Volunteer drivers

About the opportunity

The Passenger Transport Group at Hampshire County Council in Winchester arranges all the journeys and liaises directly with the volunteers. Journeys are paid for by Hampshire County Council and therefore no money is exchanged between the passenger and the driver.

Volunteers are reimbursed by Hampshire County Council at a mileage rate of 50p per mile. Any expenses incurred through volunteering such as parking costs are fully reimbursed.

Around 10,000 journeys take place each month to a variety of venues both within and outside Hampshire. Some journeys are regular and ongoing eg taking children to school or Adult Services Clients to day centres. Other trips are one-off for example taking a client to respite or a medical appointment. Adult and Children's Services clients make both short and long distance journeys varying from a couple of miles up to a hundred miles or more. Volunteers transport a wide variety of clients from children to families to parents to older people to people with a learning disability to people with a physical disability.

Training

• Induction training is provided before volunteers start transporting clients
• Annual training is provided on the role of a volunteer driver. This includes topics such as safeguarding, health and safety, working with people with varying needs, safe transportation techniques and moving and handling.
• Volunteers gain experience in dealing with and communicating with a wide variety of people and working to set timescales.

Commitment

There are an unlimited number of opportunities available immediately.

The level of commitment is down to each individual. Volunteers can undertake regular daily / weekly / monthly journeys or simply one off journeys that fit around other commitments.