Volunteer Scotland

Find opportunities

Care Home Companion- Whitefield Lodge

  • VO100066

Description

Marie Curie are launching a new service to support residents in local care homes across Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire.

We know that people who live in residential care can really benefit from having someone to visit them, to provide companionship and support them to take part in activities around the home. Our volunteers will be assigned to a local care home, and will speak to staff at the start of each shift to identify a resident who might benefit from companionship that day.

You might be reading to someone, chatting about their memories or helping the person you are with to engage with other activities going on in the care home. This is likely to be taking place in the early afternoon, and you will be part of an exciting new project we are trialing to make sure people who live in a care home are supported and provided with companionship on days when they don't always have a visitor.

This is an ideal role for someone who enjoys meeting new people and has great conversational skills. This is also an opportunity to be part of a new approach to supporting care home residents.

Organisation aims and objectives

Every day of your life matters, from the first to the last. We believe everyone living with a terminal illness should be able to get the most from the time they have left, however hard that may sometimes feel. We’ll be here for you and your family when you may feel like no-one else is, to help you cope when you don’t know how. Marie Curie Nurses care for you in your home, when you need them most, day or night. Our hospices are at the heart of communities around the UK. And our trained volunteers and advisers are here for you with practical information and support when you don’t know what to do next or just need to talk. We’ll be by your side with care and support every step of the way, bringing light in the darkest hours.

Availability

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening

Frequency and commitment details

This role will involve carrying out a regular weekly shift of 3 hours, ideally we would like you to be able to commit to 1 year in the role.

Restrictions

This opportunity is open to volunteers of any background aged 18 or over, and is subject to a PVG and reference checks.
Experience required: Our ideal volunteer will be someone who has great listening skills and enjoys meeting new people. Empathy, compassion and the ability to deal sensitively with the needs of the people we support will be vital. We are looking for a reliable and committed volunteer who is able to follow instructions.
Travel details: Whitefield Lodge 25 Service Street Lennoxtown East Dunbartonshire G66 7JW
Minimum age: 18

Support

Expenses paid: Yes
Expenses details: We pay reasonable out of pocket expenses, including travel cost and mileage. This will be paid monthly by bank transfer.
Training details: You will be given full training and induction, as well as an orientation session with the staff in the home you will be supporting. We also offer ongoing training and peer support sessions on various topics.

Report this opportunity
Find out more about Marie Curie
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite
Similar opportunities

Family Friend (Clackmannanshire)

Family friends work directly with families, coming alongside and giving support to parents and children when they need it most, making sure they feel less isolated. Safe Families is a charity that works with 35+ local authorities around the UK. Safe Families offer hope, belonging and support to children, families and care leavers; they do this primarily, but not exclusively, with and through local churches. No one should feel alone. Safe Families exist to create relationship and connection because everyone deserves to belong. Volunteers will undergo training before matching with a family, to help them feel best equipped and prepared. They will receive support throughout the entire process. Family friend support can range from a couple hours every few weeks, to once a week support - meeting for coffee, being a listening ear, going out to the park etc. Contact Caitlin at caitlinfrew@safefamilies.uk or 07393462300 for more information about volunteering.
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite

Befriender

Would you like to support someone through their cancer journey? Tayside Cancer Support offers a free, confidential, one-to-one befriending service for those affected by cancer in the Tayside and the surrounding area. This service is provided by volunteer befrienders who have received relevant and professional training prior to working with clients. Although the charity is a voluntary organisation, the commitment of our volunteers is essential, as we pride ourselves in offering sensitive, yet professional support. Referrals for the befriending service are generally received from local hospital wards, doctors, nurses and other health professionals, but we also welcome referrals from individuals who feel that a family member or indeed, they themselves would benefit from this support. We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to become a befriender, here’s what’s involved: • No experience necessary, all training and supervision is provided • You can communicate with your client either on the phone or in person • The commitment is a minimum 1 hour a month • A good listening ear! We ask that all new befrienders attend our befriending course. This lasts for around 18 hours and includes the following sessions:- • Introduction to Tayside Cancer Support Policies Procedures and Boundaries • Working with People • Listening & Communication Skills • Different types of cancer and its treatment • Handling Grief • Working with other charities and partner agencies Once the course is completed successfully, you will be matched with a client to begin the befriending journey. From there you and the client decide what is the best way for you to communicate and how often. This might be in their home, in a coffee shop, online or on the phone. Whatever is suitable for them. If you think this is for you, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us for a further discussion by clicking on the button below.
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite

Support Volunteers

The Butterfly Trust are a Scottish registered charity that offer direct one to one support to people living with Cystic Fibrosis. We are helping to empower people with Cystic Fibrosis in Scotland. Cystic Fibrosis is a progressive, life-limiting, genetically inherited condition with no cure. We are the leading provider of social support to the Cystic Fibrosis community of Scotland, providing face-to-face services for individuals and families, and access to the support needed to ensure they benefit from optimum homecare and enjoy the best quality of life. Volunteering is a fantastic way to make a difference to the life of someone else, and an opportunity to enhance your own life and build new skills. The support worker undertakes tasks that make a real difference to the quality of life for the young people we support. He/she is our first point of contact with clients responding to requests that are often for practical help but also just someone to talk to. Support workers receive training to develop skills in understanding and completing official forms, and can be trained to provide advocacy if they wish to be more challenged. A great opportunity to make a real difference for people. Excellent support and relevant training is provided to all volunteers. For more details please contact Dr Miles Tew, Volunteer Manager at E Mail: miles@butterflytrust.org.uk or tel: 07712 606891.
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite

Macmillan Buddy Volunteer

People living with cancer tell us they need emotional support to feel less isolated and lonely and sometimes need some help with practical tasks that they are temporarily having trouble with. By choosing to join us as a Buddy volunteer, you’ll be doing something amazing for people in these extraordinary times, so they can continue to feel connected to the world outside. Together, we can be right there for people with cancer. There are two types of buddy volunteer: -Community Buddy: provides face-to-face support in the community or in people’s homes to alleviate loneliness and help with simple practical tasks. and -Telephone Buddy: provides telephone support to alleviate loneliness and social isolation for people living with cancer -What we’re looking for: *Good listener and clear communicator *Patient, flexible and reliable *Ability to demonstrate empathy and understanding whilst maintaining boundaries *Good IT skills in order to access required systems and resources *Understand the need to maintain confidentiality -What you can gain from this opportunity: *Meet new people as part of a friendly team that makes a difference *Use and develop your communication and people skills *Have a rewarding experience making a difference to people living with cancer *Receive an induction, relevant training, the support you need to carry out your role, and agreed out-of-pocket expenses (reimbursed within our guidelines)
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite