The IHC Volunteer Programme helps people with intellectual disabilities meet people that they would otherwise not meet, and to go out and do the things they most enjoy, with another person who also shares their interests.
This is a great opportunity for you to make a difference to the life of a person with an intellectual disability simply by being a friend to them. It is not always easy for everyone to make friends or to go out and do the things that we often take for granted. But you can help by doing something you already enjoy in your spare time, and also including a friend with an intellectual disability. Get to know each other by spending time together, doing things that you both like to do, whether it is going for walks, watching sports or movies, enjoying cafe visits or playing mini golf or pool- the possibilities are endless. We endeavor to make the best matches possible around shared interests, personality and time availability. This role is very flexible, so it fits in well, if you work or already have a busy life. While there is flexibility you need to be able to volunteer at least once every fortnight and be able to commit to volunteering for at least six months, as we want people to experience a reasonable period of friendship. You will enjoy friendship, getting out and about in the community, meeting new people and being part of a small team of volunteers. You will experience new things, be offered training and learning opportunities, gain experience for your CV, and have the feeling of achievement of helping a person experience a good friendship, where they feel accepted and valued, and and they get to do some of the things that they most enjoy. Certain activity cost can be covered or reimbursed as we don't want volunteers to be out of pocket.
You need to be able to be non-judgmental and have good communication skills, in that you are a good listener and are able to adapt your communication style, if required. Suitable candidates need to be a minimum age of 17 years, be patient, kind and reliable and genuinely interested in making a friendship connection. Preferably you will have varied interests and enjoy getting out and about in the local community, as it is great to be able to help your friend feel more connected to their community. No prior experience with intellectual disability is required as an orientation and ongoing training and support will be given. Having transport and
a full licence is desirable to enable easy access to activities. Due to the nature of this volunteer role anyone with a criminal conviction may not be accepted for this position.
While there is flexibility you need to be able to volunteer at least once every fortnight for an hour or two (depending on the activity) and be able to commit to volunteering for at least six months, as we want people to experience a reasonable period of friendship.
Getting started:
The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below.
We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.
Mentoring
