Social Activities Volunteer

Closing date: February 4th, 2024

Job Title:

Responsible to:

Service Manager/HR Co-Ordinator

Responsible for:

N/A

Hours of Work:

To be agreed

Location:

YMCA Together – Hestia House

Benefits:

Paid travel to and from the service
Lunch provided where appropriate
Training courses tailored to your role such as, safeguarding, health and safety and professional boundaries
Volunteer support group

Shortlisting/Interview/Assessment Dates:

Online application form returned 4th February 2024

YMCA Together has been voted No1 Charity to work for by our employees in 2022. YMCA is a registered charity and company Limited by Guarantee. We were founded in 1846 and so we build on a long history of providing a place for people experiencing challenging times in their lives.

YMCA Together is a truly value driven organization.

Our vision is that everyone should feel safe, understood, empowered and positive for their future. We meet our vision by working within our values of Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness. These SHREK values run through all that we do from recruitment to how we work alongside people in our services to our partnership approach with other providers.

Our clear vision and values come together to help us in our mission to inspire and support people to change their lives by instilling hope, valuing the person and maximizing potential.

Job Purpose

To work as part of the team to enhances the lives of our residents to encourage engagement and enable our support staff to maintain quality services. The volunteer will develop positive relationships with residents across YMCA Together services by supporting social interaction and mental stimulation for residents within service experiencing challenging times. The volunteer will help facilitate and co-ordinate activities and events with the focus on supporting the residents to engage in these activities and socialize with the team and other residents.

Hours of Work

Minimum of 2 set hours per week.

Duties and responsibilities

The specific areas of responsibility are set out below. These are subject to regular review in order to meet the changing needs of the organization and the environment in which it operates.

Specific Duties

Facilitate residents’ participation in community events, fostering a sense of belonging and connection.
Tailor outings based on residents’ interests, ensuring each experience is enjoyable and meaningful.
Prioritise residents’ safety during outings, making appropriate arrangements for transportation and accessibility.
Encourage social interactions by organizing group outings, providing opportunities for residents to engage with each other and the wider community.
Plan diverse activities, including cultural events, nature walks, shopping trips, and visits to local attractions, to cater to different preferences.
Offer residents choices in selecting outing destinations, empowering them to contribute to the planning process.
Develop effective communication skills to engage residents in conversations during outings, enhancing their overall experience.
Establish a feedback loop to gather residents’ thoughts and reflections on outings, ensuring continuous improvement and responsiveness to their needs.
Be adaptable to residents’ preferences and changing circumstances, allowing for spontaneity and flexibility in planning activities.
Maintain records of residents’ favorite activities and feedback, creating a resource for future planning and ensuring a personalized approach.
Be culturally sensitive when planning outings, considering diverse backgrounds and preferences among residents.
Responsible for supporting the engagement and involvement of residents across YMCA Together services Facilitate residents to build their skills and confidence, so that their participation and contributions are maximised and that they are able to express their views
Plan, co-ordinate or deliver activities individual and group activities, to keep residents engaged, involved and included within the service
Seek involvement and ideas from residents to develop new activities within the service. These can include art, music, exercise, cooking, dance, board games, quizzes and more. All activities to be agreed prior to them being undertaken by the Service Manager
The post holder may be required to undertake additional duties commensurate with the level of this role.

Resident and Visitor Involvement and Engagement

Encourage involvement, participation and co-production from residents
Provide a safe, welcoming environment for all with excellent standards and an ethos of service delivery that encourages residents to engage. With an understanding and belief in the inclusion of all irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, age, religion, ability, identity, and experience
Ensure that all activity and engagement with residents complies with safeguarding legislation, policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

Ensure at all times the safety of yourself and others on the premises in which you volunteer
Report, log and communicate all incidents to the appropriate people
Ensure adherence to YMCA Together policies and procedures when conducting activities, carrying out risk assessments prior to activities taking place.

General

Uphold and develop YMCA Equal Opportunities policy of anti discrimination across all services
Ensure compliance with code of conduct, including professional boundaries and confidentiality at all times
Report all safeguarding incidents
Familiarise yourself with and ensure compliance with all YMCA policies and procedures.

The volunteer will be expected to carry out other duties consistent with the responsibilities of the volunteer post and to demonstrate flexibility in all areas of their work including the willingness to attend training if required.

It is recognised that the association operates in a dynamic environment and as such this role description may be varied in consultation with the volunteer to reflect the evolving needs of the business and changing nature of the role.

Person Specification – Engagement & Activities Volunteer

	Essential	Desirable
Qualifications		First Aid Training
Experiences	Experience in planning and coordination of activities and events for individuals and group participation	Previous experience of working in the voluntary or statutory sector Experience and good understanding of involvement and participation
Knowledge	An understanding of relevant health and safety issues in respect of activities and event organising	Able to interpret and apply guidelines and documentation relevant to the role Conducting risk assessments
Skills	Ability to communicate. Patience, tolerance, and flexibility	A pro-active approach, self-motivated and enthusiastic with a good level of initiative, innovative and imaginative thinking
Behavior/ Attributes	Creative and enjoys social interactions A calm demeanor with a relatable and open behaviour Friendly, empathetic and approachable with a welcoming inclusive approach patient An awareness of the importance of professional boundaries and confidentiality Ability to interact and inspire Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage resident Involvement Flexibility	Experience of or an interest in working with people with complex needs or challenging behaviours

Behaviour/Attributes

Essential

Committed to improving the lives of people in recovery
Committed to own personal development and CPD planning
Creative and dynamic approach with the ability to “think outside of the box” when providing solutions
Energetic, highly motivated with a reputation of being held in high regard by their peers
Excellent interpersonal/ communication skills
Excellent negotiation/ mediation skills
Committed to own career development
Reliable
Ability to work within and have commitment to YMCA ethos, philosophy and SHREK values, Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness.
Energetic, dynamic and self-motivated

If you would like to apply for this role please click here APPLY NOW

To download a copy of our application form, please click HERE

If you would like to apply not directly through the website, please email your completed application form to recruitment@ymcatogether.org.uk

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