At a glance

Skills

Fundraising events
Fundraising research / Bid writing
Fundraising strategy

Where

Coventry, CV1 1GS

Remote opportunity, or mainly at home.

Time

Either in or out of office hours Estimate of time needed:
1-3 hours / week

Deadline

03 Feb 2025

Visitors from Fifth Day

Welcome to Reach Volunteering. We are a community and registered charity that connects people, skills and good causes.

To apply for this role, and any other on our platform, you need to be based in the UK, have at least three years of experience using the skills you wish to volunteer in a professional capacity or have lived experience (for trustee roles). Read more about our criteria.

Underground Lights is an independent community theatre (registered charity 1179553) that is run for and by people experiencing homelessness and/or mental health issues. Volunteers are an important and valued part of Underground Lights.

What will you be doing?

The fundraising volunteer will help Underground Lights fulfil its aims by:

Working with the staff team to develop our fundraising strategy and applications
Developing and strengthening our relationships with local businesses and other organisations who may be interested in supporting our work
Promoting and encouraging online donations and regular giving from individuals.

What would your commitment be?

We anticipate this role will require approximately three hours commitment per week to be worked at times to suit the volunteer.
To perform the volunteering role set out above to the best of your ability
To follow the organisation’s procedures and standards, including health and safety, equal opportunities in relation to its staff, volunteers and members
To maintain the confidentiality and GDPR regulations
To meet time commitments and standards agreed to and to give reasonable notice so other arrangements can be made when this is not possible

What sort of person are we looking for?

Someone who is reliable and does what they say they’ll do
Someone who is friendly, approachable and enjoys supporting others
Someone who access to and is comfortable using email, excel and word.Someone who has personal experience of mental health issues and/or homelessness (not essential for this role, but if you have personal experience we would really like to hear from you!)

Reach Skills:

Communications and Marketing

Campaigning
Copywriting / Journalism
Public relations
Social media marketing

Income Generation

Fundraising events
Fundraising research / Bid writing
Fundraising strategy
Business development / Sales

Leadership

Public speaking
Strategic development and planning

What are we looking for?

Key experience required:

- Fundraising events - previous experience of successfully running and planning fundraising events. These may be online raffeles/ auctions, in-person events, or other.

- Fundraising research / Bid writing - Experience and confidence to research fundraising funding trusts/ foundations/bids, and to lead on writing and bids and applications.

- Fundraising strategy - Previous experience of and understanding of fundraising strategy and it's implementation and the ability to transfer this knowledge to best support Underground Lights.

The fundraising volunteer will help Underground Lights fulfil its aims by:

Working with the staff team to develop our fundraising strategy.
Developing a clear work plan with the Artistic Director/CEO to develop and deliver fundraising initiatives.
Working with members to develop and deliver fundraising initiatives (which may be creative in nature eg. developing a fundraising video for our website and social media).
Encouraging members and supporting their growth in confidence.
Developing and strengthening our relationships with local businesses and other organisations who may be interested in supporting our work.
Promoting and encouraging online donations and regular giving from individuals.

General Overview - What sort of person are we looking for?

Someone who is passionate about community theatre
Someone who has personal experience of mental health issues and/or homelessness (not essential for this role, but if you have personal experience we would really like to hear from you!)
Someone who is reliable and does what they say they’ll do
Someone who is friendly, approachable and enjoys supporting others
Someone who can express an opinion and disagree respectfully with others
Someone who is unafraid to ask for help - we all make mistakes and find things difficult
Someone who can keep things confidential - we want to be a very open organisation, but sometimes some of the things discussed will be confidential.
Someone who access to and is comfortable using email, excel and word, and video calling.

What difference will you make?

Volunteer and help make a difference!

Underground Lights is such a special place,No matter your background, your culture, your gender, or race,You’re supported and challengedWith creativity, and care,Something special lives here,Something that’s quite rare.In this room you’re free to roam,To be yourself where the people feel like home.

Drama and movement, music and song,We are all human beings, and sometimes we can get it wrong,But most of the time, here, I think we get it right,Thank you for bringing me into an underground world that you’ve, through performance, kindness, and humour, illuminated with light.

"UL does such important work and the members’ enthusiasm is infectious" Audience Member

"Spending time with Underground Lights, I’ve grown not only in my knowledge, but in my certainty that community theatre is integral to our society. The team at Underground Lights are filled with joy, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to working collaboratively alongside members to shape high quality theatre and creative experiences." Placement Student

"I have loved every minute of it. We have learned to work as a group and also learned to write songs" Member

Before you apply

About Underground Lights

Causes

Arts

Housing and homelessness

Mental health

Organisation type:

Charity

Underground Lights is a community theatre charity, based in Coventry, that is run by and for people experiencing homelessness and/or mental health issues. As a new organisation set up in 2018, we...

Fundraising Volunteer