Online Community Volunteer

Marie Curie
VO102024

We’re looking for 5 people from diverse backgrounds and with a range of experiences related to terminal illness, end of life and bereavement to join our Online Community team as Volunteer Moderators.

We are looking for people who can help us by encouraging and promoting activity in order to increase engagement on our Online Community. This may involve sharing personal experiences and offering support to others.

You don’t need to be an expert, or a professional. We want you to share your experience with others, enabling them to feel supported and heard, and to help us to shape the Online Community to become an interactive platform that is a safe and supportive place for everyone affected by terminal illness, available 24 hours a day.

• You will be supporting the Marie Curie Information and Support team from home.
• 1-2 hours per week initially, with the opportunity to increase this once the service develops.

PEOPLE WHO USE OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY MAY...
• be living with a terminal illness
• care for someone with a terminal illness
• be a family member or friend of someone who has a terminal illness
• be bereaved by terminal illness.
Take a look at our Online Community here: https://community.mariecurie.org.uk/

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING.
Your role might include some of the following:
• Welcoming new members
• Generating conversations
• Responding to new posts
• Providing encouragement and support
• Stimulating new conversations by sharing ideas, posts and relevant articles
• You will be responsible for highlighting any concerns you may have to the Support Line Team
• Direct users to relevant sources of information and support as needed
• Undertake both initial and ongoing training in line with the role and some independent study.
• You will have the opportunity to make suggestions to further develop and grow the site.

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

Experience required

• Be polite and supportive
• Experience of terminal illness – you could be living with an illness yourself, caring for a friend or family member; or have experience of bereavement
• Ability to provide emotional support without judgement
• Ability to share opinions diplomatically
• Willingness to share tips and ideas on living with a terminal illness, caring for someone and/or bereavement
• Understand that everyone’s experience is different
• Good written communication skills
• Good attention to detail, comfortable using IT or willingness to learn.
• Willingness to learn and undertake required training and participate in support supervision if and when needed
• You may already have experience of using an online community or forum, whether it is about a hobby or interest you have, or from a professional perspective.
• You’ll need access to a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer with internet to access the community