Volunteer role: Public Affairs and Campaigns Volunteer
One, two, or three days a week (negotiable) excluding Fridays, for three months, June to September
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Human Rights and Advocacy directorate. Across all of Humanists UK, our dream is of a tolerant world where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our dedicated staff of 35+ and hundreds of volunteers work hard to achieve this aim.
The Human Rights and Advocacy directorate is looking for a volunteer for three months to support our campaigns and public affairs work. We are looking for a passionate, committed, articulate, and creative person with excellent research skills to take on this important role in our organisation.
You can find the Human Rights and Advocacy directorate’s priority campaigns on our website here.
We have selected these strategically important active campaigns based on their significance to humanists, their social impact, and our prospects for success in the current environment. They reflect areas of public debate where a rational, humanist influence is sorely needed, and where we know we’ll have the biggest impact.
Outside of these priority campaigns, we keep a close eye across over 20 key areas of policy – ready to leap into action to defend freedom of thought, choice, and expression, or to stand for the rights of the non-religious.
More information about our work can be found on the Campaigns page of the Humanists UK website.
We are looking for someone who is available during office hours for one, two or three days per week between Mondays and Thursdays (to be negotiated) from June to September. Take a look at the full role description (.docx and .pdf) to help you decide whether the role is right for you, including what you would get out of the role and what we expect you would bring to the role.
To apply for the role, please click on Join our volunteer team! on the job advert, answer the application questions and attach a cover letter telling us:
a little about yourself
why you are interested in the role
what you would like to get out of volunteering with the Human Rights and Advocacy directorate
what research experience you have
how you would organise your volunteering to ensure key actions are not missed
You don’t need to write a long essay, but this will help us understand who you are, and why you’d be a good person for the role. Please also attach a current CV.
You are welcome to contact the Human Rights & Advocacy Administrator, Elizabeth Rigby-Scott, (campaigns@humanists.uk), or Humanists UK (volunteers@humanists.uk) to discuss the role before applying.
We actively encourage applications from all sections of our community. We particularly welcome applicants from groups currently under-represented among our volunteers; these would include individuals who identify as female, disabled, trans, or from the global majority.
To volunteer with Humanists UK, we ask that you also register as a Supporter if you are not already. This allows you to receive mailings from the organisation, to further your understanding of the work Humanists UK does, and to inform your own volunteering practice. There is no cost to you for this registration.
You may also wish to consider becoming a Member; more information on membership can be found here. Membership is not a requirement to volunteer with Humanists UK.
- Department
- Directorate of Human Rights and Advocacy
- Role
- Public Affairs and Campaigns Volunteer
- Locations
- UK-wide
- Employment type
- Volunteer
- Job type
- Volunteer
- Remote Status
- Fully remote
About Humanists UK
We started out in 1896, and since then we’ve always been a growing movement at the forefront of social change. Today we’re trusted by over 120,000 members and supporters and over 70 local and special interest affiliates to promote humanism.
We put humanism into practice through effective campaigning and services, supporting lasting change for happier, more fulfilling lives. Our policies are informed with the support of over 150 of the UK’s most prominent philosophers, scientists, and other thinkers and experts and we seek to advance them with the help of over 100 parliamentarians in membership of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group. We bring like-minded people together to make change happen, and we strive to be their voice in public debate, drawing on contemporary humanist thought and the worldwide humanist tradition.
We’ve been conducting non-religious funerals, weddings, and baby-namings for 120 years. Our highly trained celebrants are the best you’ll find anywhere, and they support individuals to create authentic, bespoke ceremonies that put people and their stories at the heart of every occasion.
We also help vulnerable people easily access like-minded and effective non-religious pastoral support that is specially tailored to work for them. Our trained and accredited non-religious pastoral support volunteers operate across hospitals, prisons, and the armed forces.