At Re-engage we’re passionate about creating opportunities, through tea parties, activities and calls, to help older adults and volunteers stay connected with their communities.

Could you spare two hours a month to be a volunteer driver? Yes, that’s right just 2 hours a month!

As a tea party driver, you’ll collect older guests from their homes, accompany them to the monthly tea party and drive them home again afterwards. The tea party will be at a different volunteer host’s home each month and will include older guests, other volunteer drivers and the tea party group coordinator.

Each tea party group usually last for around two hours and take place on a Sunday afternoon.

Tea parties provide a lifeline of friendship for socially isolated or lonely older people. The warm, regular, and friendly companionship provides a vital link with the outside world from which they’ve become isolated.

To become a tea party driver you’ll need to:

• Attend a 30-minute online volunteer group induction
• Complete an ID check
• Provide a reference
• Complete online volunteer training modules

SKILLS

Tasks include:

• Have friendly and enthusiastic manner
• Have good conversational skills
• Have a valid UK Driving licence
• Have valid car insurance
• Be comfortable on the phone in order to make calls to older guests to remind them about the tea party and to check that they’re still able to attend
• Be reliable- to keep in regular contact with the tea party group coordinator so they know when you’re available to drive, and so you know which older guests you’re driving.
• Be confidents in planning your route so you can safely collect the older guests and drive them to and from the tea party
• Have good time management
• Have a patient and empathetic approach
• Have a helpful and respectful manner to support with serving refreshments and to socialise with the older guests and other volunteers.
• Be open to learning, in order to follow the guidance in the online volunteer training so that the tea parties are safe, enjoyable, appropriate and in line with our charitable aims.
• Be dependable, in order to report any concerns to the tea party group coordinator.
• Have an understanding and respect for confidentiality
• A passion for improving the lives of lonely and isolated older people