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FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
What will I be doing as a volunteer in a Magic Carpet group?
At
the start of the session the leader will let you know what will
be happening during the day and anything you should be aware of.
You may be asked to get out certain materials, mix paint, make
coffee or help someone to start their painting. In a drama group
you may be the ‘prompt’ helping people remember their lines. You
might be helping to make costumes or put up art work on the
wall. You might be helping someone work on a clay sculpture.
What ever you are doing you will receive guidance from the
session leader. The most important thing to remember is to
remember to be caring and respectful to the people with whom we
work.
What should I wear to sessions?
The
work we do is often messy so please don’t wear your best
clothes! Aprons are usually available if you do need to cover
up. Make sure that what you do wear is comfortable and
appropriate – remember that many of the people we work with are
vulnerable and you should not wear clothes that are revealing
Will I get a break?
If
you are volunteering for more than a couple of hours at a time
then you will get time to go and have something to eat. You may
want to bring a packed lunch with you which you can eat outside
of the working space. Tea, coffee and squash are usually
available during the session. Please don’t bring in items which
are not readily available to group members or which are not
appropriate, for example alcohol or cans of pop which
individuals might want but be unable to obtain.
What if something happens during a group that I’m not
comfortable with?
Speak to the session leader as soon as possible – if you can’t
do this right away you may need to remove yourself from the
situation as calmly as possible until you are able to speak with
the leader. If you are not happy with the way someone is
behaving towards you then you are entitled to challenge their
behaviour, making sure that you remain supportive, caring and
respectful towards them.
What
if I can’t make it to a session or I will be late?
PLEASE contact the session worker ASAP so we can try to make
alternative arrangements.
What should I do if I think Magic Carpet is not right for me?
If
you have any doubts/ questions/ comments please talk them
through with your session leader. If that’s not possible,
contact Rob at the Magic Carpet office and talk things through
with him. We want our volunteers to have positive experiences of
volunteering and it may be that by discussing your concerns your
mind can be put at rest. However, if Magic Carpet is really not
for you then we may be able to talk through other volunteering
options with you.
What
training is available through Magic Carpet?
Opportunities will arise for you to attend training sessions
organised by Magic Carpet in issues relating to mental health
and learning disabilities.
How will I know if I’m doing OK?
Your session leader will let you know how you are getting on and
at any time you can ask them for more feedback. After you have
completed 3 months as a volunteer you will be asked to complete
a Volunteer Review – this provides you and your session leader
with the change to discuss how things are going and to identify
any developmental areas in which you might like to receive
training.
Can I get a Reference from Magic Carpet?
We
are happy to provide references once someone has been
volunteering with us successfully for a minimum of 3 months –
this could take longer if we consider that there have been
insufficient volunteer hours completed for us to get to know you
and your skills well enough to provide a reference.
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