Volunteer 2013

Humanism needs you!

Like all charities with a small staff and limited financial resources, the BHA is heavily reliant on volunteers. Our volunteers come from all backgrounds: retired people with time to spare to come into the office or work on significant projects from home, young people on a gap year between school and university, young parents who are available to work a few hours in the middle of the day, people running small businesses or in creative or other professions who want to offer pro-bono professional support. Volunteers carrying out significant roles can use desk space at our central London offices but others can work from home.

We want to unlock the enormous potential that exists among our members and supporters and we know that many of you want to do something more to help but don’t know where to begin. That’s why we’re taking the opportunity of advertising all our current volunteer roles at once.

Some of these volunteer tasks are easy ways to contribute in a few minutes or an hour a week; others are more substantial roles within the BHA’s staff and volunteer structure. Whatever the role you get:

• the satisfaction of helping to drive our work forward, promoting Humanism and a secular state;
• a chance to use your skills in a different environment for a cause you believe in;
• the thanks of your fellow members, our Board, and all our staff;
• if you are looking for it – the chance to boost your CV with not-for-profit experience.

General Office Volunteers

Are you interested in getting involved?  Could you spare a few hours to help the BHA?

BHA is looking for a pool of volunteers to call upon on an ad-hoc basis to help with a range of tasks in our busy office.  This could include:

• Putting together information packs
• Photocopying
• Envelope stuffing and mailings

Technically competent volunteers could:

• Check our website and ensure that it functions well
• Input data

We are looking for people who are available for a few hours or perhaps a morning or afternoon, during office hours (Monday – Friday, 9.30am-5pm).

If you are interested, please send us an email to: info@humanism.org.uk or telephone the office to speak to Tamsin or Blakeley on 020 7324 3060.

World Humanist Congress Volunteers

The World Humanist Congress, held every three years, is a unique event bringing together over 600 humanists from over forty countries under the auspices of the International Humanist and Ethical Union.

In 2014 the British Humanist Association will host the World Humanist Congress in historic Oxford from 8 – 10 August.

We are going to need a helping hand to put the event on. If you are able to help, either in the run-up to the Congress, or during the weekend, please let us know.  Volunteers will get to attend some of the events and talks during the Congress, meet humanists from all over the world, and have the satisfaction of helping put on the biggest humanist event ever.

Click here to fill in our WHC2014 volunteers’ form.

New Groups’ Coordinator

One of the BHA’s strategies is to ‘provide opportunities for humanists to develop their own thinking individually and in community with fellow humanists’ and one of the most important ways we do this is through our support of local humanist groups that affiliate to us through a partnership scheme. It is our aspiration that everyone should have a local BHA partner group.

Setting up local groups requires the dedication of pioneers locally who are willing to put in the time and effort to found a group and then to recruit others who will work to make it sustainable. They need support from the BHA centrally while they are doing so and the BHA also needs to find such pioneers in the first place.

The New Groups Officer will stimulate new BHA partner groups by reaching out to local humanists in areas where we have no partner groups and support start-up partner groups.

If you are interested, please send us an email with your CV to: info@humanism.org.uk or telephone the office to speak to Sara on 020 7324 3060.

Existing Groups Coordinator

One of the BHA’s strategies is to ‘provide opportunities for humanists to develop their own thinking individually and in community with fellow humanists’ and one of the most important ways we do this is through our support of local humanist groups that affiliate to us through a partnership scheme.

The Groups Coordinator will support BHA partner groups and in particular:

• Provide advice, guidance and materials to groups for pursuing BHA Aims at a local level
• Communicate with and about local groups in a way that ensures an ongoing and close relationship
• Support groups by highlighting good practice through the ebulletin, BHA news, and website and provide a forum for groups to highlight their successes at the GRAM and through the Groups Newsletter
• Review and expand support offered to Partner groups
• Establish strategy for setting up new partner groups to achieve national coverage

If you are interested, please send us an email with your CV to: info@humanism.org.uk or telephone the office to speak to Sara on 020 7324 3060.

BHA events promoter

Do you have free time and want to get involved in promoting our events online? This flexible role involves making sure everyone has a chance to hear about our lectures, conferences, and more. Ideal for someone web-savvy, this could be the perfect role if you have an hour or two a month to plug our events online. If this is something you can help with please email info@humanism.org.uk.

James Hemming Essay Prize administrator

The James Hemming Essay Prize is awarded annually for sixth former essays. Last year we had a record number of entries, and expect the competition to keep growing. We need someone to help log entries as they come in, and manage the marking process. If you are passionate about education and philosophy this could be the role for you. This role is office based. The closing date for the competition is 1st April, and a majority of the workload will take place over April/May at our London office. If you are interested in this role, please send us an email with your CV to: info@humanism.org.uk or telephone the office to speak to Sara on 020 7324 3060.

Set up a Partner Group in your Local Area

Human beings are social animals, and we often feel the need to get together to find support, learn new things, meet new people, and work together for a common cause. Very often we just want to get together to relax and have fun with people like-minded people.

You might want to satisfy these desires in relation to your humanist, atheist or secularist beliefs – which is where local humanist groups come in.

Local groups undertake a variety of activities, and give you the opportunity to:

• Meet and socialise with like-minded people;
• Campaign on humanist, atheist and secularist issues;
• Learn, exchange ideas, and debate issues;
• Volunteer and engage in other charitable work;
• Represent atheist, humanist and secularist views, and provide a balance to the influence of religious groups;
• Promote and celebrate scientific and rational thinking;
• Promote humanism as a life-stance;
• Have fun!

If there isn’t a group near you, then why not set one up? It’s easy! See the Groups’ Hub for guidance and details.

Humanist Think Tank Administrator

The Humanist Think Tank Administrator is a BHA volunteer who will work with the Humanist Think Tank Convenor and alongside the Head of Education and Promotion and Head of Public Affairs to provide a link between the BHA and Humanist Think Tank. The Humanist Think Tank Administrator will be responsible for all aspects of administrative support for the Think Tank including the co-ordination of communication, the organisation of Humanist Think Tank special events, and managing the Think Tank’s contribution towards BHA policy documents and responses to Government consultations. The role will be overseen by the Think Tank Convenor.

Key tasks and activities

1. Work with the Humanist Think Tank Convenor as a liaison officer to facilitate communication within the Humanist Think Tank
2. Provide a link between Think Tank members and the BHA for research and advocacy
3. The provision of a regular organ of general communication for all Think Tank members
4. Administrative support for the proper maintenance of the Think Tank’s web presence
5. Responsibility for announcements of Humanist Think Tank meetings
6. The organisation of events and meetings

If you are interested, please send us an email with your CV to: info@humanism.org.uk or telephone the office to speak to Sara on 020 7324 30600.

AHS Board Member

The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Student Societies (AHS) is the umbrella organisation for all non-religious student societies in institutes of higher education across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, supported and facilitated by The British Humanist Association (BHA). Our vision is that of a thriving atheist, humanist or secular student society in every institute of higher education in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, networked together, with a shared voice in public life.

It is our mission to build, support and represent atheist, humanist and secular student societies; to facilitate communication between them; to encourage joint actions; and to ensure that their members have opportunities to be part of the wider national and international movement. The AHS currently has 34 member societies, representing hundreds of students.

Our Executive team are all volunteers, passionate and motivated to achieve the aims of our organisation. They have had direct experience of running student societies of this nature in a wide range of roles and are well supported by a team of 17 volunteer officers from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The Board normally numbers seven members and currently includes Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association and David Pollock, former President of the European Humanist Federation. The Board’s role is to help provide strategic direction, as well as to monitor, scrutinise and support the team’s work.

The AHS is looking for an enthusiastic and knowledgeable person to join its Board. As a member of the Board you will have a clear commitment to our mission, and to helping student atheists, humanists and secularists have their voice recognised. You will understand the difference between the Executive’s responsibility for management and the Board’s governance role.

• Detailed knowledge of the issues is not necessary. We want the benefit of the experience derived from your own background
• You’ll need to commit to the equivalent of approximately ten days per annum, with four meetings per annum in London
• The role of Board member is a voluntary one, but reasonable expenses are reimbursed

We are particularly looking for candidates who have key skills in these areas:

• Fundraising
• Public Relations
• Human Resources

For more information and details on how to apply please download the Role Description here. Please note, this is a voluntary position, the AHS will provide reasonable reimbursement for travel only.