Home Visiting Support Volunteer

“Volunteering has given me a purpose again.  I was a Brighton cabbie and I used to love meeting people and chatting about ‘this and that’.  After retirement, I had all this extra time, but my days just blended into one.  Since starting volunteering, I’m meeting people again and making new friends.  I literally feel like I’ve got a reason to get up again in the morning.  I’m so proud to be part of this team and helping in the community.  It’s raised my self-worth; I’m laughing again and it has also improved my health”.

Who Are We?

Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove (AUKWSBH) enable older people to Love Later Life. Our aims are to promote the wellbeing of all older people; to make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience and to enable people to flourish.  

Age UK Horsham District's mission is to respond to the needs of local older people (those over 50), working in partnership with them and others, to provide activities and quality services that influence, and enable choice, independence and well-being. Our long term vision/ambition is to make Horsham District a district in which everyone can love later life.

The Role

• You will be supporting older people through weekly visits to their home. The role involves providing short term practical support, not personal care, to vulnerable adults including those recently discharged from hospital.
• Support can include low level support such as having a cup of tea and a chat, light shopping, light snacks.
• Support with companionship and support to rebuild confidence to regain or develop independence.
• Some clients may require additional support for tasks such as digital inclusion, which volunteers (if they want to be) can be trained to provide.

How will we support you:

• You will be provided with induction training and be shown how to work to guidelines to be sure you are confident and able to carry out your volunteer role. 
• Induction training will cover an introduction to Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove and its’ services, policies, and procedures. All relevant training will be free to volunteers and you will receive on-going support and training to carry out your role effectively and be able to enjoy doing so with confidence.

What will you get out of volunteering for Age UK:

• Meeting others, having fun and a sense of fulfilment.
• Be part of a growing team and being involved in a vital service out in the community.
• If you are looking for a job, we can give you some volunteering experience whether you have worked in this setting before or not.
• We will train you so you will gain knowledge of working in a charity sector and that will help you in your search for a job.
• Our charity emblem looks good on any CV and we can also give you a written reference. 

Availability

• A minimum of approximately two hours per week. 
• Visits are carried out to meet clients’ needs and can be between 10am - 8pm during the week and over the weekend.

Variable - please discuss with the Volunteer coordinator

What skills do I need?

No qualifications are needed.

However, you will need to have:

• Excellent listening and communication skills.
• Good IT skills are favourable.
• Patience and sensitivity are essential.
• The ability to work confidently on own initiative and know when to seek help and support.
• The role requires committed and reliable volunteers.
• A minimum of approximately two hours per week. 
• Visits are carried out to meet clients’ needs and can be between 10am - 8pm during the week and over the weekend.
• Willingness to undergo a DBS check.
• An understanding of the needs of older people.
• A kind, empathic and patient nature.
• An understanding of the need to observe confidentiality in informal settings.