Derby Churches Nightshelter Volunteering Opportunities
There are numerous ways you could get involved in Derby Churches Nightshelter. The project runs from 1st Dec-31st March, and we are looking for volunteers to commit to once a fortnight or possibly once a week. Please take some time to look through the comprehensive list of where you might volunteer. For many of you returning you may know exactly where and when you would like to volunteer, but for some it is an opportunity to explore new ways of being involved.
The 7 venues
Sun-Friends Meeting House
Mon-Cathedral
Tue-Hope Centre
Wed-Peartree Baptist Church
Thu-Ashbourne Road Methodist and URC Church
Fri-New Life
Sat-Ozzy Road Baptist Church
Evenings
Commitment is fortnightly (this is the normal commitment) or weekly from 7pm-10pm at any one of the seven venues.
This then is broken down into:
Catering-helping to prep and serve a meal in the kitchen, great place for new volunteers to start
On the door- deciding who can, and who cannot come in, requires confidence and assertiveness as well as good communication skills, and usually a big coat!
Signing in-all guest are asked to sign in, and for this we use a computerised system
Sitting and chatting to guests-this is a very important role, it puts guests at ease, helps us to start to build a picture of each guests needs,may involve playing board games, or some other activity
Breakfast team
We like to provide breakfast at each of the 7 venues the following morning, all ingredients are provided and is usually cereal, toast, tea and coffee. We tend to do a scaled down version on a Tuesday morning at the Cathedral of just hot drinks, and then we give them a voucher to get a breakfast at the Padley. On a Sunday morning, Ozzy Road Church allow us to stay an extra hour, and so we use this as an opportunity to provide a full cooked breakfast.
Usually the requirement is 6.30am-8am on any of the mornings, except Sunday which is 7am-9am. We also ask where possible for the breakfast teams to assist loading the van.
Driving the van
The van needs driving usually from the Derby City Mission Office on Charnwood Street to which ever venue in the evening at about 6.45pm, and then picking up every morning at approx. 7am to help load the van and return to the office. A requirement is that you have a full clean licence to volunteer in this way. A van driver is required every evening and every morning. This could be something you do each week, or fortnightly, or do both runs to and from a venue.
Warehouse daytime
For the nightshelter to run smoothly and effectively in the evenings there needs to be work done in the daytime. So if you would like to be involved in the nightshelter, but are unable to help in the evenings, or feel that you can give time in the daytime as well as the evening then help is required at our warehouse. This is where we sort the contents of the van each day, making sure the meals are all sorted for the next evening, and everything is stocked up. Usual requirement is a week day morning from 10am-12pm.
Office daytime
For the nightshelter to run smoothly and effectively in the evenings there needs to be work done in the daytime. So if you would like to be involved in the nightshelter, but are unable to help in the evenings, or feel that you can give time in the daytime as well as the evening then help is required at the office, which is based at the Derby City Mission Office on Charnwood Street. Here there is help required with sorting boxes of toiletries, underwear, socks, hats and gloves, making sure all the right equipment is on the van. Making sure clean bedding is on the van. Some computer and admin work. As the nightshelter goes on helping guests with making phonecalls, writing letters, writing CV’s, etc. Usual requirement is a week day morning from 10am-12pm
Guest Support
We will be running our Wednesday sessions again this year form 10am-12pm, we are looking for a team of volunteers who can get alongside guests, empathise and support them to find solutions to their situations with the support of numerous agencies. Very rewarding if you have daytime availability, commitment is 9.30am-12pm on a Wednesday.
We also want to build on evening and daytime guest support as well. So we are looking for volunteers who can make themselves available in the daytime to help with making phonecalls, taking guests to appointments, helping to complete forms. Towards the end of the last nightshelter we had a couple of people doing this and it made all the difference. Just a couple of hours a week can make all the difference. We are also looking for volunteers who can help gather information, pass on messagesetc during the evenings. This maybe alongside other duties you carry out on an evening, but it is a person Guest Support can contact to help with this side of things.
So opportunities are:
Wed guest support volunteer
Daytime guest support volunteer-couple of hours a week
Evening guest support volunteer
*New for 2016-Footwashing Church*
We have a new area being developed by Jane Rice. A place of safety and retreat for women to go on a Sunday afternoon from 4pm-7pm. Offering shower, foot spa, story and faith sharing. Looking for volunteers to get involved in this area. Due to us wanting to keep the women safe, the venue will only be disclosed to those involved in the project, and we are really only looking for women to be involved in this area. For more information contact Jane Rice on
If you know where you want to get involved now, please call or email Phil Morton at:
01332 460346.
We look forward to working with you this winter. We have sessions running for new volunteers as follows:
Mon 3rd October 7.30pm Littleover Methodist Church, Constable Drive, Littleover, Derby, DE23 6EP
Mon 10th October 7.30pm The Riverside Centre, Riverside Court, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8HY
As returning volunteers you are welcome to come along, or bring along new volunteers to these sessions.
There will then be sessions run on most of the above areas, dates and venues will be sent out prior to the nightshelter opening in December.