Garden Support Volunteer

Garden Support Volunteer

Posted for The Patchworking Garden Project (CSVA)

Posted by Central Surrey Voluntary Action

Register your interest

You will be redirected to the Central Surrey Voluntary Action website to express your interest.

The Patchworking Garden Project is a volunteer run charity supporting volunteers with a wide variety of physical and mental health needs through gardening, crafting and friendship. We have a strong identity within the local community and are known for increasing the wellbeing of those we support by valuing everyone’s contribution unreservedly, enhancing self-confidence and encouraging, where appropriate, progression to other activities.

As a Garden support volunteer Principle Responsibilities would be:

To provide all the necessary support to run a session in the Garden safely and in a supportive manner. Operating as part of a team of approximately eight volunteers you will have responsibility for understanding the needs of our supported volunteers such that they can enjoy their time at the Garden in a safe space, where they are not judged, but are appreciated for who they are and for their contribution, however small it may seem. 

Activities, Duties and Key Tasks

• Understand our ethos of ‘be kind, be gentle, be non-judgemental’ and know how to live it in the Garden
• Be part of a regular weekly session for approximately four hours:
  • • Assist in opening or closing The Garden (e.g., unlocking/locking all sheds, getting out/putting away tasks and crafts, cleaning shared spaces)
    • Prep for session, briefing to discuss tasks and who will work with who
    • Welcome and register our supported volunteers
    • Make refreshments, serve cake
    • Assist in the safe running of the session, focusing on people not tasks
    • Close session, tidy and clean up, debrief to discuss how the session went and share experiences and learning
• Attend an induction and any training organised by the Garden (minimum of four training sessions per year)
• Provide productive feedback, suggest improvements to systems and processes where applicable
• Work pro-actively and in collaboration with all volunteers and trustees, undertaking a flexible approach to ensure The Patchworking Garden’s needs are met.

What skills do I need?

Desirable skills for this role include:

• An understanding of compassion and empathy                                                                                   
• An understanding of boundaries, particularly confidentiality                                                         
• Excellent listening skills                                                                                                                        
• Excellent communication skills                                                                                                              
• Proactive and can-do attitude                                                                                                                
• Desire to learn and improve understanding of others                                                                
• Access and use of computer/smart phone for communication purposes                                  
• Flexibility to contribute in a small charity environment                                                                   
• Good Leadership skills
• Access to an email account for communications