Volunteer Opportunities
Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization, generously dedicating approximately 20,000 hours annually to create positive change. With a diverse array of volunteer opportunities available—from supporting our retail efforts to fund our mission, to combating loneliness with our befriending program—there’s a place for everyone to contribute.
To apply for a role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
Beacon is a West Midlands based charity that supports people of all ages living with sight loss. This is a well-established and vibrant charity that offers a wide range of quality services to local people.
We are currently seeking to recruit a number of trustees on a voluntary basis to support the effective running of the charity. We are especially keen to hear from people who have experience in the following areas.
- Fundraising / Marketing
- Professional experience of sight loss within primary care
In addition to the above, we particularly welcome applications from those who have lived experience of sight loss.
What are we looking for?
- Fundraising / Marketing
If you are a Fundraising and/or Marketing professional ideally from the charity sector and you have experience of securing support from a range of audiences, we would love to hear from you. We have a wide range of supporters and strive to engage people on an ongoing basis through marketing the charities aims and objectives. We have a particular need for someone who has experience in launching new and dynamic approaches to fundraising.
- Professional experience of sight loss within primary care
We are ideally looking for someone who has worked in primary care supporting people with sight loss, for example, as part of optometry services. This professional experience will support Beacon’s strategic aims and give insight to the Board and the organisation which will be of benefit to members.
What is the role all about?
As a trustee, you will provide guidance and support to departmental areas of Beacon and act as the Trustee Board’s expert, depending on specialism. In addition to attending quarterly Board meetings, you would also need to attend other committee meetings as required and engage with leadership and the wider team on strategy development and implementation. Trustee Board meetings take place on a face to face basis on Wednesday evenings. Committee meetings take place via Microsoft Teams. We also ask Trustees to commit to attending at least two Beacon events per year, these could be internal engagement events, meetings with departments, or wider fundraising events. You will be committed to the organisation and be an active champion of Beacon.
What becoming a trustee can offer you?
You will have the opportunity to:
- Utilise your skills for the public benefit through the support of a leading regional sight loss charity.
- Deepen your understanding of charity management and governance
- Support the achievement of Beacon’s charitable objectives, resulting in a visible difference for people with sight loss.
If you are interested in applying, please contact
Lisa Cowley, CEO: lcowley@beaconvision.org
Kathy Roper, Chair of Trustees: kroper@beaconvision.org
with a covering letter detailing relevant knowledge and experience to support Beacon.
Location: Around the region
Hours per Week: Flexible around when our members are travelling
To provide support and assistance to our members while using transport to and from the centre and to accompany on day trips and occasional outings.
Beacon volunteer minibus drivers support our team by driving our minibus around the local community picking up and dropping off members, also assisting members on and off the minibus. This may be to and from Beacon services, or on days out in the community. Some driving experience is preferred and you would need to have a category D1 on your driving licence.
An enhanced DBS check and two references will be required for this role.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
Sedgley (currently on hold), Bilston, Bloxwich, Wednesfield, Penkridge, Pattingham
Volunteering in one of our shops is an opportunity to learn and develop in retail, work as part of a great team and support Beacon at the same time. Tasks will involve arranging window displays, shelves and rails, serving customers on the till, maintaining the tidiness of the shop and steaming and pricing clothing. Volunteers will also receive certificated training.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
Volunteers will support our visually impaired and blind cyclists who take part in our Tandem cycling group, supporting cyclists as pilots as well as guiding them to the Cafe afterwards. Tandem cycling takes place from Halfpenny Green Airport car park usually on Monday, depending on members and the weather.
An enhanced DBS check and two references will be required for this role.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
Volunteers needed to help support our members from the minibus to the Centre, assist them round the changing rooms and to the lockers and guide them to poolside. You have the option whether you want to go into the pool or not. There is always a qualified swimming instructor in the pool. You are not expected to teach anyone to swim. You not expected to help anyone get changed. All members are independent but need support getting round a new environment. We currently swim twice a month on a Monday and a Wednesday.
An enhanced DBS check and two references will be required for this role.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
Volunteers are needed to assist and support our visually impaired and blind bowlers. We visit Castlegate, Dudley on a Friday once a month. Volunteers will support bowlers by guiding them to the lanes, help with positioning etc.
An enhanced DBS check and two references will be required for this role.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
This opportunity is available within our Income Generation team. The role requires a full driving licence and can be flexible with days/hours. You will be required to collect the contents of Beacon branded collection boxes from shops, newsagents, pubs and restaurants, around the Wolverhampton, Dudley and Stourbridge areas.
A basic DBS check and two references will be required.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
We are looking for Befrienders to provide telephone and/or face to face support to lonely and isolated people living within the local area. This will involve making weekly phone calls or home visits to offer a listening ear and social contact, keeping a log of phone calls and brief details of conversations. Befriending volunteers must be able to make calls from their own devices that incur no cost to them (unlimited minutes, free landline calls etc). No experience is needed, however a polite, friendly and empathetic manner is essential.
It’s preferable that Befrienders, wherever possible, are able to commit to a period of befriending of at least 6 months, though this is not essential. Good communication and listening skills and a friendly, approachable manner are essential, as are reliability and a commitment to confidentiality. Once telephone befriending is established, volunteers can go on to ‘in person’ befriending if required and if agreed by both parties.
An enhanced DBS check and two references will be required for this role.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.
Based at our centre in Sedgley, the purpose of this role is to provide assistance to staff in delivering a varied programme of social and leisure activities in small groups and on a one-to-one basis, helping to support the visually impaired people who visit the centre. Hours available: 10am – 3pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Thursdays.
An enhanced DBS check and two references will be required for this role.
To apply for this role please contact people@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880111 and ask for a member of the People Team.