What you can expect
Being a volunteer with Royal Voluntary Service is a bit different from other kinds of community volunteering. We give our volunteers the chance to work locally and on a wide variety of tasks. The most important thing is that they enjoy spending time with the people they get to know.
Getting started
Whether you’re already 100% committed to volunteering or are in two minds about whether it’s right for you, get in touch with your local Royal Voluntary Service. They’ll be able to answer any questions you have about volunteering in your local community, put you in touch with local volunteers who can share their experience and tell you what opportunities they have available that suit the time you have to give.
The work of our volunteers
We ask anyone interested in volunteering how much time they have to give, what interests them and what skills they have. This helps us create an opportunity that is right for you. You could find yourself working on different things – from providing companionship to a client in hospital or helping run activities at a social club to taking a client to the shops or giving them a hand in the garden. The aim is to make sure our volunteers really enjoy their experience. This also allows for the kind of flexibility that helps older people get the support they need.
Practical matters
We take volunteering seriously and aim to make your time with us as easy and enjoyable as possible.
Here’s where we stand on a few practical issues you may be wondering about (although you’ll get lots more detail about all of this when you start volunteering):
Induction and training
All volunteers receive a thorough induction before they start work with us. They’ll also get any training they need to carry out their work.
Supervision
All volunteers are given a named person to supervise them during their time at Royal Voluntary Service. This is someone with whom they can discuss their volunteering experience and share any issues or problems they’re facing.
Expenses
Volunteers are never out of pocket for the time they spend with us. We will reimburse all expenses providing volunteers keep the receipt or provide other approved evidence.
Insurance
We can cover volunteers for any work carried out by them in a volunteer capacity, so long as they have been approved or authorised by us first.
Safety
We do not want volunteers to undertake any activity on our behalf that could have an adverse effect on their well-being. All volunteers are informed of our safe working practices when they start.
Security
All volunteers go through a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check – previously known as a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check to ensure their suitability to work with vulnerable people.
Diversity
Royal Voluntary Service is an organisation that embraces diversity. Our volunteers have different backgrounds, cultures, skills and experiences, as do the older people they work with.
Confidentiality
All volunteer information is kept confidential within Royal Voluntary Service. We also expect volunteers to maintain the confidentiality of any information they handle during their time with us.