Roles & Responsibilities of Volunteering

Volunteer role:Coffee Shop Activity Assistant

Responsible to:Martina Pettitt – Volunteer coordinator

Mentor:To be confirmed

Purpose of role:To support service users enjoy the facilities of the coffee shop and social centre. Assist service users withrecreational activities/board games while encouraging conversation and social interaction.

Establish IT sessions for those who have an interest with staff support.

Hours:Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 10.30am to 3.30pm (negotiable)Saturdays are available in the Summer months

Base:Coffee Shop/internet cafe

The Coffee shop is a great social centre for service users living on and off site, staff and the local public. A real hub of activity that not only provides a social outlet but also a small ‘internet café:’ alongside work opportunities for some of our service users.

Volunteers currently run; sewing club, scrabble club and a fellowship group alongside impromptu activities like quoits, skittles & quizzes.

Volunteer also assist staff with serving at busy times or covering for breaks.Never a dull moment so why not come along and enjoy the fun?

Key tasks:

  • To encourage conversation and social interaction
  • To motivate and support service userswho wish to get involved in games/activities/develop their IT skills
  • Empower individuals by helping those communicate their choices and preferences
  • Facilitate a fun environment
  • Serve or support Service Users to serve customers

Skills required:

  • Good communication skills – ability to be flexible in their communication. A willingness to learn the service users preferred communication style to enable inclusion within the group.
  • To be supportive with people with a range of mobility differences
  • Reliable
  • A calm, patient and empathetic manner
  • Outgoing, enthusiastic and fun loving. It's important to enjoy supporting others to have fun.
  • Spontaneous and flexible when needed.
  • Numerate

Responsibilities:

  • To participate in Epilepsy Society training as required.
  • To operate according to the Epilepsy Society Policy and Procedures.
  • To record hours of activity for data collection purposes.

Additional information:

  • The Epilepsy Society will provide appropriate training and information necessary to fulfil role of volunteer.
  • Any expenses must be negotiated prior to starting role.
  • The mentor & volunteer coordinator will provide support to enable the volunteer to fulfil their role.
  • All Epilepsy Society staff and volunteers are subject to clearance; Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Screening (DBS, formerly CRB)

COFFEE SHOP ACTIVITY ASSISTANT- CRITERIA.

Applicant should meet the following criteria / essential / desirable
Age / 17
Able to commit to regular activity
Understanding of Epilepsy, Learning Disability & Autism
Good IT skills
Interest in chess, draughts, quizzes etc
Willing to undertake:
  • Epilepsy Awareness
  • Safeguarding
  • and completion of an training assessment pack
and any other training applicable to the role/dept i.e.
  • Autism awareness
  • Food Hygiene L2

Good numeracy skills (GCSE C or above)
Previous retail experience
Understanding of Health & Safety control measures including COSHH