Volunteer Help at Home

Location: Norfolk

Hours: Flexible as required

The vacancy

Offer vital practical support in the homes of families caring for children with life-threatening conditions.

Key activities

In this role, tasks could include:

Cleaning/hoovering/dusting
Laundry/ironing
Cooking/food preparation
Gardening/mowing the lawn
Painting/decorating/odd jobs
Helping with homework/playing with siblings/walking the dog etc.
Having a cup of tea and a chat/being a listening ear

You can let us know what household/practical tasks you would rather help with and we will match you with a family who has asked for that kind of help.

This role does not include nursing care tasks such as personal care, feeding or giving medication. These tasks must not be undertaken by a volunteer.

To take a tour of all three of our hospices please click here.

Personal qualities

You need to be over 18 for this particular role (although there are other opportunities at EACH if you are under 18)
This role is perfect for practical, friendly and caring people who are looking to make a real difference
We ask that you are non-judgmental and willing to get stuck into jobs at the family home
We ask that you try to commit for 6 months once you are matched with a family but we understand that circumstances change
Being reliable and flexible is important for families
We would like you to be able to have good communication with the family and with your Volunteer Coordinator

What will you get out of it?

You will make a difference to a family who need an extra helping hand in the home. You will also meet new people, receive all the training you need, and have regular catch ups with your Volunteer Coordinator. This role is ideal for anyone with any time to give (midweek, evenings, weekends – anytime!) and for those thinking of a career in care giving.

We will reimburse any travel expenses to and from your chosen hospice base and to and from the family home.

Supervision: You will be invited to attend a number of group supervisions each year designed to support you and allow you to meet other volunteers.

Location: Training and supervision will take place at The Nook hospice. Family homes are all over Norfolk so we will try to match you with a family near to your home.

Time commitment: We are very flexible about the times you can visit a family and just ask that you let us know your availability so that we can match that with a family.

Recruitment process: We would like to meet you for an informal chat and will ask you to complete a personal details form. We will help you to choose two referees for us to contact and will guide you through an enhanced DBS check. You will then be invited to two days of training to prepare you for the role.

Why volunteer with us?

We benefit greatly by having volunteers, but volunteers themselves get lots out of it too! Volunteering is a great way to:

Learn a new skill or gain experience

Increase confidence and self esteem

Make a difference in your local community

The organisation

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) ensures the best possible quality of life and makes every moment count for children and families across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. Our family-centred approach includes specialist nursing care, symptom management nursing, short breaks, wellbeing activities, therapies, care at end of life, bereavement support, counselling and volunteer services in the family home; all meeting the individual needs of the child, young person and whole family.

In 2020, all three of our hospices; The Nook (Norfolk), The Treehouse (Ipswich) and Milton (Cambridge) were rated OUTSTANDING by the Care Quality Commission.

Our people are central to our success. We have a talented workforce of staff and volunteers in Care, Fundraising, Retail, Facilities, IT, Finance, Marketing & Communications and Human Resources.

We employ around 400 employees and have more than 1,800 volunteers across the organisation, including 52 shops and a Retail Distribution Centre.

Diversity statement

At EACH we believe in fostering a workplace where every individual feels valued and respected. We are committed to building a culture of inclusion where differences are embraced. We are actively seeking talent from all walks of life, recognising that diversity drives innovation, creativity and success.

Join us on a journey to create a more inclusive workplace, where everyone has equal opportunities to grow, contribute and succeed. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply for opportunities at EACH and adjustments will be made to facilitate the application and selection process.

Please note:

This post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check prior to appointment.

It is a criminal offence for people who are barred from working in Regulated Activity (under the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Groups Act 2006) to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with that particular group.

More information

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