Become a branch volunteer

Epilepsy Action’s national network of branches and branch volunteers supports the aims of the organisation by fulfilling the following roles at a local level:

• Providing support
• Raising awareness of Epilepsy Action and epilepsy
• Local focal point
• Self help and empowerment
• Fundraising

On this page

• What do branch network volunteers/officers do?
• How do I get involved?
• Epilepsy Action branch officer induction/training
• What are the benefits?
• What to do next
• Current vacancies in Epilepsy Action branches

What do branch network volunteers/officers do?

Epilepsy Action provides advice and information for people with epilepsy through the freephone and email Helplines. However, we also recognise that people with epilepsy and their families and carers may wish to gain support from a local branch or become involved in starting or supporting one.

This is where Epilepsy Action’s branch network volunteers and officers can help. Locally based in branches throughout the UK, they can provide support, information and experience of living with epilepsy and opportunities to become involved at a local level.

How do I get involved?

If you have any particular skills or experience such as fundraising, organising, secretarial work, working with finance or figures (for roles such as treasurer, secretary or chair) we would especially like to hear from you. The main requirement is enthusiasm and commitment, so if you would like to help support a local branch, please look at details on the website for current vacancies in branches throughout the UK.

Some branches will just welcome extra support and if you can spare a few hours every month, please contact your local branch if you wish to volunteer, even if they do not need officers at the moment.

If you feel you would like to make contact with a branch in your area, please call your local Local Services Manager (LSM) or the following

• By freephone on 0808 800 5050
• Local Services Officer on 0113 210 8800
• By email at helpline@epilepsy.org.uk

Branch officer induction/training

All candidates who apply to become branch officers are required to complete Epilepsy Action’s induction programme and receive ongoing training and support from Epilepsy Action.

Branch officer induction is designed to:

• Help candidates understand Epilepsy Action’s expectations of their role as an Epilepsy Action branch officer.
• Provide candidates with a standard knowledge of the structure of Epilepsy Action and the branch network.
• For Epilepsy Action, induction and ongoing training ensures consistency in the quality of service provided by volunteers.

Content of induction/training includes an overview of Epilepsy Action’s structure, organisation, staff and the roles of branch officers. The work of branches and the branch network is also explained.

All candidates are invited to attend induction on convenient dates, sometimes evenings or week-ends.

Following induction, all successful candidates who wish to become officers (chair, secretary, treasurer) will be asked to supply two references in order to be a signatory on the branch bank account, but this is not required if you are taking on a non-officer volunteering role.

Being an officer of a branch is a rewarding way to help your local community. Branch officers will make a commitment to at least one evening a month for branch meetings and some hours to deal with running the branch. However, you can spend as much time as you wish on branch activities, if you can spare the time.

What are the benefits?

Becoming a branch network volunteer/officer for Epilepsy Action provides people with a range of benefits:

• Experience of working with a national charity at local level
• Opportunity to meet new people
• Opportunity to develop new skills
• Opportunity to develop epilepsy knowledge through conferences and other Epilepsy Action events.

What to do next

The next step if you are interested in Epilepsy Action’s branch volunteer network, is to contact Epilepsy Action for a starter pack and application form:

• By telephone on 0113 210 8800
• By email to LSO@epilepsy.org.uk

Current vacancies in Epilepsy Action branches

Epilepsy Action’s branches provide services throughout the country. We currently have vacancies for officer/volunteers in many locations but would like to hear from people where Epilepsy Action branches have vacancies for specific roles. Please contact your local LSM for more details of vacancies:

• Northern England 
• Northern Ireland
• Central England
• South East England
• South West England
• Wales