What time commitment does Archway require since I am not sure I can commit to every week ?

This depends on the role that you volunteer for and we try to be as flexible as we can. For example, the normal practice tends to be one hour a fortnight for befriending, 1-2 hours for driving to and from our social evening on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis depending on your availability. Generally speaking, whatever time you have available can be used to benefit others.

Do you have a minimum period that you require your volunteers to commit for since I am not sure how long I will be in Oxford ?
We understand that peoples' futures can be uncertain but, when possible, we ask for an initial twelve month commitment, which is reviewed after 6 months.

Do you reimburse any expenses incurred ?

Yes we do. If you keep receipts you can claim any expenses incurred in your capacity as a volunteer.

Do you require me to have any previous experience ?

No. We provide any initial induction experience, on-going support and supervision. There are occasional opportunities for in-house and also external training when appropriate. We seek to make your experience as rewarding as possible. We do not ask you to do anything that you feel uncomfortable in doing - although it is good to step outside our comfort zones occasionally.

Do you have guidelines to help me know what is expected of me ?

Yes. We have written guidelines for all our volunteer roles as well as a volunteer policy document. You will receive a Welcome Pack once you become a volunteer.

What is the normal procedure for applying ?

If you have any further questions please contact us. We will arrange to meet with you for a relaxed interview. You are invited to attend two of our social groups so that we can get to know you and you can have a better idea of what we do. We will ask for two references and we will need to organise a Criminal Records Bureau check. We do want to get you involved as soon as we can.

Do you take students as volunteers ?

Yes. Our weekly evening social group and Wednesday day time cafe usually fit in with the term timetable. The role of befriending, however, needs a longer commitment than term weeks. (We normally expect an initial 12 months commitment if possible.)