Volunteers

Join our volunteer team today

Volunteers are an integral part of Living Well with Dementia and we need your help to continue to offer a range of supports to people with dementia. We have over 40 volunteers but due to the increased demand and expansion of our activities, we are looking for more volunteers.

Why volunteer

  • It’s enjoyable and hugely rewarding
  • You will be giving something back to your community with a team of like-minded volunteers
  • Giving your time to someone is the most generous thing you can do
  • Rediscover your interests and share your skills with someone else
  • Discover the amenities around you as a walking companion

Skills required

A genuine interest in the person with dementia; good listening skills; compassion and empathy; reliability; a caring and non-judgemental approach; good sense of humour; flexibility.

Age restriction

Volunteers must be over 18 years of age.

Time commitment

We ask our volunteers to commit to a weekly session (1-3 hours per week) for a 12 month period. Times are flexible and varied depending on the role.

Screening

Informal interview, Garda vetting, references, application form, attend initial training and induction.

Support

We aim to provide the support our volunteers need to encourage and empower them to make a meaningful contribution to our work while gaining significant benefits from their voluntary experience. We offer an on-going training programme which volunteers are required to attend.

Opportunities for you

Friendship

This may involve visiting someone in their home or accompanying on an activity of their choice such as shopping, gardening, mass, golf, visiting the library.

Event support

We need volunteers to help run our Living Well Tuesday activity group and our Musical Memories on Saturday morning. This involves setting up the room, meeting and greeting, signing people in and making them comfortable and ensuring the event runs smoothly and can be beneficial and enjoyable to all.

Transport volunteers

Transport volunteers bring people to our events. The volunteer would be required to collect the person with dementia from their home and bring them to one of our activities. Here they will be met by the person in charge of that activity who will sign them in. The volunteer will then collect the person for the return journey home. Own transport and copies of insurance, tax and NCT required.

Meet our volunteers

You can watch a short interview with some of the volunteers by clicking on the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qID4_IhJC1w

For more information contact Mary Spain on 086 041 8450mspain@livingwellwithdementia.ie.

Sign up for our next information evening or drop in for an informal chat.