Volunteer Telford

A growing number of people are housebound, isolated and lonely, or at risk of becoming so. 
Bird feeding can provide great pleasure to those who are housebound and a weekly visit by a bird feeding friend can offer valuable regular social contact.
Volunteers are matched with someone in the community (preferably nearby in adjacent streets) who is isolated or at risk of becoming so, with the aim of helping them attract birds to their garden.

Volunteers will visit clients in their home, once/twice a week for up to an hour, to help feed the birds. This will include,putting up bird feeders, cleaning them, replacing seed and chatting about birds that have been using the feeders.

The Taste of the Caribbean has been providing high quality for the past 12 Months. Our amazing team of volunteers donate over 15000 hours of their time and considerable skill in order to support the organisation. As a catering volunteer you’ll be at the forefront of our operations as part of the catering team, you’ll help to maintain the highest possible standards of cleanliness and service for our customers in our dining-rooms and kitchen. You will be given training and supervision.

Role details

- To help set up the dining room, serve meals, clear away at all meal times.

- Keep the kitchen, dining room and other catering areas clean, this includes pot washing, cleaning of appliances and operating dishwasher machine.

- Help the Cook Caribbean food preparation, put away deliveries and keep the kitchen and cooking utensils clean and tidy. Adhere to Health & Safety food & hygiene regulations. From time to time you may be required to help in other areas.

What’s in it for you? - You’ll get fully trained in a key industry skill - Have opportunity to be part of a team working environment.

 For many volunteers it’s an opportunity to develop confidence and self esteem whilst experiencing new cultures.

 As a volunteer we recommend you carry out a minimum of 4 hours volunteering a week from 3pm to 7 pm to get the most from this opportunity but of course if you have more time available more help is always welcome.

The ‘Move to Thrive’ project for people with dementia and their carers is a partnership project with Age UK STW, Forum 50+, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Public Health and Adult Social Care Teams, Community Resource and The Alzheimer's Society.

The project will provide combined social and physical activity sessions for people with dementia and their carers in a community venue supported by a ‘buddy’ Support Worker system and will provide an ‘at home’ offer for people unable to attend the group sessions.

The project will include an array of training for sustainability and legacy, with the objective of improving health and wellbeing, bringing people together, strengthening capacity within this community, building upon current relationships and empowering the individual. 

Roles/Responsibilities:

Welcoming participants to the group physical activity sessions on arrival, including people with dementia and their carers.

Supporting participants to get themselves a drink and snack, and fill in the survey form, before and after activity sessions.

Supporting the activity providers and participants with the booking-in and payment process as well as helping to monitor everyone’s wellbeing throughout the session.

Encouraging participants to take part in the activity and develop social interactions with each other.

Support participants to build trust and confidence to book onto and attend future sessions.

Read and understand this Role Description before starting and carry out your duties in accordance with these guidelines and the purpose of the project.

Be mindful of your own and the participants’ health, safety, and welfare.

Report any changes to rota arrangements as soon as possible.

Report any concerns or problems that need further referrals or investigation.

Not share information about participants or what they tell you with anyone else, unless there are safeguarding concerns.

Undertake any training necessary for the role, such as Dementia Awareness training. 

Time Commitment:

Volunteers can choose which sessions to support on a rota basis. It is hoped that there will be 1 or 2 volunteers present at each session.

Sessions are on Tuesday mornings from 10.45am - 12noon and/or Thursday afternoons from 1.30 - 2.45pm in Oakengates.

In addition, there may be training courses to attend, e.g. Dementia Awareness training.

Location of physical activity sessions:

Oakengates Rest Room, Charlton Street, Oakengates, TF2 6BS

Benefits:

The opportunity to meet new people.

The satisfaction of helping people who because of your support become more physically active.

The knowledge that your support is helping the mental and physical health and wellbeing of people who may feel marginalised, isolated, and excluded.

The knowledge that your support is helping to create a more inclusive community for everyone.

Having recently embedded our work more fully in Telford by opening a hub in Meeting Point House at Southwater, we would like to ramp up our efforts by creating a local fundraising committee.

The role would involve various fundraising duties such as: organising, attending and promoting events.

Placing and maintaining donation tins.

Making new connections within the local community and sharing leads with the wider fundraising team.

Seeking permission to place posters to advertise events.

Recruiting more committee members.

Sourcing raffle prizes.

A mixed range of dates and times to include some evenings and weekends.

Ideally a minimum commitment of 2 hours per week.