About volunteering
Volunteers are invaluable to healthcare organisations coming from all walks of life and giving hundreds of hours each year to help staff and patients.
Roles for volunteers are varied and flexible. Tasks can include collecting medicine, helping out on a ward making tea and coffee, helping patients at mealtimes, meet and greet, answering the phone or doing other admin tasks.
It is important that in health and care, volunteering experiences bring value to the hosting organisation and support the volunteer to develop skills, knowledge and behaviours to support their personal development.
Key information for health and care employers
Why take on volunteers?
Many healthcare organisations and charities need help from volunteers. By hiring a volunteer you will also be adding social value to your local community, as your volunteer will be bringing knowledge of their experience back into their community, as well as having the opportunity to develop the skills, behaviours and values that employers need.
Volunteers are crucial to the NHS’s vision for the future of health and social care, as partners with our skilled staff, not as substitutes for them. There are more than 300 types of volunteer roles in the NHS alone, providing challenging and rewarding opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. Some roles can be a one-off, like a hospital garden makeovers or fundraising. Others can last for months or even years, like running a hospital radio show, helping with administration in a hospice or taking part in advisory groups.
Hear from volunteers and staff at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Foundation Trust
Section 8 of The NHS Long Term Plan states staff, patients and volunteers benefit from well-designed volunteering initiatives. Volunteers contribute across a range of NHS roles, from first responders and care companions to trust governors and transport volunteers. They enable staff to deliver high-quality care that goes above and beyond core services. Well-designed and managed volunteering programmes improve satisfaction and wellbeing ratings for staff, as well as volunteers and patients. Local volunteering allows older people to stay physically active and connected to their communities, and younger people to develop skills and experience for work and education. NHS organisations are encouraged to give greater access for younger volunteers through programmes such NHS Cadets, Volunteer to Career and Social Action.
Youth volunteering
Many healthcare organisations are opening up volunteer roles for young people from the age of 16, and some now offer youth volunteering programmes for 16 and 17-year-olds.
Young volunteers not only have a positive impact within the healthcare, but the experience they gain is often beneficial for them. For example, by developing skills such as team working and problem-solving which are crucial for future success in education, training and the workplace.
Read the short case study from Scott, age 16 who is one of more than 70 youth volunteers at East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who shares how volunteering has been developing his confidence while helping staff and patients.
Benefits of taking on volunteers
Involving volunteers can add great value to what your organisation does. Here are some of the benefits of involving volunteers.
Volunteers bring a wide range of skills, experience and knowledge to your organisation. This builds on the resources it already has and can help achieve your organisation and department’s mission and goals.
By involving volunteers, you’ll be able to reach and help more people. Volunteers are often part of the communities you work in. By giving them a great experience, you can inspire them to become your greatest advocates and future employees.
Providing volunteer opportunities helps people connect with others, learn new skills and gain confidence. It often helps them find routes to employment and can improve health and wellbeing too.
Volunteers can bring new opinions, ideas and approaches to your work. This can help you adapt, stay relevant to what people need from your organisation, and find new ways to improve.
How to get started
For NHS organisations, speak to the volunteer lead in your organisation in the first instance. Here are contact details:
- DGT – dgn-tr.volunteer@nhs.net
- EKHUFT – ekh-tr.volunteers@nhs.net
- KCHFT – engagement@nhs.net
- KMPT – voluntaryservices@nhs.net
- MCH – reynolds@nhs.net and wisdom.hospice@nhs.net
- MFT – changes underway. New contact to be provided in due course
- MTW – mtw-tr.volunteers@nhs.net
Social care and primary care organisations should use information follow guidance from NCVO or contact Kent Volunteers Partnership
Resources
There is a wealth of information and support available locally and nationally to support you and your team.
NHS organisations should contact your volunteer lead in the first instance.
The following websites provide useful information:
- NHS Volunteering to search volunteering opportunities in NHS organisations
- NCVO (National Council for Voluntary organisations) for everything you need to know to get started.
- Kent Volunteers Partnership is for volunteering information, support and opportunities in your local area.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has removed the statutory requirement for a full employment history with respect to volunteers in health and care settings. Employers are still required to make sure volunteer recruitment processes remain robust, safe and effective and should always refer to the six NHS employment check standards.
The e-learning resource provides support with understanding pre-employment checks requirements, in turn helping to prevent barriers to employment and reducing the time to hire.
Frequently asked questions
Consider what new volunteer roles will contribute to the work of your organisation. Volunteers are not substitutes for paid staff. They should be given distinct opportunities to create impact using their unique skills and experience. Speak to your volunteer lead or contact your local volunteer partner through Kent Volunteers Partnership
Each organisation can stipulate minimum number of hours and times for volunteering which can include weekends. Be mindful that younger people might need flexibility due to education and other commitments.
Volunteers are unpaid. However, your organisation should consider reimbursing for certain costs such as travel to and from volunteering activities.
Volunteers can find opportunities that align with their skills by researching local organisations, non-profits, and community centres. Make sure your volunteering offer attracts the candidates that you want volunteering at your organisation and lets them know the skills, knowledge and behaviours they will be supported to develop through their experience
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. Most roles in healthcare organisations will require you have a DBS check, which does not incur a cost to the volunteer. Organisations will request certain identity documents to complete the DBS check. More information is on the DBS Service website
Yes. The interview is for your organisation to better understand the volunteer, their needs and motivation for volunteering and for the person wanting to volunteer to learn more about your organisation, the volunteer role and tasks.
Asylum seekers can volunteer while their claim is considered without being granted permission to work. Further information can be found on Permission to work and volunteering for asylum seekers
Employers can still request a full employment history should they deem it appropriate when appointing a volunteer. Employers are still required to make sure that volunteer recruitment processes remain robust, safe and effective and should always refer to the six NHS employment check standards.