Pastoral & Spiritual Care Volunteers

The Pastoral and Spiritual Care Team endeavours to meet the pastoral, spiritual and religious care needs of patients, their relatives, friends and carers, as well as hospice staff and volunteers. The team is entirely made up of volunteers.

More about this role

Volunteer role Volunteer manager Where you will be based Why we want you

The Pastoral and Spiritual Care Team endeavours to meet the pastoral, spiritual and religious care needs of patients, their relatives, friends and carers, as well as hospice staff and volunteers. The team is entirely made up of volunteers.

What you will be doing

• Provide primary pastoral, spiritual and religious support for any patient, their relatives, friends and carers.
• Offering active and empathic listening and emotional support where needed
• Responding to spiritual and religious questions within own capability
• Praying at the bedside when requested (including sharing sacraments if authorised)
• Ensure all encounters with patients, their relatives, friends and carers are accurately and promptly recorded, with any issues and/or concerns raised reported to the Lead, Pastoral & Spiritual Care Team.

The skills you need

• Compassion, empathy and kindness with everybody, remembering that this may be a difficult time in their life
• Spiritually mature with a good level of personal awareness and sensitivity to patients needs within a hospice setting
• Skills in active listening and an awareness of the importance of listening to help patients and their relatives, friends and carers articulate their pastoral, spiritual and/or religious needs
• Ability to reconcile own personal spirituality and beliefs with the psychospiritual needs and religious beliefs of others
• Able to always maintain confidentiality

What's in it for you

• Practical training with an experienced volunteer
• Appropriate mandatory classroom training and online training
• Support from the Pastoral and Spiritual Care Lead and the Volunteer Services Team
• Volunteering handbook and Role Profile

Disclaimer

We are committed to protecting and keeping you safe. Therefore, we have a comprehensive selection, checking and ongoing management process in place. A Disclosure and Barring check may be necessary for this role, which we will carry out. All mandatory training must be completed, and our policies and procedures complied with.