Volunteering Opportunity: Volunteer tea party driver- St Albans with Re-engage

As a tea party driver, you’ll collect older guests from their homes, accompany them to the monthly tea party and drive them home again afterwards. The tea party will be at a different volunteer host’s home each month and will include older guests, other volunteer drivers and the tea party group coordinator.

Opportunity Type: Long-term Commitment

District: St Albans

Location: Outdoor

Time of day: Weekend Half Days

Practical Considerations: Tea party drivers will need:

To be legally entitled to drive the vehicle that they’re using
A full driving license
A safe and road worthy vehicle with an up-to-date MOT
Valid motor insurance - and to notify their insurance company that they’re a volunteer driver
To be competent to drive
To disclose any existing motoring offenses including speeding and driving without due care and attention to Re-engage
To report any new motoring offenses including speeding and driving without due care and attention to Re-engage
To ensure that all passengers are wearing seat belts and that their head rests are appropriately adjusted
A four-door vehicle
Please note that you must be at least 18 years old to become a Re-engage volunteer.

To keep our services free for older people, we aren’t able to pay expenses for this role.

Requirements: Own vehicle or access to a vehicle, Driving licence

Requirements (additional): We’re looking for tea party drivers who have: Safe driving skills Good planning and organisational skills A friendly nature Good listening skills Good conversation skills Patience and understanding A passion for improving the lives of lonely and isolated

Suitable for: 18 – 25 year olds, Aged 26 and over, Older People

Suitable for volunteers interested in: Driving & Transportation, Isolation & Loneliness, Older People

Does this opportunity provide wheelchair access?: No

Full Description:
As a tea party driver, you’ll collect older guests from their homes, accompany them to the monthly tea party and drive them home again afterwards. The tea party will be at a different volunteer host’s home each month and will include older guests, other volunteer drivers and the tea party group coordinator.

Each tea party group usually last for around two hours and take place on a Sunday afternoon.

Tea parties provide a lifeline of friendship for socially isolated or lonely older people. The warm, regular, and friendly companionship provides a vital link with the outside world from which they’ve become isolated.

To become a tea party driver you’ll need to:

Attend a 30-minute online volunteer group induction
Complete an ID check
Provide a reference
Complete online volunteer training modules
Tasks include:
Calling the older guests to remind them about the tea party and to check that they’re still able to attend.
Keeping in regular contact with the tea party group coordinator so they know when you’re available to drive, and so you know which older guests you’re driving.
Planning your route so you can safely collect the older guests and drive them to and from the tea party in good time.
Collecting one or two older guests, driving them to the tea party and driving them home again afterwards.
Staying at the tea party to help serve refreshments and to socialise with the older guests and other volunteers.
Following the guidance in the online volunteer training so that the tea parties are safe, enjoyable, appropriate and in line with our charitable aims.
Reporting any concerns to the tea party group coordinator.
Keeping your knowledge and training up to date by reading our monthly volunteer newsletter – Re-engage Matters.