Volunteers – Ozanam Grinds Club

About the Ozanam Grinds Club:
Within our Youth Programmes we run a grinds club offering academic support and advice to young people who are preparing for Junior cert and leaving Cert exams.

Overview of the Volunteer Role:
Our Volunteers not only support the children and young people but also each other. This support means volunteers are able to share their learning in the role and to benefit from each others experience, sharing knowledge and skills.

To reach our full potential and to achieve our goals in the group, we are constantly seeking new volunteers to support the youth co-ordinator deliver a quality and professional programme to the children and young people ensuring a standard level of safety and fun environment within each group.

Tasks for Volunteers:

• Attend the Child Protection Training session.
• Attend team planning meetings each term.
• Help prepare for the groups.
• Take part in activities and spend time with the children and young people.
• Be a role model for the children and young people and help them with their activities.
• Supervise the group together with other volunteers.
• Attend outings and trips to provide support to co-ordinator, if requested and if available.
• Attend and contribute to debriefings after the classes with other volunteers.
• Work as part of a volunteer team within a really supportive environment where everybody
• helps each other, giving and taking ongoing feedback and support between all volunteers.
• Attend team meetings every term to assist the co-ordinator with planning, organising,
• developing and running the programme.
• Support the implementation of restorative practice as a procedure for conflict resolution in
• the group.
• Volunteers with talents, skills and qualifications in specific activities are encouraged to teach
• classes if comfortable doing so, with the support and guidance of the coordinator.
• To attend meetings and training days if/when applicable.
• To follow the policies and procedures of Ozanam House which can be found in the induction
• pack or in the office.
• Other general responsibilities in the context of the role as agreed with the co-ordinator.

Time Commitment:
The group takes place on the following days:

Leaving Cert Grinds
Tuesday 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Junior Cert Grinds
Thursday 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Our expectation is that volunteers commit to one group on one day – 1.5 hours each week. The volunteer should commit to a minimum period of nine months. If the volunteer knows in advance that he or she can only commit to a shorter period of time, the volunteer should let the coordinator know.

Skills Experience and Qualities:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish good relationships with children and young people.
• Strong commitment and enthusiasm to children and young people and an understanding of
• the factors affecting their lives.
• Interest and commitment to developing the capacity to provide reliable support to children and young people in times of stress and act with integrity, respect and support.
• Good organizational skills.
• Good level of energy and good commitment to having fun.
• An accepting and non-authoritarian approach.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Reliability, patience, resilience and flexibility.
• Ability to treat children and young people’s concerns with respect, tact and sensitivity.
• Ability to be aware of own limits, to admit it and to ask for support.
• An openness to learning and developing further good practices when working and supporting young people.
• Previous experience is desirable but not essential.