Support Worker Volunteer Roles

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Could you prevent loneliness and isolation in your community and become a befriender?

• Do you have 2-3 hours a week to give to a client suffering from loneliness or mental health? (For a mutual agreement of time and locations that meet clients’ needs)
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a client’s life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our clients to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the clients you are supporting. This can be in a variety of settings, e.g., family home, support home, or in the community (via face-to-face meetings, phone or video calls)
• Have fun, take clients on outings, and maybe share a hobby, sport, or an interest
• Collect prescriptions for clients and assist with their weekly shop
• Help clients rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required; however, the below skills are essential:

• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

VOLUNTEER MAN/WOMAN WITH A VAN

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, family circumstances, mental health issues, substance misuse, care leavers, learning disability, age, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Can you be the link between us and our clients, dropping of food and furniture where it’s needed?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to give to vulnerable clients needing food, help with a move or furniture picked up, loaded, and dropped off?

• Can we rely and depend on you to commit to a period of up to 12 weeks?

• Can you create and maintain positive, professional, and trusting relationships with a non-judgmental approach?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

• Drivers will need be able to take apart large items of furniture for packing and removal, loading them into your vehicle, securing them safely and driving to a new location to unload them

• Collecting food from food banks and dropping to clients’ homes

• Collecting furniture for clients and dropping to their accommodation

Volunteer Role Description

Connection Support provides a breadth of specialist support services to a range of people facing complex life challenges.  The support covers housing support, homelessness, isolation, money management, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse. Often service users have multiple issues which means our work with them is all encompassing.

Volunteer Befriender/supporter

Role Summary:  To provide continuation of support for a defined period following closure of clients from our mental health services in Oxfordshire. This is where the client has expressed a need for ongoing support but the planned tasks with the support worker have been completed.  Volunteers will provide a range of support including an agreed programme of telephone contact, support and attending appointments with clients, and other tasks relevant to that individual’s needs.  This may include helping to develop and maintain social networks which for many were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

Outline of Duties:

1. To assist clients to meet their support needs, including:

• Supporting clients for a period of time and regularity based on mutual agreement, at times and locations that meet clients’ needs
• Providing information and assistance to clients to enable them to develop their social network and participate in the community
• To provide company and friendship, assist with shopping, go for a walk, and share activities of common interest – anything which makes life more enjoyable.
• Support to manage appointments including attendance with clients where appropriate.
• Other tasks relevant to the client’s needs as agreed with Connection Support.

Volunteer Role Description

Connection Support provides a breadth of specialist support services to a range of people facing complex life challenges.  The support covers housing support, homelessness, isolation, money management, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse. Often service users have multiple issues which means our work with them is all encompassing.

Volunteer Befriender/supporter

Role Summary:  To provide continuation of support for a defined period following closure of clients from our mental health services in Oxfordshire. This is where the client has expressed a need for ongoing support but the planned tasks with the support worker have been completed.  Volunteers will provide a range of support including an agreed programme of telephone contact, support and attending appointments with clients, and other tasks relevant to that individual’s needs.  This may include helping to develop and maintain social networks which for many were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

Outline of Duties:

1. To assist clients to meet their support needs, including:

• Supporting clients for a period of time and regularity based on mutual agreement, at times and locations that meet clients’ needs
• Providing information and assistance to clients to enable them to develop their social network and participate in the community
• To provide company and friendship, assist with shopping, go for a walk, and share activities of common interest – anything which makes life more enjoyable.
• Support to manage appointments including attendance with clients where appropriate.
• Other tasks relevant to the client’s needs as agreed with Connection Support.

EMPLOYMENT COACH

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, family circumstances, mental health issues, substance misuse, care leavers, learning disability, age, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients f

Would you like the opportunity to apply your experience in a meaningful role to help vulnerable clients?

· Do you have 1 hour a week to give to a vulnerable client

· Can we rely and depend on you to commit to a period of up to 12 weeks?

· Can you create and maintain positive, professional, and trusting relationships with a non-judgmental approach?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Role summary:

To encourage and support clients on a one-to-one basis to find suitable employment or volunteering.

To assess each individual and help prepare them for meaningful and suitable employment.

Key Responsibilities

· To support clients to identify their skills and readiness for employment and training

· To communicate with clients to understand their strengths and assisting with personal barriers

· To research and match suitable employment, work placements, volunteering or training opportunities based on client preferences

· To identify any initial support needs/adjustments that the service user may need to work successfully

· To assist with CV’s, applications and support for interviews

VOLUNTEER HANDYPERSON

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

VOLUNTEER HANDYPERSON

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

VOLUNTEER HANDYPERSON

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

VOLUNTEER HANDYPERSON

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Enthusiastic, reliable and compassionate volunteers with good interpersonal skills and a desire to help others. Confident working with young people between the ages of 16 - 24.

To provide social and practical support to customers. Helping towards improving the life chances of people with experience of homelessness.

Clarion Housing Group operate a number of supported housing schemes, to support people to live independently, by providing residents with the life skills they will need to eventually go on to their own tenancy.

This opportunity is based in Strood, Rochester and Gillingham (Medway).

Volunteers empower our customers to identify their existing strengths and skills so they can achieve their goals and aspirations. As a volunteer, you can support customers to achieve their full potential by developing new skills and accessing opportunities.

Activities:
-Building an empathic and person-centred relationship with a young person who may be socially isolated or lack confidence.
-Provide opportunities for young people to become more self-confident, maintain contact with important people in their lives and build-up their social networks.

Practical activities could also include:
-Empowering young people to develop independent living skills and to access educational and employment opportunities
-Helping the young people to complete forms and paperwork including developing their CV and job applications
-Helping the young people to build important life skills e.g. cooking, cleaning and budgeting
-Organising activities within the schemes i.e. art/painting, games/quizzes, cooking

Support for Volunteers:

- To attend four half days of training, receive an induction and have access to any other relevant in house and external training

- Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

- Volunteers will have a check in with the Volunteering Officer every 3 months to ensure they are happy with the role and to resolve any issues

Gentle Exercises Volunteer in our Live Smart Scheme for over 55s. 

Facilitating a regular Gentle Exercise group to promote the health and wellbeing of residents.  Activities could include armchair aerobics, yoga or walking

LiveSmart schemes provide affordable, comfortable and secure housing for the over-55s.  Our purpose is to enhance the lives of the people we work with.  Volunteers run activities that promote happiness, health, inclusion and independence.

Activites:

Getting to know an interesting and diverse group of older residents in one or more LiveSmart schemes

Listening to residents and planning with them the type of gentle exercise activity they would prefer

Practical considerations:

Volunteers receive a thorough induction and have access to any relevant in-house and external training.

- Volunteers have a named supervisor providing day-to-day support and encouragement.

-Reasonable travel and lunch expenses with be reimbursed

- A DBS check will be required for this role.

Adapting exercises to the different abilities and needs of the group

Promoting the activity to increase the numbers of people participating

Commitment:

Commitment can be flexible to suit your availability, from about 1-2 hours per week. The commitment may increase as more residents become interested in activities, but a maximum should be 4 hours per week. Ideally this volunteer will commit to a minimum of