Volunteer group coordinator and assistant coordinator training

Training 3: welcoming new people into your group (6 minute read)

During your time as a group coordinator or assistant coordinator, it’s likely that there will be new volunteers and older guests joining your group. For example, one of your older guests may decide to move out of the area and so a space will become available for a new older guest. Or, one of your volunteers may want to step back from volunteering and so a new volunteer will need to take their place. This module will take you through everything you need to consider when supporting new older guests and new volunteers joining your group.

Welcoming new older guests to your group

The Re-engage knowledge team will let you know when an older person has applied, or been referred, to a tea party group in your area, and they will ask you if you have space in your group for a new guest. If you do have space, the Re-engage knowledge team will share the person’s details with you, including their phone number, home address, and any support needs they might have, and ask you to make contact with them.

The main aims for your first phone call to the older guest are:

• Introduce yourself as their local Re-engage group coordinator or assistant coordinator.
• Arrange a time to visit them in their home, if possible.
• Answer any initial questions they may have about the tea parties.

Your next step will be to communicate with, or in some cases visit, your guest. Occasionally, the regular drivers from the group will meet with new guests instead. This has advantages as they will be picking the older guests up if they join the group and it helps to build the relationship between them from the very start. The aim of this visit is to check that the older guest is still interested and able to attend the tea parties and to make sure that this is the right service for them.

Following the visit, it’s important you let the Re-engage knowledge team know whether you are able to offer the older person a place in your group. You can do this by emailing knowledge@reengage.org.uk or calling 020 7240 0630.

If you are unable to offer the older person a place, please let us know as soon as possible so the Re-engage knowledge team can get in touch with the older guest to let them know. If appropriate, they will give the older guest information about other services.

If you can offer the older guest a place in your group, Re-engage will write to them to confirm their place. In the meantime, please let the guest know the details for their first tea party.

Welcoming new volunteer hosts to your group

When someone applies to volunteer as a host in your area, the knowledge team will contact local group coordinators to ask if anyone has a space for a new host. If a space is identified, the team will send the host a hosts’ home checklist. They need to complete the checklist before they can move on to the next stage of a telephone interview and relevant checks. Our vetting process for hosts consists of one reference and an ID check. Once they have completed all their checks, the knowledge team will send you their details if you are in need of a host.

Your next step will be to get in touch with the new host to:

• Introduce yourself as their group coordinator or assistant coordinator.
• Send them the annual tea party schedule for your group.
• Ask them which month(s) they might be available to host.
• Talk them through what to expect at their first tea party.

It’s important that you contact your new host before their first tea party so that you can make sure they feel prepared for the event. Hosting a tea party for a group of people you’ve never met before can be quite nerve-wracking and your support will go a long way to ensuring that your new host has a positive first volunteering experience. Some group coordinators choose to visit new hosts at their home, whereas others might schedule in a phone or video call in advance of their first event. How you decide to go about it is entirely up to you. The most important thing is that your new host feels supported and knows what to expect at their first tea party.

Welcoming new volunteer drivers into your group

When someone applies to volunteer as a driver in your area, the knowledge team will contact local group coordinators to ask if anyone has a space for a new driver. If a space is identified, the knowledge team will send them a driver guideline to read and a declaration form to sign. They need to complete this before they can move on to the next stage which is a telephone interview. If successful, they will start the vetting process.

Our vetting process consists of two references and an ID check. Once the volunteer has completed their initial checks you will be emailed their details so that you can get in touch with them to arrange a time to complete their ID check.

If you’re unable to carry out ID checks, please let us know so we can arrange for somebody else to complete them.

Once the Re-engage knowledge team have let you know that your new driver is ready to start volunteering, your next step will be to get in touch with them to:

• Welcome them into your tea party group and let them know that you will be their main point of contact at Re-engage from now on.
• Send them the annual tea party schedule for your group.
• Ask them if there are any months when they won’t be available to volunteer.
• Let them know the details for their first tea party, including the date, location, and which older guest(s) they will be driving.