Volunteering with Age Concern Cardiff and the Vale

We are looking for reliable, empathic volunteers to help support our projects and services. Giving just a couple of hours a week of your time will make a big difference to the lives of our clients.

Find out more about the volunteering process (click here)

Download a Volunteer Application Form here.

(Volunteer Application Form)

Please also download and fill in an equal opportunities form here.

(Equal Opportunities Form)

You can still volunteer even if you are receiving benefits. (Follow this link for information about volunteering whilst on benefits)

If you would like to speak to the Volunteer Co-ordinator Tel: 029 2083 8904 or email vdc@age-concern-cardiff.org.uk

Age Concern Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan provide a one day induction sessions for all new volunteers to welcome you to the organisation and once you have started you can expect on-going support, additional training if required and the opportunity to attend volunteer meetings.

Administration and Promotion of Age Concern Services

Sometimes volunteers are required to assist with a range of office based tasks such as photocopying, typing, answering the phone and helping to create publicity material.

There are also less frequent volunteering opportunities available, such as helping to send out our quarterly newsletter mailings. We also require volunteers to help promote our events and services by displaying information in your local area (e.g. doctors’ surgeries and libraries) perhaps doing occasional leaflet drops or even attending events or road-shows throughout the year.

Advocacy Services

Advocacy Services offer support to older people with issues of concern. Volunteers visit people in their own homes or work as part of the Care Homes team visiting residents in a number of homes across Cardiff and the Vale on a fortnightly or monthly basis. Volunteer Advocates listen to the concerns of older people regarding a range of issues including health, housing or difficulty accessing a service. They provide information; empowering older people to make choices and when appropriate help to draft letters, complete forms and liase with involved parties if appropriate.

As a volunteer you need to be an empathic listener and have good verbal and written skills. Volunteers must be available to work during office hours (9am-5pm) for approximately 3 hours a week depending on client needs and your own schedule. The ability to travel is useful.

Ageing Well Programme

The Ageing Well Programme encourages older people to participate in social and physical activities that promote good health and wellbeing. The project runs events, activities and courses in the community and within residential care homes. In the Senior Health Shop in Barry volunteers provide a healthy eating snack bar, information and a listening ear. Other volunteers throughout Cardiff and the Vale become Activity Leaders such as Extend Class teachers or Walk Leaders. There is also the oppportunity for volunteers to become Senior Health Mentors; offering advice and information about living healthily and communicating with clients, volunteers, staff at Age Concern and other agencies. We also need volunteers who can give talks on topics relevant to healthy ageing, assist with general administration and support the team at events.

All volunteers need to have good interpersonal skills, be interested in healthy living and have the ability to work alone and within a team. Between 2-4 hours per week is required from most volunteers

See additional information for Ageing Well volunteers

Charity Shops

Charity Shops provide vital financial income to support the Organisation and the services we run and are lively and interesting place to work. Volunteers assist in the shop, serving and attending to customers and creating displays. They also work behind the scenes preparing and presenting stock. Many older people also seek information or advice in the shops as they like to speak to a friendly face rather than a voice on the phone. There is also an exciting opportunity to help us raise even more funds by getting involved with our Ebay Project. Volunteers are needed to take photos, write descriptions of donated goods and add them to our dedicated Ebay wwebsite as well as helping to send out goods to winning bidders.

Volunteers need to be reliable and have good communication, numeracy and social skills. Time commitment is very flexible within shop hours Monday-Saturday (9.30-4.30) .

The Ebay Project

Alongside the Charity shops Age Concern also runs its own Ebay shop. This enables the Charity to sell and auction specific items that have been donated to the Charity to reach higher prices than they would reach in the Charity shops.

Volunteers can assist with researching items over the internet, taking photographs, writing descriptions of goods donated and adding them to our dedicated Ebay site, dispatching goods, organising and preparing stock.

Volunteers need to have good computer skills and an understanding of Ebay. Photography skills would also be an advantage.

Time Commitment is flexible within shop hours which are 9.30 - 4.30pm Monday to Saturday.

Please visit our ebay shop: stores.ebay.co.uk/Age-Concern-Cardiff

Welfare Rights Service

The Welfare Rights Service raises awareness of benefits available for older people. Volunteers give general benefits advice, help clients to complete benefit forms and make referals to other projects and services as appropriate. There are also opportuntiies to assist with office administration and to help promote the service by giving talks to relevant groups.

As a volunteer you need to have good administrative skills, the ability to develop knowledge of benefits and be prepared to accept essential on-going training. Generally one half day per week of your time will be needed, plus the ability to travel.