Go Beyond offer free residential breaks to vulnerable and disadvantaged children aged 8 to 13 years at two centres (Ashbourne, Derbyshire or Par, Cornwall) in the UK.
Go Beyond's incredible volunteers are at the heart of our work; they are the people who make everything possible. We are always looking to welcome new people to our volunteer teams, so come along to find out more. Learn new skills, meet new people and make a difference.
As a Break Volunteer you will join us for a week long residential break from Monday to Friday at our centres in either Derbyshire or Cornwall. Your responsibilities will be wide and varied and might include:
- Helping Go Beyond’s Break Leaders with day-to-day tasks, such as setting up activities and keeping our centres tidy
- Assisting at mealtimes with preparing, serving, and cleaning
- Leading planned activities based on your skills with support from Break Leaders (such as baking, sports games, gardening, arts and crafts)
- Accompanying our staff to collect or drop off groups and supervise behaviour on the buses
- Being a positive role model and leading by example at all times
- Being encouraging and supportive to the young people and taking an interest in each child
- Taking part in the activities alongside the young people
- Being aware of boundaries and knowing when it is important to enforce these
- Informing the Break Leaders of any issues or concerns you have relating to the young people or the break experience
- Contributing to personalised messages which the young people receive in their goody bags as a lasting memory of their Go Beyond break
- Capturing photos of the young people using Go Beyond’s cameras
You will probably share a room with another volunteer and we feed you all week. We are used to catering for a wide range of needs.
You’ll need to bring with you comfortable, weather appropriate clothes, strong, comfortable shoes or trainers, a swimming costume (no bikinis) or swimming trunks, plus your own towels and toiletries.
Qualities and skills
- Enthusiasm and a willingness to help
- Good communication skills and a positive, friendly attitude
- Non-judgemental and approachable
- Experience of working with young people
- Willingness to work flexibly, adapting tasks to suit the needs of the group
- Ability to work well as part of a team in a busy, fast-paced environment
What we hope you’ll gain
- New skills and experience in a professional environment
- Training and personal development opportunities (the opportunity can contribute towards a Gold DofE award)
- Time with an enthusiastic team of people who want to make a difference, just like you
- A rewarding experience making a difference to children living in desperately difficult circumstances across the UK
- Memories you’ll remember for a lifetime
Website link: https://www.gobeyond.org.uk/fundraise-volunteer-support/volunteer/
Is this your first time volunteering on a Go Beyond break? If so, thanks so much for your interest. We’re looking forward to getting to know you. Once you’ve submitted your initial application form, this is what you can expect to happen. If you have any questions along the way please email us at [email protected]
- We’ll ask you to supply two references and let us know what dates you’ll be available for both a Go Beyond induction and our break weeks. We’ll apply for a new DBS for you or, if you have subscribed to the DBS Online Update Service, we will need your certificate number and permission to make an online check.
- You’ll have an online induction session: a 30-minute video Teams session about Go Beyond and the volunteering role, plus a chance to ask us any questions you might have about your week.
- We’ll discuss and agree your break date (or dates!) and confirm your transport arrangements: you might like to travel by train to the railway stations closest to our Cornwall or Derbyshire Centres, or drive to us where you can park for free. The closest train station to our Coastal Centre is Par and to our Derbyshire Centre is Derby.
- We’ll welcome you for a week to inspire a group of up to 16 children and young people, and make memories that will last you a lifetime!
Thoughts from previous volunteers:
“Volunteering was ENORMOUS fun! There was never a dull day or activity, and it was so great to laugh with and encourage the kids to enjoy every moment. All the time spent with the kids was eye-opening and very rewarding” – Caitlin
“I had some of the best and most rewarding experiences in my life volunteering on two breaks; giving children a truly amazing experience and helping them make friends and happy memories” – Jennifer