Could you become a Support at Home volunteer?

The Support at Home scheme, which works closely with health and social services, enables people to:

• live as independently as they can at home
• build trusting relationships
• help them to regain their confidence and well-being.

Their aim is to place the person at the centre of what we do and help them, for a few days or longer, depending on their needs, get through a crisis by offering:

• positive encouragement
• practical help
• emotional support

The volunteers tasks include:

• visiting the service user on their arrival home from hospital
• keeping someone company for a few hours at a time
• helping with practical tasks like shopping, collecting prescriptions and light meal preparation
• sitting with the service user and relieving the relative or carer of continuous care
• keeping paper records of contact and activities undertaken with the service user

We also would like the volunteers to have

• sensitivity when working with people vulnerable to crisis and an interest in their well-being
• an ability to provide patient, positive encouragement with the aim of helping people to help themselves
• an understanding of the differing physical needs of service users
• the ability to work independently and as an effective member of a team

You will need to have good interpersonal, diplomacy, communication and teamwork skills.

Full training can be given for any necessary technical requirements.