March Day Club provides much needed respite for unpaid carers by catering for people including those with early on-set dementia, stroke, and elderly clients.

Detailed description

About Caring Together

Three in five of us will become a carer at some point in our life. Caring Together is an ambitious regional charity that provides emotional and practical support, advice and guidance to carers of all ages and their families, as well as opportunities to take a break from their caring role.

Our people

We employ around 150 people with approximately 50% of those delivering homecare in local communities. We are supported by a growing number of volunteers who contribute their time to our work.

Summary of the role

Our day club gives respite to family carers by providing a day of companionship and safe and stimulating activities for older people with varying disabilities, including dementia.

Part of a staff and volunteer team this volunteer role supports the running of the day club and allows us to offer more interaction with individuals who attend. These sessions help to make a huge difference to people’s lives.

Where you will be based

March, Cambridgeshire

What you will do

· Welcoming and supporting people who attend the club.

· Helping to make and serve refreshments (tea, coffee and biscuits) and helping at lunchtime, including to clear up.

· Setting up and participating in activities such games, arts and crafts to interest and stimulate those who attend, to ensure that everyone is engaged as much as possible in a safe and friendly environment.

Your commitment

· Carrying out the role in accordance with Caring Together policies.

· Reporting any concerns about the service or service users immediately to your link supervisor.

· The day club runs weekly on a Monday and Tuesday each week. We welcome offers of support for the whole day or mornings/afternoons, we are happy to discuss options.

· A willingness to attend training and supervision/support meetings as agreed.

Benefits to the volunteer

· Gaining new skills, both practically and personally.

· The satisfaction of knowing you are making an important and valued difference to someone’s life/the work of Caring Together.

· Meeting new people and be part of a friendly team.

· Gaining valuable experience in the social care field within a voluntary organisation.

Our commitment to you

· The opportunity to use and enhance your existing skills and develop new, transferable skills.

· Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses.

What we need from you

· Enhanced DBS. If you don’t have one, we will provide one for you.

Skills and experience

· A desire to make a difference to people’s lives.

· Like working as part of a team.

· Be approachable and non-judgemental.

· Enthusiasm.

· Be friendly and enjoy meeting and supporting people.

· Good verbal/written communication skills.

· Good listening and conversation skills.

· Be committed, reliable and trustworthy.

· Be understanding and respectful.

· An ability to demonstrate patience and sensitivity.

· No experience of working with older people in a similar role is needed.

Get in touch

If you think this opportunity could be for you, please do send us a message for further information.

Caring Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and children and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are inclusive. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view. We are an equal opportunities employer and expect staff to respect the personal choice and lifestyles of colleagues, carers, and people with care needs.

What we will provide to volunteers

💸 Reimbursement of costs

Getting there

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About Caring Together Charity

Caring Together is a leading charity supporting carers of all ages across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk.

At Caring Together our vision is a world with no unpaid carer in crisis, isolated or struggling alone. You can join us in working to make this vision a reality for people who are looking after a family member or friend.

If you are an unpaid carer, we are here to help you. We are here to give you information and advice, and to provide services and support, to make your caring role more manageable, to benefit you and the person you support.

There are over 150,000 unpaid carers across the region covered by the charity: Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Peterborough, and tens of thousands are caring alone behind closed doors. More than three in five of us will become an unpaid carer at some point in our life. We will look after a family member or friend who needs our help because of illness, disability, poor mental health or addiction. Despite how common caring is, many unpaid carers feel they are on their own.

Unpaid carers often find themselves plunged into a caring role with little warning, and feel completely overwhelmed by the heavy responsibilities they shoulder. Many are exhausted from looking after their husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or child for hours every day, sometimes in addition to trying to hold down a job or bring up children.

We need your help to make sure that even more carers in our local communities receive the practical and emotional support that they need.

Caring Together is a network partner of Carers Trust and has grown significantly over the past ten years, providing more services and more help for family carers and their families across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk.

See more activities by Caring Together Charity