Are you looking for your first role in the homelessness sector? As a First Response Volunteer, you will help find those rough sleeping in Bournemouth quicker, and enable Outreach workers to spend more time supporting those found to move away from the streets and get connected to other local services. First Responders play a crucial role to ensure people sleeping rough receive vital support.
As a First Response Volunteer you will be helping to find those who are sleeping rough as quickly as possible. By checking referrals, you are helping the Outreach team to spend more time supporting those found to move away from the streets and connect with other local services. This is not a clientfacing role and therefore is well suited to somebody looking for their first role in the homelessness sector. However, we do also offer development opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge about rough sleeping for those interested.
In this role, you will be supporting us with the following tasks:
• Responding to StreetLink referrals including those from members of the public and self-referrals.
• Working with a partner volunteer to locate referrals and identify those who are rough sleeping.
• Passing information about referrals to the Outreach team to follow up on – they will help the person find accommodation and link them into non-accommodation-based support for example around physical or mental health.
• At this stage you will not be directly interacting with those rough sleeping, although the role does offer development pathways.
Benefits to self
- Flexible and low commitment role - minimum commitment of one shift per month
- Build confidence
- development opportunities
- Meet new people
- Insight into homelessness sector
- References provided for volunteers
- Annual volunteer awards
Benefits to others
- Help tackle rough sleeping crisis and positively impact your community
- Ensure those sleeping rough are found as soon as possible so they can be offered the support they need
- Free up time for our busy outreach team
Training available
All volunteers must complete our training session, which takes place on Microsoft Teams. This training is with the First Response Team, and provides volunteers with all information they need to know so they are prepared for their first response shift.
All volunteers also have access to our E-learning platform, so they can complete additional training on a range of topics.
Transport details
Volunteers must be comfortable with walking long distances. We can reimburse public transport costs if used it to get to/from shift.