Overview

Group Support – social spaces and support groups

Volunteers in our social spaces and support groups take on slightly different roles.  We will discuss which one is right for you during the interview. This is the first role in which all our core service volunteers start.

In the support group role, you will work with the group facilitator in the general running of the group, listening to members concerns and celebrating their victories, helping them gain perspective, build resilience, and reach a point where they no longer need our support.  It will enable you to build your confidence and increase your skills in active listening, empathic response and using O365 for basic admin.

The social space role is similar but more relaxed, you will still assist with the general running of the group, but this will be more chatty, keeping conversations flowing and making sure everyone is involved and comfortable.  You will build skills in room management, activities planning, and events coordination.

Group Facilitation

As a volunteer facilitator you will play a vital role in facilitating a supportive environment for individuals who are experiencing similar situations.

Working with a support volunteer, your primary responsibility will be to facilitate regular support group meetings where participants can share their experiences, gain peer support and find comfort in a non-judgmental setting.

This role requires empathy, excellent communication skills, and the ability to create a nurturing atmosphere. You will also use O365 for basic admin.

Social Group Hosting

As a volunteer host, your role will be to help create a supportive and enjoyable space where our members can come together and engage in shared interests or activities and experience the benefits of social engagement.

Working with support volunteers, you will create a warm and inclusive environment where members feel comfortable and valued.  Tasks include greeting attendees, introducing newcomers, and ensuring that everyone feels included, respected, and accepted.

This role requires interpersonal skills, organisational abilities, a passion for facilitating positive social interactions, flexibility, and adaptability in managing group dynamics, and patience and empathy in working with diverse individuals and personalities.

Mentoring

A volunteer mentor provides guidance, support, and encouragement to individuals who can benefit from their knowledge and expertise. The primary purpose of a volunteer mentor is to assist and empower mentees in achieving their personal or professional goals.

A mentor builds a positive and trusting relationship with their mentee. They create a safe and supportive environment where the mentee feels comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and aspirations.  They may also help with identifying and setting goals, providing guidance and advice, offering support and encouragement, and monitoring personal growth.

Mentoring with us may also involve supporting on a more practical level, such as some basic advocacy, signposting to other support, and accompanying on tasks such as the first time someone goes out shopping in their new gender presentation.

The mentoring role is a semi-flexible one. Each mentor is encouraged to be honest with us about which support strands they are happy to provide, and we match mentors and mentees accordingly

Charity Ambassadors

We are introducing an exciting new role to Beyond Reflections – Charity Ambassadors! These volunteers will be vital representation for our organization and help to promote our mission.

As a Charity Ambassador, you will help raise awareness about our charity and engage with the local communities. This role offers a lot of freedom and will look slightly different for all our ambassadors – we are keen to hear your own ideas about promoting the charity. You will work closely with the Projects Coordinator to discuss this and set your responsibilities, which may change over time. We will also be encouraging charity ambassadors to work both independently and as a team. Sharing their resources, successes, and advice.

Activities could include:

·        Utilising various communication channels, including social media, blogs, email, and personal networks, to spread information about the charity’s mission, goals, and initiatives.

·        Act as a knowledgeable resource, answering inquiries and providing accurate information about the charity’s programs and services.

·        Attend relevant networking events, community gatherings, and conferences to represent the charity.

·        Assist in developing ideas for and subsequently planning and organizing fundraising events.

·        Actively participate in fundraising events; engaging event attendees and donors, conveying the importance of their contributions and the impact they will make.

·        Help generate enthusiasm and excitement around fundraising initiatives, encouraging active involvement and long-term support.

·        Your ideas!

Hours for this role are flexible and will be discussed alongside your task commitments. In this role you will build skills in teamwork, independent time management, organization and event planning, communication, and gain confidence in public speaking and networking.

Social Media Creator

Volunteers involved in our social media support our online presence across various platforms. As a Social Media Creator, you will be responsible for creating compelling content, including posts for Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to develop and edit video content and engage with other social media accounts to foster community growth and engagement.

This role will allow you to develop and enhance your creative skills, particularly in graphic design and content creation using tools like Canva. You will build skills in creating not only visually appealing posts, but in using them to effectively convey the organization’s message and engage the target audience. You will also sharpen your communication and community management skills, through effectively interacting with others online, responding to comments and inquiries, and fostering meaningful conversations.

Events Volunteer

Events Volunteers support our organization in attending various events, including various Prides, student fairs, and other community gatherings and fundraisers. As an Events Volunteer, you will represent our charity at these events by setting up stands, engaging with attendees, discussing the charity’s mission, and signing up new members and volunteers. This role will be ad hoc, based on event availability and your availability to participate.

In this role you will develop your communication and interpersonal skills and gain confidence in public speaking and networking. You will also build your skills in event organization and management, attention to detail, and ability to adapt and problem-solve on the spot.

Additional volunteering roles

We are also keen to hear from anyone interested in alternative volunteering roles such as

·        Caseworker

·        Trustee

·        Bid writer

·        Qualified Counsellor

·        Digital media

·        Marketing

·        Office admin

Alternatively, if you feel you may have skills in an area we haven’t mentioned but which you feel may be useful, please get in touch, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Application process

To apply, please complete our volunteer application form via our website