JEWISH CARE

Volunteer Care Bus (Minibus) driver,

Southend

Role Summary: This role is essential in helping Members get to and from our Southend and Westcliff Day Centre from home.

Time Commitment: An hour or so in the morning at approximately 9am and an hour or so in the afternoon from 3.30pm.  Drivers are needed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

How this role makes a difference: Coming to the day centre ensures that local residents are able to socialise and feel less isolated in the community.

Our care buses are a lifeline to our clients, residents and members and enable us to transport people from one place to another. This can be to and from their home to our centres, taking groups on outings, community events, activities. The role itself includes internal and external full specialist training in partnership with accredited specialist training organisations. All volunteer drivers are accompanied by a members of Jewish Care staff at all times when driving clients.

What you’ll be doing in this role:

• Driving members, clients and residents in one of our Care Buses.
• Engage with members throughout the journey
• Ensure the clean and safe maintenance of the bus
• Basic road safety checks completed at the start of each shift ie, checking headlights, indicators and windscreen wipers
• Assisting passengers on and off the Care Bus (where required)
• Following Jewish Care safeguarding policies and reporting any concerns to an appropriate member of staff

Skills & experience you required:

• Specialist internal and external training will be given.
• MIDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) certificate or willingness to understake it (this will be arranged by Jewish Care).
• Full clean driving license including manual transmission
• For insurance purposes you must be over 22 years old with at least 3 years driving experience
• Experience of working or volunteering with older and/or disabled people.
• Confidently engage with a diverse range of people and enjoy helping others.
• A strong understanding and of issues that affect people in later life.
• Reliability, consistency and dependability.
• Good conversational and listening skills with a clear speaking voice.
• Patience, empathy and a non-judgemental attitude.

Induction, Learning & Development:
Training is available and required so that 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.
• Essential training required for the role (MIDAS training)
• A medical may be required (paid for by Jewish Care)

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.

If you would prefer to speak with someone from the Volunteers Team to find out more, please do not hesitate to contact us:  020 8922 2405.

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.

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.

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.