How can a Community Connector help?
By promoting the services available to support a more active and fulfilled life for everyone living with dementia.
What activities does a Community Connector do?
A Community Connector can do one or more of the following activities:
- Events Support: Assist or run a stall, display stand or represent the charity
- Talks to Groups: Speak informally at dementia cafes, carers groups and to supporters
- Connecting with Groups: Find opportunities for talks local to Community Champions
- Fundraising: Coordinate local fundraising
Who will support me in volunteering?
The Volunteer Co-ordinators and the team member responsible for the activity.
How does the role fit in with the work of the charity?
Dementia Adventure has a vision of society in which people live well with dementia, have contact and connection with nature, and enjoy a sense of adventure. A society where people enjoy a full range of activities, have strong relationships with people in their communities and have access to places connected to their interests, passions and dreams.
We value:
- Activity: Physical, mental or creative activity is fundamentally part of ‘living well with dementia’. We aim to develop a solid evidence base for our work, grounded in research.
- Choices: Enabling people living with dementia to have real choice and control to take positive risks in their lives. We aim to support people with dementia, to inform and guide all that we do.
- Compassion: Our emotional bonds with each other and with nature are extremely important to us.
- Connecting: With nature, people and places, our interests, passions and dreams. We aim to develop a scalable model of Dementia Adventures so that all people living with dementia can access an adventure regardless of how small or large that adventure may be to the person choosing to take part in it.
- Equality: We all have something to give and contribute to our communities. We aim to challenge the stigma surrounding dementia by sharing positive, authentic stories and images of people enjoying dementia adventures.
What Skills and Attributes do I need?
- Outgoing, friendly and happy to talk to members of the public
- Knowledgeable about Dementia Adventure, or eager to learn more, and confident in answering people’s questions
- Good communication skills
- Adaptable and reliable
- Good organisational skills, well prepared and willing to record number of attendees
- Confident and able to work independently and as part of a team
- Able to access resources online and adapt to a situation
- Confident in using technology where a talk may be using Zoom video calling
- Able to travel to local venues
- Proactive, self motivated with good administration skills if finding dementia groups or organising local fundraising events
What are the personal benefits?
- A chance to use existing skills and learn new ones
- The opportunity to reach more people living with dementia and share the benefits of getting outdoors
- Access to Dementia Adventure volunteer resources
- Regular support and supervision
- Out of pocket expenses
- Certificate of Volunteering on request
Volunteers are required to:
- Undertake training provided by Dementia Adventure
- Work alongside other volunteers and team members
- Maintain dependable and regular communication
- Wear a Dementia Adventure T shirt or fleece whilst attending face to face activity to ensure that they are easily recognisable as a volunteer
- Adhere to Dementia Adventure’s policies and procedures
- Record their volunteer hours
To keep you up to date with what’s happening in our volunteering community we’ll send you our Volunteer Link Newsletter.
What’s the next step?
To apply, please fill in our the application form on this page.
If you have any questions about this role please contact us or phone 01245 237548.
Events support
What does a Community Connector do at an event?
Represent Dementia Adventure at local community events such as county shows, dementia friendly fairs, health and community events.
You’ll be:
- Meeting a team member and/or other volunteer(s) at the venue in time to set up
- Setting up a stall or display stand with resources provided
- Talking to members of the public about our values and services
- Working together to support the planned activity
- Recording details of people who want to know more
- Completing a feedback form about the event, number of attendees and your experience
How much time will I have to commit?
We ask for a willingness to support us for three events a year. We also require some of your time before the day to prepare and ensure you have access to the relevant resources. This is an ideal role for those unable to give a set commitment each week.
Where will the events take place?
At locations within your local area and occasionally in other locations, e.g. The Alzheimer’s Show in London if this is of interest.
Talks to Groups
What does a Community Connector do at a talk?
Represent Dementia Adventure at local community groups such as dementia/memory cafés, care homes, Women’s Institute, Rotary, U3A meetings or People’s Postcode Lottery events and similar groups/organisations. These may take place occasionally by zoom video calling.
You’ll be:
- Giving short talks about the work we do centred around our values and services
- Engaging members of the group by talking about our adventures, training, research and consultancy using resources provided
- Promoting our growing number of Dementia Skills Sessions
- Recording details of people who want to know more
- Completing a feedback form about the event, number of attendees and your experience
How much time will I have to commit?
We ask for a willingness to support us for three talks a year. We will always try to give plenty of notice about upcoming dates. We also require some of your time before the day to prepare and ensure you have access to the relevant resources. This is an ideal role for those unable to give a set commitment each week.
Where will the talks take place?
At locations within your local area.
Connecting with Groups
What does a Community Connector do to connect with groups?
Represent Dementia Adventure by approaching local groups that have opportunities for Community Connectors to talk to members. These may be community groups such as dementia/memory cafes, care homes, Women’s Institute, Rotary, U3A meetings and similar groups/organisations.
You’ll be:
- Identifying groups local to Community Champions by using a list provided by Dementia Adventure or sourcing other opportunities if there is nothing listed in the local area
- Contacting the group leader to see if there is a slot for a short talk at a forthcoming meeting or event
- Liaising with the group leader and the Community Champion to agree details and timings
- Supporting the Community Champion to complete a feedback form about the event, number of attendees and their experience
How much time will I have to commit?
We ask for a willingness to support for 3–5 hours on an ad-hoc basis. This is an ideal role for those unable to give a set commitment each week.
Where will the activity take place?
Working from home using own technology and phone.
Fundraising
What does a Community Connector do when they are Fundraising?
Raise funds by setting up fundraising events.
You’ll be:
- Organising, promoting and running a variety of fundraising activities/event in your community such as a quiz night, golf day, bake off, coffee morning
- Researching and building relationships with possible local supporters including local business owners, encouraging them to fundraise on our behalf
- Recruiting friends, family, colleagues and so on to grow a fundraising group
- Helping/supporting in writing funding applications
- Where possible, cheering on any supporters in the area undertaking a challenge event such as a run, cycle or swim
- Keeping in regular contact with the Head of Fundraising
How much time will I have to commit?
Volunteers are responsible for managing the hours that they give—the hours would be to suit personal circumstances as the frequency of fundraising events is determined by the volunteer. This is an ideal role for those unable to give a set commitment each week.
Where will the Fundraising take place?
At locations within your local area.
Apply
For more information please contact us or call us on 01245 237548.
