VOLUNTEER (GROUP ASSISTANT) ROLE DESCRIPTION

Twyford Green Task Force and Involve Community Services, with the support of Age UK Berkshire, offer allotment gardening to Twyford and Ruscombe residents. The activity requiring volunteers is:

● Gardening on an allotment at Hurst Road allotments on Thursday mornings (March – Oct, and once a month for Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb)

Main Tasks

● Assist with the set-up each Thursday morning

● Take part in a pre-session briefing

● Welcome the participants

● Help new people to settle in and help people with the activities where they need it

● Ensure that the participants are comfortable and safe during the session – alerting them to trip hazards, making sure that they are not too hot/cold, etc

● Alert the group leader to any concerns you may have about participants

● Help with refreshments during the session

● Help clear away after the session

● Take part in an after-session briefing

● Adhere to Age UK Berkshire’s policies on Information Governance, Equality and Inclusion, Safeguarding and Health and Safety.

Experience
No previous experience is required, but a willingness to help people with mild mental health difficulties and to participate in training is important to enable you to best help our clients, and to help you get the most satisfaction from volunteering with this service. There will be some active gardening, and carrying of tools, plants and gardening equipment, so you would need to be able to do this.

Qualities

● A desire to make a difference to the lives of people with mental health difficulties is vital

● A kind, caring and friendly manner

● Organised and reliable

● Able to work as part of a team, but also unsupervised at times

● Interested in plants and happy to be outdoors

● Sociable and a good communicator.

Availability

This role is for our back up volunteer, which means being available as cover, but both volunteers are welcome every week.

Training and Support
We encourage attendance at any training sessions we organise, and would wish you to complete training in safeguarding vulnerable adults, and emergency first aid. There is no cost for this training but you would be expected to attend in your own time. Other appropriate training may be offered to you from time to time.

Reasonable expenses incurred during the course of volunteering will be reimbursed, such as the cost of any refreshments purchased (e.g. tea, coffee, etc.).

Formal Requirements
We require a completed application form. We also require the names of two referees who have known you for a minimum of one year. They should not be family members, and one of these referees should have known you in a formal capacity e.g. employer or tutor.

Our Aim
We believe that helping people to enjoy the physical and emotional benefits of attending regular activities can be hugely rewarding, and want our volunteers to gain experience and be proud of what they achieve whilst with us. To this end, we offer ongoing support, and hope volunteers will always feel free to contact one of our team to discuss any matter which will help them during their time with us.

For further information regarding volunteering with Age UK Berkshire, please contact the Coordinator
on 0118 959 4242
or email info@ageukberkshire.org.uk

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