To apply for any of the volunteer positions, please email turningthetide@thekitetrust.org.uk with what position you are interested in, we will then be in touch

Requirements: Individual roles vary in the location and time commitment, and the experience and skills required. However, some of the pre-requisites are flexible for the right person and we will endeavour to provide training and support if there are areas where this is needed. If you are unsure whether you have the right experience or skills for a role, please feel free to apply anyway or get in touch to have a conversation about whether the role would be a good fit for you. Experience and skills can be gained from employment, education, voluntary or community work, or lived experience. 

Research Volunteer 

Support primary research into LGBTQ+ young people’s lives, experiences and wellbeing, undertaken as part of the Turning the Tide project.  

The volunteer may support with tasks including desk-based research, reviewing and giving feedback on research materials (e.g. consent forms and interview questions), transcribing research data, proofreading, referencing, and other tasks to support the research project. This post would be suitable for someone with an interest in LGBTQ+ youth research who is looking to gain experience of research outside an academic setting. The research volunteer(s) will use rigorous methods while working with young people to co-produce important research that will help build the evidence base on LGBTQ+ young people’s lives and experiences. 

Start date: Immediately 

Time commitment: Flexible. However, it would be preferable if the research volunteer was able to volunteer for the duration of the current research project, which is likely to be 3-4 months.  

Location: Remote. There may be opportunities to attend in-person events with other members of the Turning the Tide team, to share information about the research and meet others involved in LGBTQ+ youth research. 

Desirable experience: 

• Experience of research within an academic, voluntary sector or community setting; 

• Knowledge of, or interest in, research on LGBTQ+ youth experiences and wellbeing; 

• Experience and confidence with proofreading or editing documents; 

• Previous work with LGBTQ+ young people. 

Desirable skills: 

• Strong written communication; 

• Attention to detail; 

• Ability to give constructive feedback; 

• Knowledge of referencing systems (e.g. Harvard, APA); 

• Critical analysis. 

Facilitation volunteer 

Support the delivery of training to LGBTQ+ youth organisations, and professionals in other fields. The volunteer will attend online training and shadow a member of our training team, and then provide support with tasks such as technical help and monitoring the chat. If they feel confident doing so, they may progress to co-facilitating training delivery alongside an experienced facilitator. 

This post would suit someone looking to gain insight and experience into training in LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness, and other areas of training relevant to the LGBTQ+ youth sector. They will gain experience and understanding of how to effectively deliver online training in a variety of areas, and address common challenges that arise when facilitating online training. They will also gain in-depth knowledge of the training topics, including LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness. 

Start date: Immediately 

Time commitment: Flexible. Due to the learning necessary for this role, we would prefer a candidate who is able to commit to the role for a minimum of three months. 

Location: Remote – all training and tasks for this post would be undertaken online. 

Desirable experience: 

• Previous experience in delivering /facilitating workshops or training would be beneficial but is not required. 

Desirable skills: 

• Ability to communicate clearly and confidently; 

• Comfort using online platforms (e.g. Zoom, teams); 

• Adaptability and flexibility; 

• Ability to support safe and inclusive learning environments.

Training development volunteer 

Support the creation of new content and resources to be used in a programme of training delivered across the LGBTQ+ youth sector in a variety of relevant topics, and LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness training delivered to professionals in other sectors. The volunteer may undertake tasks including researching statistics, finding relevant resources, fact-checking, reviewing existing training materials, and refining materials and resources.  

This post would be suited to someone who is looking to develop their skills and experience in developing effective and engaging online training, particularly in the area of LGBTQ+ awareness and inclusion. The volunteer may also opt to be involved in training delivery (see ‘facilitation volunteer’ role above) if this is of interest, but this is not assumed. 

Start date: Immediately 

Time commitment: Flexible. Short-term and one-off tasks are available, as are larger projects for those wishing to commit longer-term to a role. 

Location: Remote 

Desirable experience: 

• Experience in developing or delivering training, particularly in an area relevant to LGBTQ+ people and their needs and experiences, would be beneficial; 

• Experience in undertaking research in any area; 

• Some knowledge of the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ young people, and topics that may be appropriate to include in LGBTQ+ awareness and inclusion training, would be helpful but is not essential. 

Desirable skills: 

• Critical thinking; 

• Research skills; 

• Ability to synthesise and communicate complex information clearly; 

• Attention to detail; 

• Sensitivity to inclusive language and themes. 

Youth Panel Support Volunteer (x2 roles) 

Volunteers will support the monthly meetings of the Turning the Tide Youth Panel of 16-25-year-olds, who provide input and direction to the project. The volunteer will help with facilitation, empowering young people to contribute, and creating a welcoming online space.  

Experience Needed: 

• Working with young people  

• Using online meeting platforms (Zoom, Teams etc) 

Desirable Skills: 

• Good communication and listening skills 

• Critical thinking 

• Confidence to ask insightful questions 

• Group facilitation or meeting support experience (helpful but not essential) 

• Strong communication and empathy 

• Inclusive and youth-focused approach 

• Ability to encourage and manage group discussions 

• Basic online tech support 

Time Commitment: 
2–3 hours per month, aligning with monthly Youth Panel meetings. May include prep or debrief calls. 

Lived experience volunteer 

Share personal experiences relevant to a training session or topic. Contributions can be made through consultations, written messages, recorded stories, or other formats that are accessible to the volunteer(s). These contributions will be used to enrich training and awareness-raising resources delivered as part of the Turning the Tide project, including training on various topics delivered to the LGBTQ+ youth sector professionals, and training on LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness delivered to professionals outside the sector. 

Desirable experience: 

• Relevant lived experience. If you are interested in supporting training not related to LGBTQ+ inclusion or awareness, please contact us for a list of other training topics. 

Desirable skills: 

• Openness and ability to reflect on experience; 

• Comfort being recorded or quoted (if applicable); 

• Willingness to support learning through storytelling. 

We understand that sharing your own experience can be difficult and may make you feel vulnerable, and that you may change your mind about what you are comfortable to share. Lived experience volunteers can remain anonymous if they choose, will be supported throughout the process of sharing their stories and experiences, and are not obliged to share anything they do not feel comfortable to share. They are also able to withdraw their consent for their stories/experiences to be used at any time as long as this is practically possible (e.g. if a volunteer’s story is included in printed resources, it is not possible to remove this, but they could ask for this to be removed from digital versions of the resource). 

Training pilot volunteer 

Attend pilot training sessions and provide feedback to help shape final content. Volunteers will be able to access training in a variety of topics including LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness, and other topics relevant to working with LGBTQ+ young people. Volunteers will be expected to attend training as a participant, and then give constructive feedback either in writing or by participating in a discussion following the session. Feedback can be given in a format that is accessible to the volunteer.  

Desirable experience: 

• No particular experience required. We aim for our training to be accessible to all, so volunteers in this role do not require any previous experience and can be from any background, including LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ people. 

Desirable skills: 

• Willingness to provide constructive feedback; 

• Interest in the training topics; 

• Open-mindedness and respectful communication; 

Videographer/Filmmaker Volunteer 

Support the creation of video content for training or events. Tasks may include filming, editing, or supporting others to tell their stories on camera. 

Experience Needed: 

• Experience with filming or editing tools (e.g. iMovie, Adobe Premiere) 

Desirable Skills: 

• Creative storytelling 

• Sensitivity to working with lived experience 

• Technical skills with video/audio equipment 

• Ability to work collaboratively and meet deadlines