Community Ambassador Volunteer

1 in 20 people in Newham are experiencing homelessness, and it is our mission to end homelessness one person at a time.

We are seeking the support of people in our local communities of East London and Essex to help expand our reach; we are especially interested in hearing from people who would like to spread the word of Your Place’s work ending homelessness in their own faith groups, schools, adult and youth community groups and businesses.

The role could involve making introductions, setting up meetings, giving talks about our work, organising collections of food, toiletries and other essential items, and taking part in events and fundraising activities. All with the support of our small but mighty Fundraising team!

This volunteering role is flexible to fit around other commitments. Whether it’s months, days or hours, the time you give really does make a difference.

We ask our Community Ambassadors to volunteer by taking on one or more of the activities listed below in local communities in East London and Essex:

Raising awareness

Do you enjoy speaking in public? We have opportunities to spread the word of helping end homelessness! We’re looking for people to offer their services as a speaker, giving free short talks about homelessness, Your Place and our vital work, to encourage more people in different local communities to support us. We will send you all the information you need to get going, including speech notes and a Your Place t-shirt to represent us in.

Food/toiletries collections

We are always in need of non-perishable food and toiletries for our residents. We are looking for people to organise a collection at their community centre, school, place of worship or workplace. We are also looking for support with collecting donations from other donors.

Bucket collections

Do you fancy getting involved in a street collection? We can organise a collection with the council at a location of your choice. You could get a team of family and friends to do it together. We can also organise collections at supermarkets to raise funds for our work.

Fundraising & Challenge Events

We are lucky to have some supporters taking part in Challenge events, such as the upcoming London Landmarks Half Marathon! These events need lots of moral support, so we would love new members of our Cheer Squad. This involves providing a visible presence for our runners, cheering them on as they take on their challenge.

About you

Our Community Ambassadors should have the following qualities:

• Being a confident, inspiring verbal communicator
• Willingness to work in a team
• Friendly, reliable and punctual
• Able to communicate to your team leader
• Trustworthy and honest

Your Place is an inclusive charity that promotes equality and diversity and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. You just need to be over 18. Depending on your role, you may need to undergo a criminal record check by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

What we offer in return:

Volunteers report a sense of personal achievement through donating their time to make a difference in their local community. Depending on the role you play, you could get the chance to develop your public speaking skills, and being an active member of your local community.

We also offer:

• The opportunity to gain knowledge about homelessness and Your Place’s vital work
• One-to-one support from a member of our team
• Community Ambassador Toolkit with guidelines and resources
• Travel expenses

Most importantly, you will be helping to solve homelessness one person at a time.

Your involvement will help generate essential funds for people facing homelessness in East London rebuilding their lives.

If you’re interested, please get in touch with us at fundraising@your-place.org.uk – we’d love to hear from you!