Volunteer Hub
Rough Sleeper Breakfast Session Volunteer
Organisation Details
Barnabus
Activity type: Advice, Information and Support, Asylum Seekers and Refugees, Counselling and Listening, Drugs, Alcohol and Addictions, Homeless and Housing, Mental Health, Prisoners and Ex-Offenders
Stellify Award: This opportunity is part of 'Make a Difference'
Organisation Description: Barnabus is a Christian Homeless Charity based in Manchester. We started with just one man walking the streets, giving out food and drink to the homeless.
We now offer a lifeline to people experiencing Homelessness each week, many of whom have severe addictions or mental health issues. We support their physical, emotional and spiritual needs and do all we can to help them get back into mainstream society.
Our project includes a support centre open 5 days a week offering help with benefits, accommodation referrals, access to medical support including mental health services and recovery groups, plus we serve food, clothing, and showers.
We work long term with our clients as they move off the streets and on into accommodation and ultimately into their own private tenancy, we have a resettlement worker who works with our clients in order to help them re integrate back into society.
We now offer a lifeline to people experiencing Homelessness each week, many of whom have severe addictions or mental health issues. We support their physical, emotional and spiritual needs and do all we can to help them get back into mainstream society.
Our project includes a support centre open 5 days a week offering help with benefits, accommodation referrals, access to medical support including mental health services and recovery groups, plus we serve food, clothing, and showers.
We work long term with our clients as they move off the streets and on into accommodation and ultimately into their own private tenancy, we have a resettlement worker who works with our clients in order to help them re integrate back into society.
Description of role: Our guests arrive at our breakfast session straight from a night sleeping out and may be cold, tired, stressed or upset. A warm welcome and somewhere safe to sit and enjoy some hot food and a friendly chat can really make the difference to someone’s day. It is also a great opportunity to tell our guests about all the other help they can get from us later in the day.
The breakfast session is run by a handful of volunteers together with a member of staff, so without the volunteer team, it simply couldn’t happen. Volunteers for this session need to arrive promptly ready to start their roles at 07:00 so that we are ready to start serving our guests at 07:30.
Volunteers can carry out a variety of tasks and, whilst we will try to accommodate you in whichever role you prefer, you will need to be prepared to do any of the following as required by the session leader:
• Simple preparation of hot food and drinks
• Taking breakfast orders and serving food and drink to our guests
• Safe handling and storage of food
• Washing up and cleaning the food preparation area and dining room throughout the session
• Cleaning the support centre after the session is complete to get it ready for the next session
• Managing the flow of guests into the centre
• Adding guest names to the session list on our database and booking them in for showers and support later in the day
• Speaking to guests to complete triage assessments with new guests and update details of circumstances for returning guests
• Chatting to guests and generally making them feel welcome
• Other miscellaneous tasks as may be required by the session leader
Required strengths for this role:
You don’t need any special skills to volunteer for this role, but you do need the following:
• Compassionate nature
• Non-judgmental and non-discriminatory attitude
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of people from different backgrounds
• Ability to work both as part of a team and on your own initiative
• Patience
• Flexibility, Punctuality and reliability
• Desire to make a positive difference in the lives of our guests
• The ability (once trained) to use a tablet with a simple database to input and check guest’s details and record session attendance
• Willingness to carry out cleaning and other basic tasks as required for the safe and effective running of the session
• Willingness to attend training as required for you to properly carry out your role
• Prior experience working or volunteering with people experiencing homelessness, or issues with mental health or substance misuse, or a good understanding of these issues, is an advantage
Volunteers in all roles need to comply with the terms of the volunteer agreement and to carry out their role in accordance with the training that we provide and the direction of the session leader.
Volunteers need to be aware that Barnabus is a Christian charity. Whilst we do not expect volunteers or staff to be Christian or to actively participate in any Christian activities, we do ask that you are respectful of our beliefs and that you join us for a short prayer at the start of each session.
The breakfast session is run by a handful of volunteers together with a member of staff, so without the volunteer team, it simply couldn’t happen. Volunteers for this session need to arrive promptly ready to start their roles at 07:00 so that we are ready to start serving our guests at 07:30.
Volunteers can carry out a variety of tasks and, whilst we will try to accommodate you in whichever role you prefer, you will need to be prepared to do any of the following as required by the session leader:
• Simple preparation of hot food and drinks
• Taking breakfast orders and serving food and drink to our guests
• Safe handling and storage of food
• Washing up and cleaning the food preparation area and dining room throughout the session
• Cleaning the support centre after the session is complete to get it ready for the next session
• Managing the flow of guests into the centre
• Adding guest names to the session list on our database and booking them in for showers and support later in the day
• Speaking to guests to complete triage assessments with new guests and update details of circumstances for returning guests
• Chatting to guests and generally making them feel welcome
• Other miscellaneous tasks as may be required by the session leader
Required strengths for this role:
You don’t need any special skills to volunteer for this role, but you do need the following:
• Compassionate nature
• Non-judgmental and non-discriminatory attitude
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of people from different backgrounds
• Ability to work both as part of a team and on your own initiative
• Patience
• Flexibility, Punctuality and reliability
• Desire to make a positive difference in the lives of our guests
• The ability (once trained) to use a tablet with a simple database to input and check guest’s details and record session attendance
• Willingness to carry out cleaning and other basic tasks as required for the safe and effective running of the session
• Willingness to attend training as required for you to properly carry out your role
• Prior experience working or volunteering with people experiencing homelessness, or issues with mental health or substance misuse, or a good understanding of these issues, is an advantage
Volunteers in all roles need to comply with the terms of the volunteer agreement and to carry out their role in accordance with the training that we provide and the direction of the session leader.
Volunteers need to be aware that Barnabus is a Christian charity. Whilst we do not expect volunteers or staff to be Christian or to actively participate in any Christian activities, we do ask that you are respectful of our beliefs and that you join us for a short prayer at the start of each session.
Skills / qualities associated with the role: Oral Communication Skills
Are volunteer expenses available?: Yes
Duration of role: Fixed / Short term
Start date:
Opportunity times: Monday AM, Tuesday AM, Wednesday AM, Thursday AM
DBS required: On
Can reasonable adjustments be made regarding additional needs?: Yes
Is this organisation part of the Sports Volunteering Scheme (SVS)?: No
Minimum hours commitment: One 2 hour session a week
Location:
45 Bloom St
Manchester
M1 3LY