Volunteer roles

What’s involved?  

You would be matched with one or two older people (if using your car) based on location and pick them up from their home and take them to the activity of their choosing. If using the minibus, you would follow a designated route to pick up older people to take them to and from the activity.

You can stay during the activity or, if you prefer, you can leave and return to pick them up. 

The activities you would be bringing the person to include:

• Monday Meetups held 2pm to 3.30pm each Monday.
• Afternoon Teas held 2pm to 3.30pm every second Tuesday. Friendship Club held every alternate Tuesday. 
• Men’s Breakfast Club/Sporting Memories/Table Tennis held every Friday from 10am to 12.30pm.

What will I get out of it? 

• You will be joining a team of dedicated volunteers who, just like you, want to make a difference to peoples’ lives in your community.
• You will receive tailored induction training, prior to starting the role and the opportunity to undertake certain specialist training that might be beneficial to your role, such Dementia Awareness Training. 
• You will receive 1:1 support during volunteering to help you with any problems or challenges you may experience. 
• You will be gaining valuable experience in working with people, ideal for careers in health and social care. 
• You will receive all reasonable out of pocket expenses for your mileage/travel. 
• You will receive training on moving and assisting people to help with getting people in and out of a vehicle.

What skills or experience do I need? 

• Driver with access to own vehicle or able to drive the minibus.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Patient and empathetic approach to supporting older people. 
• Good listening skills.

What time do I need to give? 

A couple of hours per week is needed for this role, dependent on what day(s)/group(s) you can help with.

Anything else I need to know? 

You need to be 18 years or older to volunteer for this role. (Aged 30 to 70 if driving the minibus due to insurance criteria). 

If driving the minibus, you need have a category D1 on your licence. 

A PVG is required for this role (if volunteering for groups specifically for people living with Dementia).

An informal discussion and induction training are included as part of the application process. 

We will ask you to complete a driver’s declaration and inform your insurer. This will come at no extra cost to you and all travel expenses will be reimbursed. 

What’s involved?  

Through agreement with the person, their family member and project staff, you will spend up to two hours or so each week with someone doing an agreed activity. This may include:

• Visiting the person in their home and doing activities such as a game or jigsaw.
• Visiting the person in their home, having conversation and a cup of tea. 
• Taking the person out, either on foot or in a car to a group or activity of their choosing. 
• Taking the person out to a café for a cup of tea/coffee.
• Over time, building up rapport with the person while maintaining healthy boundaries. 
• Build up a rapport with their family member/unpaid carer, while maintaining healthy boundaries.

What will I get out of it? 

• You will be joining a team of dedicated volunteers who, just like you, want to make a difference to peoples’ lives in your community.
• You will be supporting someone living with dementia to maintain social connections and doing things they enjoy, while also offering family a small period of respite. 
• You will receive tailored induction training relevant to befriending, as well as dementia awareness training. 
• You will receive ongoing 1:1 support during volunteering to help you with any problems or challenges you experience. 
• You will be gaining valuable experience in working with people, ideal for careers in health and social care. 
• You will receive all reasonable out of pocket expenses for your mileage/travel and up to £5 per week to be spent on your own tea/coffee, if going with person to a café.

What skills or experience do I need? 

• Excellent communication skills
• Good listening skills 
• Reliable and committed to visiting the person you’re matched with each week. 
• Patience and understanding of the symptoms and behaviours associated with living with dementia. 
• Some understanding of what dementia is and how it affects people. This is not essential as training around dementia awareness is given.

What time do I need to give? 

Up to two hours per week as agreed between you and the person you will be befriending. The project ordinarily runs between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. 

We also ask that you can commit to this role for at least 6 months and, if no longer able to volunteer are able to give notice to project staff. This is to ensure the match can be ended in a planned way.

Anything else I need to know? 

You need to be 18 years or older to volunteer for this role. 

A PVG is required for this role.

An informal discussion and induction training are included as part of the application process. 

If you can use your car for volunteering, we will ask you to complete a driver’s declaration and inform your insurer. This will come at no extra cost to you and all travel expenses will be reimbursed. 

What’s involved?  

Through agreement with the person and project staff, you will spend an hour or so each week with someone doing an agreed activity. This may include:

• Visiting the person in their home and doing activities such as a game or jigsaw.
• Visiting the person in their home, having conversation and a cup of tea. 
• Taking the person out, either on foot or in a car to a group or activity of their choosing. 
• Taking the person out to a café for a cup of tea/coffee.
• Over time, building up rapport with the person while maintaining healthy boundaries. 
• If the person is able, support them to become more independent when accessing social groups and activities in their local area.

What will I get out of it? 

• You will be joining a team of dedicated volunteers who, just like you, want to make a difference to peoples’ lives in your community.
• You will have the opportunity to enable someone to develop new connections in their community. 
• You will be supporting someone to improve their health and wellbeing through being involved in old or new interests. 
• You will receive tailored induction training, prior to starting the role and ongoing training as necessary.
• You will receive 1:1 support during volunteering to help you with any problems or challenges you experience. 
• You will be gaining valuable experience in working with people, ideal for careers in health and social care. 
• You will receive all reasonable out of pocket expenses for your mileage/travel and up to £5 per week to be spent on your own tea/coffee, if going with person to a café.

What skills or experience do I need? 

• Excellent communication skills
• Good listening skills 
• Reliable and committed to visiting the person each week
• Understanding of benefits of company in reducing social isolation
• Some previous experience of working with people in a 1:1 setting is desirable

What time do I need to give? 

One hour per week as agreed between you and the person you will be befriending. The project ordinarily runs between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday to ensure staff support is available however evenings and weekends may be a possibility and can be discussed with project staff. 

We also ask that you can commit to this role for at least 6 months and, if no longer able to volunteer are able to give notice to project staff.

Anything else I need to know? 

You need to be 18 years or older to volunteer for this role. 

A PVG is required for this role.

An informal discussion and induction training are included as part of the application process. 

If you can use your car for volunteering, we will ask you to complete a driver’s declaration and inform your insurer. This will come at no extra cost to you and all travel expenses will be reimbursed.