Description:
Provide companionship to an elderly person while enjoying a range of activities with an individual or group.
Your time is incredibly powerful and sharing it is one simple way you can make a difference to someone’s life.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The team at Melbourne City Mission know the power of a coffee and a chat, sharing the love of a good book, gentle walks and great company. The Community Visitors Scheme in Victoria gives volunteers an opportunity to positively change someone’s life through friendship.
We’re seeking volunteers who can commit to building a friendship with an older person, who may be lonely and isolated. We support elderly people living in Government funded aged care homes or in their own home and receiving a home care package.
Volunteers can participate in the scheme in 3 different ways:
- visit a person in an aged care facility
- visit a person in their own home
- visit two or more people in a group setting at an aged care facility
The program aims to reduce loneliness for the elderly and offer more social support and connectivity to the wider community.
Volunteers are matched to a resident living in a government funded aged care facility, or be the recipient of an aged care package, for the purposes of companionship and friendship.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
When you join our Community Visitor Scheme you'll be asked to agree that you can:
- visit a designated resident on a regular basis (at least once a fortnight)
- provide a record of dates of visits to the CVS Coordinator
- exercise a duty of care at all times for any activities with a resident
- inform the co-ordinator if you are experiencing any difficulties with visiting
- notify the co-ordinator of any accident or incident that occurs while you are visiting
- notify the co-ordinator if you are away or intend to stop visiting on a temporary or permanent basis
- inform the co-ordinator if you are away for more than four weeks, or wish to stop visiting a particular resident.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
- be 18 years or over
- be able to commit to weekly or fortnightly visits for at least 12 months (weekend visits are possible)
- undergo a Police Check (and sign a Statuary Declaration if required)
- undergo a screening process
- attend one of our monthly induction sessions at our Fitzroy North site
- be friendly, flexible and adaptable to change
- live in or near the locations we cover
KEY ATTRIBUTES
- Have an understanding, appreciation and respect for the elderly
- Be reliable and resilient
- Have fantastic listening skills
- Be confident in visiting independently
- Demonstrate good judgement
LOCATION
These roles are in the Northern and Western and Inner City areas including many suburbs in the City of Yarra - Collingwood, Clifton Hill, Richmond, Fitzroy and Alphington.
TIME COMMITMENT
Once matched, we expect volunteers to visit for at least 12 months. Minimum visits are fortnightly, but a weekly visit is encouraged, especially at the beginning to establish the friendship.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY
Visit the Community Visitor Scheme information page for more details and for application criteria. Phone 03 9486 8436 for more information.