Rachel House Reception Volunteer - Friday afternoons

The aim of this role is to work within a team to ensure the smooth running of the Hospice reception.

What activities will I be involved in?

• Answering the telephone and relaying messages, making calls when appropriate
• Welcoming visitors to the Hospice
• Opening and recording incoming mail and dealing with outgoing mail in accordance with office procedures
• Computer work such as inputting spreadsheets, printing labels, typing rotas, checking emails and updating diaries
• Managing or access to sensitive and confidential medical and personal information regarding the children and families accessing our services
• Photocopying, scanning and filing

What skills and abilities will I need to have?

• An outgoing and friendly personality
• Excellent customer service skills
• Good administrative skills
• An ability to represent CHAS enthusiastically and appropriately
• An ability to relate to people of all ages
• Good communication skills
• Adhere to rules around GDPR and a strong understanding of confidentiality
• Shared values with the organisation: respect, care, honesty, accountability

How much time should I offer?

We are looking for someone who can volunteer on a Friday afternoon on a weekly basis.

Where is the opportunity based?

Rachel House Hospice in Kinross

What ongoing learning/support/guidance will I receive? 

It’s important to us that you feel happy, safe and confident in your role. As a CHAS volunteer you will be invited to complete a short core learning package that is tailored to your role prior to your first day.

Additionally, once you have started volunteering, we will also let you know about upcoming training dates that will be relevant to your role. Further Child Protection training (either online or face to face, approximately 3 hours in length) is mandatory for this role, to be completed within the first year of volunteering with us. There will also be opportunities to attend additional training such as Fire Evacuation (if you are based within a hospice).

Your Volunteer Manager will provide ongoing support and guidance to you in your role. We have also partnered with the Skills Network to offer all our volunteers the chance to develop new skills and explore further learning opportunities.

What are the benefits to me?

• Learning new skills whilst having fun
• Getting more involved and making a real difference to the families of children with a life-shortening condition.
• Adding to your cv
• Meeting new people
• Having fun!

What are the benefits to the children and families supported by CHAS?

• Children and families will receive a warm welcome helping them to feel relaxed and welcomed to the Hospice.
• Supporting the Hospice Office with administrative tasks helps to ensure that post goes out on time, filing is up to date and paperwork managed appropriately, contributing to the smooth running of the Hospice. In addition to this, Office volunteers are often the first point of contact for families so a friendly, warm response at the end of the phone or in person can help to make a big difference to their stay and overall experience of CHAS.

What else should I know?

This role is for those aged 16+ and requires membership of the PVG scheme (children only). There is a simple form to complete and we will assist you with this. You may already have a PVG form – if so you will only need to complete an update form. The process won’t cost you anything and having a criminal record will not automatically exclude you from volunteering. We will assess each applicant on an individual basis.

We will pay your out of pocket expenses in line with the CHAS volunteer expenses policy.

CHAS is committed to providing a quality volunteering experience to all volunteers free from discrimination and prejudice. Ensuring that CHAS is an equal, diverse, and inclusive organisation improve the quality of care we provide, help us reach more families and children, and maximise a wide variety of knowledge, experience and expertise.

We welcome volunteer applications from those who are refugees, asylum seekers, benefit claimants and those with a disability. We can provide more information on if you are allowed to volunteer and what adjustments we can put in place to ensure your volunteering experience is a positive one.