Guidance Notes for completing the Volunteer application form – Please read carefully.

General notes

These notes are to help you fill in the application form and give you some background information on the volunteers at St Luke’s Hospice.

By clicking "Application form (Word)" in the left-hand column you can download an application form as a Microsoft Word template on which you can enter all the details in the grey boxes. Then save the result as a Word document (xxx.doc), and send it as an e-mail attachment to personnel@stlukes-hospice.org.
Alternatively, click on "Application form (PDF)" which will download a form that you can print, enter the details by hand, and then post to the address shown.

Volunteers are an integral part of the hospice. Given the ultimate importance of volunteers to the patient care mission of St Luke’s, it is important that full use is made of each volunteer and that they are located in an area of the hospice or shops, that gives them the opportunity to display their strengths, whilst giving the hospice maximum support.

Some areas of the hospice have strict criteria that need to be met. In these circumstances, it is important that you complete the enclosed application form fully and only apply to work in the areas for which you fully meet the criteria.

Age Requirements

Volunteers seeking long term volunteering must be above the “minimum school leaving age” (MSLA), except those working with patients who must be at least 18. There is no upper age limit as fitness is an essential requirement.

Medical Students

Medical students wishing to gain experience of working with patients, may apply to become volunteers. However, volunteers are required to give a regular commitment and this may not suit medical students. Therefore, we suggest medical students contact Diane Taylor at the Trans Age project on 020 8861 5818 or trans_age@hotmail.com. This organisation offers volunteer placements to young people who wish to study medicine.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Students completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award who wish to gain volunteer experience may work in the shops only (with the respective Shop Manager’s agreement). These students may be under the “minimum school leaving age”.

Work Placement and Work Experience

Work Experience programmes must apply to Personnel and Volunteering separately and must not apply on the volunteer application form.

PLEASE READ THE NOTES BELOW CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM.

Section 1 – Contact information

Please complete this section fully. This information is required, should we need to contact you and it will become our record of your details, should you commence volunteering duties.

Section 2 – Special skills, qualifications and other information

This is your opportunity to tell us about any special skills, experience or qualifications you have. This information will help us when we are considering which area of the hospice to assign you to. It is particularly useful if we do not have a vacancy in your preferred area. Personnel & Volunteering will use this information to consider you for alternative areas of the hospice or shops.

Section 3 – Availability

Please specify which days and periods you are available to work, as well as the frequency. Each role within the hospice, fundraising and shops has specific hourly requirements and it would assist us greatly when matching you up to a role, to be aware of your availability to work.

Section 4 – Interest

Please mark which areas of the hospice you are particularly interested in working in and give your numerical preference. Please note however, that these preferences are not guaranteed. If there are no vacancies in your first choice, we will need to consider you for alternative areas and it would help us to have as much information as possible.

The specific criteria required for each area are stated below:

HOSPICE STAFF

Day care:

• Good communication skills with an ability to converse with a wide range of people
• Availability and willingness to attend developmental training courses.

In Patient

• Good communication skills with a warm and friendly nature.

Drivers

• A Full driving licence and car is essential
• Personal insurance company need to be notified of intention to drive patients
• Good communication skills
• Availability to bring patients to the hospice and collect afterwards

Bereavement Support

•The Bereavement Support team run separate campaigns with specific criteria. You will need to contact the Bereavement Support team direct should you wish to find out more.

Reception Staff

• Good communication skills
• Ability to complete basic administrative duties
• Availability to work a morning, afternoon or evening shift (4 hours)/weekends..

Complementary Therapists

• Recognised formal qualifications are required
• Up to date training
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Personal professional indemnity insurance is essential

Gardening

• Availability to work on a regular basis
• Physically fit
• Enjoy working as part of a team.

Fundraising

• This is a developing area and potential volunteers will need to contact the fundraising team direct for more detail on any specific criteria.

Shops

• Availability to work a full four hour shift if they are covering the till.
• Reliability is essential to ensure that each shop has adequate staffing levels.
• The ability to work as part of a team and be able to interact with the public is also essential.

Finance

• Available to work on a regular basis. Alternatively, be willing to cover staff absences.
• Some experience of office work e.g. filing and/or basic experience of using a computer for letters or figures would be useful.

Section 5 – Person to notify in case of an emergency

Please complete this fully and accurately. It will form our records once you have commenced volunteering for St Luke’s. It is important that you advise us of any changes to this, in the future.

Section 6 – References

Please complete this fully and ensure that the referees you provide are willing and available to provide references. Delays in this process may delay your starting date.

Section 7 – Criminal Records Bureau

This is an essential part of the process for hospice based volunteers and it is important that you complete and return the Disclosure form, if appropriate. Delays in this process may delay your starting date.

Section 8 – Agreement and Signature

This is self-explanatory but it must be completed in full if you wish to proceed with your application.