Friday Volunteer – Active Retirement Group
About the Active Retirement Group:
This group is open to people over the age of 55. The group aims to provide members with a social environment and outlet where they engage in activities to develop skills which help improve their physical health while keeping alive their mental capacity, as well as their social and emotive well being.
Overview of the Volunteer Role:
We organize activities like physical fitness programmes, board games, cross words, table quizzes, darts, bowls, bingo, and specific courses which vary over time – for example, Irish and How to Use your Mobile Phone. In addition, guest speakers on topics of relevance to the group are scheduled on a monthly basis. Outings are also organised on a monthly basis in consultation with the group.
A Summer programme takes place in the month of July. But perhaps the most important function of the group is the social aspect as many of our members live alone. To reach our full potential and to achieve our goals in the group, we seek new volunteers from time to time to support the ARG coordinator deliver a quality and professional programme to the members.
Tasks for Friday Volunteers:
- Undertake shopping for bingo prizes. A weekly budget is available to buy 15 small prizes. This usually involves a trip to the local Aldi and some additional shopping in local stores.
- Call out bingo numbers; Check bingo cards; Issue prizes
- Provide cover for the co-ordinator from time to time due to unavoidable absences
- Attend outings and trips to provide support to co-ordinator, if requested and if available
- To attend meetings and training days if/when possible
- 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 contest of the role as agreed with the co-ordinator
Time Commitment:
Volunteers are expected to undertake shopping between 9.30am and 11am and call out bingo from 11.15am to 12.30pm.
Volunteers for the Friday role have the option of alternating every second Friday with another volunteer.
It is our expectation that volunteers will commit to working with the Active Retirement Group for a minimum of one year.