Volunteer Opportunities
Year-round support
Volunteers with suitable skills and availability can help with the services we provide year round:
- Afternoon drop-ins staffed by volunteers providing a way to engage with our services
- Evening sessions staffed by volunteers provide a shared meal and a sense of community
- Advocacy in dealing with external agencies (e.g. Wycombe District Council, Job Centre or hospital)
- Assisting clients with form filling for hostel applications, passport applications and so on
- Accompanying clients to meetings with doctors or landlords, or for court appearances, drug and alcohol treatment and the like
- Mentoring clients through regular meetings aimed at facilitating change and encouraging independent living
- Structured activities such as art workshops aimed at building confidence and skills
Training may be required and all volunteers who will be in contact with clients will need a CRB check; we have a straightforward process to help with that. Email the office to enquire about these roles: contact@wyhoc.org.uk
Night Shelter
Volunteers work together under a shift leader to provide a safe and welcoming environment for guests.
Volunteer roles are:
- Cooking the evening meal
- Hosting during the evening or overnight shifts
- Hosting and cooking breakfast in the morning shift
- Offsite help with laundry, baking cakes, prayer etc
You can get a picture of Night Shelter operations from the Volunteer Handbook. All volunteers who will be in contact with clients will need a CRB check; we have a straightforward process to help with that. Some cooking roles require a Hygiene Certificate.
You may be able to help weekly or monthly – or maybe even just once in the season. All Night Shelter staffing is organised by the coordinators of the hosting churches.
You can sign up here.
Anyone without internet access should contact a church coordinator where possible or phone the Wycombe Homeless Connection (WHC) office.
Administration and management
From time to time we have openings for volunteers with some experience of marketing, fundraising, finance or HR. Ideally you should be able to commit to 16 hours a month for at least 2 years. Over time, this can lead to opportunities for individuals in sympathy with the WHC values to help guide the organisation as trustees.
Email the office to enquire about these roles: contact@wyhoc.org.uk
Who can volunteer?
Anyone over 18 is welcome to apply to volunteer. Whether you have people skills or practical skills, there’s a job for you. We take up references for all volunteers working directly with guests. For some roles training is available, and all volunteers who will be in contact with clients will need a CRB check; we have a straightforward process to help with that.
You can read about the values of WHC here. WHC volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages and are adherents of different faiths and none.
Training Opportunities
We offer relevant courses from time to time. These are announced in our Volunteer Newsletters.