Soul Patrol

Soul Patrol Volunteer Role Description

Making sure nobody feels like Billy No-Mates: Be the reason a dad walks in feeling unsure and leaves feeling part of it.

That shift does not happen by accident. It starts with the room, the welcome, and the people holding it.

Dad La Soul is an award-winning social enterprise and community that brings dads and male carers together through creative events, playdates and peer support to tackle isolation and improve men’s mental health.

Too many dads walk into family spaces feeling like spare parts. Like everyone else got the handbook and they somehow missed the meeting. Soul Patrol helps change that.

Purpose of the role:

As part of Soul Patrol, you’ll be at the heart of making our sessions come alive.

You’ll help create the welcoming, safe and inclusive atmosphere that makes Dad La Soul special. You’ll help make sure every dad, male carer and child who walks through the door feels seen, comfortable and part of something.

This is not about running the session, It is about helping the session feel good to be in.

What you’ll be doing

This is not standing by a sign-in sheet trying to look useful.

It is being the first hello. The warm face at the door. The calm presence in the room. The person who helps people settle in without making a fuss about it.

When this role is done well, dads relax faster. Kids feel at ease sooner. Families stop feeling like they are on the outside looking in.

You will:

• Set up activities before each session and help pack down afterwards
• Welcome dads, male carers and children as they arrive
• Manage arrival registration and ticketing using our simple app and check-in sheet
• Support relaxed conversation and connection during the session
  Be a warm and present presence in the room
• Encourage inclusive participation so every family feels they belong, whatever their background or experience
• Keep an eye on how the session is going and feed back any highlights, concerns or ideas to the team afterwards
• This role is not about forcing conversation. It is not about leading from the front.
• It is about helping the room feel easier to walk into.

What we’re looking for:

• You do not need to be the loudest person in the room.
• You do not need loads of experience.
• You do not need to have fatherhood all figured out.
• We’re looking for someone who is steady and good with people.
• Someone who can make a family feel welcome quickly.
• Someone who can spot when a dad looks unsure.
• Someone who understands that the tone of a room matters.

You might be a good fit if you are:

• Warm and welcoming
• Comfortable talking with adults and children
• A good listener
• Reliable and consistent
• Organised in a relaxed way
• Flexible and happy to work as part of a team
• Passionate about positive fatherhood

What you’ll gain:

• You will gain more than volunteering experience.
• You will be part of something real. Something useful. Something that helps dads and families feel less alone and more connected.

You will gain:

• Hands-on experience in community engagement and facilitating informal, inclusive spaces
• Greater confidence welcoming and holding space for diverse groups of adults and children
• Experience in community action
• A warm, supportive team who genuinely value your contribution and enjoy what they do
• The chance to be part of a growing movement changing the conversation around fatherhood and men’s wellbeing
• A reference for future volunteering, employment or study, where relevant
• Access to all other sessions for free if you volunteer for more than 6 sessions a year.

You will also help build the kind of room many dads wish they had found sooner.

Who this role is great for:

• Dads who enjoy meeting and connecting with other dads
• Anyone interested in supporting community events
• Those who want to build confidence in hosting or facilitating
• Anyone looking to contribute to a positive space for fathers and families
• Anyone aged 18 or over

The impact:

• Your support helps create spaces where dads feel welcomed, connected and supported.
• Sometimes what changes everything is not a big speech. It is a good room, a decent welcome, and not feeling like the odd one out.
• Time commitment and accessibility
• Approximately 2 to 3 hours per event
• Events run monthly on Saturday mornings
• Flexible, with volunteers able to sign up for events that suit their availability
• All reasonable adjustments made based on site location
• Reasonable expenses reimbursed

Location:
Sessions now running in Worthing, Brighton and Tunbridge Wells.

Upcoming venues: Eastbourne (July 26) and Lewes (September 26)

Find out more or apply
Register your interest here and get more information.

For a conversation about the role, contact Aradhana on aradhana@dadlasoul.com to arrange a time to speak.

To find out more about Dad La Soul, visit Dad La Soul: Tackling social isolation for dads.