🏢 About the local organisation
Oxford Mencap's Hill End summer holidays rely on a wonderful team of volunteers. They organise holidays for adults and young people with learning disabilities. Around 14–20 campers attend each week with a similar number of volunteers. The majority of the guests on these holidays are reasonably independent and they are all great fun to be around.
💼 What the programme involves
International volunteers will work alongside UK staff and volunteers supporting those on the holidays. Each volunteer will be paired with one camper for the week, and if you volunteer, you will be responsible for:
• Accompanying the campers on lots of outings to theme parks, swimming, special events, pub trips or the cinema.
• Joining in with activities on camp such as playing football, going swimming or just relaxing with some colouring books and a jigsaw.
• Helping your camper with meals, bedtimes and personal care as needed.
• Enjoying a chat around the campfire in the evenings.
Volunteers also help run other aspects of camp such as cooking, and cleaning as many of the guests attending will not need full time support. Every evening there is an opportunity to talk about experiences in the day and prepare for the next day. Many of the guests at this project have been enjoying these holidays for several years and are likely to show the volunteers what to do!!
The first week is older adult week, this is pretty chilled-out. Many of the campers have been coming to adult week for years and are happy to show their volunteers how things work. This week is all about having a fun and interesting holiday.
The second week you will be helping with young adult week for slightly younger people - 18-25 yrs and is very much the same as above, but you'll need a bit more energy! The weeks are about the campers becoming more independent. They appreciate hanging out with friends their own age, going on trips, playing sports, having a go at new activities and getting ready for that all-important disco.
⚠️ Requirements
• This project is ideal for someone who is interested in working with people with learning disabilities and has a genuine interest in helping someone to get the most of a holiday. It can involve long hours and a great deal of energy - and sometimes a lot of patience.
• There is a huge emphasis on teamwork as everyone must share in creating a memorable holiday for the guests. Previous experience is not necessary but a willingness to learn is.
• A letter of motivation and a certificate of good conduct are required. A good level of English is essential. The minimum age for volunteers on this project is 20 years old.
• Volunteers must have a good level of English and an interest in working alongside people with special needs. A skype or phone interview will be conducted to check language level.