Volunteer with us

Telephone Counselling training and volunteering

This volunteering role is a challenging experience. As a volunteer in this role, you will be working at the frontline of our service, truly making a difference in the lives of people affected by emotional and physiological challenges.  It is a meaningful and rewarding experience. All of our volunteers also talk about the value of the training in adding meaning to their personal and professional lives. It is something some of our volunteers describe as life changing.  Click here for Hobart Training schedule (information details.) Apply online by clicking here... Or to discuss the training and volunteering options, please contact: P: (03) 6224 3450 E: info.south@lifelinetasmania.org.au

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If you are wanting to enquire about volunteering in Devonport, please phone (03) 6424  6547 buring business hours.

Chats Volunteering

Photo by Jennifer Skabo Photography

Volunteers can be involved in any way which suits individual lifestyle, skills and interests. A key component of the volunteer role is to model, demonstrate and teach appropriate communication and interaction with others. This will assist participants in building positive social skills to use in their everyday lives and enhance their ability to build friendships. We provide training for all volunteers. Volunteers can choose to be involved with calls, activities, driving and/or our Reconnect intensive support program and may be involved in more than one area

Calls Volunteers

Calls volunteers phone participants each week for friendly conversation and to keep them in touch with what’s going on in Chats. The calls are scheduled so that participants know when to expect a call.  Calls are initially made from the Lifeline Hobart office but after a probationary period and assessment of skills you may make your calls from home if you prefer. Lifeline Hobart treats all information it collects as confidential and manages it in accordance with privacy legislation and Lifeline policy.  None of this information is disclosed to people outside Lifeline Chats.  It is imperative that, if calls are made from home, the arrangements are such that access to information is strictly controlled.

As a calls volunteer you can choose a time-frame which suits you. Generally our volunteers commit to a two hour shift per week but you can determine the length of your shift if you prefer. You will call several participants each week and your list will change periodically so you have the opportunity to connect with a variety of people in Chats.

Activities Volunteers

Chats offers a wide range of social activities. Many activities are organised in conjunction with other organisations while others are unique to Chats. Some activities take place on a regular basis at a consistent time and place while others are one-off events such as bus trips or special celebrations. Volunteers may contribute by welcoming participants, ensuring positive interactions between participants, helping things run smoothly, taking attendance lists and/or collecting money where relevant. Your role is also simply to have a good time and get to know participants.

We are keen to respond to the desires of our volunteers and participants and work enthusiastically to put your ideas into action. If you have any ideas for activities you would like to run or help out with, please let us know.

Driving

Many Chats participants find transport a barrier to getting out and about. A big part of what we do in Chats is to organise and subsidise transport for participants attending social events. Volunteer drivers transport participants to and from social activities in Chats vehicles or small buses (no special license is required).  As a driver, you are asked to ensure a safe and happy environment inside the vehicle and to encourage friendly interaction among participants.  You may need to assist participants with getting in and out of the vehicle where necessary and help with walkers and wheelchairs in some cases.

Reconnect

Reconnect is our intensive, individualised support program, designed for participants who may be having difficulty reconnecting with their community. Reconnect volunteers meet with the participant and staff to plan the best way of supporting the individual participant. Specific goals will be set depending on the participant’s unique circumstances. The plan may include visiting the participant at home, accompanying them on social outings or any other response appropriate to their situation. Our goal is always to find the best way to link participants with peers and their wider community. Reconnect support continues for a pre-determined period of time until the participant feels more confident involving themselves in social activity. If difficulties persist, additional assessment and planning may be required with staff involvement.

What about pre-requisites and training for volunteers?

The volunteer position description outlines the qualities and skills demanded by the roles.  Volunteers attend an initial training session and are encouraged to attend our quarterly volunteer get together meetings which include an ongoing component of training, information and development.  A National Police Record Check is essential and we will provide the forms and cover the associated cost.

Specific, optional training sessions are conducted to gain skills in first aid, suicide awareness (safeTALK) and other qualifications relevant to the role.  There is no cost to volunteers.

Download a Chats volunteer Position Description
Download a Chats volunteer Application Form

To discuss the opportunity for volunteering with Chats, please contact:

P: (03) 6224 3450 or (03) 6224 3434

E: ingrid.harrison@lifelinetasmania.org.au
    

Community Visitors (CVS) Volunteering

What is a Community Visitor?

A community visitor is a person who sets aside time, at least once a week or fortnight, to visit and befriend a resident of an aged care home.  People of many cultural or varied backgrounds are to be found in any community, including an aged care home, and therefore community visitors from all backgrounds are welcomed.

As a community visitor you will meet with the Coordinator for an assessment of your suitability for the role of visitor.  A completed application form is required as well as a current National Police Record Check for which Lifeline will provide the forms and cover the associated cost.

The volunteer position description outlines the qualities and skills required.  Volunteers receive one-on-one orientation and ongoing support from the Coordinator.  Volunteers are encouraged to attend information seminars held regularly which includes an ongoing component of training, information and development.

Who Do Community Visitors Visit?

Some residents of aged care homes don’t have regular contact with relatives or friends from outside the aged care home.  In some cases, the resident may be visited but receive little benefit from the visits.  The resident may be isolated because of cultural reasons and would benefit from spending time with someone they can relate to, or who can speak with them in their first language.

How Many Residents Do Community Visitors Visit?

You must have the agreement of the Coordinator to visit more than one resident.  Some residents need to feel that their visitor is “theirs”.  The Coordinator can arrange for you to visit a resident at another home if you would like to visit more than one resident.

How Is the Visit Spent?

Depending on you and the resident you visit, you may spend your time together in a variety of ways.  You might sit and chat or discuss the local news.  If the resident is able, you might take a walk or go on an outing together.  Some residents may be confined to their bed.  Other residents may have a cognitive impairment or more limited communication skills. Though such impairments may limit the activities you can undertake, there are still many ways to enjoy your time together.  You might read a book or listen to music together.

What a Community Visitor Can Do

You add to the quality of life of the resident by being a companion, confidante and friend.  You can help the resident feel more involved with their community.  This can include an increase in the self-esteem and well-being of the resident; diminished feelings of anxiety, isolation and loneliness; a sense of connection to the community; and an increase in feelings of independence.

Who Else Benefits?

The experience of visiting, sharing and caring benefits both the volunteer and the resident.  By giving of their time and providing companionship volunteer visitors find that their own feelings of well-being are enhanced and the visits are a rewarding experience.

Download a CVS Visitors Volunteer Position Description
Download a CVS Volunteers Visitors Application form

To discuss the opportunity of volunteering for CVS, please contact:

P: (03) 6224 3450

E: info.south@lifelinetasmania.org.au

More information

For more information about these programs see Services

Paid Positions

Two positions available for the Chats Program - see Job Opportunities