Outreach Volunteer
ORGANIZATION: Thames Reach
Please visit the new page to apply.
London Street Rescue are now recruiting for volunteers for north, west and east London. We would particularly like to hear from you if you live near Hillingdon, Haringey or Newham. If you would like to volunteer your time, please refer to what to expect on a typical shift below.
What to expect: Each shift varies but you would be advised to wear something comfortable and warm; much of the shift will be on the street either looking for or talking to a rough sleeper. Outreach workers go out in all weather conditions. You will be accompanying an experienced outreach worker on a full outreach shift acting as a front-line worker.
You will take your lead from your outreach worker. Most of the time you will be involved in what they do but there might be occasions for reasons of confidentiality that they ask you to step back a bit, please don’t be offended. Generally, there is very little risk associated with the shifts, mainly because the people you meet are more vulnerable than aggressive but also because we have a robust risk management process; BUT it is important that you follow what your outreach worker tells you, a risky situation can be created inadvertently by a slip of the tongue or misconstrued look.
Pick up: You will be picked up by an outreach worker from your home address or arrange a place to meet in the area you will be working in. You will be dropped off at your home address by car or taxi at the end of the shift.
Shift times: Shifts start at around 8-9pm and finish at around 1-2am the following morning. On a very rare occasion the volunteer shift might run slightly later if we find a client who needs to be taken to an assessment centre.
Finally, for health and safety reasons all shifts require two people to be out on shift at all times; an outreach worker is not be allowed to go on shift by themselves. Therefore, if you cancel your shift at short notice, the whole shift will have to be cancelled. This not only impacts on the people sleeping rough who need our service but also the reputation of Thames Reach as a whole. So we urge all of our volunteers if possible to try to avoid cancelling once the shift has been arranged.
Contact us for an application form
More opportunities with Thames Reach
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Thames Reach
Location:
Camden Spectrum Centre, 6 Greenland Street, London, London NW10ND, GB
Mission Statement
London Street Rescue is an outreach team working with rough sleeper across 14 boroughs of London and is part of the homeless charity Thames Reach. Every night of the year, London Street Rescue are out and about across London, acting as a safety net for some of society’s most vulnerable men and women. Our team of outreach workers and volunteers find and engage with rough sleepers to help them off the streets. London Street Rescue support rough sleepers of all ages and with many different needs including those who are coping with poor mental health, poor physical health or living with drug or alcohol addictions.
Description
Thames Reach is a London based charity working with those suffering from homelessness. Thames Reach’s mission is to assist homeless and vulnerable men and women to find decent homes, build supportive relationships and lead fulfilling lives.
Thames Reach’s vision is of a society where street homelessness is ended and nobody need sleep rough on the streets.
Getting rough sleepers into accommodation is often the first step towards them getting back on track and having a home of their own.
London Street Rescue refuse to give up on people. Staff work with individuals for as long as it takes to help them move away from a street lifestyle, no matter how complex their needs.
People sleeping rough are very vulnerable to the dangers of the streets. The actions of London Street Rescue can save lives.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
LondonLondon, United Kingdom
DATE POSTED
September 6, 2018
SKILLS
GOOD FOR
N/A
REQUIREMENTS
- Background Check
- We are looking for people who can commit to volunt
- References; criminal record (DBS) check; must live/work locally