Volunteer Walk Leader Role Description
Supported by:
Health and Wellbeing Coordinator
Role Purpose:
To lead or support group health walks for older people in Leeds.
Tasks & Responsibilities:
The role involves:
 Walking health walk routes beforehand (“recce-ing”) to make sure you know
them, and help the health and wellbeing coordinator develop and risk assess
new walking routes.
 Welcoming walkers to the walks, particularly new walkers.
 Giving a brief talk before the walk to make sure everyone is prepared.
 Making sure paperwork like registration forms and registers are completed.
 Leading and managing walks, usually jointly with other walk leaders (including
“back marking or “middle marking” as well as leading at the front).
 Making sure walks are welcoming, friendly, enjoyable and safe.
 Attending training and occasional walk leaders’ meetings.
As a Volunteer Walk Leader, you will receive
 Full training with a nationally recognised and well respected scheme.
 Ongoing support and guidance from the Health and Wellbeing coordinator.
 Access to Walking for Health resources and equipment to help you fulfil your
role.
 Opportunity to develop your leadership, people management and other skills.
 Opportunity to meet new people including like-minded volunteers.
 Opportunity to discover more of your local area and spend time in the
outdoors.
 Opportunity to be more physically active yourself.
Skills & Experience:
The main skill we need from our volunteer walk leaders is enthusiasm for walking
and its benefits!
In addition, we would like our leaders to be:
 Friendly, welcoming and empowering with good communication skills
 Observant and sensitive to the needs of others
 Knowledgeable about the basics of the benefits of walking and physical
activity
 Reliable, punctual, honest and well-organised
 Able to work independently but with guidance and support
 Confident at speaking in front of small groups
 Able to take control and be assertive when needed
Time Commitment: Walks will usually take place on a weekly basis but volunteers
could lead walks on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Walks will usually last for
up to an hour, and will usually be followed by refreshments. The recce-ing and risk
assessment of new walks will take additional time, and this can be done on a flexible
basis, as and when volunteers are available.
Age UK Leeds Commitment
All Age UK Leeds volunteers are offered a full induction prior to commencing any
duties. Volunteers also have access to training, informal supervision, briefings and
opportunities to participate in social events.
All Volunteer Walk Leaders will need to attend a day’s Walk Leader Training course,
provided locally, and to attend occasional walk leader meetings.
Age UK Leeds will provide specific training on Safeguarding, Professional
Boundaries and anything else relevant to the role.
All agreed out of pocket expenses such as travel costs will be met by Age UK Leeds.
We offer:
 full support and training
 work experience
 opportunity to develop new skills and interests
 chance to meet new people
 an opportunity to contribute to and be part of an established organisation
specialising in the knowledge and understanding of the older people of Leeds
We encourage volunteers to stay for a minimum period of six months to make full
use of the training and support offered. A full DBS will be completed and references
received before commencement