Meet & Eat Group Volunteer Co-Facilitator

Who Are We?

At Turning Tides we know that anyone’s life can spiral into homelessness. We bring together compassionate individuals and organisations to transform the lives of people in our local community and change perceptions of homelessness.

We provide a warm safe space to listen to anyone who comes to us for help. Local people experiencing homelessness are supported and empowered to become confident and find the strength and belief in themselves to create a brighter future.

Together we can make a difference and end homelessness where you live.

The Role:

What goes on here? Our projects provide move on accommodation for those people who have struggled with homelessness. Within move on residents are at the last stage of their journey back into community and are actively working with support to find permanent accommodation.

The Meet and Eat Group aims to provide an opportunity for our residents to meet, prepare food and eat together. The volunteer will be there helping residents follow recipes, measure out ingredients and then to cook the food before eating together and chatting about what the group have made. The residents will be expected to contribute to the clearing and washing up at the end of the meal.

What will I be doing? Some residents may need one to one support at points during the group. The volunteer will need to be someone who understands that this is a fully co-produced programme which has been initiated, named, and planned for by clients and that the group itself will be encouraged to participate fully in every part of the process including creating the menu. A volunteer with an interest in cooking is great but not necessary, but a willingness to allow clients to engage as fully as possible and not to do ‘for’ but ‘with’ them is really key.

We are looking for volunteers from 10.30am –1.30 pm (Group runs 11am – 1pm) once a week, or fortnightly. For continuity, we prefer that volunteers commit to a minimum of a 6 week period, however we aim to be flexible.

What skills do I need?

It is Turning Tides’ hope and expectation that as a volunteer you will:

• Be inclusive and welcoming
• Communicate with staff on duty
  
• Be flexible to the needs of the staff member on duty
• Abide by the Confidentiality, Professional Boundaries and Health and Safety Policies at all times