Thank You. Susan Griffiths Volunteer Coordinator Phone: (03) Work days: Mon Tue Wed 9am-5pm

Transcription

1 Volunteer Handbook

2 Thank You Thank you for taking the time to enquire about volunteering with Wimmera UnitingCare. This handbook outlines various programs within the agency where volunteers are able to be involved. If you would like to volunteer with Wimmera UnitingCare (WUC) please contact me to arrange an appointment. During this appointment I will complete your registration and the necessary forms. Thank you again for taking the time to enquire about volunteering. I look forward to working with you in the near future. Susan Griffiths Volunteer Coordinator Phone: (03) Work days: Mon Tue Wed 9am-5pm 185 Baillie Street P.O. Box 442 Horsham susang@wuc.org.au 2

3 Contents Prerequisites of volunteering with Wimmera UnitingCare 4 Disability Day Programs 4 Disability - Activities 4 Child and Family Services 5 Youth - Leaving Care Mentors 5 Wimmera No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) 6 Occasional Care Crèche 7 Car Washing 7 Casual Volunteers 7 3

4 Prerequisites of volunteering with Wimmera UnitingCare Every person who volunteers with Wimmera UnitingCare is required to have a current Working with Children Check and a Victorian Police Check that is no older than six months. A Volunteer Registration Form is also needed to be completed. To be a volunteer it is important that people are friendly, professional, caring, have energy especially when dealing with children and overall enjoy themselves in the role that they are volunteering in! Disability - Day Programs Wimmera UnitingCare Day Programs provide a holistic lifestyle, recreation and life skills service for people with a disability. This enables participants to gain independence and to interact with others. Volunteers are required to assist and support staff with planned daily activities. This service is delivered from WUC s Grahams Bridge Road site (formerly Karkana). Disability - Activities Volunteers are needed to assist staff in the School Holiday Program and on girls and boys nights held each month. These programs include a range of fun and inclusive activities for young people with a disability. The volunteer role is to support staff to work with secondary school aged children with varying disabilities including but not limited to autism, intellectual and physical. 4

5 Child and Family Services Wimmera UnitingCare offer a range of services to help families, children and individuals build on relationships, parenting skills and community connectedness. Volunteering opportunities include: Family mentors to mentor current Family Services clients so that, when they no longer require our services, they have established community links that are ongoing. A mentor is a trusted friend, a person that can offer guidance, a non-judgemental listener, a positive role model, an advocate, supporter, coach and helper. Supporting staff at Parenting Playgroups that are run on a weekly basis in Horsham and St Arnaud. There are also casual opportunities to be involved in specific WUC events that are held throughout the year. Training and ongoing support will be provided. Youth - Leaving Care Mentors Enthusiastic and reliable volunteers are needed to act as positive role models for young people leaving state funded care. The volunteer would act as a mentor and take the lead in developing a respectful and supportive relationship with their mentee. The one-to-one relationship is an opportunity for both people to grow and learn new things about each other. Training and support is provided. 5

6 Wimmera No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) NILS provides small loans for essential household, medical and educational items to assist people on low and limited incomes. Loans are provided up to $1500 with no interest or fees. NILS Record Keeping - monitor loan repayments; issue three monthly statements to all borrowers; report non-paying, defaulted and terminated loans to the Committee of Management; monitor the balance of the NILS Loans Capital Bank Account and advise the Committee of Management; control the Good Shepherd microfinance database software package; collect up-dates from Centrelink with regard to loan repayments; receipt and bank all cash and cheque repayments as soon as received; monitor writing of non-negotiable cheques made out to the nominated trader for the successful loan applicant. NILS Loan Interviewer - ensure that the applicant meets the criteria of eligibility and that all necessary documentation is provided, photocopied and filed securely; ensure that the applicant has a willingness and capacity to repay the loan; establish whether the applicant has any debt outstanding, loans mortgage, payments in arrears; be prepared to inform, educate and advise the applicant on a range of financial management tools; be able to prepare all documentation with regard to individual loan applications for the Assessment Committee; willingness to notify applicants of approval or non-approval of a loan. Loan Assessment Committee Member - will usually be based in Horsham but loan interviewers from all sites will be invited to participate. This requires an ability to work with a small team (usually 3 plus the interviewer who is not involved in the final decision); have an understanding of other financial solutions or options for the applicant to ensure the most appropriate means is recommended; be prepared to make a decision as to whether the provisions of a NILS loan will cause the applicant further financial hardship; willingness to meet regularly to discuss and make decisions on loan applications; encourage efficient communication of Assessment Committee decisions to the loans applicant and interviewer as to whether the loan is approved or not (and reasons why); willingness to be rostered on to record minutes of meetings where loan applications are discussed; to set and distribute agendas and chair meetings. 6

7 Occasional Care Crèche Occasional Care and Crèche are childcare based programs within Wimmera UnitingCare. The days and hours are flexible in these areas. The main role is to assist the room leader and the children. There may be times when cleaning, setting up and packing up will be required. Car Washing Wimmera UnitingCare are looking for reliable volunteers to wash and clean out agency fleet vehicles on a weekly basis. Usually Thursdays and Fridays from 10am-12noon, however hours and days are negotiable. Drivers licence is necessary. Casual Volunteers - Various Programs and Events Casual volunteers are required on a non-regular basis across a variety of programs and for some Wimmera UnitingCare events. Some volunteer duties may include: Driving Administration Cleaning Kitchen duties Assisting with the running of an event. This may include setting up, cooking BBQ, helping with activities and cleaning up. If you have a skill you would like to share but don t want to commit regularly we would like to hear from you. 7