Volunteering
Age UK Doncaster relies on volunteers to help us offer vital services in the local community. Would you like to lend a hand?
We have been working with volunteers since we first began over 30 years ago. In that time we have worked with volunteers from almost every walk of life and who chosen to volunteer for a vast range of reasons. Volunteers are a vital part of our workforce. Without these fantastic individuals a number of our services would not be able to exist.
Why Volunteer
Volunteering can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. By giving your time to your local community through our services, you can make a huge difference to the wellbeing of some of Doncaster most vulnerable people. Along with the sense of knowing you are making a difference in your community there are other, more tangible benefits to volunteering;
- Meet new people
- Enhance your CV
- Learn new skills
- gain new experiences
The Institute for Volunteering Research have found that volunteering can improve your mental heath by reducing stress levels and depression. Volunteering can also improve your self-esteem and keep you fit! Find out more about the benefits of volunteering here
...and, most importantly volunteering can be fun!
What you get from us
Full Training: No prior experience in neccessary when applying for a volunteer role. We provide full training for all volunteer opportunties. Some roles will require you to attend our full induction course while other roles require a shorter course. More details can be found in the descriptions for each role.
Full Support of Staff: As a volunteer with us you will receive the full support of the Volunteer Coordinator as well as all the staff in the department you will be working with.
Expenses Paid: We will cover all out of pocket expences for volunteers including mileage. We get enough from our volunteers, it's only fair we give something back.
Finding the perfect role for you
While the traditional way of recruiting volunteers would mean volunteers choosing a role and staying with that service or project until you decide to stop volunteering, we are looking to match volunteers to the people you will be supporting as individuals. We match volunteers and service users based on hobbies, skills, interests, availability and area. We believe that this personalised way of recruiting will offer volunteers a more engaging experience and allow for all our services to benefit from a greater pool of talent.
Day Centre Volunteer
Help out in our Day Centres. Support the people who attend our centres to join in with games and activities as well as serving refreshments and making sure people are having a good time.
Home from Hospital
Give practical support to people recently discharged from hospital through home visits and telephone calls.
Circles Volunteer
Volunteering with the Circles team will give you the chance to help combat loneliness and isolation amongst older people in your local area. Circles match up volunteers with lonely people in the community with the intention of creating lasting friendships.
Advice and Information
Provide support to our Information and Advice staff inlcuding basic data inputting and administration tasks, covering reception and assisting customers with general enquiries.
Befriending
As a Befriender you will support people with dementia and their families through a combination of Face to Face and Telephone Befriending to help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Placements for Students
We are able to offer placements for students in most of our volunteer roles. We have previously provided placements for Health and Social Care, Social Work and Applied Science students.