Volunteers

We would not be able to provide the services we offer without volunteers. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life. Contact us.

There are various ways in which you can help as a volunteer, regardless of your skills and experience. All we ask is that you are enthusiastic, and willing to learn and work as part of a team. For Christmas Volunteers, we ask that you commit to working at least one 4-hour shift over the Christmas period.

To volunteer for Caring at Christmas please download the application form and either fill out and email back to info@caringatchristmas.org.uk or print and post back to us: Caring at Christmas , Julian House, Little Bishop street, St Paul’s Bristol, BS2 9JF.

We need 300+ volunteers during Christmas week. Some of the many volunteer roles are listed below:

  • Admin support
  • Cooking and other kitchen duties
  • Helping with store-keeping
  • Fundraising
  • Socialising with guests
  • Cleaning and other general duties

We always welcome volunteers with professional and specialist skills, including:

  • Doctors
  • Nurses
  • First-aiders
  • Homeopaths
  • Therapists
  • Chefs
  • Masseurs
  • Hairdressers

Our guests always appreciate volunteers who are able to provide entertainment and host skills workshops, including:

  • Musicians
  • Magicians
  • Art and writing
    • Some examples of guests' talents can be viewed here

What should volunteers expect?

All new volunteers are expected to attend an induction training course. This provides an awareness of what to expect when dealing with the charity's guests and fellow volunteers. All shifts are under the control of trained supervisors.

Zero-tolerance policy

The Caring at Christmas charity has a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour. Guests are made aware that any form of fracas or harassment is unacceptable and is likely to result in ejection from the C@C premises.

We work hard to create and maintain a safe and friendly environment for both guests and volunteers. Incidents of poor behaviour are unusual, but do occur occasionally. Supervisors are trained to deal with such behaviour as quickly and effectively as possible.

Training

Working with homeless people is very rewarding, but can be demanding. But don't worry(!), we can provide training to supplement your existing skills and experience. Training and coaching available includes:

  • New volunteer induction
  • Managing difficult behaviour
  • Drugs awareness
  • Mental health awareness
  • Listening skills
  • Kitchen training
  • Basic food hygiene

Most training courses last between 2 and 4 hours

Helping throughout the year

We also need volunteers to help with operating the charity throughout the year. We are particularly interested if you are able to give up some time to help us on a regular basis, either throughout the year or in the months running up to Christmas. Contact Us


West of England Nightstop Hosts

Have you a spare room in your home? West of England Nightstop relies on volunteer hosts to provide a young person, aged 16-24yo, with a room in their home for a night or two. We train hosts, make all the necessary arrangements, and provide support round the clock. Please get in touch to discuss.


West of England Nightstop Drivers

Do you have a car? Are you willing to provide transport to a young person staying on the Nightstop scheme? We are in the process of setting up a volunteer driver scheme to help ferry young people to and from the homes of Nightstop hosts. If you think you might be able to help, please get in touch. We will refund any additional costs incurred.


What's in it for you?

There are a number of ways in which you can benefit personally from working with the Caring at Christmas charity. These include:

  • Working with homeless people can be very rewarding and brings a sense of fulfillment from helping those less privileged
  • Development of personal skills, e.g. working together, leading a team, communicating and influencing, etc

To volunteer, contact us.

Supervisors

Once you have gained experience of working with the charity over the Christmas period and have developed an understanding of our expectations and how things work, we would encourage you to consider becoming a supervisor. Supervisors play a vital role in ensuring that the charity's Christmas week runs smoothly. This includes providing guidance and direction to less experienced volunteers, and ensuring that the volunteers are co-ordinated and work as a team.

We are always open to new ideas on how to improve the quality and range of our services so please feel free to make suggestions.