VOLUNTEER APPLICATION PACK. Help us to transform lives in our city

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1 VOLUNTEER APPLICATION PACK Help us to transform lives in our city

2 Introduction Thank you for considering volunteering with Glasgow City Mission. We rely on a over 160 volunteers to enable us to serve over 250 individuals that are in great need in our city. Having a presence in the city since 1826, Glasgow City Mission is a Christian Charity providing practical and spiritual support for many hundreds of homeless and otherwise vulnerable people in Glasgow. Our aim is to provide more that just physical care. At each of our projects we aim to offer hope to people who may be experiencing difficulties in their lives. It can take a long time for people to overcome their problems, but the support and encouragement that people receive from our staff and volunteers can help people start to turn their lives around. We aim to help people, no matter what their circumstances are or what has gone before. We do not judge people on their past, but try to ensure that their future will be a better place. Statement of faith We are Christians who unconditionally value the people we serve. We believe in the living God who loves us and transforms lives. Because of this, we are inspired to share our faith, have compassion and seek justice for people in need. We are Bible based, Jesus centred, Spirit led and dependent on God and the power of prayer. As a Christian charity, we do not force our faith beliefs on those who come to us for help. What we do is share the hope that motivates our work the belief that there is a God who loves us. We respect each person s right to freedom and dignity, while at the same time hoping that they will come to know that God loves them. We would be unable to achieve what we are able to do without the willingness and commitment of our volunteers. We require volunteers to perform various tasks in our projects in Govan and the City Centre (details outlined later in the pack). It is important that our volunteers share our Christian faith, values and ethos and they would attend a Christian Church. For this reason, on our application forms we ask that one reference should be that of a pastor/elder or Church Leader. Volunteering Opportunities Please read this information thoroughly before deciding which of our projects you feel you would be most suited to. It is important that your time is spent at a project which can make the best use of your skills and is as rewarding an experience as possible for you.

3 City Centre Project, 20 Crimea St, G2 8PW Our City Centre Project is where we care for some of the most vulnerable people in Glasgow. Homeless people, women involved in prostitution, victims of violence and abuse and those from deprived communities can find a place of safety and the beginnings of a new life. We provide: Food Clothing One to one support Advocacy Prison Support Pastoral Care Clubs, activities and trips We see around 130 people each night that we are open, most of whom are men. Many of the people we see are unemployed and many have had drug or alcohol problems. We help many people who are living in hostels or B&B accomodation and some who have experienced periods of sleeping rough. We run various daytime activities for people who are beginning to make changes in their lives. Staff and volunteers have the opportunity to develop deeper relationships with those who attend. During the day the project also provides one to one support for individuals as well as a programme of activities and learning opportunities. We also provide access to counselling and vital information and advice. Through our relationship with other agencies in the city, we are able to assist people with housing issues and drug or alcohol problems. Evening Volunteering Opportunities Our Evening Activities rely heavily on the input of volunteers and therefore requires a regular committment. We usually ask volunteers to commit to one evening per week. We are open Monday to Friday for our evening service. We ask volunteers to arrive at 6.30pm to help set up for the evening and we are usually finished by 10.30pm (although this can vary depending on demand for our services on a particular evening). Tasks include: Help in the preparation of food and drinks Help to set the tables out and arrange the chairs Help to serve food and drinks Spend time getting to know those who attend Help with clearing up, washing dishes, cleaning kitchen and floors etc

4 Daytime Volunteering Opportunities Clubs/Classes Our daytime activities centre around various clubs that we run. These clubs include: Art Club Internet Café Fresh Start (Jobs Club) Numeracy & Literacy Classes Let s Get Cooking Over 40 s Men s club Young Men s Club Gym Internationals Drop-in & ESOL classes Again, we look for the same personal qualities as mentioned in our Evening activities section. The daytime activities take place on various days of the week and volutneering times can be arranged with the project staff. Food bank We give out over 11,000 food parcels every year! All this food is donated by individuals, schools, businesses and churches who support us. All donations of food need to be sorted in our store. Food is usually sorted into food groups and by use-by dates. Volunteers are needed to help out in two ways: Mondays & Wednesdays 10am 12pm to liaise with clients, understand their circumstances, make up a food parcel and provide information for additional help; Sorting & storing donated food and keeping the Food bank in good working order. This can be arranged for various days of the week. In addition, we require teams of around 8 people to sort and manage donated food throughout October and at Christmas time. Many Corporate teams choose to volunteer their time in this way please telephone our Operations Manager on to find out more. Food Pick-ups Glasgow City Mission is supported by many businesses in the City Centre in particular bakers and sandwich shops. We require volunteers with clean driving licenses who would be able to assist us with these pick-ups in our van usually between 4.30pm and 6.30pm in the afternoon.

5 Child & Family Centre 4 St Kenneth Drive, Govan, G51 4QD Our Child and Family Centre aims to give children in Govan the best start possible in life. We do this through our partnership nursery, playgroups, parent-toddler groups and parenting support groups. The Centre also encourages parents to develop their own skills by offering Community Education led training on child development, positive parenting and computer skills. Some of the things volunteers are expected to do: assist the play workers in setting up/delivering activities i.e. crafts, painting, reading stories etc. supervise at free play time develop positive relationships with the children contribute ideas i.e. suggestions for crafts, activities etc cleaning work well as part of a team Personal Qualities a genuine love for children and an ability to get alongside them lots of patience be physically fit reliability Time Commitment It would be preferable if you could commit yourself to two sessions per week. The exact details of what you will do will be worked out in consultation with the Child & Family Centre Manager and take into account your own abilities and preferences.

6 Other Volunteering Opportunities Main Office 20 Crimea Street Mailings/General Admin Tasks Glasgow City Mission relies on our dedicated donors to support our work financially. We have over 3000 supporters on our mailing list and like to keep them up-to-date with around 6 mailings per year. We require volunteers to help with stuffing envelopes for these mailings. This usually only takes one or two days every couple of months. If you would be interested in this please telephone our Operations Manager on to discuss. Store We give out over 11,000 food parcels every year! All this food is donated by individuals, schools, businesses and churches who support us. All donations of food need to be sorted in our store. Food is usually sorted into food groups and by use-by dates. Volunteers are always needed to help out at various times of the year especially Harvest (throughout October) and Christmas time. Please telephone our Operations Manager on to discuss. What we expect from our volunteers and what you can expect from us This project works with a variety of people whose lives are often chaotic. They can be manipulative and aggressive and there is always the potential for conflict. Our work centres around building appropriate relationships with the people who use our services and an important part of a volunteer s job is to establish friendships within the boundaries and guidelines of the project. We therefore look for the following personal qualities in our volunteers: Be a good listener Be non judgemental Be compassionate Be willing to do whatever is required even the dirty jobs Be able to work well as part of a team Be able to take instruction from staff Be prayerfull Protection of Vulnerable Individuals As an organisation, we work with vulnerable adults and take the protection of our client group very seriously. For this reason we ask that volunteers who will be

7 working in our City Centre project have at least a basic disclosure from Disclosure Scotland. If you have not been disclosed then you would need to complete the process directly with Disclosure Scotland (unfortunately we cannot do this on your behalf) either online or on a paper application. Currently, the cost for this is 25 which must be paid directly to Disclosure Scotland (this cost can be reimbursed by us if requested). If you have a previous disclosure in the last three years from another organisation or individually and you can provide us with a copy this will be accepted also.* Similarly if you are a member of the new PVG Scheme and you can provide your membership number then there will be no need to go through another Disclosure.* * If you are volunteering at our Child & Family Centre you will be required to join the PVG Scheme which will be free of charge. Volunteer Training On being accepted as a volunteer with Glasgow City Mission, you are agreeing to make a regular commitment in time and energy to the organisation. We will endeavour to provide you with the skills you need to carry out your tasks efficiently and effectively by providing the relevant training. We hold volunteer training nights on a regular basis and expect that our volunteers will make an effort to attend these meetings, both to discuss any issues arising and to give you an opportunity to meet fellow volunteers. We regularly find that as people volunteer and put their Christian faith into action, their faith deepens further. A discipleship process occurs and we strive to be intentional about how we undertake this. Volunteer Induction On starting work with Glasgow City Mission, all volunteers will undergo a full induction. Volunteer Application Process For all our volunteering opportunities, the first step is to complete the enclosed volunteer application form and return it to us as soon as possible. Once we receive your application form, it will be passed to the relevant project manager and if successful, they will call you in for a short informal interview. This will be an opportunity for you to see the project and discuss volunteering further. If the Project Manager decides to progress the application, the relevant disclosure process will be discussed and explained. Subject to satisfactory disclosure and references, you will be notified of your start date with us. On your start date, you will be given full induction training. Please

8 bear in mind that not everyone is suited to this type of work. You will be taken on in the first instance on a trial period of 1 month. The trial period will be an opportunity for us to assess your suitablility and also for you to decide if you are comfortable and enjoying your volunteering experience. Other Information If you are accepted as a volutneer with us we would strongly advise you to visit your doctor as they may recommend you have innoculations such as polio, tetanus, Hepatitus A and Hepatitus B due to the nature of our work. Thank you for taking the opportunity to read this pack and for your interest in helping us on a voluntary basis. We really do value your support. If you have any further questions or you would like to discuss anything in this pack before progressing your application, please telephone Susan Robertson on or on susan@glasgowcitymission.com