Oxford & District Mencap run exciting activity holidays for teenagers and young adults with learning disability. We are looking for volunteer carers to come along on the holidays to support our guests. Volunteers are allocated to a guest for the week (although sometimes we double up or swap carers if helpful) who they will support to stay at Macaroni Wood Residential Centre in the Cotswolds (near to Oxford, Swindon, Cirencester), and to engage in a number of exciting activities both on and off site. Typically activities include theme park trips, swimming, visits to petting zoos or farms, cinema visits, boat trips, BBQs, live music, discos, crafts, and workshops.
Training will be provided before the camps including training in safeguarding and positive behaviour support for behaviour that challenges. Volunteers also arrive at camp before the guests for orientation and to get to know their team. Each holiday is led by experienced volunteers often with additional health or social care experience, and each holiday has a named nurse or medic who supports campers with their medication, as well as a cook, and drivers. Each evening volunteers debrief together around a campfire and the leaders are available for one-to-one support throughout the week. Support can be provided with transport plans also.
Volunteers need to be enthusiastic, energetic, and up for a challenge. The holidays provide excellent experience for those aspiring to careers in medicine, social work, psychology, occupational therapy, nursing, hospitality or the charitable sector. If you have a particular interest in cooking or driving a minibus (over 25s only) as a part of your volunteering please let us know. This is an incredibly rewarding opportunity where you will meet some wonderful people, learn a lot and have loads of fun!