Volunteer Chef

Closing date: N/A

Job Title:

Volunteer Chef

Responsible to:

Service Manager

Responsible for:

N/A

Hours of Work:

To be agreed

Location:

YMCA Together

Salary and benefits:

  • Travel to and from the service
  • Lunch – daily
  • Training courses tailored to your role such as, safeguarding, health and safety and professional boundaries
  • Volunteer support group
  • Support from a volunteer buddy

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 organisation.

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 maximising potential.

Chef Volunteer Role Purpose

Do you have a passion for healthy cooking/eating.  We are recruiting for a volunteer who has experience or a keen interest in nutrition, food tech and would be comfortable running cooking/baking sessions with our residents.  This is a fulfilling volunteering role which will enable residents to participate in the sessions and learn about nutrition as well as trying out new recipes.

Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Research and plan new recipes for cooking/baking sessions each week with residents
  2. Source ingredients for cooking sessions, within agreed budget
  3. Carrying out risk assessments, ensuring kitchen safety measures are adhered to at all times
  4. Encourage residents to participate in the sessions and delegate cooking tasks following a recipe
  5. Supervising the residents during the cooking sessions
  6. Support residents each week in setting up for the sessions and tidying away afterwards
  7. Encourage service users’ participation in all aspects of the planning and attendance
  1. The volunteer may be required to attend, from time to time, training as required by their own training needs and the needs of YMCA Together
  2. To establish supportive and effective working relationships with other staff and residents in the service
  3. 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 visitor’s policy and procedure when conducting activities, carrying out risk assessments prior to activities taking place.

Internal Relationships

  • Excellent communication with all YMCA Together staff and residents
  • Flexible and positive approach
  • To be committed to learning and personal development both as an individual and as part of a team
  • Sharing information and expertise with the team

External Relationships 

  • Develop excellent and robust relationships with all visitors to the service.

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 – Volunteer Chef

Qualifications

Essential

  • Level 2 – Food hygiene certificate

Desirable

  • First Aid Training

Experience

Desirable

  • Previous experience of working in the voluntary or statutory sector
  • Experience and good understanding of involvement and participation
  • Kitchen experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • An understanding of relevant health and safety issues in respect of cooking
  • Knowledge of different varieties of food and ingredients

Desirable

  • Conducting risk assessments
  • A respectable knowledge of food handling and environmental sanitation standards

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to communicate.
  • Patience, tolerance, and flexibility
  • Attention to cleanliness at all times

Desirable

  • A pro-active approach, self-motivated and enthusiastic with a good level of initiative, innovative and imaginative thinking
  • Ability to follow recipes

Behaviour/Attributes

Essential

  • 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

Desirable

  • Experience of or an interest in working with people with complex needs or challenging behaviours

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

Apply Now