CaringSG Volunteer Roles

About

CAREkaki are GRO personnel who are trained, deployed and certified through CaringSG’s CAREkaki program, and managed by the CAREconnect team

The CAREkaki program aims to

1. equip grassroot organizations (GRO) personnel with awareness and knowledge of disabilities and special needs and caregiver needs.
2. enable GRO personnel with
   – skills to outreach, identify, engage, conduct preliminary needs assessment, connect and support resident caregivers and their dependents to access relevant community services to improve caregiver and caregiving outcomes
   – ability to organize disability and caregiver friendly community events, and support the participation of resident caregivers and dependents at these events
3. empower GRO personnel with confidence to sustain and scale up efforts in building an inclusive neighbourhood

Characteristics

Required:

• Enjoy working with people with disabilites/special needs children & their family members
• Willingness to support or organise inclusive community events

Desired:

• Empathic and non-judgemental
• Patient and calm
• Willing and able to listening actively

Skills

Required:
None

Desired:

• Be-friending skills
• Home visitation experience
• Basic needs assessment (Comcare)
• Experience in organising GRO events
• Awareness and understanding of local schemes applicable to residents

CAREambassadors are members of public who are trained and deployed through CaringSG’s CAREambassador program at CAREconnect and CaringSG events, and managed by the CaringSG volunteer management team.

Members of public typically are corporate volunteers and organized student groups. Though they are usually non-GRO, non-caregivers and non-professionals, GRO from non-pilot constituencies, professionals who prefer to volunteer in non-professional capacity, or caregivers who prefer to volunteer as non-caregiver are welcomed to join our CAREambassador program and be deployed in non-GRO, non-professional and non-caregiver volunteer roles.

The CAREambassador program aims to

1. equip members of the public with awareness and knowledge of disabilities and special needs and caregiver needs.
2. enable members fo the public with
   – skills to outreach, identify, engage, connect and support caregivers and their dependents to participate in disability and caregiver friendly community events organized by CaringSG
   – work collaboratively with Caregiver volunteers and GRO personnel
3. inspire and empower members of public to initiate inclusive initiatives in their own circle of influence.

Characteristics

Required:

• Enjoy working with people with disabilites/special needs children & their family members
• Willingness to support or organise inclusive community events

Desired:

• Empathic and non-judgemental
• Patient and calm
• Willing and able to listening actively

Skills

Required:
None

Desired:
Be-friending skills

CAREchampions are caregiver volunteers who are trained by CaringSG caregiver volunteer training (CGVT), then deployed to support CAREconnect and CaringSG events, and certified through CaringSG’s CAREchampion program, and managed by the CAREconnect team.

The CAREchampion program aims to

1. equip caregiver volunteers with awareness and knowledge of disabilities and special needs and caregiver needs in the wider community outside the caregiver’s current community.
2. enable caregiver volunteers with
   – skills to outreach, identify, engage, conduct preliminary needs assessment, connect and support resident caregivers and their dependents to access relevant community services to improve caregiver and caregiving outcomes
   – ability to organize disability and caregiver friendly community events, and support the participation of resident caregivers and dependents at these events
3. empower caregiver volunteers with confidence to initiate, sustain and scale up efforts in building an inclusive community in their own circle of influence.

Characteristics

Required:

• Enjoy working with people with disabilites/special needs children & their family members
• Willingness to support or organise inclusive community events

Desired:

• Empathic and non-judgemental
• Patient and calm
• Willing and able to listening actively

Skills

Required:
None

Desired:
Be-friending skills

CAREbuddy are caregiver volunteers who are trained by CaringSG caregiver volunteer training (CGVT), then deployed to support matched caregivers (Client) through the CAREbuddy Support (CBS) Service, and certified by the CaringSG’s CAREbuddy team.

Both the CAREbuddy and Client are caregivers. A caregiver is defined as a person who has taken on the responsibility of looking after a dependent(s) with special needs or disabilities. This person can be a family member, partner, or relative or legal guardian. The CAREbuddy Support Service accepts clients who are aged between 21 to 80 years old, and are Singaporean or Permanent Resident of Singapore.

A CAREbuddy is a caregiver (as defined above) and is a registered volunteer of the company during the contract period. He/she
– has completed caregiver volunteer training conducted by the Company to provide appropriate emotional support to fellow caregivers.

• is willing to provide peer support for the Client
• agreed to serve voluntarily in the CAREbuddy team as a volunteer.
• is Not a professional and is not equipped to provide professional advice. For professional advice and support, the Client is advised to seek professional advice and help from relevant professionals and service agencies.

The CAREbuddy and the Client are matched by CaringSG based on

• gender of both caregiver, as well as age range and preferred language of communication. We aim to ensure there is same gender and preferred language and age range are comparable.
• their dependent’s age ranges and profiles
• their time availability

Characteristics

Required:

• Enjoy working with caregivers of people with disabilites/special needs children

• Willingness to support a matched caregiver through 1-1 peer support

• willing to perfom necessary administrative role to ensure high quality support are provided to supported caregivers

Desired:

• Empathic and non-judgemental
• Patient and calm
• Willing and able to listening actively
• understand professional and personal boundaries
• vigilant to ensure confidentiality and observance of ethical guidelines
• Open-minded and consultative