Helpline: 0161 861 0101  Office line: 0161 861 7337  Fax: 0161 861 7337  Open: Mon, Wed & Fri 9:30 - 4:30pm Tues & Thurs 9:30 - 8pm

Why Volunteer?

The contribution of volunteering is to recognise and set out the mutual benefits that are brought about through the Carers Centre's partnership with its volunteers.

The benefits of volunteering include:

 personal satisfaction, achievement and enjoyment

 gaining added skills and valuable experience

 helping other people to improve their quality of life

 occupying time in a meaningful and constructive way

Volunteering benefits the Carers Centre in a variety of ways:

 bringing added skills and experience to our work

 creating more opportunities to expand the Carers Centre and research more information for our clients

Volunteers at the Carers Centre are treated in the same respectful and courteous manner as paid members of staff. We try to ensure that all volunteers will be engaged in roles that are fulfilling and rewarding to them personally/academically and to the Carers Centre.

We hope that this experience at the Carers Centre is a positive and rewarding experience bringing with it, its own challenges. We allow volunteers to develop their existing skills and acquire new ones for their own personal/academic development and enjoyment.

Volunteering for the Carers Centre is split into the following areas:

i) Helpline Worker

ii) Counselling

iii) Administration and Research Worker

i) Role of Helpline Worker

The work of a Helpline Worker at the Carers Centre will include:

 responding to telephone enquiries, this involves listening to the caller, providing emotional support and giving impartial advice and information

 providing suitable options and alternatives and helping callers to talk through their choices

 make referrals to other organisations or professionals only with the carer's explicit permission

 recording all details of all telephone calls

 researching information for a caller

 knowing when to refer over to our specialist workers

 keep up to date with, and carry out follow up calls that are assigned to them

ii) Counselling

The work of a counsellor is to assist carers and ex-carers to explore and understand problems such as stress, bereavement, relationship difficulties, general fears and anxieties.

iii) Research and Administration Worker

The work of a research and administration volunteer will include:

 inputting information onto our databases

 updating and finding new information for the Centre

 marketing the Carers Centre's services by sending out promotional material

 helping with newsletter production and distribution

 cataloguing and organising the Carers Centre's resources so that they are easily accessible

 typing documents

 carrying out any other research and administration tasks that are relevant

 all volunteers will receive a full induction and training for their role

 volunteers will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred through travel expenses or for lunch

 each volunteer will have a supervisor to talk through any problems with and to receive guidance from. Every 6-8 weeks we will hold an informal meeting to check that the volunteer is happy with the work that they are doing

 each volunteer will receive appropriate recognition for their work, including a reference if appropriate

For further information about volunteering contact Trafford Carers Centre on 0161 861 0101.

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