VOLUNTEERING

Volunteers are really important to Options for Life and we value each and every one of them.

They come from all walks of life and from many different countries.

Options for Life is the only voluntary organisation in Sandwell geared up to host up to six volunteers at any one time from Europe through the European Voluntary Service (opens in a new window).

Our overseas volunteers stay with us for between six and twelve months, working at several of our Day Services and Support Services, for about three months at a time.

This gives them lots of experience of the different aspects of our work.

Options for Life provides accommodation and support for EVS placements. We welcome new volunteers from all backgrounds. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us.

Tanya, a European Volunteer Student from Austria has been based at Making Tracks and Warley Leisure. She said: "This has been such a good opportunity for me to meet new people and see how two very different services work. It has taught me to be more flexible in my approach to people with challenging behaviour."

Role of the volunteers

To join in with half-day sessions and 'one off' activities, e.g. badminton at the sports centre - this would be in-keeping with the volunteer's own leisure activities or preferences.

offer conversation and friendship
offer encouragement and support in the leisure or sport activity
enable the people with learning disabilities to become independent in living skills, e.g. using money, travelling, etc.
assist with preparing rooms, washing up, etc.

Additional roles volunteers may choose

Driving and escorting on the organisation's minibuses.
Enabling people to travel independently on public transport.
By mutual choice, a volunteer and participant may extend their leisure activities outside the organised activities of the service, and so offer an individual link into other community activities. For example a volunteer and a participant from the needlework group may choose to meet up at another time during the week to share their leisure time, to go to the cinema or shopping.
Join in with the special 'holiday' daytime activities and trips, e.g. coach trips to the coast.
Join in with small group holidays, where all people going on the holiday are directly involved in the planning of the trip.
Assist with publicity.
Assist with office/administration jobs.

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