Duke of Edinburgh (Silver & Gold) (Hartsholme House)

OSJCT are an Approved Activity Provider for the volunteering section of the DofE Award.

If you’re the kind of person that grabs an opportunity with both hands this could well be for you. If you’re keen to learn, not afraid of asking questions, and most importantly of all, willing to listen, you could gain a huge amount from doing your DofE with us.

Our homes are a long way from what most people expect, usually being full of laughter, but sometimes there are tough days and you need to be ready for that. We’ll support you all the way.

Our homes are great places to learn about life and you’ll have some fun along the way. Most of our homes offer DofE placements, enabling people to get a feel for life in a care home and to see the variety of different careers paths available in adult social care.

Our DofE young people often bring their own skills and experiences to the home, sharing their musical talents and even performing plays! Whatever your interest there is bound to be a resident or two who share it and would be delighted to chat with you.

Doing your DofE with us provides you with a great opportunity to learn from the older generation and for them to learn from you.

Doing your DofE in a care home is a unique window into the lives of our residents, all of whom have their own, fascinating stories to tell. Our Care Team are responsible for providing the day to day care to our residents’ but our DofE volunteers can pick their brains and get the benefit of years of experience.

Please be aware that not every home can offer weekends and after school sessions. Talk to us and we’ll see what we can do.

All our volunteer roles are subject to an informal selection meeting. Because you would be volunteering with vulnerable adults, we also take up references and carry out a DBS check (criminal record check) before anyone can start (we cover the cost of this check). Having a criminal record will not automatically mean you can't volunteer with us.

Before you start your volunteering, you’ll be asked to join a volunteering induction and watch our dementia information session. These tend to be online although we can make alternate arrangements should you need us to.

None of our volunteer roles provide any form of clinical or personal care for our residents.

If you’d like to discuss any of this before applying, please get in touch using the ‘Ask a Question’ on the opportunity page.