Volunteer Support Group Facilitator   Huron County 
Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario

The facilitator will:

  • Support the goals of PSSO in local communities with an emphasis on providing
    information and fellowship for people living with Parkinson’s and their families.
  • Attend ongoing training/education and Community of Practice meetings provided
    by PSSO to increase their knowledge about Parkinson’s disease and to enhance
    their skills as a facilitator.
  • Ensure all public notices for the group contain the group information, PSSO logo,
    and a reference to the group being a program of PSSO.
  • Provide PSSO with updated group lists, including names, addresses, telephone
    numbers, and email addresses regularly.
  • Provide an attendance record (First & Last Name of each participant) to PSSO
    immediately following each group session. This will be submitted using the
    volunteer portal “My Impact Page.”
  • Document all hours of volunteering using the volunteer portal “My Impact Page,”
    which should include all time spent each month planning as well as group
    facilitation.
  • Notify PSSO of any important information immediately as it pertains to the overall
    group or specific client participants (questions, resources, health changes, death in
    the family, etc.).

The facilitator works with the group to:

  • Act in accordance with the Volunteer Code of Conduct (see page 12)
  • Define the role and emphasize that the facilitator is not an expert in all things.
  • Conduct group meetings in a caring, respectful, and compassionate manner.
  • Promote the value of empowerment, encouraging individuals to be involved in
    making decisions about their own care.
  • Establish, with input from group participants, a list of ground rules and goals for the
    group and review the list with the group on a regular basis.
  • Foster an opportunity for people to interact with others dealing with similar health
    concerns and facilitate the sharing of their experience living with Parkinson’s.
  • Encourage group members to participate in PSSO programs, education events, and
    fundraising events.
  • Invite group participants to connect with PSSO staff and programs as necessary.
  • Welcome and introduce new participants to the group, explain group guidelines such as confidentiality and help them connect with other group participants.

Group Interaction & Communication
The facilitator will:

  • Ensure group participants are educated about and adhere to the confidentiality
    policy.
  • Moderate the discussions in the group to ensure that all participants have an equal
    opportunity to share if they wish. This may require the facilitator to enhance their
    skills to ensure that participants that are talkative do not monopolize the
    discussion. Gently redirect attention to less vocal participants.
  • Encourage a balance in discussions by encouraging the group to consider
    constructive solutions when negative issues are being addressed. Although there
    will be times when participants need to freely express and share their feelings, even
    if their tone seems negative.
  • Remind the group that the symptoms, treatment, and progression of Parkinson’s
    are unique to each person, so others’ experiences may be different from one’s own.
  • Strive to present information and encourage discussion that is honest while at the
    same time promotes a feeling of optimism.
  • Remind participants to adopt a “consumers beware” approach to any information
    shared in the group and do their own research or speak with a medical professional
    before actin
Volunteer Crisis Responder - Bilingual / Overnight (Virtual)   Huron County  Perth County 
Kids Help Phone, Crisis Text Line
Ontario

Kids Help Phone’s texting service is the only free, 24/7 bilingual text line for people in Canada. The service is delivered by trained, volunteer crisis responders who work remotely. 

We are recruiting overnight and or bilingual crisis responders who will answer texts from young people looking for support in both English AND French.

The volunteer position will be remote, meaning that you can participate from anywhere in Canada as long you have a strong, reliable internet connection!  

Our volunteers need to be enthusiastic about helping people!

You can be a professional, student, teacher, retiree, or anybody else with a willingness to learn how to support people over text.  

The role of a crisis responder is to bring texters from a “hot” moment to a cool calm one, and to help them come up with a plan to stay healthy and safe.

Crisis responders are trained to do this using active listening and collaborative problem-solving.

Volunteer for Meals on Wheels Delivery   
ONE CARE Home & Community Support Services, Meals on Wheels, Clinton
Seaforth
Mileage is paid to pick up hot meals in Clinton around 11:30. Then the volunteer would deliver meals to seniors in Seaforth. delivery takes approx. an hour.
Special Steps Dementia Visiting   Perth County 
Victorian Order of Nurses - Perth-Huron Branch
Perth County - Stratford, St. Marys, Mitchell, Milverton, Listowel ONTARIO

Be a walking companion for someone living with dementia. Provide support, friendship during regularly scheduled walks.

The objective of the program is to provide mobile individuals diagnosed with Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) who are living independently in the community with activity and companionship.

Volunteer   Huron County 
Community Living South Huron
Dashwood

Support individuals with intellectual impairments by taking them to and from jobs. Monitoring them on a job once they have been trained. Reading with a group of people, assisting on outings swimming etc.