Gardening Session Volunteer National Autistic Society services N Somerset

Why we need you

We are looking for people 18+ who have some spare time and would like to give back time to the local community, by supporting Horticultural activities at our centre. 

We would like you to have experience in this area qualification preferable but not necessary, we would like you to share your skills and knowledge with us to help plan and lead the activities. Ideally you will be creative with resources including recycling.   

We are planning for you to start volunteering as Covid restrictions have eased and face to face volunteering can start again.

What you will be doing

• Help organise Horticultural sessions with assistance from our support workers to provide guidance and advice for people that attend the centre
• Provide advice for staff and students on aspects of Horticultural activities including what equipment to use.
• Helping with the planning of the activities
• Be proactive and encouraging with people at the session to encourage them to develop new skills

Skills qualities and experience useful for the role (but not essential)

We are looking for someone with:

• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Empathy, understanding and sensitive to the needs of others.
• Interests in Horticulture and qualifications and/or experience
• Ability to volunteer within the boundaries of NAS policies, e.g. Safeguarding, Confidentiality, Lone Working etc
• Reliable, consistent, dependable and trustworthy
• You will need to provide 2 references and also complete a DBS check

When and where

• We would preferably want a volunteer for two 2-hour sessions per week totalling 4 hours but we can be flexible. 
• Based at The National Autistic Society Centre in Weston super Mare, North Somerset.

Support

• Induction into the organisation and understanding autism training
• Access to online training
• Support from a line manager
• Agreed expenses paid

What you could get out of it

• Develop new skills and meet new people
• Share your knowledge and experience
• Satisfaction of making a difference in your local community and to the lives of people on the autism spectrum
• A worthwhile achievement that you can add to your CV 

Whilst we are able to make reasonable adjustments for volunteers you will need to be able to volunteer independently as we are not able to offer one to one support. 

We seek applications from anyone interested in the role, but particularly welcome applications from those on the autism spectrum. 

We process applications as we receive them, we will close the role when we recruit a suitable volunteer, and consequently the role may close before the advertised closing date.