THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROJECT. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE EMAIL JADE.HALEY@WORC.AC.UK FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Your Students' Union is really excited to launching our new volunteering initiative this year supported by Barclays and Sanctuary Care. WorcTogether gives you the chance to develop your skills supported with training from a global employer and volunteering opportunities with a national company, while also really making a difference to peoples lives. Some of skills you can expect to develop include: communication, presentation skills, learning how to connect with people, leadership, effective listening and creativity.
The project will be open for a maximum of 20 students to take part and you will receive formal accreditation at the end of the project. Volunteering can also count towards your V Record and Worcester Award.
If you sign up to WorcTogether you need to commit to
- An informal chat with SU and Sanctuary Care staff to assess your interests and help us to make sure you have the best volunteer experience. (We will book 30 minutes with you on Wednesday 2nd October).
- Complete 4 hours skills based training with Barclays (you will need to be available on from 13:30-17:30 on Wednesday 9th October)
- Complete 10 weeks of volunteering (minimum 1 hour per week) in one of Sanctuary Care’s local care homes where you will befriend a resident or organise social activities.
- Complete a reflective exercise where you review the skills you have developed during your volunteering
- There will be a Celebration Event, hosted by Barclays, to recognise your achievements in Student Volunteering Week 2020 (10th-14th February 2020).
To apply please click here or on the application form link at the top of the page.
For more information please email SUvolunteering@worc.ac.uk Please note all volunteers will need to complete a DBS check prior to commencing volunteering.
Training supported by 
The training provided by Barclays Digital Eagles focuses on developing the soft skills students need to deliver great volunteering support in the local community. We develop students in areas like communication, listening styles and emotional and cultural intelligence.
Volunteering with 
Established in 1995, a not-for-profit organisation, Sanctuary Care have over 100 care homes across England and Scotland and one hospital service; of which nine of our care homes are in Worcestershire. At Sanctuary Care, we believe in giving our residents every opportunity to lead happy, contented lives, whether that is supporting them to keep up with a favourite hobby or trying new things.
Opportunities for volunteering
In their homes Sanctuary Care have a wide range of opportunities to suit volunteers’ availability, skills and interests. The following includes but are not limited to; Befriending, Leisure and Social Activities, Gardening etc. WorcTogether volunteers will focus on befriending and social activities.
It’s a great way for Sanctuary Care to support their residents to stay connected with their local communities and have the special one-to-one time and stimulation that volunteers can offer. Not all of their residents have family or friends who can visit them regularly so volunteers can offer a valuable link to the wider world, by giving their attention to individual residents, or by sharing their skills and experiences with a small group.
Additional info
Please visit the Sanctuary Care website to learn more about their volunteering opportunities. If there are any issues with the link, please refresh or let me know https://www.sanctuary-care.co.uk/about-us/volunteering. Please note applications to volunteer with Sanctuary Care as part of WorcTogether should be completed through the Students' Union rather than Sanctuary Care.