This opportunity has expired. It is no longer possible to apply for this opportunity.Community Buddies Scheme Volunteer (Speech and Language Students ONLY)
Speech and Language student volunteers, under the supervision of experienced SLTs and the Project Coordinator, will meet with clients (people experiencing homelessness) once a week or fortnight. They will perform informal speech and language therapy sessions in social settings (i.e. cafes, football matches, parks, etc.), in pairs. This approach will use social activities as a way for clients to practice communication skills and increase confidence. These activities will be in settings where people experiencing homelessness may feel out of place or unwelcomed, however, our aim is to aid clients in feeling comfortable in varying social settings. The skills they take from these informal meetings will help them access different housing and benefits services, increase their confidence, and improve their everyday communication skills.
Students will get to aid some of the most vulnerable people in our community in gaining confidence and communication skill.! Over 56% of our clients use drugs and/or alcohol at hazardous levels; often they cite boredom, anxiety, and shame as reasons for drinking excessively. Our goal is to help our clients find positive alternatives that help them integrate into society.
Come help us offer skilled, but informal, support to do ‘nice things that make life worth living.’ You will meet wonderfully interesting clients, go on nice outings around London, and improve people's lives.
Working with this population can be difficult and draining, however, it may just be the most rewarding work you will do.
By proving informal speech and language therapy, students will learn how to run SLT sessions, how to write and perform assessments, and how best to work with people experiencing homelessness.
This volunteer post is a great opportunity to not only learn from skilled SLTs but also to get hands-on experience! Students will be able to apply the knowledge from their coursework to real clients with real speech, language, and communication needs! This opportunity is great for students who are looking to learn more about the speech and language therapy sector as well as the homeless sector.
- Currently enrolled in an SLT BSc or MSc course at City, University of London
- Experience working with people experiencing homelessness (preferred, not required)
- Live within Greater London area or within reasonable commuting distance
- Available ~4hr/week
- Available for training (dates TBC)
- Emotionally intelligent, compassionate, empathic, and non-judgmental
- IT competence