Companion Lead Volunteer - Care Homes - Glasgow

Marie Curie
VO100816

The Marie Curie Companion Service is a professional service provided by trained volunteers who offer one-to-one companionship and support to people with a terminal illness and their families.

We’re expanding our service to provide support directly to care homes, providing their residents with regular visits and company so that they can live well and take part in the things they enjoy. In order to expand our service to reach more care homes we will need help to:

Raise awareness and knowledge of the Companion Service.
Ensure that care home managers have a good understanding of the service, what we can do to support their residents, and a point of contact.
Increase our number of trained Companion Volunteers and ensure that they are supported in their role.
Demonstrate Marie Curie Values; Always Compassionate, Making Things Happen, Leading in Our Field, and People at Our Heart.
Support Volunteers in training, offering 1:1 support and facilitating peer support groups.
Organise social events and engagement activities for volunteers.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING.
Your role will be based around care homes in your local community, and may include some of but is not restricted to, the following typical tasks:

Meet with Care Home Managers and their staff to introduce the Companion Service and how we can support their residents.
Arrange orientation sessions for volunteers in the care home they will be working in.
Follow all mandatory procedures that form part of the Companion Service.
Be a point of contact for volunteers as needed.
Keep up to date with Companion Service guidance and best practice.
Liaising with managers of care homes already receiving our support.
Collecting feedback from care home managers and passing this to the Volunteer Services Coordinator.
Promote the Companion volunteer role in the local area, including (with training and approval) media activity.
Helping with the recruitment of new volunteers including interviews and selection.
Keeping accurate records.
Liaising regularly with the Volunteer Services Coordinator and other team members.
Reporting concerns and celebrating compliments and successes.
Assisting with evaluations and the development of the Companion Service in Care Homes.
Help with other related tasks when necessary.

THE SKILLS/EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEED.
Good organisational skills.
Commitment, reliability and a willingness to be flexible within the boundaries of the role.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, public speaking skills and listening skills.
IT skills and internet access (a Marie Curie email address will be provided for you)
A friendly and sensitive approach with strong skills around rapport building and empathy.
Confidentiality and a respect for an individual’s privacy, dignity and independence.
Self- awareness, emotional stability and a mature perspective on life and death.
A confident approach to collecting personal information and assessing individual circumstances.
Respect for individuals regardless of their disability, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, gender, sexual orientation, religion or faith, or gender reassignment.

WHAT YOU CAN GAIN FROM THIS OPPORTUNITY.
An excellent opportunity to build on your skills in a charity environment
An induction, training, support and supervision in your role
Agreed reasonable out-of-pocket expenses

WHAT WE ASK OF YOU.
To provide two references from non-family members and other relevant documents related to the role
To keep to all the charity’s policies and guidelines
To complete an induction and any training related to the role
Complete mandatory training and role related renewals, as requested

Marie Curie is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of patients and their families and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Marie Curie will treat all volunteers fairly and with respect. We will not discriminate on the basis of disability, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sex (i.e. gender), sexual orientation, religion or faith, or gender reassignment. We will not discriminate on the basis of age, unless the responsibilities of a role require us to do so in order to safeguard our volunteers and/or service users.

For more information or if you have any questions regarding this volunteer role, please contact the Volunteer Operations Centre on volunteering@mariecurie.org.uk

Experience required

What skills or experience do you need?

A friendly and sensitive nature – a good listener
Patience, empathy, self-awareness and emotional stability
Excellent listening skills and an ability to build a rapport with others
Commitment and reliability - able to keep appointments
An understanding of the importance of confidentiality
Willing to be flexible to the needs of the individual
Mature perspective on life and death
Willingness to learn, participate in training and operate within the boundaries of the role
Respect for individuals, regardless of their race, gender, culture, religion, disability, sexual orientation and marital status