Volunteering for Age Concern Hampshire

Here at Age Concern Hampshire our services just wouldn’t be able to run without our incredible volunteers. We are looking to expand and develop these services so are looking for a wide range of people to volunteer with us. We have various positions available: information and advice workers, admin assistants, bus drivers and volunteers and I.T. centre assistants. The number of people volunteering across the country is huge. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations estimates that the economic contribution of volunteers in 2007/08 was £22.7 billion.

Volunteering can be a powerful tool to help people change their lives for the better. People can develop a sense of self worth, optimism and ambition, acquire totally new skills or diversify skills which employers see as extremely valuable, meet new people and engage more in local society leading to a sense of reward and achievement. At Age Concern Hampshire we offer volunteer slots from as little as 3 hours a week, we are committed to seeing through an application from start to finish and matching the volunteer to the most suitable role in the organisation. We want volunteers to feel valued so we offer training and support in all areas and encourage a good team atmosphere amongst the volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer with us please contact on Freephone 0800 328 7154 or
mail@ageconcernhampshire.org.uk or via www.do-it.org.uk

Day Care

There are 15 centres throughout Hampshire and, as a volunteer, you might be asked to carry out a variety of the following:

Assisting with various therapeutic activities, i.e. word games, craft, exercises to music, leading small groups with board games, crosswords, etc.  taking minutes at Support Group meetings.  providing a listening ear and chatting with clients especially those who are new to the Day Care Centre, Passenger assistant on transport conveying clients to and from the Centre (specific training must be undertaken and regularly updated), driver on transport conveying clients to and from the Centre (specific training must be undertaken and regularly updated), preparation for lunch and washing up, helping with refreshments.

Information and Advice

Information Advisers: Information & Advice Service

Positions are available in our Basingstoke, Havant and Winchester information and advice centres which deal with a wide range of enquiries from how to find a local gardener or handyman through issues surrounding residential care to welfare and benefits enquiries. This is a huge opportunity to develop skills, meet new people and work with a dedicated team. Enquiries are usually telephone based but clients can call in for appointments.

Full training is available and we are very flexible in the shifts we offer.

Our service aims to promote independence and wellbeing of older people by offering information and advice to people over 50, their friends, families and carers. Our main freephone advice lines are open 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday but we welcome volunteers that would just like a morning or afternoon shift.

Reception volunteers at Winchester HQ

Volunteers are needed to spend an hour at lunch time covering the phones, taking messages and receiving visitors. This role could be combined with some admin work.

Opal Volunteers

Opal volunteers are an extension of the Information & Advice Service. It involves arranging one or two home visits to socially isolated older people to help them identify ways of becoming involved in their local community, then writing up a simple report. This would be ideal for couples or friends as many Opal volunteers work in pairs.

We are recruiting volunteers across Hampshire who have an interest in supporting older people to remain independent and could commit to only a few hours a month to carry out home visits. Training and full support will be provided.

If you are interested in working with Age Concern Hampshire to provide older people with the right information at the right time, helping to increase their well being and independence to live in their own homes for as long as possible, please contact the Opal co-ordinator for further information on 0800 328 7154.

Winnall Administrative Assistant  Job Description

Age Concern Hampshire is looking for an Administrative Assistant for their Computer Centre at Winnall Community Centre in Winchester to perform general administrative duties.

The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for enrolling all new clients on a Hampshire Adult Learning Unit enrolment form and sending signed enrolment forms at the end of each month to the IT Development co-ordinator at Age Concern Hampshire  headquarters (ACH HQ) in Winchester.

On enrolling each client he/she will complete an initial assessment and progress form with the client and give it to the tutor.  

He/she will be responsible for subsequently meeting each client and giving them their initial assessment and progress form each time the client attends a session, taking it from them on completion of each session and filing it.  

On enrolling the client he/she will be responsible for giving each client the opportunity to sign a gift aid form and subsequently keeping it up to date with the clients donations in the subsequent weeks.  

He/she will be responsible for ensuring each client signs the attendance register on arrival and signs out on leaving.  

He/she will be responsible for ensuring that each client is given the opportunity to complete a blue course completion form at the end of their course and sending it to the IT development co-ordinator at ACH HQ in Winchester.

If you are interested in this position, then please contact Age Concern Hampshire on free phone 0800 328 7154

I.T. class volunteers

This involves guiding older people through basic computer skills on a one to one basis. Centres are based in various locations across the county. A good understanding of Windows, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, internet and Email is required.

Due to the expansion of our Rural IT classes, we are actively seeking volunteer tutors in Four Marks.

Village Agents

The right person will be a known and trusted face from the local community. The Village Agent will be a ‘signposting’ service for older people who prefer face-to-face contact. Volunteers will be prepared to offer between 4 to 6 hours a week. They will be highly trained to provide high quality information about voluntary and statutory services that are available to those people who may prefer the personal contact rather than telephone or use the internet.

We are actively seeking volunteers in the areas below.

Winchester Wonston, Soberton, Bishops Waltham, Twyford

Test Valley Thruxton, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Barton Stacey, Nursling and Rownhams, Amport

Basingstoke & Deane North Waltham (potential applicant), Overton, Highclere

East Hants Grayshott, Ropley, Bentley, Liss

New Forest Ashurst and Colbury, Hythe and Dibden, East Boldre, Netley Marsh, Ellingham, Harbridge and Ibsley, Hyde

Eastleigh Hamble, Bursledon, Allbrook

Hayling Northney

Hart Hartley Wintney, Rotherwick