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Flexible hours

Volunteer Cafe Assistant

Role Location Leek, John Hall Wellness Gardens
Location {Advertised Location}
Mergefield Title {Mergefield Value}
Mergefield Title {Mergefield Value}

This is a voluntary, 4 hours min vacancy that will close in {x} days at {xx:xx} BST.

Amazing, giving, inspiring and awesome are just a few of the words we would use to describe our volunteers.

Our volunteers play an integral part in the services we provide and the people we support. If you are looking for a rewarding role where you will really make a difference whilst gaining experience along the way, then join us here at Rethink Mental Illness.

 

About the role

We are looking for Volunteer Café Assistants to support our John Hall Wellness Gardens in Leek. You will be based at our new Cafe operation and, ideally, you will be able to commit 4 hours per week to volunteering.

You will receive training and regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role. 

 

About the service

John Hall Gardens is a Community Education Garden & Café green space for the community of Leek, local schools, colleges, and social enterprises. With the aim of enabling the local community to work/learn and socialise with people with mental and physical health support needs. This includes adults of all ages and children and young people.

Assisting the Café Supervisor and your fellow volunteers, you will play an integral part of John Hall Wellness Garden’s future, by helping to deliver a café experience for the general public, Friends of the Garden, and guests.  If you think you can make a difference and commit some time on a regular on-going basis, we would love to hear from you!   This is a real opportunity to develop your current existing skills, learn new skills and network with other volunteers. We welcome anyone wishing to gain experience or have an interest in going into the hospitality sector.

 

What you will be doing as a Volunteer Café​ Assistant

You will have the opportunity to assist with food preparation, presentation, cleaning and serving/selling high quality food and beverages.

Under the guidance of the Café Supervisor, you, together with other volunteers will ensure that the Café is compliant with all relevant health and safety legislation and pursuing an outstanding performance and food hygiene rating.

In addition, there will be further opportunities to support activity groups in the café, special events and input into event and menu planning.

The main tasks volunteer café assistants will support with are:

  • Support Café staff, other volunteers and trainees in the smooth day to day running of the Café.
  • Carry out basic catering tasks including food preparation, cleaning and serving food to customers.
  • Operate the coffee machine (full training will be provided).
  • Handle cash or card transactions and operate the till.
  • Work with the Café Supervisor to ensure relevant paperwork is completed and checks are carried out ensuring compliance against relevant food safety and health and safety policies and procedures.
  • Ensure kitchen area and Café are clean and tidy (including equipment, walls, floors, tables, work surfaces), and waste is discarded safely.
  • Provide good customer service, dealing with visitors and customers in a friendly and polite manner.

 

What will make you a great fit for this role?

  • Eagerness to learn and train in all aspects of the café catering operation
  • Cheerful nature, good interpersonal skills, can communicate confidently with a range of people of all ages
  • Good customer care service skills

Although this is not essential - you may also have:

  • Basic food safety knowledge or HACCP. Further training, will be provided including allergens
  • Experience in food handling and basic preparation of foods

 

The Volunteer Manager looking after this role is Nicola Pazir. If you have any questions about this opportunity please contact nicola.pazir@rethink.org.

 

Who are we?

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”

We welcome applications from everyone, applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning+ (LGBTQ+), people with a disability, or those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply. We are proud to have also been awarded Disability Confident employer status. We have an ambition of becoming an anti-racist organisation and we recognise there is more to do in ensuring our recruitment is fair and inclusive, which is why we are recruiting new roles in helping us to achieve this.

The Company has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years. We have a vast number of employees, and provide support to clients from all over the country.

Passion

We are passionate about leading the way to a better quality of life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.

Commitment

We work tirelessly to provide support for everyone severely affected by mental illness.

Openness

We are open and transparent in all our work with beneficiaries, supporters, partners and the public to achieve change for people severely affected by mental illness.

Hope

We offer hope of a better quality of life for all those severely affected by mental illness.

Expertise

We constantly use our expertise to provide practical and personal support for people who are severely affected by mental illness.

Understanding

People who are severely affected by mental illness are at the heart of everything we do in our organisation – our membership, our governance and our workforce.

Equity

We believe that in a world where discrimination and disadvantage exist, treating people with equity is critical to ensure justice and fairness for all.

Openness

We are open and transparent in all our work with beneficiaries, supporters, partners and the public to achieve change for people severely affected by mental illness.

We understand that people volunteer for many different reasons and whatever your reason is for volunteering we’ll be there to support you every step of the way. You will receive an induction to ensure you feel confident in your role as well as regular supervision. Other benefits of volunteering include:

"If I could highlight the best part of being a Volunteer Bereavement Counsellor, I would mention it is because I idolise being part of Rethinks fantastic caring support team. I love being able to make a positive, life changing difference to all those effected by mental health, bereavement, and suicide and at Rethink Mental Illness I get to do exactly that. I enjoy conducting my sessions virtually, as-well working face to face with my clients. I also like the flexibility and professionalism of the organisation."

"As a Volunteer Mentor I have been given the opportunity to co-facilitate mental health awareness workshops for young people and professionals. My tasks include discussing sensitive topics, supporting the wellbeing and development of young people and regularly reporting back to the project manager. Volunteering with Rethink Mental Illness is extremely rewarding; I have learned many new aspects of mental health and improved my communication skills. I’m also very grateful for the insightful training I received, such as First Aid Youth Mental Health Awareness and Public Speaking training."

"I am currently completing my training for my volunteer advisory role. The training I have received over the last three months has been fantastic. I have learnt so much which I can use to help friends and family too who are experiencing problems associated with their mental health. The support I have received from my trainer has been faultless. I know this great support will continue beyond my training when I start my new advisory role soon. I highly recommend joining Rethink."

"I lead one of Rethink's Carers Support Groups. Connecting with the carers that attend the Carers Support Group is rewarding and educating. Listening to group members as they share their experiences, in the safe, supportive environment provided is a positive cycle. We learn from each other. We support each other. The group and I have the constant and ongoing support of the kind, caring and experienced Rethink team. Volunteering for and contributing to the wellbeing of others is something that to me, feels meaningful. I value that."

Please be mindful that we may need to close adverts early if we receive a high volume of applications, we, therefore, encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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