Why volunteer in a health & care setting?
Volunteering with NHS and Social Care organisations and local charities provides a valuable opportunity to support healthcare services and support community engagement in Mid and South Essex. Many NHS Trusts and Social Care settings actively seek volunteers to assist with a variety of roles, from providing companionship to patients and helping with administrative tasks to supporting fundraising activities. By participating in volunteering activities, our volunteers create a more compassionate and efficient healthcare environment, which can significantly enhance patient experiences.
Getting involved is straightforward, most local NHS Trusts and Social Care employer websites feature dedicated sections with detailed information on available volunteer roles, requirements, and how to apply. Whether you have a few hours a week to spare or can commit to longer-term projects, the options for involvement are varied and impactful.
With over 300 diverse volunteering opportunities in the NHS, individuals from all walks of life can engage in rewarding roles that cater to a wide range of interests and skills. Whether participating in one-off projects like vibrant hospital garden makeovers or fundraising events, or committing to longer-term, weekly engagements such as running a hospital radio show, supporting administrative functions in hospices, or joining advisory groups, volunteers help to enrich the patient care experience.
How you can get involved in Volunteering
There are many different ways to support the NHS and Social Care through volunteering depending on the type of role and setting you are looking for. You could:
Volunteer at a Mid and South Essex hospital
Volunteering in a hospital setting offers a diverse range of opportunities for individuals looking to contribute to their communities while gaining valuable experience in the healthcare field. Volunteers can engage in various departmental roles, supporting different clinical areas or specialty clinics either as a feeding buddy, facilitating patient flow or helping with logistics.
There are also numerous administrative support roles available. Volunteers in administrative positions can assist with tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing patient records, and helping with communication between departments.
Volunteers also support in patient participation groups, where volunteers can advocate for patient experiences, provide feedback on services, and help shape hospital policies to better reflect the needs of the community. Foundation Trust governors are also vital members of the hospital structure, as they represent the interests of the community and participate in decision-making processes that influence hospital governance and strategy.
Each hospital typically has a dedicated Volunteer Service Manager responsible for coordinating various volunteering options. This role is instrumental in matching volunteers with opportunities that align with their interests and skills, ensuring that both the volunteers and the hospital maximize their impact.
For more information about these opportunities in Mid and South Essex see: Volunteering Mid and South Essex (mse.nhs.uk) and Voluntary services | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust.
Volunteer with an ambulance trust
Ambulance Trusts play a crucial role in delivering emergency medical care, and their effectiveness is significantly enhanced by the dedicated efforts of volunteers. One of the ways volunteers contribute is through patient transport services, where they assist individuals who require non-emergency medical appointments. This service not only alleviates pressure on the ambulance fleet but also ensures that vulnerable patients receive the care they need in a timely manner. Volunteers in these roles are often the first point of contact, offering reassurance and support, which can be especially comforting for those who may be anxious about their medical needs.
For more information about these opportunities in Mid and South Essex see: Volunteer with us | EEAST.
Volunteer as a Community First Responder
Volunteer Community First Responders are dispatched to emergency calls when every second counts and an ambulance may take time to arrive.
Community First Responders are equipped to provide immediate care, performing vital interventions such as CPR or administering oxygen. Their presence can be life-saving, as they stabilise patients and provide emotional support until professional paramedics reach the scene.
For more information about these opportunities in Mid and South Essex see: Community first responders | EEAST.
Volunteer with a mental health trust
Volunteering with a mental health trust can be a rewarding experience. By offering your time and skills, you can contribute to an essential support system that promotes mental well-being and recovery. Volunteers play a crucial role in various capacities, from providing companionship and emotional support to assisting with recreational activities and facilitating group sessions. This type of volunteering engagement not only helps alleviate feelings of isolation among individuals experiencing mental health challenges but also fosters a sense of community and belonging.
For more information about these opportunities in Mid and South Essex see: Volunteering at EPUT | Essex Partnership University NHS Trust.
Volunteer in a Social Care Setting
Volunteering in adult social care will have a meaningful and positive impact on your community and the organisation you support in this way. Volunteers in Social Care settings carry out a vast variety of activities, particularly providing social and emotional support to residents and family members in care homes, nursing homes and other community-based settings. You could work with older adults, people with disabilities.
To find opportunities in this area, speak to local care home providers about roles for volunteers.
Become an NHS and CARE Volunteer Responder
NHS and Care Volunteer Responders offers a flexible volunteering programme that supports the NHS and healthcare teams across England. Volunteer responders is an app-based programme where you can turn on and off your duties based on your availability which means that you can easily fit volunteering in around your other commitments.
For more information about these opportunities see: NHS and Care Volunteer Responders | Supporting Health & Social Care.
Volunteer with a Voluntary Organisation who works with the NHS and Social Care
Community support roles are an excellent opportunity to give back and get involved with your local community. You could be visiting people who are isolated and struggling at home, to helping out at a community lunch or social club, there’s plenty of choice that fits around your current commitment.
In Mid and South Essex, there are a number of community providers who offer ways for individuals to use their skills, talents and time to help others.
- Volunteering | Provide Community
- Volunteer Essex – Volunteering opportunities throughout Essex
- Volunteering | Essex County Council
- Welcome to Basildon Billericay and Wickford CVS (BBWCVS)
- Community360 Provides Support to the Voluntary and Community Sectors
- Brentwood Volunteer Centre – Brentwood Council for Voluntary Services
- Welcome to CAVS – Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) (cavsorg.uk)
- Volunteer in Chelmsford – Chelmsford CVS
- Maldon & District Community Voluntary Service (maldoncvs.org.uk)
- RRAVS | Community Support for Rochford Rayleigh Hockley Wakering Ashingdon
- SAVS – Southend’s CVS (savs-southend.org)
- Home – CVS Tendring
- – Thurrock CVS
- Volunteer | Healthwatch
- Get Involved | Hamelin
- Open Volunteering Positions | Essex & Herts Air Ambulance
Youth Volunteering in Mid and South Essex
NHS Cadets
NHS Cadets is an exciting programme being rolled out across England in partnership with St John Ambulance. It supports 14 to 18 year olds from communities with less access to volunteering to find out what it is like to work in health and care, and to consider this as a future career choice. NHS Cadets learn first aid, develop their leadership and practical skills, and are offered rewarding healthcare volunteering opportunities.
In Mid and South Essex, the Health & Care Academy currently have an NHS Cadets unit based at Basildon Hospital.
Further details are available on the St John Ambulance website.
Myles – A Career In Healthcare (youtube.com)
Royal College of Nursing – Nursing Cadet Scheme
Supported by HRH Prince of Wales, the Royal College of Nursing – Nursing Cadet Scheme helps young people develop their skills and supports them towards a career in nursing.
The Royal College of Nursing – Nursing Cadet Scheme runs at selected locations across Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you’re aged between 16 and 25 and are passionate about caring for people in need, this could be a volunteering opportunity for you.
Further details are available on the Royal College of Nursing – Nursing Cadet Scheme website.
Healthwatch Essex
Healthwatch Essex are always looking for people to tell them about their story and experiences, but they also occasionally have opportunities to get more fully involved in shaping future services across Mid and South Essex.
These are open to adults and young people who live or work in Essex and are keen to volunteer their time. You can give as much or as little of your time as you want, but any time you can give will make a difference.
Healthwatch Essex have opportunities to volunteer as a Young Mental Health Ambassador amongst other opportunities.
Further details of these opportunities can be found here: Get Involved | Healthwatch Essex.