Activity Support Volunteer

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust recognise and value the importance volunteer support is to us and our patients. We currently have a volunteer role available supporting us at Dane Garth, Furness General Hospital in Barrow in Furness.

To apply for this role, you should live within the Barrow in Furness area and have full UK right to work. We cannot accept applications from people living abroad.

Volunteering on award involves a long term commitment (for example 9 – 12 months), and to bring continuity and stability for patients and staff, we ask volunteer to support by doing the same periods each week, which are discussed and agreed by the volunteer and volunteer supervisor.

Our ability to provide a comprehensive and individually targeted programme of activities and non-clinical support for our in-patients can be enhanced by volunteers. This is evidenced through self-governance evaluations and client feedback. Volunteers can assist the Occupational Therapy Team in providing therapeutic activities to in-patients under supervision.

• To provide specific (e.g. facilitation of music lessons) or general (e.g. available to take clients for walks, befriending) non – clinical support to in-patient clients on and off the wards, depending on skills and qualities of individual volunteer.
• All on ward activities will be pre-arranged and monitored by staff in line with client need on a daily or weekly basis. Level of supervision to be defined by ward staff in line with client need and volunteer experience. All activities will require a predetermined level of staff supervision.
• Off ward activities will be for in-patient clients with their own leave only, but who have requested informal support from a volunteer. In these instances a volunteer will have already established a relationship with the client on the unit.
• Volunteers to attend unit at pre-arranged times and report to reception where an appointed supervisory member of the team will meet them.
• All activities to be risk assessed by appropriate ward staff.

Essential requirements for this role are:

1. To follow instructions of staff as to activity to be facilitated and any relevant client information.

2. Chat to people in groups or individually.

3. Build relationships with clients, giving them confidence to make friends and join in.

4. Encourage and help clients to take part in activities.

5. Ensure service users are engaging with the activity safely, and alert supervising staff to any issues.

6. Help staff to set up and clear down the room. Prepare equipment and materials in advance of the activity taking place.

7. Feedback any relevant and appropriate information to staff at the end of the session or beforehand if necessary.

8. Develop potential new activity ideas alongside staff members and service users.

9. Volunteers with particular skills and interests may lead on small group activities such as crafts, book clubs etc.

10. If the activity is one that involves a skill, having some degree of expertise in that

skill would be of benefit.

11. Good people skills are required as a lot of direct interaction will take place with the service users.

12. Be able to manage individuals or groups of people undertaking an activity.

13. Be enthusiastic about your chosen activity.

14. Be friendly and approachable – able to build a rapport with service users.

For this role applicants must be over the age of 18

An Enhanced DBS with Adult Barring is also required for this role

Please read the attached Role Description, or email main contact, for further information on this role. To apply for this role, please click the link below or contact us for a paper application form.

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