Use your experience. Volunteer!

Community voice in Wales

Royal Voluntary Service has been awarded funding for 4 years as part of the Big Lottery's Community Voice programme. Community voice ensures that more can influence and policy and decisions about services in their community providers will be able to work together to design and deliver improved services.

Their Project

With the support of community voice, they are establishing an exciting research and consultation pilot project covering Monmouthshire and Newport.They are looking to work with older people who are residents in care homes and recipients of support services and their families. The purpose of the project is to gain a better understanding of how services might be improved to share best practice and to help older people to receive the support in the way they want. They will match the older person to the volunteer who can communicate with them in the most effective way to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Together Life's Happier.

Royal Voluntary service is the largest volunteer organisation in the country. Their volunteers share time with older people because it's enjoyable, rewarding and inspiring.

More specifically, for this project they're looking for volunteers who ideally have a background in health and social care or working with older people. If this role really appeals to you and you have good listening skills, can relate to people with tact and diplomacy please get in touch with them. As a volunteer you will receive training and support to help you participate in your community in a whole new way. They will work in partnership with the residents, care homes and service providers.Together you will develop and share good practice to ensure that the older people have the best possible quality of life with choice and services that better meet their needs.

It's flexible

As a volunteer, you won't be stuck doing one thing . If you fancy doing something else,there are plenty of things to choose from.They need you to visit local older people in their homes as well as helping them get out and about continue to do things they enjoy. That could mean anything from sharing a cup of tea, going to the shops together or getting to and from the hospital. But it could also be going to a football match or helping someone to Skype their grandchildren.

Volunteering is also a great way your commitment and get something worthwhile on your CV if you're looking for a new job.

Get to know some really interesting people.

Royal Voluntary Service work is about getting to know some of the most interesting people in your neighbourhood, building friendships and enjoying each other's company. The older people in your community have a unique perspective on life and they are a constant source of inspiration that too few of us get to know.

"I feel as though I am appreciated and making a really positive difference to people's lives. It makes you appreciate what you have in life yourself."

Bob, volunteer, 62.

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