The Fourth Wheel webinar series on Volunteering is a practical online course on working with volunteers in palliative care – produced by PACED with support from The Grace Trust.
It helps you understand how volunteers can benefit your organisation, where to begin with recruitment, and how to organise everything when resources are limited.
The programme is specifically tailored for organisers and palliative-care professionals without prior experience in volunteer management—considering the limited time, budgets, and technical skills available.
All webinars are accessible in both English and Russian.
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Webinar 3
Roles, Boundaries, and Support for Volunteers
Guest expert: Marina Harden, Volunteering Advisor at St Christopher’s Hospice in London, a professional with extensive experience in developing volunteer programmes across a wide range of sectors.
Key Takeaways
- A volunteer is not just an addition to staff but a vital part of the palliative care system, helping to foster a living community around the patient.
- Through volunteers, a hospice becomes visible to society; they are the ‘voice’ of palliative care.
- Volunteering supports the health of the community and fosters open, meaningful conversations about life and death.
- Volunteering is a voluntary, unpaid activity undertaken for the benefit of others.
- It is neither caregiving for relatives nor a form of employment.
- A volunteer is not an employee; they cannot be ‘fired’ or disciplined as staff would be.
- Recognising this distinction safeguards both the organisation and the volunteer.
- Many volunteers come after a personal loss, seeking gratitude or meaning.
- A sense of purpose, community, spiritual growth, or professional development draws others.
- Motivation evolves over time; the organisation must recognise and support these behavioural shifts.
- Volunteer retention relies on how appreciated and necessary people feel their contributions are.
- Every volunteer should have a written role description: what they do, what they don’t do, and who they report to.
- Clarity of roles establishes boundaries and mutual respect.
- Volunteering is a matter of choice, not obligation—it should bring joy, not burnout.
- Roles should be reviewed and adjusted when circumstances change, incorporating feedback from volunteers.
- Risk assessment is not bureaucracy; it’s an essential aspect of the organisation’s ethical duty.
- Around 1,200 active volunteers participate in fundraising, clinical departments, administrative tasks, and gardening.
- A Volunteer Management System records data, schedules, training, and communication with staff.
- The hospice has a ‘Volunteer Voice’ group—representatives who share ideas and feedback with leadership.
- St Christopher’s holds the Investors in Volunteering national accreditation for excellence in volunteer management.
- The process involves: application → informal interview → reference checks → DBS screening → training.
- New volunteers receive support from experienced ones through a buddy or mentoring system.
- Training is both introductory and specialised (e.g., for those supporting dying patients). If someone realises a role isn’t the right fit—that’s okay; better to reassign than lose the person.
- Regular supervision and emotional support are essential to the programme.
- Formal and informal check-ins (‘How are you feeling? What do you enjoy? Any challenges?’) are more beneficial than surveys.
- Volunteers involved in end-of-life care require additional psychological support.
- Feeling valued and connected is the key factor for long-term engagement.
- Supporting patients at home demands particular safety measures:
- First visit accompanied by a staff member.
- Emergency contact and check-in system implemented.
- Regular reports following each visit.
- No medical procedures, only companionship and emotional support.
- In the UK, the Compassionate Neighbours programme trains volunteers to assist people in living independently and meaningfully at home until end of life.
- Volunteer management and coordination systems.
- AI tools for creating and matching role descriptions.
- Virtual Reality (VR) for volunteer training and for patient relaxation or pain management.
- It’s essential to celebrate achievements, show gratitude, and foster a sense of belonging.
- Volunteering is not a duty—it’s a voluntary act driven by compassion.
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This article was first published on the PACED website and is republished here with permission.
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