Home Based Volunteer Opportunity – Live Chat Volunteer
Live Chat Volunteer – Coram Family Lives
Make a difference to families when they need it most
Coram Family Lives has been supporting families for over 40 years. Founded by volunteers, our aim has always been simple: to ensure that no parent feels alone and that support is available before challenges become crises.
We believe that the right support at the right time can change lives.
Today, we provide early intervention and crisis support to families facing a wide range of challenges—helping them build resilience, confidence, and stronger futures.
Our Purpose
Mission: Building better family lives together
Vision: Every family has access to active support and understanding
Values: Trustworthy • Compassionate • Collaborative
About the Role
As a Live Chat Volunteer, you will be part of a flexible and supportive team, offering empathic, informed support to parents, carers, and others through our online service.
Our live chat is free, confidential, and accessed via our website. You will provide emotional support, practical guidance, and signposting on a wide range of family issues.
What You’ll Do
With full training and ongoing support, you will:
- Provide compassionate emotional support via live chat
- Use Family Lives’ support model to respond effectively
- Deliver a high-quality, person-centred experience for every user
- Signpost families to relevant services and resources
- Record chat information accurately
- Alert supervisors to any safeguarding or complex situations
Why Volunteer With Us?
- Make a real and lasting difference to families in need
- Gain valuable experience for your CV and references
- Develop new skills, knowledge, and confidence
- Be part of a supportive team of staff and volunteers
- Access training, supervision, and development opportunities
- Meet and engage with a diverse range of people
- Flexible volunteering hours
- Expenses reimbursed (up to £10 per session when centre-based)
Commitment
- One 4-hour shift per week
- Attendance training, debrief and supervision sessions
- Ideally a 12-month commitment
Location: Remote (home-based)
Eligibility: Must be a UK resident
What You’ll Need
For home-based volunteering:
- A laptop or PC
- Plug-in headset with microphone
- Reliable high-speed broadband
- A private, quiet workspace
- Basic IT confidence and troubleshooting ability
Training & Support
You will receive:
- Comprehensive initial training
- Support and supervision during every shift
- Debrief after each session
- Ongoing access to support and annual review
All roles are subject to a satisfactory DBS check (which Coram Family Lives will pay for).
Who We’re Looking For
We welcome individuals who:
- Have experience of parenting or working with parents or children
- Can respond empathetically and sensitively to emotional situations
- Have strong written communication and IT skills
- Can type at 55+ words per minute (minimum requirement)
- Are open-minded, non-judgemental, and reflective
- Can work within policies, especially confidentiality and safeguarding
- Are committed to teamwork, learning, and personal development
Application Process
Before applying, you will be asked to complete a typing test:
- Take a 1-minute test (up to 3 attempts)
- Achieve at least 55 words per minute
- Submit a screenshot showing:
- Speed
- Number of errors
- Adjusted speed
Interested?
Get in touch to request a full role description and application form with [email protected]
Join us and help ensure that every family has someone to turn to when it matters most.
Coram Family Lives was formed over fifty years ago by volunteers, with the aim of ensuring that all parents had somewhere to turn before they reached crisis point. We know that the right support at the right time makes all the difference. This continues to be our mission today and we are extremely proud that we are still providing vital support to families. We couldn’t do this without the unwavering generosity and compassion of our volunteers who know that the right support at the right time makes all the difference.
Our services
We believe in the power of active support and understanding. That’s why we offer a comprehensive suite of resources, including our national helpline, online chat, email support, and a resource-rich website. For families in need of more intensive support, we provide a range of direct services across various locations in England and Wales. The issues we support families with include family breakdown, challenging relationships and behaviour, neurodiversity, and emotional and mental wellbeing.
The expertise, generosity and compassion of our staff and volunteers is at the heart of everything we do, and we work together with them to support families through our range of services. We are, and have always been, a volunteer-led organisation – we simply could not do it without them alongside our staff. Many of our volunteers began their relationship with us as service users but have stayed to support others on their journey – a testament to the support they themselves received. You can read more about us, our volunteers, our vision, mission and values.
Coram Campus,
41 Brunswick Square,
London,
WC1N 1AZ
United Kingdom