Volunteering

Our charity is expanding rapidly and introducing new services in response to our families’ needs as well as reaching out to even more local families who so desperately need our help.

 When you volunteer for us you help make a significant difference to the lives of families looking after a disabled child. Volunteers are the heart and soul of every charity. Each and every one of our volunteers is vital to our continued success.

We hope you will make many new friends, enjoy the time you spend with us and go home at the end of the day knowing what an incredible impact you are making to so many people.

Current Opportunities

  • An exciting opportunity has arisen for individuals to join the board of trustees at Friends and Families. Trustees will bring their skills, talent, and enthusiasm to the heart of the charity. Candidates should be fully committed to our vision, and appreciate the values of the charity, and have a strong understanding of the role of a trustee, and the importance of good governance within the charity sector.

    Being a trustee can be incredibly rewarding and a real opportunity for understanding, not only of the charity sector, but also working at a strategic level in a challenging climate.

    We are particularly interested in hearing from people who can bring experience skills and expertise, in one or more of the following areas: lived experience of disability, social care, employment law, finance and marketing.

    No previous board experience is necessary. If you think you have some of the valuable skills we are looking for, we can offer mentoring and training support. We are always looking to diversify and add to our knowledge, skills and experience

    If you’d like to find out more about joining our dynamic trustee board , please see our Trustee Pack and contact our Chair, Kay O’Shaughnessy

    We look forward to hearing from you.

  • You will be volunteering as our mascot in the local community. Without the services our charity provides, hundreds of local families would lose vital support. In order to secure the future of our charity we need to raise funds to secure our services and to raise our profile in our local community and you will play a important role in making this happen.

    Duties and Responsibilities:

    • Attend awareness events/stands at local venues and events

    • Engage with the general public at events

    • Attend photo opportunities with businesses and community groups

    • Be responsible for safely setting up and taking down awareness stands

    • Attend activities and events for our families and engage with families and children at these events

    • Report any safeguarding concerns and follow Friends and Families policies and procedures.

  • You will be volunteering within our fundraising and marketing team to increase the number of collection pots that are out in our community, as well as being responsible for managing our existing collection pots.

    Without the services Friends and Families provides, hundreds of local families would lose vital support. In order to secure the future of our charity we need to raise funds and our profile in our local community and you will play a important role in making this happen.

    Duties and Responsibilities:

    • Manage the collection of existing collection pots

    • Increase the number of collection pots that are out in Plymouth and the surrounding areas

    • Engage with local groups and businesses to ask if they will support us in this way

    • Act as an Ambassador for our charity

    • Follow Friends and Families policies and procedures

  • You will be volunteering within our fundraising and marketing team to help make our events as successful & as engaging as possible, and to promote and raise funds for our charity.

    Without the services Friends and Families provides, hundreds of local families would lose vital support. In order to secure the future of our charity we need to raise funds to secure our services and to raise our profile in our local community and you will play a important role in making this happen.

    Duties and Responsibilities:

    • Attend fundraising events organised by Friends and Families

    • Engage with the guests at events

    • Help sell raffle tickets, run auctions or welcome guests

    • Assist in setting up and packing up before and after fundraising events

    • Attend activities and events for our families and engage with families and children at these events

    • Follow Friends and Families policies and procedures

  • You will be volunteering in our local community to raise funds and awareness of our charity.

    Without the services our charity provides, hundreds of local families would lose vital support. In order to secure the future of our charity we need to raise funds to secure our services and to raise our profile in our local community and you will play a important role in making this happen.

    Duties and Responsibilities:

    • Attend awareness events/stands at local venues and events

    • Speak to community groups about our charity and the support we provide to local families

    • Be responsible for safely setting up and taking down awareness stands

    • Seek new opportunities for awareness events/stands

    • Report any safeguarding concerns and follow Friends and Families policies and procedures

Please email info@friendsandfamilies.org.uk or call 01752 204369 if you are interested in any of these roles.

Jemma’s story

Why did you become a volunteer?

I became a volunteer because I wanted to gain some voluntary experience to enhance my CV and thought that Friends & Families would be a great charity to help. I can fit my volunteering in around my current job and I always really enjoy the opportunities the charity provides.

What experiences/skills have you gained from becoming a volunteer?

Most of all, I have gained confidence from talking to my fellow volunteers as well as members of the public. I am able to talk about the charity and be an ambassador for them and the work that they do. I now know what it is like to volunteer and have gained experience of the charitable sector, especially fundraising. It’s also made me more organised and I love working as part of a team.

What would you say to people thinking about becoming a volunteer?

DO IT! Volunteering is a very rewarding experience that has allowed me to gain more skills as well as meet more people. Most of all, I know that I am making a difference to families with disabled children across Plymouth.

We are seeking volunteers, like Jemma, to help us spread the word about our work and to assist us with our fundraising activities. Opportunities will vary and can range from organising your own fundraising events to sourcing raffle prizes, representing us at events and securing regular givers. This list is not exhaustive – we value your input and creativity and will try to find the best voluntary role for you within our organisation.

Volunteering is an incredible way to give back to your local community. The benefits to you include building new relationships; developing new skills; enhancing existing skills; gaining new experiences; boosting your confidence; the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a real difference to local families, many of whom have described our charity as a lifesaver.

If you are interested in volunteering with us and supporting the invaluable work that we do, please get in touch! info@friendsandfamilies.org.uk / 01752 204369