How do I volunteer?
Start your Volunteer Application here.
To find out more, contact our Living Room (CVS) Program Manager at cvs@nullmanyrooms.org.au.
Are there any requirements to volunteer?
Initial requirements:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Undergo a Police Check
- Hold a valid Working With Children Check
- Have a 30-minute initial phone interview with the Living Room (CVS) Program Manager
- Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19
- Have an up-to-date Influenza vaccination
Ongoing requirements: - Maintain ongoing contact with the Living Room Program Manager
- Keep track of your visits and fill in a short online monthly report
- Be flexible, friendly, and adaptable to change
Skills and Qualities: - Have an understanding, appreciation and respect for the elderly
- Have a love for interacting with people from all walks of life
- Be reliable and resilient
- Have great listening skills
- Be confident in visiting independently
- Demonstrate good judgement
We are looking for reliable people with effective communication skills from all backgrounds.
Why should I volunteer?
The Living Room – Community Visitors Scheme enriches the quality of an older person’s life through a regular friendly visitor who meets their need for company. Such visits can benefit the resident significantly.
What does a community visitor do?
A Living Room volunteer:
- shares stories
- reads or listens to a book
- shares a hobby, interest or activity
- has a cuppa and chat
- takes a walk or goes on an outing
- is happy to watch a TV show with their care recipient
- brings a family pet or children to visit
Who can become a volunteer?
If you have the following skills or qualities we would love to hear from you:
- a commitment to building and sustaining a friendship with an older isolated person over an extended period of time
- genuine empathy, understanding and enjoyment of older people
- effective communication and listening skills
- reliable and flexible
How much time do I need to commit?
Volunteers are required to commit to a minimum of fortnightly visits for at least 12 months. In circumstances that restrict or limit physical visitations, we encourage phone calls, online meetings and letter writing as appropriate.
Can I go away on holidays?
Absolutely, but if you are away for more than four weeks, please advise the Program Manager so they can notify the facility.
If you are away for less than four weeks, there are some alternatives to face-to-face visits — send a card, make a phone call or write a letter. Resume your regular visits when you are back in town.
What does a Many Rooms volunteer agree to?
- Regularly visiting your designated care recipient (at least once a fortnight) for the purposes of friendship and companionship.
- Respecting the rights of our participants including confidentiality, privacy and dignity.
- Exercise a duty of care at all times. Use common sense and reasonable caution when engaging in activities with participants.
- Record details about your visit including times, dates, activities, and how the friendship is progressing. This will help with our reports.
- Notify the Program Manager as soon as possible if:
- You experience any difficulties with visiting
- There is an accident or incident that occurs during the visit
- You plan to cease involvement in the program (temporarily or permanently)
- You wish to stop visiting a particular resident
What volunteers CANNOT do:
- Provide nursing or personal care to the care recipient
- Have involvement in the running of the aged care home (if applicable)
- Replace staff or carer roles for the care recipient
- Monitor standards provided at an aged care home
- Displace or judge relationships between participants, their families or residential carers
- Have access to participants personal records or become involved in financial matters
- Sign or witness documents on behalf of the participant
- Administer medication to the care recipient
- Visit other residents of an aged care facility without the approval of the Living Room Program Manager
- Be involved in investigating or following up complaints
I work full-time, can I still volunteer?
Yes. The benefits of this program, are that visiting your resident can fit in with your schedule as well as the resident. Weekend visits can be easily arranged.
Note: However, evening visits are not recommended.
What training will be involved?
When you come on board as a volunteer, you will go through induction training with our Program Manager. They will provide you with all the information you’ll need to build safe relationships with our participants, including ice-breakers, topics of conversation etc.
We will also hold quarterly Many Rooms volunteer nights where we will come together to share ideas and experiences, be trained by professionals on relevant topics and receive updates.
The Living Room (CVS) Program Manager is also available to support and answer questions whenever needed.
I am a MANY ROOMS volunteer. How do I provide you with feedback about my visits?
All volunteers are required to fill in a monthly online report form so we can obtain information about your visits and progress. You will be prompted to fill in and submit your feedback quarterly through the simple online survey.
How will I be matched to a resident?
- Through our contact with Aged Care Residences and service providers, a person who needs a friend will be referred to us.
- We carefully match the resident and the volunteer, taking into account factors such as interests, background, life experience and location.
- We will organise a time for an introduction to meet that suits the volunteer and the participant
Other Questions?
If you have other questions, please contact cvs@nullmanyrooms.org.au
