If you haven’t found the answers you’re looking for in our Volunteer FAQs, please do contact our Volunteer Services team by email to volunteer@cornwallhospice.co.uk or call 01726 65711.
How do I become a volunteer with Cornwall Hospice Care?
Have a look at all our volunteer opportunities, have a read of our Volunteer roles and Volunteer FAQs and once you have found a role that you like the sound of, we encourage you to apply using our online application form. Alternatively, you can request one via email or a paper copy to complete.
You can also get in touch via phone or email, particularly if you’re not sure how you want to get involved or if you have a specific skill you want to offer us. Contact our Volunteer Services Team on 01726 65711 to discuss your volunteering options or email us at volunteer@cornwallhospice.co.uk
Will I need to attend an interview?
Yes, most of our volunteer roles do require a face to face interview with the manager of the team that you want to volunteer in – but please don’t worry about this – we just want to find out more about you, what you’d like to get involved with and how we can put your skills to good use.
The exception is if you want to become an event volunteer and help on an ad hoc basis at local fundraising events, then we’ll just call you for a chat over the phone rather than a face to face interview.
Will I need to provide references or have a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check?
For our hospice based volunteer roles including those which are patient-facing, we do ask you to provide references and complete a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check – but don’t worry about this – we can help you with this process.
For other roles, we may ask for a reference. Your reference should be from someone who has known you as an employee or volunteer in a professional capacity, for at least 2 years. Referees should not be someone you are related to.
I’m very keen to volunteer - how do I apply?
If you’re ready to apply, you can fill out our simple online form by clicking HERE. If you’re not able to do this online, please email volunteer@cornwallhospice.co.uk or phone 01726 65711 and ask to speak to the Volunteering team.
Is there training available?
As a volunteer, you will receive an induction and specific training needed for your role. You will also have a line manager who will support and advise you.
Hospice-based volunteers have the opportunity to shadow a more experienced volunteer, and for all our roles, you can try volunteering out to see if it suits you before committing – we are sure it will!
How old do I need to be to volunteer?
Most roles are open to anyone aged 16 or over.
Some of our shops offer volunteering opportunities to anyone aged 13 or over and we’re often able to accommodate those volunteering as part of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.
Hospice-based and patient-facing roles are only open to anyone aged 18 or over, due to the nature of the tasks involved.
Will my expenses be covered?
We do reimburse out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable travel costs. Your line manager will be able to help you with this.
Is there a minimum amount of time I need to volunteer?
Volunteering is a great thing to do but we understand that you may have other commitments, family to and school times to work around and so on. We try to be as flexible as possible to match your availability – even if you can give just a couple of hours a week – every little bit helps to keep our Cornish charity running.
Some hospice-based roles require you to volunteer regularly for at least 6 months due to the training involved.
How do I find out about volunteering opportunities at Cornwall Hospice Care?
You can find out more about the variety of volunteer roles we offer (and apply) via our Volunteering Roles website page HERE or if you prefer, you can call our Volunteer Services Team on 01726 65711 for a friendly chat. You can also read through the other Volunteer FAQs on the current page.
If you’re interested in volunteering at one of our charity shops, you could just pop in and have a chat to the manager.
I have additional needs - can I still volunteer?
If you’re keen to volunteer for us, but would need extra support to help you, please let us know about this – we can consider any appropriate adjustments or additional requirements to support you in your role. We’re happy to discuss this with you.
What if I can’t make a regular commitment?
Don’t worry, there’s always something that needs doing and not always on a regular basis. We have a number of volunteers that help out at our bigger Fundraising events, like our Half Marathon in March, Coast and Clay Sportive cycle in June/July and our Santa events in December.
We’re also happy to organise groups of friends or colleagues to come in and help us with projects, particularly in our beautiful hospice gardens, or helping our warehouse team sorting donated items for our shops.
Why not just give us a call for a chat?
How do volunteers hear about what’s going on at the charity?
Every month our PR & Communications team publish All Together – our regular newsletter for all staff and volunteers. The Volunteering team will circulate this to you and any other important briefings and news , if you provide us with an email address to send it to.
You can also view it online on our website by logging in to the Staff & Volunteers area (find this at the top of our homepage) – you’ll need the password to access this page which your line manager will provide you with. Here you can find the last 12 months of All Together editions plus important briefings from the Executive Team.
What if I have another volunteering question?
If you’ve had a read through our Volunteer FAQs and website pages and still have a query or question, please get in touch with the Volunteering team. Call our Mount Edgcumbe Hospice on 01726 65711 and ask for the Volunteering team, or you can email volunteer@cornwallhospice.co.uk instead.
