Volunteer group coordinator and assistant coordinator training
Training 1: an introduction to your role (4 minute read)
Thank you so much for giving your time as a volunteer group coordinator or assistant group coordinator with Re-engage. Your contribution is absolutely vital in ensuring that our older guests can attend regular monthly tea parties, and we are grateful for your support.
How do the tea parties work?
Once a month, normally on a Sunday afternoon, our older guests are collected from their home by a volunteer driver and taken to a volunteer host’s home - or an external venue - where they join the rest of the group for tea, cake, and companionship. Each tea party group is different and the number of older guests per group can range from as low as four to as high as 12. Your role as a group coordinator or assistant group coordinator is to arrange the monthly tea parties, be the main point of contact for all the volunteers and older guests in your group, and keep Re-engage informed of how everything is going.
Good to know
Our older guests come from all backgrounds and walks of life and so do our volunteers. We are an inclusive organisation and we will consider every older guest application we receive, even if it doesn't quite meet our criteria. Generally, however, our older guests:
- Are aged 75 and older.
- Are lonely, isolated or in need of companionship.
- Struggle to get out and about on their own.
Volunteer roles and responsibilities
The average Re-engage tea party group is made up of one to two group coordinators, three to six volunteer drivers, and six to 12 volunteer hosts, but each group is unique.
Our volunteer hosts:
- Generally volunteer once or twice a year.
- Provide food, hot drinks, and good company for the group in their own home, or an external venue, for example, a village hall.
Our volunteer drivers:
- Generally volunteer most months, unless they are a reserve driver, who volunteers less frequently.
- Collect one or more older guests from their home and drive them to and from the tea parties.
“What a difference it’s made to me, being part of a social group again.”
Why your role is so important
As the group coordinator or assistant coordinator of your tea party group, you are absolutely central to ensuring that the monthly tea parties can go ahead and that everyone involved is safe and happy. Tea party group coordinators are valued volunteer leaders within Re-engage, and we simply couldn’t deliver the tea parties service without people like you.
Your role includes:
Planning – as a group coordinator, you will be putting together the annual hosting schedule for your group each year and finalising the arrangements for each tea party every month. Training 2: Planning the tea parties will give you all the help and guidance you need to get your group organised. Assistant group coordinators might help with the yearly hosting schedule.
Communicating – you will be the main point of contact for all the older guests and volunteers in your group, and you will also be the link between your group and the Re-engage knowledge team. Clear communication is key. By keeping your volunteer drivers and hosts in the loop you will ensure that your group’s tea parties are safe, enjoyable, and well-organised so that everyone knows what they’re doing. Assistant group coordinators might share some of the responsibilities of keeping in contact with other volunteers. Training 3: Welcoming new people into your group and Training 4: Reporting to Re-engage and responding to issues contain information and guidance on communicating effectively, both with the Re-engage knowledge team and with the people in your tea party group. Group coordinators will also need to submit monthly status reports on their group to ensure that the knowledge team are aware of any issues that your group is facing and offer support where needed.
Problem solving – if the volunteers or older guests in your group have any questions or concerns you will be their first point of contact. Many of their questions will be covered off in our online FAQs and for all information regarding GDPR and safeguarding please see our core training pages.
Raising awareness – as a Re-engage volunteer leader, there is so much that you can do to spread the word about our charity in your local area. Perhaps you’re looking to recruit some more volunteers for your group, or you’d like to hold a local fundraising event? Training 5: Raising money for your group will give you the tips and resources you need to make this happen.