What will I be doing?
- Preparation with the team – discuss any special needs of patients and the day’s proposed programme, liaise with the Catering department to provide refreshments. Prepare the room ready for patient arrival.
- Patient Engagement -Greet patients as they arrive and help them to get settled – make them feel welcome by engaging in conversation. Help to welcome and integrate new patients by ‘showing them the ropes’. Respond appropriately to having difficult conversations e.g. death and dying. Encourage the patients to participate with the Living Well group activities by participating with relaxation techniques and the discussions themselves. Assist patients in gathering their belongings at the end of the day. Ensure that confidentiality and boundaries are maintained at all times.
- Hospitality – serve refreshments to patients, collection of used crockery and cutlery and return to kitchen for washing.
- Volunteer Training -Act as a ‘buddy’ for new starters, familiarising them with the daily routine and local volunteer procedures by providing on-going support
- Assist with other tasks as and when asked
- Actively participating in the practical sessions
What skills & qualities do I need?
- Be friendly and welcoming, have warmth and empathy
- Open to trying and developing skills and techniques used on the programme
- Excellent conversation and listening skills
- An appreciation of importance of confidentiality.
- Time: 3-4 hours
- Location: Hospice/Living Well Centre/local venues
- Frequency: Rolling 6 week programmes