North East Sensory Services (Angus)

Group Volunteer Person Specification

Personal Qualities

• Warm, friendly and encouraging
• Interested in supporting people
• Reliable, honest and trustworthy
• Able to maintain confidentiality
• Empathic and understanding attitude
• Willingness to learn
• Conscientious and self-motivated
• Able to keep calm in stressful situations
• Flexible
• Happy to be in the presence of dogs (Guide Dogs attend with some members)
• Clean driving licence and access to a car
• Good sense of humour

Experience

• Previous volunteering experience
• Previous experience of people with sight loss and hearing loss

Knowledge/Understanding

• Knowledge and understanding of issues faced by people with sensory loss

Skills

• Good communication

Interpersonal skills

• Good listening skills
• Ability to recognise and respect other people’s boundaries
• Ability to recognise and apply own limits and boundaries
• Ability to attend and make use of support and supervision
• Open to ongoing training as required
• Commitment to work within the group’s and organisation’s boundaries
• Ability to promote confidence and independence

Values

• Accepting the person for who they are – being non-judgemental
• Respecting others as being of equal worth
• Respecting other’s choices, lifestyles and rights
• Not imposing own values and beliefs
• Appreciating differences (e.g. race, culture, gender etc.)
• Able to view someone as a person, not a stereotype

We are looking for friendly and reliable people who enjoy the company of others. Induction training will be provided and so no previous experience of groups or of sight/hearing loss is required. A PVG check will be required for this role and we would be looking for a minimum of 6 months commitment.

Tasks

• To support the group to achieve what they wish to do
• To assist group members with refreshments
• To assist group to plan and organise activities/speakers
• To assist group members to find seats and negotiate the room
• To interact with group members and develop positive relationships
• To encourage the group to interact with one another
• To assist with money handling as required

We are hoping that we can also secure volunteer/s who drive and can assist with transport to the group for a limited number of group members. But not driving would not exclude you from being suitable for the role.

Training & Support

• Induction training will be provided by Cilmi Eldho. North East Sensory Service’s (NESS) Volunteer Coordinator in Angus.
• Sensory Awareness Training will be provided by Libby Hillhouse, the Training and Information Officer
• Support in the voluntary role will also be provided by Cilmi Eldho.
• Out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed through NESS.

Contact for Application form: Cilmi Eldho, NESS Volunteer Coordinator (Angus), 07720 811896, cilmi.eldho@nesensoryservices.org