Swine flu guidance for volunteers who visit beneficiaries

Getting Involved

Could you spare a few hours of your time helping to support UBS in some capacity. There are many ways in which you could be of enormous importance to the older people we support. All is takes is as much, or as little time you have, which would make such a positive difference.

We have numerous roles and opportunities open to you as a volunteer. You could help our beneficiaries directly by befriending a lonely older person, help them practically by driving someone to the doctor or the shops, or you could help us to organise social events in your local area for the people we assist to attend and meet new people.

Not only does volunteering enable us to provide vital support to older people in need, it also provides the volunteers themselves the opportunity to develop their own and learn new skills, meet a whole range of new people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and have a great deal of fun whilst working with us.

The work that volunteers so kindly perform with us is of vital importance to the success of our organisation and is of huge benefit to those volunteers and of course the older people whom we are helping.

One of our student volunteers on Merseyside told us:

"I really enjoyed my time at the Christmas party. It was so good to see so many smiles from the people who took part. It was a pleasure to help at and to take part in an event, which helped others. Also, it was good to be able to visit Mrs. S. and it was easy to converse with her because of her bubbly sense of humour. I learnt a lot from her, which I will carry with me for the rest of my life."

UBS volunteers who perform some of our befriending roles provide the friendship that makes the people we help feel part of the UBS family. Sadly, it can so often be the only social interaction, and sometimes even family, they have. Our visitors spend time making telephone calls and personal visits to the homes of those we help, providing a vital source of friendship, which makes such a positive difference in the lives of our beneficiaries.

Mrs Phillips is a volunteer visitor in Liverpool, who very much enjoys visiting UBS beneficiaries. 

"I am so pleased to give pleasure to those I visit. I am so interested in hearing about their past experiences in eras gone by." 

This is an activity we are working hard to develop by recruiting as many volunteers as possible. We know how serious a problem severe isolation can be to those people who do not have family and friends to depend on.

To see more details of what is involved in this role, please view the task list for a UBS Volunteer Visitor.

What if my schedule is too busy to commit to making regular personal visits?

Please rest assured that this is a common occurrence and that is why we have introduced our telephone befriending service. By volunteering to make regular telephone calls to as many beneficiaries as you wish, and to satisfy both your schedules, you could really make an older person's day. It is quite astonishing just how positive a difference a five minute conversation can make!

To see more details of what is involved in this role, please view the task list for a UBS Telephone Buddy.
 

What other volunteering opportunities are open to me at UBS?

There are many ways that you can make a difference to our work, and to the people that we support. These include becoming a...

UBS Volunteer Fundraiser

UBS Fundraising Event Helper

UBS Regional Office Supporter

UBS Volunteer Drivers 

In any of the roles mentioned above, volunteers are free to take on as much, or as little, responsibilty as they see fit. If you are interested in becoming a UBS volunteer and providing such friendly support, no matter where in the UK you are, we would be so appreciative of any help you might give.

Please contact our National Volunteer Manager, Tina Dinch to receive an application pack for the role for which you wish to apply. Please note that certain voluntary roles carry with them a minimum age limit. Feel free to ask for more details but rest assured that such details will be confirmed for you at the point of application.

Tina can be contacted in the following ways:

Telephone: 020 7605 4494
Email: sara.campbell@ubs.independentage.org.uk
Post: 6 Avonmore Road, London W14 8RL

To take a quick look at several opportunities open currently for voluntary fundraising, take a look at our information at Fundraising - Getting Involved! page.

Should you wish to speak to someone directly in your area, please do feel free to get in touch with the appropriate UBS Regional Development Officer should you live in any of the following areas...

For Glasgow, call Joyce Nicol on 0141 772 2861 or email her at joyce.nicol@ubs.independentage.org.uk

For London, call Peter Cox on 0207 605 4207 or email him at peter.cox@ubs.independentage.org.uk

For Merseyside, call Sian Burgess on 0151 513 3837 or email her at sian.burgess@ubs.independentage.org.uk

For Tyneside, call Janet Wilkinson on 0191 264 1343 or email her at janet.wilkinson@ubs.independentage.org.uk