Wish Maker - Office Support Volunteer

Make-A-Wish UK brings amazing people together to grant inspirational, life-changing wishes for children with critical conditions. We work with wish children, their families, and medical teams to grant unforgettable wishes – like being a princess in your own castle, cooking with your favourite celebrity chef, and even helping a young aspiring Ghostbuster save the city of Leeds!

Join the Make-A-Wish team and make a lasting difference. By sharing your time and skills, you can help children across the UK experiencing life-threatening illnesses.

Why We Need Your Help

When a child is diagnosed with a critical condition, everything changes. The joy of childhood is brought to an abrupt end; replaced by hospital appointments, gruelling treatment plans and endless worry. A wish has the power to cut through the gruelling daily reality of life with a critical illness, bringing true magic back to the childhoods of those most in need.

Sadly, the number of wish enquiries from seriously ill children with less than a year to live is rising fast. We need help to meet this urgent demand now - before it’s too late. By volunteering, you have the power to make a wish come true for a critically ill child, allowing families to create lasting memories to treasure forever – no matter what the future holds.

Why volunteer for Make-A-Wish?

When you volunteer for Make-A-Wish UK in your community, you'll become part of the magical nationwide Volunteer team, helping children who are living with critical conditions by:

Get active in your community by supporting the Experience Team with wide ranging administrative tasks.

Support the granting of wishes of critically ill children and young people and making a difference not just in their lives, but in that of their family members. A wish builds resilience, confidence, hope, and aspirations within the wish child, as well as creating lasting memories. Through working with the Experience Team, you will be ensuring a tailored and bespoke experience for our supporters and donors.

We know that your time is precious, so we’ll work with you to make sure you get the most out of your experience with us. You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Develop new skills and gain new work-related experiences and relationships

• Participate in an interactive and engaging learning and development programme, that fits in around you and your life.

• Build emotional resilience, and increase your levels of wellbeing and self-esteem using our wellness platform and recognition programme

• Access the Volunteer App; our online network where you can connect with both Make-A-Wish UK Employees and volunteers across the UK, and access handy resources and training documents

• Make connections with a diverse range of people and build lifelong friendships

• As an Office Support Volunteer you will be working with the busy Experience Team. Your role will involve supporting administrative tasks within the office of Reading.

How will I be supported?

• You will be fully inducted into the world of Make-A-Wish UK and receive a magical training session which showcases our values of Be Inspiring, Be Magical and Be Inclusive that we expect all volunteers to demonstrate in any role or activity.

• Alongside this you will receive specific training relating to your role through our engaging learning and development programme, as well as plenty of support from the Make-A-Wish UK Team, enabling you to feel confident and empowered in making magical wishes happen for our wish families.

• You will receive in person support and training from a member of our Experience Team.

What will I be doing as an Office Support Volunteer?

• Packing and send out a range of letters and thank you cards to welcome and thank our donors for their support.

• Supporting with Fundraising Materials fulfilment and other admin based office tasks

• You will have the opportunity to be part of the child’s wish journey by supporting the Experience Team in enhancing a child’s wish by providing effective engagement to our donors and supporters.

What skills do I need?

• A commitment to our values and behaviours.
• Excellent communication skills.
• A commitment to our learning and development programme.
• Enthusiastic and passionate in supporting the granting of wishes
• Good organisational skills.
• Able to confidently use IT systems.
• Flexible, self-motivated, energetic and reliable.

How much time do I need to commit?

A minimum commitment of a couple of hours a week, you can chose the day most convenient for you.

Where will I be based?

The role will be based in our offices, in Reading, Berkshire. RG1 1LX

What happens next?

If this sounds like you why not submit an application, or if you have questions about being part of a magical, inspiring team why not contact Lucy Hale at lucy.hale@makeawish.org.uk.

Most volunteer roles are subject to an informal interview and two satisfactory references. The organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A Disclosure Check will be requested where required. Make-A-Wish is committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates as it’s important that our trustees, employees, ambassadors and volunteers reflect the communities we serve at every level within the organisation.

There are few experiences more powerful than helping to make a wish come true. Join us now and be part of the magic.