Volunteer Recovery Support Volunteer

As a Volunteer working alongside our new PHE Homeless and Rough Sleepers Project you will play a pivotal role within the local community engaging with rough sleepers and those in both temporary and move on accommodation with substance misuse issues, building trust and understanding and signposting them to information and support services both at CGL and partner agencies.
Our Volunteers will have lived experience of homelessness and substance misuse themselves which will mean they have a unique skill set to understand and help engage and support individuals, empowering and assisting them to access services. Recognising this, the role of Peer Volunteer is designed to be strengths based, evolving with you as your experience and confidence grows.
As part of the team, you may be visiting hostels or day centre services, helping with activities, visiting, and transporting clients to treatment centres, responding to referrals or on walkabout targeting known locations within the community actively engaging and building a positive relationship with people who are rough sleeping/experiencing problems with substance misuse.
You may act as a guide, for example to those newly homeless, buddy for those who need reminders to attend appts or be a non-judgemental listening ear, or advocate for those experiencing challenge. Your role will always focus on enabling and supporting people to achieve their goals and make positive changes.
You may also be supporting the team to re-engage clients when they have dropped out of treatment, advising them of the services available and offering them the knowledge and advocacy to enable them to keep themselves safe. You will also assist staff to undertake visits and engage with those who are unable to attend our services.

Our Project can be fast paced and challenging role so you will need to be responsive and adaptable with the ability to work quickly and effectively. Building trust is key so reliability and consistency is also important. This role can involve working anti-social hours and at times in adverse weather conditions carrying essential provisions such as food and paperwork so you will need to be to be flexible and resilient.

Making the decision to enter treatment can be an intimidating experience for the people we support. You can make a difference.

No two days are the same and you can really make a difference in helping to keep people safe. You will be provided with the training and support to support your skills and undertake the role. Supporting rough sleepers is really rewarding and you can make a real difference to somebody's life. This is the perfect role for a sociable and outgoing person who wants to help their community.