There are currently 2700 palliative care volunteers involved with the hospice and palliative care sector.  Many more volunteers are involved in fundraising in the community and telling local communities about the palliative care services. Others work in charity shops affiliated with the organisation or provide support for administration, gardening or by engaging with projects.

Volunteers are a valuable part of the palliative care team who contribute to the high-quality care and support for people and their carer givers at the end of their lives

Who manages volunteers?

Volunteers are part of the hospice and palliative care team. Some organisations have Volunteer Managers or Volunteer Coordinators. Some volunteer are also assigned a named staff member to provide day-to-day support. They will make sure that volunteers have all of the information and training they need.

Do you have a question?

If you have any questions around being a hospice volunteer, you should speak to your Volunteer Coordinator or named staff member.

Expenses

Most volunteers can claim reimbursement for their travels costs and any agreed reasonable out-of-pocket expenses directly related to volunteering. 

Volunteer Training

The Council on Palliative Care in Canada has developed a series of free training videos for hospice volunteers. https://www.mcgill.ca/council-on-palliative-care/events-resources/training-videos-volunteers

Canadian Virtual Hospice has collected information and support resources for potential and current hospice volunteers.  

NHS Health Education England have developed freely available e-learning sessions on End of Life Care for All (e-ELCA) suitable for social care workers, administrative and clerical staff and volunteers. Topics covered include an introduction to end of life care, advance care planning, communication skills and symptom management, comfort and well-being https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/end-of-life-care/

MacMillan Cancer Support have developed a range of online resources, information and support for volunteers supporting their work: http://learnzone.org.uk/volunteers/