Volunteer
Travel Hands, a chance to share journeys in and around London with Visually Impaired People (VIP), look forward to sharing the eyes you may have taken for granted in a charitable reciprocated experience.
COVID-19 Updates: We are delighted to announce that Travel Hands will being our pairing services from the 1st of April 2021!
Benefits
Support VIP
No matter how much time you can give, every journey will make a huge difference to someone’s life, help support the VIP community.
Meet new people
Connect with others and see from the perspective of VIP.
Improve your Wellbeing
Physically and mentally through socialising and exercising.
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At Your Convenience
Do something rewarding with your spare time, volunteer when it is convenient for you.
Your First Journey
Before your first journey, you will need to complete a few essential steps as part of your training and on-boarding.
Verification
You will need to apply for a DBS certificate through VIP World as you will be working with a vulnerable group of people that may require hands-on physical assistance and supervising during the journey.
Volunteer Handbook
We have put together what you can expect from the travelling experience with Travel Hands in a simple to read handbook, including video tutorials, expectations we may have from you and information on how current guidelines affect our service.
Short Quiz
You will need to complete a short quiz; this will inform us if you are ready to volunteer with VIP, the questions will be based on information found in the handbook.
The First Journey
Once all the mandatory steps are completed, you can enjoy your first journey walking with a VIP.
Make a difference
SIGN UP AS A VOLUNTEERYour Safety is our Priority
We want to assure you that we are taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all volunteers supporting the Travel Hands Service.
Safeguarding and Volunteer Handbook
Abuse, harassment and harm can happen to anyone – VIP or volunteers. It’s not always visible, so we emphasise the code of conduct and prepare you to be confident in knowing the best ways to support yourself and VIP.
Call Center Support
Our call centre support is available to you Monday to Friday, we offer reliable support at any time of the day.
COVID-19
During these difficult times, we are committed to minimise contact and maximise cleanliness – ensuring best practices to do so.
Travel Hands is now active in the form of a Call Centre.
A step-by-step narration explains how it works:
1. Register
Register with us for free by clicking the sign-up button below the steps.
2. Become Verified
You will be required to apply for a DBS, if you don't have one, our team will support you in doing so and provide online training on how to walk with a VIP.
3. Availability Details
Share your availability details with the Travel Hands Support Team at least 24 hours prior to the journey time, use toll free number or WhatsApp:
+44 20 3966 1650
to get in touch.
4. Matched and Scheduled
A VIP will be matched with you by our team and your journey will be scheduled together.
5. Pick up and Walk
On the day, you will receive the VIP at the specified pick-up location, walk with the VIP, share some laughs and help guide the VIP to their destination safely.
6. Rate your Experience
One the journey has come to an end, share your experience with us and rate the experience.
Join the community and book your first journey!
Travel Hands App
As a thank you to our volunteers, you will be able to receive goodies and freebies such as a free coffee, as incentives from affiliated companies once our app is launched.
The Travel Hands app will make booking journeys and in-app perks even easier. To offer the best experience, we are currently developing our app and growing our community. Spread the word and be the first to be notified when it’s here!
Frequently Ask Questions
Question 1: Are we allowed to take public transport while travelling with a VIP?
Answer: Yes, you are. Ultimately, it is your decision and this information will be detailed in your journey request which you can decide to either accept or refuse.
Question 2: Will my ticket be reimbursed if I used public transport or TFL during a Travel Hands journey?
Answer: No, we do not reimburse tickets purchased, however we offer redeemable rewards based on the distance walked with a VIP.
Question 3: Do I have to bring back a VIP from the drop off location?
Answer: This varies per request. When pairing a Volunteer with a VIP, we take into account your availability therefore you would not receive a request that is beyond the scope of your availability. Additionally, the journey request contains all information related to the activity or journey such as whether or not the VIP requires assistance back from their drop off location.
Question 4: Will I be informed on what each individual VIP would and would not like as help?
Answer: Once you have accepted a journey request, you will receive a follow up journey confirmation which contains information about the VIP such as any preferences they may have. Additionally, our handy Volunteer Handbook is an extensive resource that explains how to safely walk with a VIP, including how to approach stairs, lifts, kerbs and much more.
Question 5: How do I recognize the VIP that I will be travelling with?
Answer: Prior to any journey, we will share with you journey confirmation details that include a short bio of the VIP with supporting information that makes it easy to identify them. We also provide a One-time Secret Code that is unique to both the Volunteer and VIP. The code is different for each journey taken. Once you have identified the VIP in your designated meeting spot, you can approach them, introduce yourself and share the One-time Secret Code before commencing on your journey.
Question 6: Who is a VIP that would need this service?
Answer: Anyone above the age of 18 years old with a visual impairment and needs assistance travelling from point A to point B.There are a multitude of reasons why VIP may use our service such as wanting to become more independent to simply wanting to meet and socialise with new people in their local area.
Question 7: What types of journeys can I expect?
Answer: The objective of Travel Hands is to facilitate a safe and enjoyable travel experience for VIP..Examples of journey requests include:
- Going for a walk in the park.
- Buying groceries in the nearby shop.
- Going to the local leisure centre.
Question 8: What is the latest time I will receive a request?
Answer: We send our volunteers journey requests approximately 72 - 24 hrs before the journey. All requests and journeys are organised to take place during our working hours which are Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Question 9: How much time will a journey take or how far in distance will a journey be?
Answer: This is dependent on the VIP journey requirements, however, every journey will predominantly be in your local area.A journey request provides information such as: journey duration, recommended route, and estimated time of arrival.
Question 10: How long does a journey last?
Answer: A journey will last the duration of your availability. You are in control of the journeys you take.
Question 11: Do the majority of your VIP use guide dogs?
Answer: A VIP may or may not have the support of a guide dog, in any case we will always inform the volunteers in the journey request if a VIP has a guide dog with them.
Question 12: How much time will a journey take or how far in distance will a journey be?
Answer: Prior to any journey we require that both the Volunteer and VIP fill in a COVID-19 Health Declaration form. If you have tested positive or are showing any symptoms then you will be unable to go on any journeys.
We also request that you wear a mask during your journeys as per government guidelines and share information about any vaccinations you have received.
Additionally, we are currently providing Ramble Tags: to our first 100 VIP Travel Hands sign ups.