JEWISH CARE

Volunteer for monthly Memory Way Café.

Redbridge, Vi & John Rubens (either Mikadem or Dennis Centre)

Role Summary:

Jewish Care is seeking a volunteer to assist at a monthly Memory Way Café which takes place in Redbridge. The role is to attend and support the group each session and help to set up, set the table, serve refreshments, and help to enable it to run smoothly. It is a wonderful opportunity to help support an established monthly social group for people living with dementia and their accompanying relatives or carers.

Time Commitment:

Monthly Fridays 10:30-12:30pm, plus up to an additional hour or two from home each month to confirm volunteer rotas, confirm attendees, organise speakers.

How this role makes a difference:

The Memory Way Café is a place for people living with dementia, together with their family carer to socialise and share experiences in an informal, relaxed setting. At each Café an interesting speaker or activity is on offer for everyone to enjoy. The Café is key for stimulation and interaction. It is great for both the person living with dementia and their carer.

What you’ll be doing in this role:

• Attending the session each month
• Helping the team to set up the room and the table
• Providing a warm and welcoming arrival to attendees on arrival
• Help serve refreshments and ensure that everyone is well nourished during the session, offering further food and refreshments throughout the session
• Join the session as required with social conversation with attendees
• Helping tidy up after the session
  
  

Skills & experience required:

• Warm and welcoming personality and demeanour
• To confidently engage with a diverse range of people and enjoy helping others.
• An understanding of issues that affect people in later life and those living with dementia.
• A ‘can do’ attitude and willingness to help with various tasks as required
• Reliability, consistency and dependability.
• Good conversational and listening skills with a clear speaking voice.
• Patience, empathy and a non-judgemental attitude.

• The ability to work independently 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 or would like to speak with someone from the Volunteers Team to find out more,  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.

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