Job Description

Summary & purpose of the role

The RAF Benevolent Fund runs groups in the community for members of the RAF Family who have diagnosed and undiagnosed memory loss with the aim of enhancing their wellbeing through social contact and reminiscence. The groups are a very relaxed and fluid environment where the volunteers will mostly find themselves talking socially with the beneficiaries as a group or individually and helping with refreshments. Volunteers provide additional social contact across the group where benecificaries may be new to the group or find the group aspect more difficult. By listening to the beneficiaries, volunteers can also find out about any further welfare needs an individual may have, and signpost them to additional services via Fund staff.

We are looking for volunteers who are available on a long term basis on the last Wednesday of every month from 1pm-3pm.

Volunteer tasks & responsibilities

To support the running of the reminiscence group, volunteers are asked to:

Welcome beneficiaries as they arrive, helping them settle in and start up social conversations. Support with the sign up forms for anyone who is new to the group. Listen if beneficiaries being to talk about any welfare needs they may have and either signpost them to additional Fund services (if known) and pass the information on to staff members to follow up. Assisting beneficiaries in wheelchairs is optional. Volunteers should not ever be in a position where they are supporting a beneficiaries full weight by themselves. Assist with refreshments for the group where needed. Should a volunteer and beneficiary be split from the group, the volunteer should make sure they are always in public areas for their safety.
We are looking for volunteers who are:

Approachable Proactive Empathetic and thoughtful Flexible to the needs of others Experience communicating with people living with dementia is preferred but not essential
Volunteers will receive safeguarding and dementia awareness training before starting as well as ongoing supervision.

This volunteer role is subject to two character reference and a DBS (Enhanced with adults barred list) check.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: 0.01 per year

Benefits:

Free or subsidised travel
Work Location: In person