OneLife Suffolks’ Wellbeing Walks would not exist without our fantastic volunteer walk leaders and walk assistants. If you fancy signing up to become a volunteer you’ve come to the right place! Find out more below.
As a Wellbeing Walk volunteer, you will be helping people in your community to get active and healthy as well as giving them the chance to meet new people and make friends – providing vital support that they otherwise might not get. As well as ensuring walks are friendly, safe and well organised, Wellbeing Walks volunteers are also ambassadors – showing people that a little bit of walking can really make a big difference!
If you are interested in becoming a Wellbeing Walks leader, please get in contact with us by emailing wellbeingwalks@onelifesuffolk.co.uk or call us on 01473 718193
What will you be doing?
As a Wellbeing Walk Volunteer (walk leader or walk assistant), you might be responsible for any combination of the following tasks:
- Checking a route and familiarising yourself with it before leading the walk
- Welcoming walkers to the walks, particulary new walkers
- Give brief talks before the walk, making sure everyone is prepared
- Making sure paperwork, like registration forms and registers are completed
- Providing information about other walks and services offered by OneLife Suffolk
- Staying in touch with the latest news and guidance from your scheme coordinator
- Having a friendly cup of tea with the walkers after the walk!
- Leading or supporting walks- included ‘back marking’, ‘middle marking’ and leading the walk
- Making sure walks are welcoming, friendly, enjoyable and safe; following our best practice guidelines
- Troubleshooting and dealing with problems on walks, with the support of your scheme coordinator
- Attending Walk Leaders’ meetings and refresher training
- Develop and risk-assess new walking routes
As well as the time commitment of volunteering for the walks, you will also need to allocate additional time for travelling to and from the walk and completing any necessary paperwork.
What support will you recieve?
- Full training and induction with Ramblers’ Wellbeing Walks
- Ongoing support and guidance from your scheme coordinator at OneLife Suffolk and Ramblers’ Wellbeing Walks
- Access to OneLife Suffolk and Ramblers’ Wellbeing Walks resources and equipment to help you fulfil your role, and a basic DBS certificate
- The opportunity to meet, chat and share ideas with other walk volunteers
What will you gain from this opportunity?
Our Wellbeing Walk volunteers love their roles and constantly tell us fantastic stories about how much they enjoy helping others to get active and get walking. But in case that doesn’t convince you, here are some other great benefits:
- Full training with a nationally recognised and well respected scheme
- Opportunity to develop your leadership, people management and other skills
- Opportunity to be more physically active – you can even bring your dog!
- Opportunity to meet new people, including like-minded volunteers
- Opportunity to discover more of your local area and spend time outdoors
What are we looking for?
The main qualities we need from our Wellbeing Walk volunteers include:
- Having a friendly, welcoming and empowering nature with good communication skills
- Reliable, punctual, honest and well organised
- Confidence speaking with new people or to small groups
- Ability to take control and be assertive when needed
- Observant and sensitive to the needs of others
- The ability to work independently but with guidance and support
For more information and to sign up to be a Wellbeing Walks volunteer, email wellbeingwalks@onelifesuffolk.co.uk or call us on 01473 718193
