the public, staff members and other organisations, always aiming to build relationships and present Bluebell Wood in the best light 

• Support other teams within the hospice by carrying out some basic administration tasks e.g. making phone calls, sending letters

• Basic IT skills to support with receipting for donations brought in to the reception

• At all times respect confidentiality, in line with the requirements of the General Data Protection Act

• Any other reasonable duties that maybe designated by the volunteer supervisor.

We are looking for Activity Leaders and Activity Assistants to help deliver activity session for various groups of young people and children visiting Cameron's Cottage.

Cameron's Cottage is a outdoor nature education centre for children and young people, based at RSPB Franchises Lodge on the edge of the New Forest. The Cottage has capacity to sleep up to 19, and welcomes both day visiting groups and those coming for a residential stay. RSPB staff lead the groups in a range of different activities, including nature walks, team building games, wildlife surveys known as 'bioblitz', conservation tasks, mindfulness walks and so much more! We are looking for volunteers who would be able to assist RSPB with delivering these activities, and there is the possibility for you to build up confidence and ability to lead these activities, if you are interested.

Please visit our volunteering page to find out more info and fill out our online form to help us connect young people back to nature!

Will you share your counselling or psychotherapy skills as a child & young person's (CYP) counsellor or therapist to join an online counselling service for young patients with a pain condition (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)? We’re supporting patients, relatives, partners and carers affected by a debilitating condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

We're looking for qualified paediatric/child & young person counsellors, psychotherapists or psychologists ideally with some experience of working with chronic pain patients, who may want to volunteer their skills supporting our young service users and help develop a psychological support service. 

As a Volunteer Child/Young Person's Counsellor/Therapist you’ll be providing remote online counselling/therapy support services to young people aged 5 to 18 who are vulnerable, many of whom are isolated and in need of mental health services. You’ll be providing one-to-one counselling sessions online or by phone. With your recognised counselling qualifications and experience you will be an asset to our small charity and to our young services users. We will also consider therapists who are in need of a placement.

Depending on your qualifications, skills and experience, volunteer child counsellors / therapists provide person centred counselling (general talking counselling), integrative, pluralistic including or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), ACT and EMDR for young CRPS patients.

We are needing to expand this service to support our young clients as it has rapidly received a high number of referrals. People can be referred both by health or legal professionals as well as having parents/guardians referring them to the service.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your paediatric counselling skills, organisation, communication and team working skills. If you have experience in younger children please do get in touch.

Most importantly you’ll be providing essential services that help make sure no one has to face CRPS alone. Be the hope for CRPS.

What the role involves

This role may vary depending on needs, but is likely to include:

• Undertake a child client assessments, followed by person-centred counselling (via Zoom or phone) to our clients, offering up to 20 one hour (or 45 mins age dependant) sessions for each client plus 4 assessments

• Providing one-to-one therapy sessions to young patients aged 5-18 (we will consider therapists who can only support primary or secondary school age)

• Update our database with the client’s basic information and session attendance

• Maintain succinct, relevant session notes and store these securely

• Attending and participating in meetings
• Project monitoring, creating, reporting and outcomes evaluation procedures

• Attend CPD training to ensure your knowledge stays current

• Participating in regular meetings with the Clinical Lead
• Maintaining client confidentiality, upholding data protection and equal opportunities principle

• Attend monthly Supervision to ensure safe working practices

We can support you to develop the skills you need for this role, including an induction. You will have a chance to discuss your role and any additional needs with us.

What you need for this role

Essential

• Be a member of one of the recognised organisations (see below)
• Level 4 Diploma level qualifications as a minimum, Degree or Masters in Paediatric Counselling, Counselling/Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, Dance & Movement Psychotherapy or Art Therapy 
• Minimum of 100 hours supervised
• Proof of professional indemnity insurance annually - we may consider paying this as an expense but commitment to the charity is required
• A valid DBS certificate (enhanced version), which is less than three years old and renewed every three years (the charity can provide where necessary)
• Able to keep people’s personal data safe

• Willing and able to provide counselling via Zoom from a private location with a stable WiFi connection

• Able to support a minimum of 2 child or young clients a week, being two hours of your time for counselling sessions plus time for administration. We ideally hope you to offer the charity a commitment of six months.

Desirable

• Personal or professional Knowledge or experience of chronic pain or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• Previous experience as a chronic pain or CRPS paediatric counsellor or psychologist 
• Committed to our values
• Willing to develop skills and experience
• Enjoy working as part of a team
• Effective administration skills, planning and organisation skills
• Approachable, presentable, enthusiastic

We welcome trained paediatric counsellors, child therapists and counselling/clinical psychologists who are willing to give their time to support our valuable work.

Once we’ve assessed your application, you may be invited for interview. If you are successful, we will arrange for you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service DBS or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check.

Recognised Organisations

• British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP)
• Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
• General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)
• British Society for Clinical Hypnotherapists (BSCH)
• National Council for Hypnotherapists (NCH)
• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• The National Hypnotherapy Society (HS)
• National Counselling Society (NCS)
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (APHP)
• National Register of Hypnotherapists & Psychotherapists (NRHP)

Making a difference

What impact will the opportunity have?

You will join the charity during a critical and challenging period as the service is rapidly expanding and your expert knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our success. You will have a key role in not only developing a counselling service for younger clients but also ensure we provide counselling services and mental health support to our young child CRPS patients who are in need of our support and inclusion on a regular basis. With your help we will expand our support and mental health services to ensure our service users receive mental health support that they may not have been offered.

What's in it for you as the volunteer? 

You would be a part of our small, friendly, forward-thinking charity team, focused on reaching people affected by this rare, painful and debilitating chronic pain condition and to provide them with psychological support whether they are patients, their partner, relatives, friends or carers. As this service is continually developing, you would have a key role in developing a young person counselling programme and to complement our support services that we offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a real difference in a child's life which is already isolated and painful, who may not have received any psychological support.

Career Talk Volunteer - make a difference in a day by inspiring the future of your peers during a half term and/or weekend!

Date: 

Workshops with children and young people take place during the half term or weekends. The dates for these workshops will be confirmed in the new year  as workshop dates are decided closer to the time. We have provisional dates where the workshops will fall into. These dates are:

Monday 17th-Friday 21st of February 2025
Monday 7 April - Monday 21 April 2025
Monday 26 May - Friday 30 May 2025

Volunteers can be made aware of ad hoc sessions from now until August 2025

Location: Within community centres; Ealing, Greenford and Northolt (West London)

Address: Current places we are delivering workshops include: 

- Viking community centre, UB5 6HW
- The circle café, South Ealing, W5 4QA
- 13th (Southall) Sikh Scouts Allenby Rd, UB1 2HL

Timings: Most likely 10am-1pm

Volunteers: up to 3 volunteers

Who will see the difference? Children and young people with mental health support needs attending our workshops and young volunteers participating and growing their confidence through presenting and talking about their career journey. 

Our Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Link Worker pathway team are conducting a pilot project from June 2024-August 2025. The aim of this project is to raise awareness on mental health and CAMHS, and aiming to understand the barriers to seeking mental health support. We work with children, young people and their families within the community to empower them to discuss mental health and seek support if needed. Through our focus groups so far, we have learnt that young people feel inspired by stories of others from similar backgrounds. The children and young people we currently work with are interested in hearing what other young people have gone on to do post-secondary school, college or sixth form as this can inspire and encourage them to aim high. We have found a need in young people wanting to hear about career development and how people from their background have overcome hurdles in their lives. Therefore, we encourage applications from the Somali, South Asian, Arab communities.

The volunteering activity:

We will require support with;

• Hearing your career development story
• Putting in a MS meeting beforehand so that we can go through anything you want to talk about/discuss with us
• Creating the volunteers' section of the PowerPoint presentation for your career development story presentation
• Answering any questions that the young people may have
• Understanding ways in which we can support you after the workshop 

Key considerations:

We would like to recruit volunteers with lived experience of mental health. The volunteers can share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with during the workshops. We encourage them to share their stories as it can support with others seeing the progress they have made and using their stories as inspiration. We encourage a supportive debrief at the end and support with any distress that may be triggered through presenting about your experience. 

We would particularly encourage applications from volunteers:

•    With a BAME background, Black African/Caribbean/Black British, South Asian, Arab, Other
•    With lived experience of mental health and have sought support e.g. counselling, therapy, CAMHS etc.
•    Willing to talk about their career development after secondary school/sixth form/college 
•    Ideally approximately 16-25 years’ old for relatability to the young people as peers

This is a one off volunteering role where you can make a difference in as little as half a day or multiple half day shifts.

Exact dates and locations of shifts to be decided in the New Year. 

Next steps:

Please complete our application form via our website outlining your skills and qualities for the activity and sign up to the activity via your volunteering profile (opportunities tab) to confirm your attendance

Fix it Forward – Join Tŷ Hafan’s Maintenance Team!

We are Tŷ Hafan. We provide comfort, care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their loved ones.

Our Hospice and Head Office buildings and surrounding grounds require regular upkeep to ensure a comfortable and pleasant environment for the children and families who use our services.

Maintenance Volunteers and Grounds Volunteers play a crucial role in this, by offering their skills and time to help with various tasks.

Considerations:

Age requirement: 18+

Location: Tŷ Hafan, Hayes Road, Sully, CF64 5XX

Time Commitment: Flexible (min 2 hours per week desirable, Mon-Fri)

Background checks: we will ask for the details of two referees and an Enhanced DBS check is required for this role.

Skills you will need:

• Attention to detail;
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently;
• A sound knowledge of health and safety, with respect for yourself, others and the environment;
• A sincere understanding of the sensitive nature of volunteering in a Hospice setting;
• Experience in a relevant trade is desirable but not essential as full training will be given;
• Be fit & healthy.

Activities include:

• Minor repairs, such as assembling desks together, pictures on walls, erecting shelving;
• Painting internally and externally.
• Sweeping all external areas and clearing moss debris of pathways to ensure that they are safe; 
• Clear and cleaning of bin stores; 
•Jet washing of external areas, to include pathways, and ground areas; 
• Washing of all external PVC to areas to Head Office;
• Clean all signage so that they are visible. 

This role is purely voluntary and this arrangement is not meant to be a legally binding one or an employment contract.

Providing care and support is something we are only able to do because of the kindness and commitment of our wonderful staff, supporters and volunteers.