Volunteer sighted guides needed. Can you help?
This October, around 80 Thomas Pocklington Trust blind and partially sighted volunteers will meet at their annual conference in Birmingham. Can you join us as a volunteer sighted guide to help?
The conference offers our volunteers the opportunity to discuss issues that matter to them, and to participate in a variety of workshops. We will also announce the winners of this year’s Rodney Powell Awards during an award ceremony on Saturday evening.
The conference will take place between Friday 7 September and Sunday 9 October 2022.
We need your help
Our volunteers give up a great deal of their time to campaign on improving services for BPS people. Can you give up some of your time to support the conference as a sighted guide?
Roles available
As sighted guide volunteers, you will guide BPS delegates around the venue, e.g., to workshops, meals, and the awards.
How you will make a difference
The conference aims to improve the knowledge of volunteers and is a great development opportunity. The event also provides networking opportunities for our volunteers.
You will be an exciting part of this and help to ensure the smooth running of the conference from start to finish. This will be a special event in which you will play a part bringing people together.
“Volunteering as a student at the Conference was a hugely rewarding experience.” (Niamh, volunteer sighted guide 2021)
Niamh volunteered at the 2021 conference. Read about her experience and how much she enjoyed it at our volunteer voices web page.
Skills, experience, and qualities needed
These include:
- confident communicator
- great people person
- friendly and approachable
- reliable with excellent time management skills
- have a good level of mobility to be able to guide another person
- willingness to be around assistance dogs.
Sighted-guide training will be provided.
How you will benefit
You the will the opportunity to:
- network with others
- observe and learn through the workshops.
- understand more about disability
- complete our online learning for this role and be trained as a sighted guide.
Level of commitment
You must be available to attend on any of the following days:
Friday 7 to Sunday 9 October 2022 at Conference Aston Birmingham. We will be looking for people to volunteer for various parts of the weekend. For example, Friday, Saturday day, Saturday evening, Sunday Morning, or any combination of.
Learning requirements
These include:
- how to be a sighted guide
- involvement and boundaries
- safeguarding
- briefing you will need to attend before the conference.
Contact:
If this sounds like it is something you would like to be involved in, please contact: volunteering@pocklington-trust.org.uk or complete our application form.
Publication date: 09 September 2022