If you are considering volunteering we hope the following information helps you find the opportunity you are looking for.

 Herts aid asks all volunteers to fill in an application form to match your skills and availability with the type of activity as closely as possible. Once your application form has been received, you will be invited to an informal interview, which is an opportunity to discuss your possible role in the organisation, and for Herts Aid to see if you are suited to this work. Working at Herts Aid can be emotionally demanding, and Volunteers need to be self-aware as well as calm. Very demanding work or home commitments or lack of flexibility are likely to prevent you from becoming a Befriender, but you may still be able to become a volunteer and assist the organisation in other ways.

All Volunteers will receive a basic HIV and AIDS Awareness Training.  Volunteers who are selected to train as Befrienders will have additional training which will include sessions on: confidentiality, listening skills, handling anger, setting and keeping boundaries and safer sex. This will be followed up by ongoing training, support and personal development.

After training, Herts Aid Volunteers are expected to give a minimum of four hour’s per month. Befrienders will need to be somewhat flexible about their time commitment and may, on occasions, be asked to give more than the minimum commitment. Befrienders are also required to attend regular supervision sessions to review and support their work. Volunteers are asked to attend a meeting one evening every second month, and are invited to join occasional Volunteer Outings, which keep us all in touch and provide us with some fun and relaxation.

INSIGHT

Since 1991, with the help of our volunteers, Herts aid has been able to offer a wide variety of lunch meetings, outings, quiz nights, Christmas parties, as well as befriending and emotional and practical support to all of our Service Users.

Volunteers are needed to do just about anything from light shopping; driving locally or to London for hospital visits, support at the newly diagnosed groups, to helping at the lunches and meetings. Time commitments can range from a few hours per month to as much time as you have available

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