Volunteer Welcomer – Friday

Position Title: Volunteer Welcomer (Friday)

Reports to: Ellen Pearce

Location: GARAS Office

Time Commitment: Wednesdays 9:15 am – 3:00pm

Role Overview

As a Volunteer Welcomer at GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), you will play a vital role in creating a warm, safe, and organised environment for all clients. You will be the first point of contact for those attending the service, welcoming clients, helping them navigate our services, and supporting the flow of the day. Welcomers manage the waiting room, maintain the appointment list, and liaise closely with staff and advisors.

You are one of the most important and visible faces of GARAS—helping clients feel comfortable, respected, and supported.

Answering the Doorbell and Phone

Ensure the volunteer laptop is available with the day’s appointments visible

Answer the doorbell and phone promptly and professionally. Always ask the client at the door to show you evidence of their appointment, once shown check it with the appointments on the laptop.

With training, recognise emergencies and ensure these are escalated immediately to staff. (recognise at the door) Emergencies include:

Immediate homelessness

Emergency medical help.

Imminent appeal deadlines

Domestic Violence

etc…

Take clear messages using the telephone message pad and pass them to the relevant staff member or leave on their desk

Client Welcoming

● Greet clients attending appointments and ensure they feel comfortable

● Notify staff when clients arrive

● Guide therapy clients to the correct room

● Tuesdays:

○ Support and direct ESOL Adult Dispersal Class attendees (10:00am)

○ Direct Jonathan's clients to his 1:1 tutoring.

● Wednesdays:

○ Support therapy clients attending appointments

○ Direct Jonathan's and Tim's clients to their 1:1 tutoring.

● Thursdays:

○ Direct clients to therapy sessions, the LGBTQ+ (Deborah and Ian) team and ESOL youth sessions

○ Support ESOL students in finding their sessions

○ Provide refreshments during the 11:00am break

○ Direct clients to drop in sessions with Flora starting 10am. 1 at a time.

Kitchen & Refreshments

● Keep the hot water urn topped up throughout the day or boil the kettle when required.

● Prepare mugs, milk, tea, coffee, glasses, and snacks

● Be mindful of cultural considerations (e.g. fasting always follow GARAS policy on this.)

● Thursdays: Prepare refreshments for ESOL students at 11:00am

● Complete daily cleaning checklist

● Record fridge and freezer temperatures twice daily

Donations and Crockery Display

Sort and display crockery donations neatly (Please remove and give to Ellen if any sharp items, blades or knives are found)

Arrange for surplus items (e.g. small plates) to be taken to charity shops if needed (We do not have space for many donated items, always check with Warren, Jennie, Fiona or Ellen if we can accept.)

● Keep the drop-in sheet folder (located in the kitchen) stocked

● Ensure all necessary documents are available for the Monday triage team

Kitchen and Waiting Room Maintenance

Maintain a clean and tidy kitchen

● Clean all surfaces before leaving as per cleaning tick list.

● Keep the waiting room organised and welcoming

End of Day Tasks:

1. Return the doorbell to Ellen’s desk

2. Close the kitchen shutter

3. Return the laptop to the drawer in Jennie and Ellen’s office

4. Return all phones to their correct labelled base

5. Ensure all checklists and temperature records are completed

Food Bank (Fridays Only)

● Food distribution begins at 9:30am.

Clients must present a valid ‘Friday Food’ card.

Clients are seen in order of arrival.

● If a client does not have a food card, speak to a member of the advice team to confirm eligibility.

Additional Tasks (when time allows)

Complete tasks from the laptop job list (e.g., updating Lamplight, HC1 forms, simple admin tasks).

● Litter pick outside to keep the entrance area clean and welcoming.

● Sort and display crockery donations neatly and logically.

Additional jobs for the day will be discussed each morning.

PLEASE ALWAYS KEEP A SENIOR TEAM MEMBER INFORMED OF ANY VISITORS IN THE BUILDING AND WHEN YOU ARRIVE AND LEAVE.

Skills and Qualities Required

● Strong communication skills and a welcoming, approachable manner.

Good organisational skills and ability to multitask.

● Patience, resilience, and a calm presence.

● Basic IT skills (email, internet use, photocopying).

● Ability to work proactively as part of a busy team.

● A commitment to maintaining professional boundaries and client confidentiality.

● Willingness to undertake relevant GARAS training.

Impact of the Role

Volunteer Welcomers are essential to the smooth running of the drop-in service. Your support helps ensure that clients feel safe, respected, and cared for from the moment they walk through the door. By managing the flow of the day and providing practical help, you enable the GARAS team to deliver meaningful, timely support to those seeking refuge and assistance.