Volunteering
Did you know we have over 1,000 volunteers who carry out a wide range of roles for the Hospice, from helping on the wards to working in our shops?
The reception desk at our Ipswich site is in fact solely manned by volunteers every day, and that is a remarkable achievement in itself. They are often the first person a member of the public sees or talks to when they visit us.
The support our volunteers provide is vital - without it, the work of the Hospice simply could not continue. Some have been helping us for over 20 years, imagine that!
Volunteers are not just an "extra pair of hands"; they have valuable skills. They are giving the Hospice the gift of their free time too, and for that we are grateful. We take their recruitment and retention very seriously and volunteers find their work extremely rewarding.
Click here to view pictures from the 2011 summer volunteer event.
Click here to view our new film about how local people can help grow local Hospice care.
Why volunteer?
Most of us know volunteering is a good thing. It feels good to do good. But there's much more to it. Volunteering gives something back. It can help build new skills. It adds balance and variety to a CV. In this age of networking, it can help you create useful contacts, great friends and improve your quality of life. It helps build your community and it is fun!
What we offer
Voluntary work at the Hospice offers many opportunities including:
- A worthwhile and rewarding role
- The ability to contribute to the quality of patients' care
- The chance to feel valued
- Useful experience towards further training and career choices
- Increased confidence and people skills
- Meeting new people and making new friends
If you speak to people who already volunteer, they will probably tell you that they do it because they love it.
Volunteer roles
There are a wide variety of roles available within many areas at the Hospice and something to suit everyone. Satisfaction in volunteering is all about matching your skills, interests, passions and personality with available opportunities. We have various roles with some listed below:
- Ward helper on the In-patient unit (IPU)
- Ward clerk
- Hosts to day care patients
- Activity volunteers - preparing and delivering activities such as arts and crafts, hobbies and group sessions to day care patients
- Volunteers to help at fundraising events
- Charity pot collectors
- Ambassadors, who represent St Elizabeth Hospice at various fundraising events (e.g. cheque presentations) and give talks about the work of the Hospice
- Lottery Collectors
- Administration
- Chaplaincy volunteers help with providing spiritual care to patients, relatives and staff.
- Family support
- Bereavement Group Support
- Complementary Therapy
- Clinic Volunteer
- Hairdressing
- Beauty care and manicures
- Volunteer Driver
- Gardening
- Building and maintenance
- Catering
Click here to view our current volunteer vacancies
For further information, please contact our voluntary services coordinator, on 01473 707016 or email volunteer@stelizabethhospice.org.uk
Our volunteers
Why not read about the different volunteers currently helping us such as Betty who helps in our Nacton Road shop. She said: "Volunteering has made such a difference to my life, I really love it. The ladies are lovely, they are such a nice crowd and we have a laugh. The Hospice is such a good cause, they do a wonderful job.Volunteering at the shop is the best thing I ever did, now I feel wanted and I am doing something with my life."
See who else is volunteering for us