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► Community Links Volunteer

Community Links volunteers offer support to adults with learning disabilities in a range of settings including user led enterprises, small drop in groups, educational settings (including preparation for work) and on a 1:1 basis. We offer awareness sessions in Learning Disability Awareness, Communication, and Pedestrian Safety for adults with learning disabilities and Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults/Mental Capacity Act.

It is essential that volunteers are trustworthy, friendly and reliable, respect the importance of confidentiality, are willing to learn and believe in promoting independence and choice for people with learning disabilities.

We are able to offer a limited number of placements supporting adults with learning disabilities in environmental user led enterprises (an allotment at Kibblesworth and a garden on Team Valley) and a small café (Teams area of Gateshead). There is also a small shop (Low Fell) based within a sheltered housing service.

An employment service (due to open summer 2013) will offer the opportunity to support adults with learning disabilities preparing for employment. This may include preparing C.V’s etc.
We promote the importance of healthy lifestyles and offer sessions promoting the importance of healthy eating, exercise etc. Opportunities exist to support and facilitate, healthy lifestyle focussed, small group sessions in day services.

All opportunities are in Gateshead and on public transport links.

As the placement will give academic credits then it does not fall within the definition of a Volunteer for the DBS, so the student will need to pay for the DBS check and the admin fee. Gateshead Council will accept a DBS check via the University. We require two references obtained during our application process and the completion of a Medical Health Check form.