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Attention Message

Sense is a national charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind. They provide tailored support, advice and information as well as specialist services to all deafblind people, their families, carers and the professionals who work with them. They also support people who have a single or multi-sensory impairment with additional communicational needs.

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Volunteering Opportunities

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The ‘Get Out There’ (GOT) Group Warwickshire will be running activity sessions for deafblind young people aged 6-25 who live in or near the Warwickshire area. The activities will run weekly after-school and at weekends and holidays. The Activity Session Volunteer will be paired with young people aged 6-25 who attend the weekly activities and residential trips away. The following applies for the evening and/ or weekend activities:

 Typical tasks include:

• Taking part in activities alongside young people – these could include sailing, rock climbing, rambling, swimming, gardening, bowling and arts and crafts.
• Helping to set up sessions and clear away after activities when necessary.
• Spending time with young people during breaks and between sessions.
• Travelling to and from a community based activity using a minibus or public transport.

 We ask volunteers to:

• Take time to get to know a young person and to develop good communication and understanding, just as you would with a friend.
• Get involved and be enthusiastic to encourage others in the group to complete the activities and push themselves.
• Ensure the young people are given choice and dignity when you are participating in activities together.
• Be prepared to support young people with their personal care needs – this may involve help with eating, drinking or going to the toilet.

In addition, GOT Group Warwickshire will be running longer residential trips during the school holidays. These will range from 2-5 days. The following refers to the residential trips:

Typical tasks include:

• Taking part in activities alongside young people – these could include sailing, rock climbing, rambling, swimming, gardening, bowling and arts and crafts.
• Helping to set up sessions and clear away after activities when necessary.
• Spending time with young people during breaks and between sessions.
• Travelling to and from activities using a minibus or public transport.
• Helping with domestic duties, for example shopping, cooking, washing up, cleaning, laundry and keeping the minibus tidy.

• Supporting the young person with their personal care needs – this may involve help with eating, drinking, dressing, going to bed, going to the toilet and changing nappies and pads.

• If you are a named minibus driver, taking a turn in driving the minibus safely and responsibly.
• If you are a named first aider, providing first aid care in emergency situations.
• Doing a night duty, if required.

We ask volunteers to:

• Take time to get to know a young people and to develop good communication and understanding, just as you would with a friend.
• Get involved and be enthusiastic to encourage others in the group to complete the activities and push themselves.
• Ensure the young person is given choice and dignity when you are participating in activities together.
• Support the activity leader, accepting that the leader’s decision is often final.
• Support the other team members.

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Location

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Sessions will be held in various locations across the Warwickshire and Coventry area. The activities will change on a fairly regular basis, however the organisation will try to make sure that transport to the locations are accessible via public transport or by other means.

Travel expenses are paid by the organisation.

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Time Commitment

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Sessions are held in the evening and at weekends. Volunteers are asked to commit for 3 months initially.

Residential trips take place during the school holidays and range from 2-5 days.

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Training and requirements

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A full induction will be provided when volunteers first start. This will include an introduction to Sense and the team that they will be working with, how to support choice, more specific information on the role and an opportunity for volunteers to ask any necessary questions.

The components covered during the training will vary depending on the needs of the young people that we will be working with. Therefore the training could include any of the below:

• Safeguarding
• Moving and Handling
• Guiding a deafblind individual
• Autism training
• Forms of communication (e.g. fingerspelling, deafblind manual, basic sign language, Makaton)
• Personal Care
• Behaviour strategies
• Basic health and safety

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How to get involved

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Interested volunteers will be asked to complete an application form and attend an informal interview or phone interview. There is also an opportunity to attend a ‘trial session’ before fully committing.

To volunteer contact Eve dot Holloway at sense dot org dot uk

For more information about Sense visit their website:
www.sense.org.uk

This is an external project Warwick Volunteers does not have any involvement with the management of these activities

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Why get involved?

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View our top reasons why you should volunteer

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This is an external opportunity

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Warwick Volunteers cannot be held responsible for external volunteering opportunities advertised, but we do make every effort to ensure that all the information we publish is accurate. We advise volunteers to use their own judgement when selecting potential opportunities, and to check all details concerning prospective volunteering activity with the organisation involved. Please make sure that you have received all necessary training and information regarding your own health and safety before commencing volunteering.