Lots of volunteering opportunities at Guideposts!

If you are interested in any of the positions below or just wish to discuss an opportunity, please contack Kelly or Nicole on 01993 893560 or kgough@guideposts.org.uk or nrolston@guideposts.org.uk

DNG waterers on rota (outside of DNG operating hours – i.e., weekends).

Dig ‘n’ Grow – is a gardening and wellbeing based project for people with learning disabilities. We run from a specially designed walled garden site situated on the Bromag Industrial Estate in West Witney.

Like all our other Guideposts’ projects and services, Dig n’ Grow values and supports people’s strengths and what they CAN do. Gardening activities are aimed at improving people’s physical and emotional health & well-being. We focus attentively on the needs of each individual, working closely with families and carers, providing both time and support through a long-term plan, to ensure that the benefits they are seeking together, are the ones they get! We work at the right pace for each individual to: reduce levels of stress and anxiety; build self-esteem; keep active; learn practical and transferrable skills and feel included and less isolated.

Dig ‘n’ grow are seeking an evening / weekend site waterer. This a key holder position, therefore we require volunteers who are reliable, honest and responsible. We are looking for a volunteer/s who would be willing to attend the site on non-operational days / evening to water the vegetables, plants, flowerbeds, etc. The enclosed garden & large greenhouse are the areas which need the most watering, particularly during the summer months. Weekend volunteers would be most useful to help support staff who are living out of county/north of county.
Our produce is vital as we sell most stock at festivals / fetes. Our clients also utilise a variety of our home-grown produce as it aids healthy living, learning to cook, learning how produce grows, etc.

Community support (help with walking around the community)

GLADS - Guideposts Day Opportunities Service was established 8 years ago in support of adults with learning disabilities living in and around Witney. The service offers a menu of opportunities and activities individuals can choose from to ensure their weekdays are busy, enjoyable and productive. GLADS’ main aim is to help individuals realise their potential, build confidence, self-worth and develop supportive social networks within the learning disability and wider communities, helping them feel valued and included in their community.

We work with ratios within all of our services, but on occasions we need extra help to get out and about in the community. Some of our clients feel more comfortable with their own helper; although they may not necessarily have a need that requires a full time support worker. Therefore, just being there for some of our clients is real treasure. Other help may include help to cross busy roads and just being an extra pair of eyes.

Volunteer Artisans for day services

GLADS - Guideposts Day Opportunities Service was established 8 years ago in support of adults with learning disabilities living in and around Witney. The service offers a menu of opportunities and activities individuals can choose from to ensure their weekdays are busy, enjoyable and productive. GLADS’ main aim is to help individuals realise their potential, build confidence, self-worth and develop supportive social networks within the learning disability and wider communities, helping them feel valued and included in their community.

The service is based on the Two Rivers Estate in Witney. It runs Monday to Friday and offers a range of different activities including: sports and fitness, music, craft, photography, gardening, IT use, shopping, cooking, reading the News, managing social and health care issues and much more. Everyone who uses the service has a say in what activities are planned and have access to a minibus to help them get out and about.

Because we want to offer our service users a variety of experiences and a variety of opportunities, we are looking for several volunteer artisans who would like to do something special for our service users.

You may be a skilled tradesperson or crafter who is very talented, but may also enjoy being around people, particularly those with special needs/ disabilities to share skills and knowledge with. We are always on the hunt for willow weavers, cheesemakers, textilers, fashion designers, carpenters, etc. to visit our services and demonstrate/help our clients to produce something to be proud of.

Lights Up volunteers

Lights Up aims to support people with dementia living in West Oxfordshire, and their carers a chance to engage in stimulating activities filled with laughter and fun. Lights Up also offers specialist dementia information, advice, and guidance.
We couldn’t run our Lights Up project without the help of our fantastic volunteers.

Volunteers can help in many different ways: driving people and their carers to the project, actively support with the various activities and outings, offering emotional support, making tea and coffee…and much more. No prior training or experience required. Training and support provided. Locations include Witney, Chipping Norton, Woodstock & Carterton.

MND befrienders

Mates n’ Dates is a specialist dating and friendship agency for adults with learning disabilities in Oxfordshire. People with learning disabilities want to be the same as everybody else; this means they want friends and maybe a partner. Mates ‘n’ Dates provides an opportunity for adults with learning disabilities to meet new people and socialise at group events or on one-to-one dates.
Befrienders are caring, compassionate and patient people who want to help adults with learning disabilities to make new friends, learn about relationships and possibly meet romantic partners in the same way that everyone else does. A befriender may help with chaperoning dates, supporting individuals out in the community, or providing transport/travel assistance. Befrienders may transport clients in their own car if required, so they must have a clean licence, be insured for business use and have a valid MOT where applicable.

Most of our befrienders work elsewhere and undertake befriending in their spare time – some do a few hours per month, whilst others may volunteer for a few hours per week. Volunteer befrienders are required across Oxfordshire, particularly Banbury, Oxford, Wallingford and Bicester.

OX18 – youth support

OX18 is our thriving Youth Club based in Witney and operates every Thursday evening from 6:30 – 9pm. We offer a range of social and leisure activities that vary weekly, and are decided upon by our members.

We support anyone aged 18-25, diagnosed with a learning difficulty, to engage in social and leisure activities. As a social group, staff are unable to provide personal care, or support those with higher needs, but we aim to be an inclusive group, so carers are very welcome to attend.

Our members are fully involved in shaping our programme of exciting activities, with frequent forums for discussing needs, wants and differences, to ensure each individual member feels involved, valued, and respected.

We are seeking volunteers who are responsible, caring, patient, energetic……and a lot of fun! Tasks may include supervising a large group of young adults, behaviour support, help clients to purchase drinks/meals/pay for activities, travel assistance, etc.

Volunteers will need to be:

  • Reliable and responsible
  • A good communicator
  • Enthusiastic
  • A ‘people person’
  • Aware of, or willing to learn about, the challenges facing people with a learning disability.
  • Willing to undertake a DBS check

MINGLE LGBTQ support workers/events (Mates ‘N’ Dates)

Mates ‘n’ Dates are hoping to expand their Mingle Groups across Oxfordshire. The Mingle Group supports people who identify themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer or Indifferent (LGBTQ) for people with a learning disability. Mingle is a safe and friendly social environment for those who identify as LGBTQ to meet, hang out, chat, enjoy company, and feel part of a community. People of all abilities, religions, sexualities, ethnicities and genders are welcome as long as members are respectful of each other’s individuality.
We are seeking open minded, responsible, sensitive, supportive and active listeners to help grow the service. Volunteers may be asked to organise meetings/nights out, fundraisers, support service users who may need assistance with travel, mobility, communication, etc. Volunteers need to be person-centred; aware of, or willing to learn about, the challenges facing people with a learning disability; reliable and responsible; and enthusiastic.
Mingle volunteers may transport clients if needed, so they must have a clean licence, be insured for business use and have a valid MOT where applicable.

Dreamcatchers Forest school volunteers

Guideposts ‘dreamcatchers’ is an inspirational process that offers children and young people with disabilities regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences.

We are seeking volunteers who will support children in a person-centred way, and work within the team to organise and implement activities which encourage social interaction, independent skills and enjoyable experiences.

Forest School is a specialised learning approach that sits within and compliments the wider context of outdoor and woodland education.

Dreamcatchers is a Children in Need funded project that will continue until 2021, operating across multiple sites throughout West & North Oxfordshire.

A volunteer may have some of the following qualities

 Understanding of person-centred care
 Understanding of facilitating and supporting child expectation and aspirations
 Knowledge and experience of work with children
 Good communicator
 Enthusiastic
 Problem solver
 Excellent interpersonal skills
 Able and willing to volunteer flexibly
 Able to handle challenging behaviour

An interest in working with children. Kindness and patience. Experience of working with children with a learning disability (not essential). An ability to build connections and trusting relationships with the children and encourage independence and development of skills. Outdoor experience (professional or amateur). Art & craft/woodwork skills. A sense of humour!

Most of our Dreamcatchers volunteers work elsewhere and undertake volunteering in their spare time – some do a few hours per month, whilst others may volunteer for a few hours per week. Volunteers are required across North & West Oxfordshire, particularly Banbury, Witney, Hilltop Nurseries (Ramsden), and Carterton.

Mini bus escorts – shuttle service for day services

Our mini bus is a valuable asset to our day services, offering a daily morning and afternoon shuttle service for our clients who may live in rural area, or who may not be able to attend our services without this much relied upon facility. Driving a minibus is not a task to be undertaken lightly – the safety of clients and staff should always be the first consideration. Therefore, we are seeking a volunteering escorts to support our experienced driver for our before and after sessions, 5 days per week.

All escorts must:
 be 18 and older
 undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced disclosure and social care background check

Escorts are expected to supervise adults with Special Educational Needs whilst they are being transported from home to our services and vice versa. This includes:
 Making sure that the service users being transported do not distract the driver whilst the vehicle is in motion.
 That the service users behave in a suitable manner whilst on the vehicle.
 Not leaving service users unsupervised on a vehicle. To enable supervision, carers/parents are expected to escort the service user to and from the vehicle each day.
 Escorts must sit in the back of the vehicle with the service users, and not in the front with the driver.

Escorts should also note that some service users may have medical conditions which could also affect them during the journey, for example, epilepsy. If this is the case then guidelines are available from the team leader.
 Volunteers will need to be:
 Reliable and responsible
 A good communicator
 Enthusiastic
 A ‘people person’
 Aware of, or willing to learn about, the challenges facing people with a learning disability.
 Willing to undertake a DBS check