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 1
Guest expert: Luana Munteanu, Volunteer Coordinator at Hospice Casa Speranței in Romania, with seven years of experience in volunteering.
Key Takeaways
- Volunteers help bridge the gap between patients’ needs for care and the staff’s limited time.
- They offer human connection, presence, and warmth within the environment.
- Volunteer support improves the quality of life for patients and their families—lessening loneliness and enhancing meaning and dignity.
- Volunteers also strengthen public trust in hospices and hospitals, helping healthcare regain a ‘human face’.
- Simple, consistent activities: engaging in conversation, reading aloud, walking, running small errands, celebrating, enjoying music, and providing basic family support.
- Indirect roles are important as well: delivery and logistics, administrative support, fundraising, communications—not everyone needs to work directly with patients.
- Volunteers are the team’s ‘extra eyes and ears’, assisting in identifying where psychological or social support is required.
- Volunteers do not perform medical procedures, dispense medication, provide treatment advice, discuss diagnosis or prognosis, or replace professional counselling.
- Clear rules, basic training, supervision, and a straightforward ‘dos and don’ts’ guide are essential.
- Regular feedback, emotional support, and team meetings.
- Quick access to a staff contact for inquiries or emergencies.
- Volunteer hours and outreach (patients, families, events).
- Qualitative impact: less loneliness, greater family satisfaction, positive staff feedback.
- Conversion from ‘trial period’ to active volunteers, retention rates, and reasons volunteers leave.
- Use language that emphasises organisational benefits: reduced workload, improved time efficiency, better patient and family experience, and enhanced reputation.
- Show numbers: tracking volunteer hours equals measurable ‘saved’ shifts or staff time.
- Begin with a pilot phase (e.g., 3 months): lessens fear, demonstrates tangible results, permits adjustments.
- A starter document pack: role descriptions, code of conduct, confidentiality agreements, risk and ethics briefing, and a roadmap for service growth.
- Establish basic procedures, including the entry point (volunteer coordinator), scheduling, and communication channels with the clinical team.
- Plan recruitment and training: a brief introductory course plus mentorship; ongoing case discussions and check-ins.
- Gradual introductions (from group to individual), respect a patient’s choice to decline volunteer contact.
- Families and caregivers also require support: recognise fatigue, provide information, and offer short breaks or relief.
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