Volunteering with Age Concern Birmingham can be immensely rewarding. Whether you need experience, to make new friends or want to give something back to the community; we have the opportunity for you. We offer a full induction, support, training and learning & development within every role. Opportunities include hands-on roles working with older people, for instance in a Day Centre, or office-based skills, for example by helping with Administration.
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Buddying – Birmingham Carers Centre – To view the full role outline please click here
To offer social based support through the Buddy Volunteer Scheme for those people being cared for and to assist their Carers in taking a short break.
Fundraising and Publicity Events To view the full role outline click here
To help Age Concern Birmingham raise funds through fetes, carnivals, and cash collections, with the emphasis on having fun as well! People with ideas and enthusiasm are always welcome. A regular time commitment is not required, we are building a team of people who are happy to be contacted when an event is planned. Locations and types of work will vary, for example; attending a carnival in Sutton Park in the summer to volunteer on the Age Concern Birmingham stall, or a Christmas Concert cash collection in the city centre.
Day Centres and Luncheon Clubs To view the full role outline please click on the relevant link: Day Care / Luncheon Club
Age Concern Birmingham runs seven Day Centres and four Lunch Clubs throughout the city, and help is needed in each centre on a day to day basis. Volunteers provide conversation, help to serve meals and assist with activities. You will be part of a hard working team caring for elderly people, some of whom have dementia. See Day Services for more information on the service and locations of individual centres.
Events Support Volunteer To view the full role outline click here
The purpose of the role is to attend and assist with events, and to promote the work of the Carers Centre.
Befriending Groups To view the full role outline click here
If you are interested learning more about the telephone befriending role, please contact Karen Knight, Volunteer Manager, either on email kknight@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk or by telephone on 0121 262 3024 or by visit to 198 Corporation Street, Birmingham, and she will be able to give you further details. Alternatively, if you think you might like to be a Home Visitor she can also give you details of that role.
Telephone Befriending To view the full role outline click here
This service contacts lonely and isolated service users by telephone on a weekly basis. It aims give people the confidence to access community and mainstream activities & services. This service operates from our north area office in Boldmere.
Home Visiting To view the full role outline click here
The home visiting service exists to provide long term emotional support to older people in their homes. The visiting is done entirely by volunteers. As a volunteer you will be providing someone for the client to talk to and developing a mutual trust and friendship with the person you visit. Volunteers can choose to visit people in their own close locality, or may be happy to travel a little to reach the client. Times of visiting are arranged to suit both the volunteer and the client.
Dog Walker/Canine Companionship To view the full role outline click here
This service is to assist isolated and housebound older people to maintain their independence through walking their dog, therefore enabling the person to keep the pet in spite of changes to their health and wellbeing. The role will involve spending time with the owner and dog prior to taking the dog out in order to befriend both parties and to understand the behaviour of the animal, and then walking the dog on a regular basis at pre-agreed times convenient to both parties, in appropriate places in the local area.
Advice and Information Support Volunteers - To view the full role outline click here
To help provide an effective and efficient advice service to members of the public. Volunteers should be willing to undertake relevant training to the required standard in order to assist with collecting and gathering information from older people and delivering advice and information through drop-ins and some home visits.
Administration To view the full role outline click here
Volunteers are needed for general office duties such as reception, answering the telephone, typing and administrative assistance. Age Concern Birmingham has offices within the city centre and throughout the city. This is an ideal role, either for someone with existing administrative skills, or for someone looking to improve their knowledge.
Knitting Volunteers To view the full role outline click here
To provide basic knitting skills to volunteers and carers, and promote the work of the Carers Centre.
Mystery Shopper Volunteers To view the full role outline click here
To act as a client for Age Concern Birmingham in order to assess the standard of service provided.
Please note this roles is only available to existing Age Concern Birmingham volunteers who have been volunteering for more than a year.
Supervisor/Mentor Volunteers To view the full role outline click here
To be already carrying out a Home Visitor or Telephone Befriending role with Age Concern Birmingham and to take on an additional supervisory role for a small group of volunteers carrying out a similar role.
Please note this role is only available to existing Age Concern Birmingham volunteers who have been volunteering for more than a year.
How to apply for one or more of the above voluntary roles:
Download an application form by clicking here
Contact Link: info@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk
Important information on CRB Checks
In order to volunteer with Age Concern Birmingham, our policy is that those whose role will regularly involve working with, caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of vulnerable adults will be asked to produce an Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure. In order to complete a CRB check, it is a legal requirement of the Criminal Records Bureau that applicants must provide all of the addresses on the CRB form where they have lived in the last 5 years with no gaps in dates.
For people who have lived overseas during the last five years:
According to the latest information from the CRB regarding Enhanced Criminal Record Disclosures for people who have lived overseas within the last 5 years, the CRB cannot currently access criminal records held overseas.
The CRB provides information on how an individual can obtain a copy of their own certificate of good conduct or criminal record from a number of countries. This information can be found on the CRB overseas page at http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1087477219&type=RESOURCES. For information about any country not listed you should contact that country’s representative in the UK.
Contact details can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site at http://www.fco.gov.uk/.
This certificate of good conduct or criminal record will be required from applicants who have lived overseas in the last 5 years in order to make an application with Age Concern Birmingham for our roles that require direct contact with vulnerable adults,
To view the Volunteer Agreement click here.
To view the list of Volunteer Policies and Procedures click here.
Annual Thank You Party for Volunteers
Every year Age Concern Birmingham hosts a Thank You Party to celebrate the achievements of its volunteers and the difference they make to the lives of older people across the city. At the annual party vounteer commendations are given out by Shirley Goode, Chief Executive. See below a selection of photos taken at the 2010 event:
Volunteer Newsletter
Our newsletter contains information on events, training courses and other hot topics that will be of interest to volunteers. To view our newsletters please click on the links below:
Music by Henry Priestman - Grey is the new blonde