Volunteering with Vitalise!

Hi, I'm glad I'm not the only one excited yet nervous at the same time. I'm volunteering from the 29th June - 6th July at the Jubilee Lodge in Essex as well, what week have you chosen? I really don't know what to expect because I have no experience whatsoever

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Reply 2

OP

I'm going from the 6th - 20th July! I have no idea what to expect and I'm really hoping that my nerves don't get in the way of me enjoying it! I'm also hoping that there's someone close to my age - worried i will be really young compared to everyone else! it should be amazing though! :smile:

Reply 3

Bethanyyy-

1

Hi, I volunteered at the Southport one called sandpipers, last year. All of the volunteers were generally around my age so it was no trouble making friends. x

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Reply 4

OP

Original post by Bethanyyy-

Hi, I volunteered at the Southport one called sandpipers, last year. All of the volunteers were generally around my age so it was no trouble making friends. x

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Thanks for commenting! Did you enjoy it? What did you do? :smile:

Reply 5

Bethanyyy-

1

Hi no problem!
Ermm the days were really long like reallyyyyyy long.
You'd have to be down stairs for a meeting by 7:30-8:00 every morning and you wouldn't finish until 11pm.
You helped get the guests ready and help at mealtimes and just generally keep them company.
We went on about 4 trips and depending which week you go on these will differ.
It was so interesting and some of the guests had amazing stories to tell.
You meet some amazing people :smile:

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Bethanyyy-

Hi no problem!
Ermm the days were really long like reallyyyyyy long.
You'd have to be down stairs for a meeting by 7:30-8:00 every morning and you wouldn't finish until 11pm.
You helped get the guests ready and help at mealtimes and just generally keep them company.
We went on about 4 trips and depending which week you go on these will differ.
It was so interesting and some of the guests had amazing stories to tell.
You meet some amazing people :smile:

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope I do too! I'll be terrible with the long days though, I need so much sleep! :colondollar:

I just really hope that my shyness doesn't get in the way of everything!

Reply 7

Juichiro

18

Personal care asisstant, right? Giving them a shower, dresseing them up, dressing them down, intimate personal care, etc.

I have done a total of four weeks volunteering with Vitalise, two at Churchtown (which they don't have anymore), one at Netley and one at Sandpipers. It is a great experience, but very tiring. It also takes a couple of days to settle in, each time I went I wanted to leave for the first couple of days, but once it got to Monday it did get better.
It is hard work, so make sure you take your breaks because you will need them. I also found that it was important for me to get away for five minutes, even just locking myself in the toilet, a few times during the week when things started to get on top of me a bit - spending so much time with the same people can sometimes get annoying, however nice everyone is.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by ~ Purple Rose ~

I have done a total of four weeks volunteering with Vitalise, two at Churchtown (which they don't have anymore), one at Netley and one at Sandpipers. It is a great experience, but very tiring. It also takes a couple of days to settle in, each time I went I wanted to leave for the first couple of days, but once it got to Monday it did get better.
It is hard work, so make sure you take your breaks because you will need them. I also found that it was important for me to get away for five minutes, even just locking myself in the toilet, a few times during the week when things started to get on top of me a bit - spending so much time with the same people can sometimes get annoying, however nice everyone is.

Thanks for the advice! :smile:

Reply 10

Original post by A future Midwife

I'm going from the 6th - 20th July! I have no idea what to expect and I'm really hoping that my nerves don't get in the way of me enjoying it! I'm also hoping that there's someone close to my age - worried i will be really young compared to everyone else! it should be amazing though! :smile:

Once you get into the routine I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy it.

I've just been reading all the comments and the long hours could be very challenging for me (I'm sure I'll be able to cope though). I kind of wish I put two weeks down on my application, do you think I'll be able to change it and stay for 2 weeks instead of one? I finish sixth form really soon and then have a long summer ahead of me so I defiantly have the time.

Reply 11

OP

Original post by yas95

Once you get into the routine I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy it.

I've just been reading all the comments and the long hours could be very challenging for me (I'm sure I'll be able to cope though). I kind of wish I put two weeks down on my application, do you think I'll be able to change it and stay for 2 weeks instead of one? I finish sixth form really soon and then have a long summer ahead of me so I defiantly have the time.

Yeah i think you'll be able to do that, you should email and ask! That's why I put down two weeks, I have a 12 week summer holiday seen as all the GCSE exams finish quite early this year! :smile:

Reply 12

Original post by A future Midwife

Yeah i think you'll be able to do that, you should email and ask! That's why I put down two weeks, I have a 12 week summer holiday seen as all the GCSE exams finish quite early this year! :smile:

Yeah I'll do that :smile:

and my long summer off is the only thing keeping me going through my exams right now, i'll be relieved once their over.
Have you filled out and sent off your CRB check yet?

Reply 13

OP

Original post by yas95

Yeah I'll do that :smile:

and my long summer off is the only thing keeping me going through my exams right now, i'll be relieved once their over.
Have you filled out and sent off your CRB check yet?

Hahahah same! :smile:

yeah I have, I did it all quite a while ago! You?

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Reply 14

Original post by A future Midwife

Hahahah same! :smile:

yeah I have, I did it all quite a while ago! You?

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Yeah I sent mine off last week. Do you know what happens next and if we're given any kind of training before hand

Reply 15

OP

Original post by yas95

Yeah I sent mine off last week. Do you know what happens next and if we're given any kind of training before hand

They'll email to confirm it and thats as much as I know! I think we're trained a little once we get there but not before! I'm not sure if ill be able to get there for 10 in the morning anyway as i live a long way away so I hope they don't mind! :smile:

Reply 16

Original post by A future Midwife

They'll email to confirm it and thats as much as I know! I think we're trained a little once we get there but not before! I'm not sure if ill be able to get there for 10 in the morning anyway as i live a long way away so I hope they don't mind! :smile:

So we're expected to be there by 10? :eek:

It takes me about 4 hours on the coach to get to London and I'll have to probably make my way from there but I might just get the train

Where are you travelling from?

Reply 17

OP

Original post by yas95

So we're expected to be there by 10? :eek:

It takes me about 4 hours on the coach to get to London and I'll have to probably make my way from there but I might just get the train

Where are you travelling from?

Yeah I think it's ten!
North Yorkshire! :smile:

You will probably be sent a leaflet giving some basic information, although it may have changed since I went. On the first day you will have training, be shown around and told what is expected etc. The staff will be around to help you anyway, and you can buzz for attention when you are alone with a guest and need extra help. There are some things you are not allowed to do, such as use a hoist without a trained person there, but they will go through it all with you.

I was told to arrive at around 12pm but it does vary depending on travel times etc. When I did arrive at 12 once they weren't expecting me until later apparently, so there wasn't much for me to do until the other volunteers had arrived for that week. I know people who didn't arrive until the evening, or the Sunday, they give a guideline but they don't make you stick to it, they know people are coming from different places.

Reply 19

OP