Recovery College Ward Activity volunteer: Sport

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

‘Recovery College’ (based at the Newsam Centre in Seacroft) is an NHS programme which offers courses and workshops for adults aged 18+ who are currently undergoing hospital treatment for various mental health conditions. The unit is what is known in the NHS as a ‘low secure unit’ and many of the residents stay on the unit indefinitely so the ‘Recovery College’ programme aims to occupy residents as well as help them to develop their skills and confidence.

As a Ward Activity Volunteer in sport you will engage service users in sport and physical activity to help them develop their skills, improve their health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation. You would plan and deliver sports activities to service users demonstrating flexibility and adaptability to meet with their needs, as well as offer social conversation and assistance under the direct supervision of NHS staff. Recovery College activities take place on a Wednesday morning from 10-12pm and a Wednesday afternoon from 2-4pm so you would be deployed within this time scale for an agreed period of time.

This project will be challenging but also fun and rewarding. You will be helping people in Leeds to live more active, fulfilling lives as well as broadening your own horizons and developing your skills.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Commit to deliver one Recovery College session per week for an agreed period of time (6-8 weeks). The project can be tailored to suit the number of hours which you would like to deliver (e.g. 24 hours for Sport Science students).
• Lead fun, inclusive sports activities at Recovery College with the support and supervision of staff on site
• Represent the University & Leeds Sport in a positive manner
• Record participation details from all sessions delivered on our online system
• Maintain open lines of communication with the Leeds Sport & NHS teams
• Engage with service users in a fun, friendly, open minded and sensitive fashion whilst maintaining the boundaries of your role
• Treat service users with dignity and respect at all times
• Attend all training required for the role in line with the Leeds Sport & NHS minimum deployment guidelines
• Hold all information you come into contact with during the course of your deployment in the strictest confidence
• Liaise directly with the NHS team about any concerns for service users wellbeing, health or safety

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• You do not need prior coaching experience or sports qualifications as full training will be provided
• A passion for community social action and helping and supporting others
• Excellent people skills and an ability to put people at ease
• Be willing and able to engage with the programme in its entirety including induction, training and weekly commitment to Recovery College for an agreed period of time
• Enthusiasm & energy
• Reliable, trustworthy, open-minded and sensitive to the needs of the service users
• An empathic, patient manner and excellent listening skills
• Responsible awareness of and respect for other perspectives and sensitivities
• Be willing and able to observe all of the NHS trust policies and procedures at all times
• Be able to recognise and adhere to the boundaries and limitations of the role at all times

SKILLS DEVELOPED (LINKED TO LEEDS FOR LIFE)

Communication, Team Working, Leadership, Flexibility, Planning & Organisation, Independent working, Time management, Befriending, Supporting & Motivating others.

TRAINING & SUPPORT

We want you to have the very best volunteering experience with us; therefore we take care to ensure you get the training and support you need to carry out your role including:

• An informal individual meeting during the application process to discuss the role and your suitability in more detail
• An on-site induction to the NHS and the Newsam Centre covering a variety of issues ahead of your deployment
• GoLead Award (Sport Leaders UK) delivered by the University of Leeds
• Regular mentoring, observations and supervision with the Leeds Sport & NHS teams

Any further training and support needs will be discussed with the Sports Volunteering Officer, who will be your main point of contact.

REWARD & RECOGNITION

The time and skills that you provide are invaluable and we make every effort to ensure you feel appreciated in your role. Leeds Sport is invested in retaining volunteers and ensuring their volunteering is a supportive, high quality experience working to the common aims of growing university sport and developing students skills. All Ward Activity Volunteers will be eligible for the following:

• A uniform in the form of a Leeds Sport Leadership t-shirt to wear during your sessions
• Access to all training required to complete the role
• Volunteer of the month awards
• Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) if you are delivering more than 30 hours during the course of your deployment, and provided you are not receiving academic credit for the role (therefore Sport Science students will be exempt from this benefit)
• Travel expenses for the duration of your deployment

COMMITMENT

Ideally you will be able to all of the minimum required training for the role in line with the Leeds Sport & NHS minimum deployment guidelines (approximately 10 hours). During the course of your deployment you will also be able to commit 2-3 hours per week for an agreed period of time (6-8 weeks), consisting of a minimum of 1 hour delivery on site, travel to and from sessions and administration/ planning time. If you are likely to find this commitment difficult, please speak to the Sports Volunteering Officer who will be able to discuss this in more detail.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Ward Activity Volunteers are responsible to Suzzi Garnett, Sports Volunteering Officer in the Leeds Sport Team and Caroline Agnew, the Placement and Development Officer with the NHS
• This role will require a DBS check, 2 references and an occupational health assessment
• We currently have 6 Ward Activity volunteer roles available for 2019-20 academic year
• Online applications for the 2019-20 academic year will be accepted from Monday 23rd September to Friday 18th October. Late applications will be considered at the discretion of the Leeds Sport team and dependent on role availability.
• An information session regarding the role will be held on Wednesday 23rd October from 2-3pm in the meeting room at the Edge for all applicants to hear more about the role from NHS staff before beginning the training and DBS process.