Volunteering
Our volunteers, and the roles they carry out, all have the aim
of helping to make our patients' and visitors' time in hospital a
little easier.
Read our exciting
2023-2026 strategy
Aged 16 years old or above?
If you're a young person thinking
about volunteering your time in a fulfilling role, why not join our
growing community of young people volunteering here at UHBW?
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, grow in confidence,
gain valuable experience in a health care setting and open up a
world of educational and employment opportunities. If you're aged
16 years old or above, contact us today to find out how you can
make a difference to the lives of our patients and people.
What volunteer roles are available?
All of our volunteer
opportunities play a crucial part in enhancing the experience of
our patients, visitors and staff. We have a variety of roles
available, including (but not limited to):
- Meet and Greet - welcoming
and wayfinding support for patients and visitors.
- Mealtimes - supporting and
encouraging patients to eat during mealtimes.
- Befrienders - providing
companionship and interaction to patients in our adult
wards.
- Buddies - providing company
and engaging in activities with patients on children's
wards.
- Play - engaging with
children in play activities within the children's
hospital.
Where can I volunteer?
It depends on the needs of
our hospitals, but we often have opportunities in the following
hospital sites:
- Bristol Royal
Infirmary
- Weston General
Hospital
- Bristol Eye
Hospital
- Bristol Haematology and
Oncology Centre
- Bristol Heart
Institute
- Bristol Royal Hospital for
Children
- St Michael's
Hospital
You will be allocated a
ward/area to support for the duration of your volunteering but we
can support you to gain experience in other areas and roles, where
possible.
How to apply
We will be recruiting again from 2025. Please check back
in the coming weeks for our recruitment dates.
When we're recruiting new volunteers, details of the available
roles and access to the application process can be found on the
UHBW jobs
page. You will be required to complete and submit an
online application form. If you have any questions, please contact
our Voluntary Services team via the contact details at the bottom
of this page.
How much time will I need to
commit?
We ask for a regular
commitment of around 2-4 hours per week, for at least 6 months. You
are required to volunteer on the same day and time each week. If
you are unable to attend your session for any reason, we just ask
you to provide as much notice as possible.
What does the recruitment process look
like?
If your application is
successful, we will invite you to an interview with our team.
Successful candidates will then be contacted and asked if they
would like to proceed. The recruitment process is the same as for
an employee, so will include things like; ID checks, proof of your
right to be in the UK, DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service
- if required for the role) and occupational health
checks.
Is there any training to complete?
Yes, there are some online
modules to complete and we also ask you to attend an in-person
skills-building session, which is part of the onboarding process to
become a volunteer. Finally, you will be required to attend a full
induction where you'll also be issued with your ID and volunteer
uniform!
How long do recruitment checks and training take to
complete?
We aim to complete this as
soon as possible. For most people, this is around 6 weeks from your
interview, depending on the time it takes you to complete your
training and how long the recruitment checks take, such as the DBS
process.
Will I have any support during my
volunteering?
Yes! We have a team of
Voluntary Services Support Officers (VSSOs) who will support you
through the recruitment process and for the duration of your
volunteering. You will be allocated a VSSO, who will be your main
point of contact in addition to support from staff based in your
volunteering area. You can access a wide range of other support
from the Trust, including wellbeing resources. You will also
receive regular one-to-one supervision and opportunities to meet
with other volunteers during your time with us.
Contact us
By email: volunteering@uhbw.nhs.uk
By telephone:
- 0117 34 21530 (Bristol office)
- 01934 647005 (Weston office)
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