Volunteer - Companion - Dumfries and… at Marie Curie · Dumfries

Are you a kind person, a good listener and willing to offer your time? We would love to talk to you about becoming a Companion Volunteer

Marie Curie is looking for caring, everyday people to join our Community Companion team. You’ll be part of something truly meaningful - offering support to people in their final stages of life, and to the loved ones around them.

You don’t need to be a healthcare expert or have all the answers. You just need to be a good listener, show up with kindness, and be willing to offer your time.

What’s a Companion Volunteer?

Being there for someone when it matters most. This might be visiting someone in their home, offering a chat and a cup of tea, swapping stories and talking about what's happening locally, or just being a calm presence.

You will never be asked to do anything you’re uncomfortable with and you will receive training and support from the Marie Curie team to support you in your Companion role. You’ll also meet a team of like-minded volunteers who are all in it for the same reason: to help others and feel connected to something bigger.

What we need you to do

As a volunteer these are some of the tasks that you may be asked to carry out in your role, this list is not exhaustive, but all tasks will be within the boundaries of the role of Community Companion

• Providing one-to-one companionship and support. E.g., offering a listening ear, engaging in everyday conversation, doing activities or hobbies together.
• Spending time with patients who have been identified as nearing the end of their life and providing support for them and their loved ones.
• Allow family, friends or carers to have a short break while you spend time with their loved one.
• Signpost families, friends and carers to other services, as appropriate
• Support us with the evaluation of the service, including writing a brief report on each visit
• Keep staff informed of any changes or significant happenings in connection with the patient, either in person or by telephone
• Attend individual support sessions, group support and development sessions as required
• Carry out planned visits as agreed with you as a volunteer. These could be in a variety of settings, for example, on a ward, in a family’s home, in a care home or taking a patient out for a short break in the community
• Driving a patient to pre-arranged medical appointments or taking short trips out.
• Helping with small, daily tasks, e.g. making tea or accessing the internet and signposting to relevant local support services or finding out information as requested.
• Represent the Companions service positively to those using the service

N.B This is only an outline as support will vary according to individual needs. Companions do not provide nursing or personal care, or offer counselling or advice

What skills or experience do you need?

• A friendly and sensitive nature – a good listener
• Patience, empathy, self-awareness and emotional stability
• Excellent listening skills and an ability to build a rapport with others
• Commitment and reliability - able to keep appointments
• An understanding of the importance of confidentiality
• Willing to be flexible to the needs of the individual
• Mature perspective on life and death
• Willingness to learn, participate in training and operate within the boundaries of the role
• Respect for individuals, regardless of their race, gender, culture, religion, disability, sexual orientation and marital status

What we can offer you

• An excellent opportunity to build on your existing skills or gain new skills in a charity environment through induction, training and ongoing support.
• Meet and engage with new people – staff, volunteer’s, patients and families
• Paid out-of-pocket expenses in line with the Marie Curie Policy - including mileage etc
• An opportunity to be part of a dynamic team at Marie Curie who make a real difference to people at the end of life.

What we ask of you

• To provide two references from non-family members and other relevant documents related to the role – this role will require a disclosure check
• To provide the details of one or more lone worker Buddies in line with our lone working procedure and to keep to all Marie Curie policies and guidelines
• To complete an induction, training and participate in support opportunities related to your role
• To ensure you make us aware of any issues or concerns you may have in your volunteering role as soon as you can.
• To make us aware of any changes in your personal circumstances that may impact you and your ability to carry out your volunteer role.

Marie Curie is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of patients and their families and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Marie Curie will treat all volunteers fairly and with respect. We will not discriminate on the basis of disability, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sex (i.e. gender), sexual orientation, religion or faith, or gender reassignment. We will not discriminate on the basis of age, unless the responsibilities of a role require us to do so in order to safeguard our volunteers and/or service users.

For more information or if you have any questions regarding this volunteer role, please contact recruitment@mariecurie.org.uk

About the Company

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone - staff and volunteers alike - supportive, inclusive and rewarding. We take stringent steps to ensure that anyone who joins our organisation are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings. We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at recruitment@mariecurie.org.uk.

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you - your experience, perspective and voice.