JEWISH CARE

Michael Sobell JCC Day Centre,

Golders Green -

Butterfly Volunteer

Role Summary: The role is to support the Jewish Care Service at the Michael Sobell JCC Day Centre  with a flexible and can-do approach on the day. Whether it be supporting an activity, working in the café, befriending members, sitting on reception, attending a singing group, hosting a quiz, or whatever else is needed on the day. All within reason.

 
Time Commitment:  We need volunteers to help in our day centre 9-3pm weekly. The centre is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. When applying to become a volunteer, the team will discuss with you which day/days we are most in need of volunteers for. 
 
How this role makes a difference: 
Volunteering in the day centre is a way to provide practical support to the centre, and consequently our members. You can make their experience a pleasurable one. It’s a great way to engage with local older people in your community.  Our regular Michael Sobell JCC volunteers love the role and some have been doing it for years!
 

What you’ll be doing in this role:  

• Assisting as needed with ensuring the members are enjoying themselves and getting a good experience in the centre.
• Welcoming members to centre/ taking coats/assisting at meal times, befriending and supporting activities.
• Working with the Centre Coordinator and staff about what is needed on the day
• Always being sensitive to members’ capabilities to ensure they are supported whilst empowered to order and eat food as independently as possible. Treating what you see and hear as confidential and sensitive. 

• Keeping staff up to date with how your volunteering has gone and promptly reporting anything of concern.  
• Keep your skills and knowledge up to date by taking part in relevant training.  
• Reading and following our policies and procedures, designed to keep you and the people we support safe and happy. We’ve got guidance around safeguarding, confidentiality and role boundaries to help with this.  

Skills & experience required: 

• Calm friendly and patient with a non-judgmental attitude
• On the ball and can work with own initiative
• Confidently engage with a diverse range of people and enjoy helping others.  
• Awareness of the importance of dietary requirements in a person-centred care environment. 
• An understanding of issues that affect people in later life.  

• Reliability, consistency and dependability.  
• Ability to communicate, good listening skills with a clear speaking voice.  
• The ability to work proactively but also stay within the role’s boundaries – recognising what should and shouldn’t be done and when to seek advice or report concerns. 

Induction, Learning & Development: 
Training is available so volunteers can carry out their roles to the highest professional standards, develop new skills, build confidence, make new friends and take on new and increasingly responsible tasks.   
 
Jewish Care will provide the following training, essential for this role:

• Provide you with access to a Volunteer Handbook and all Policies and Procedures. 
• Provide Induction Training:  Getting to know Jewish Care, Communication & Disability Awareness, Boundaries & Confidentiality, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, GDPR. 
• Provide on the job induction. 

Benefits of Volunteering with Jewish Care: 

Without our volunteers, we simply couldn’t function.  We absolutely depend on you.  Whatever your age, disability, whether you are working, unemployed or retired, there are opportunities to help at Jewish Care. 

As well as helping others you’ll get the chance to develop skills, build confidence and make new friends. 

• Enhance the lives of older people, making a real difference to the Jewish Community we support. 
• Be part of a great team and make new friends.  
• Build your confidence and develop transferable skills.  
• Access to a comprehensive training programme designed for the social care environment. 

• Gain valuable experience and enhance your CV
• Our aim is to enable people to enjoy a first-class experience as volunteers, making the most of their skills to make an impact on the communities that Jewish Care serve. 

Why get involved with Jewish Care? 
The work of Jewish Care and the services we provide to our community are vital.  We touch the lives of 10,000 people each week, with everything we do being underpinned by our Jewish values and ethics.  We provide services to: 
 

• Older people 

• People with Mental Health needs 
• Holocaust Survivors 
• People who are living with Dementia 
• People with physical and sensory disabilities  
• People who care for others  

We can only do this thanks to our amazing professional staff of 1,400 and the 3,000 dedicated volunteers who help make our work possible. 

 
Next Steps to becoming a volunteer at Jewish Care: 

 
Step 1: 
Please complete an expression of interest form for this role, which will automatically create a profile on our volunteer management system.  After you have applied, we will be in touch to discuss this role in more detail. 

Step 2: 
Following a successful conversation, with a member of the Volunteers Team or Hiring Manager you will be invited for an interview (and asked to bring identification with you). 
Step 3: 
Following a successful interview, you will be offered the volunteering role and asked to add further information into your volunteer profile, providing two references and completing a DBS (previously CRB) application form online.  Additional paperwork may need to be completed for some roles e.g. volunteer driver. 

Step 4:   
You will be invited to attend mandatory Volunteer Induction Training. Training is to enable volunteers to carry out roles to the highest professional standards, develop skills, build confidence and meet other new volunteers 
Step 5:  Mazel-tov/Congratulations! 
Once we have received and recorded a suitable DBS, satisfactory references and training has been completed, you are officially part of the Jewish Care Volunteer network! 
 
If you have any questions at all about volunteering with Jewish Care,  please contact volunteering@jcare.org or telephone 020 8922 2405. 

This is a voluntary position that supports the work or our services and is not replacing the work of a paid member of staff. 

This role does not form any part of any contract of employment.