Volunteering Opportunity: Community Ambassador Volunteer with Peace Hospice Care

Peace Hospice Care provides high quality, specialist care for patients, and their families, facing life-limiting illnesses across South West Hertfordshire and the wider area. We help people manage their conditions and offer support at end of life too. We need to raise over £6m each year to deliver our services, all of which are provided free of charge, both in the community and in the Hospice.

Purpose of this role:

We are looking for Community Ambassadors who can help us to spread the word about what we do and why it matters and to represent Peace Hospice Care externally through visits to community organisations, healthcare settings, faith groups, schools and, occasionally, local businesses. The role of the Ambassador will help to dispel myths about hospice care. It will help to educate the public about the role of the Hospice in supporting patients and their families with life-limiting illness, from early diagnosis, throughout their illness and, for families and carers, through to bereavement care. As a charity, we rely on local community support and the Community Ambassador role will help to explain how we are funded, our need for ongoing support and the impact of our services and how individuals, families and health and care professionals can access, and find out more about, our services. Our Ambassadors will help us achieve our strategic aims and reach more people and their families in our community living with a life-limiting illness.

Opportunity Type: Long-term Commitment

District: Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, Watford

Location: Indoor

Time of day: Weekday Mornings, Weekday Afternoons, Weekday Evenings, Casual or Intermittent

Practical Considerations: What you can expect from us

Training & Development:

New volunteers to Peace Hospice Care will receive a general introduction to the Hospice as well as a
personal induction to your role provided by your line manager. These inductions will be held at the Hospice
if Covid restrictions allow, or virtually
· Regular updates on the work, new developments and stories of the Hospice to support your role.
· Opportunities to attend bespoke training
· Regular communication / reflection / updates on the role with the Community Engagement Coordinator

Benefits and support

· Reimbursement of travel expenses, up to an agreed maximum amount
· Regular support through your allocated line manager
· Access to volunteer meetings and social events
· Engage and connect with people in the local community
· Learn new skills

What we expect from you
· All voluntary roles are subject to receipt of satisfactory references from someone who is not
related to you and has known you (preferably in a professional capacity) for over two years
· Some voluntary roles involving access to vulnerable people or handling of sensitive information
will be subject to enhanced DBS checks
· Attendance at the induction and any volunteer check-in events.

Requirements: Will require a criminal record check (DBS)

Suitable for: 18 – 25 year olds, Aged 26 and over

Suitable for volunteers interested in: Carers Support, Children, Families & Family Support

Full Description:
Main tasks for this role:
· Promote the hospice by delivering engaging presentations to groups at external meetings or events about our Hospice services/functions. Attending planned fundraising initiatives, saying a few words of thanks and cheque presentations.
· Attend PHC events such as, celebration events, corporate meet and greet and undertake Hospice tours
· Using social media platforms, blogs, newsletters etc be a ‘face’ of Peace Hospice Care by sharing your story about how you became involved in the Charity and how your role as an Ambassador supports awareness for Peace Hospice Care
· Link in with the compassionate communities’ network of neighbours to support awareness of Peace Hospice Care, helping them share information about PHC to their community groups · Supporting the work of the Community Engagement Coordinator who is responsible for the Ambassador role
· Meeting clinical/health care/social care teams and highlighting how to refer to clinical and patient services
· Share information provided on how people can get involved by reaching us and supporting us and identify other potential volunteers who would be willing to support
· Explore a train the trainer role – and support other Volunteer Ambassadors to undertake this role
· In conjunction with all hospice departments, proactively research local groups and organisations which welcome outside speakers at meetings, events, AGMs etc, particularly focused on socially isolated patients & bereaved people, non-cancer patients and people in Hertsmere
· Develop and regularly engage with a wide network of contacts that will help support awareness of Peace Hospice Care with organisations and community leads/groups, ensuring key contacts are informed and updated on Peace Hospice Care news and activities
· Be a friendly face and aid during supporter-led events · Manage a promotional stall at events to promote all functions of Peace Hospice Care

Personal Skills and qualities that you will need:
· Enthusiasm for Peace Hospice Care
· Excellent communication skills particularly presentation & public speaking skills
· Digitally minded, confident using social media platforms, Facebook groups etc · Knowledge of using IT packages such as Microsoft office and PowerPoint
· Confident in communicating with diverse groups of people
· A commitment to and understanding of Diversity, Equality & Inclusion
· Committed, reliable and have a professional demeanour
· Ability to work using own initiative and highly organised
· Have a personal connection to Peace Hospice Care (not essential) and would like to share your story