Why Volunteer at a Hospice? What to Expect and How to Apply

Volunteering to help hospice patients is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. But how do you know if such a role is right for you, or how to get involved if you are interested? In this post, we’ll cover exactly how to become a hospice volunteer and why you should get involved, as well as current volunteer opportunities at Hospice in the Weald (working with both children and adults).

Hospice volunteering is also one of the ways people can make a very practical difference to care in their own community. At Hospice in the Weald, volunteers are a vital part of our workforce, helping us reach more people, support more families, and use our resources as carefully as possible. Every hour given, whether in direct patient support, a shop, an event, our gardens or behind the scenes, helps us continue providing compassionate care for people living with a terminal illness and those important to them.

Is hospice volunteering right for you?

If you have landed on this page, then you probably already know the answer to this question! However, it’s good to take stock just to make sure this is the best volunteering opportunity for you.

In general, you’ll be an excellent candidate if you are:

• Patient and kind. Needless to say, when volunteering in hospice, it is important to treat others with great care. For many people, both patients and family/friends, this is an incredibly difficult time; your sympathy and understanding will go a long way for those who may be struggling, grieving, or feeling lost.
• Passionate about helping others. Hospice volunteering really is the perfect sector for those who want to make a difference – few things are more rewarding than helping someone in long-term care, or at the end of their life, feel better.
• Comfortable around illness and end-of-life care. There’s no getting around the fact that you will need to be comfortable with people’s deteriorating conditions and end-of-life care. If you are squeamish, recently bereaved, or easily upset, hospice volunteering may not be for you. That said, if you are uncomfortable with these elements but still want to help people in hospice, you could always volunteer in one of our HITW charity shops, or in our café or garden.
• Interested in working in hospice care. Volunteering can give you a great sense of the environment & responsibilities of a hospice worker, and it can be a useful way to eventually segue into a paid position.

Can you volunteer at a hospice if you have never done anything like this before? Very often, yes. Many hospice volunteer roles do not require clinical experience. What matters most is your willingness to listen, learn, respect people’s boundaries, and bring a steady, thoughtful presence to the role. Training and support are provided, and the right role will depend on your confidence, interests, availability and the kind of setting where you feel most able to help.

Some people feel drawn to patient-facing roles straight away. Others would rather begin by volunteering in a charity shop, supporting events, lending a hand with admin, or offering practical skills in the background. All of these roles are valuable. A hospice needs people with different personalities, experiences and strengths, because care involves much more than clinical support alone.

How to become a hospice volunteer

You’ve determined that you will make a great volunteer – now to get into the application and approval process! First off, you’ll need to figure out where you want to volunteer. Have a look at:

• Hospices near you
• Hospices with multiple volunteer vacancies
• Hospices that serve the people you want to work with – for example, if you’d like to work with children specifically, look for a hospice that offers children’s services like Hospice in the Weald for Children

You’ll then need to apply to volunteer for that specific hospice, a process which typically isn’t too arduous. Important questions you’ll likely have to answer include:

• Why do you want to volunteer here?
• What experience or skills might help you as a hospice volunteer?
• Have you ever had a friend or family member in hospice before?
• What kind of availability do you have?

You may also be asked to undergo a background check to ensure you have no criminal record or liability issues. Then once accepted, you’ll receive any specialty guidance or training required of your role!

If you are wondering, “how do I become a hospice volunteer?”, the first step is simply to look at the hospice roles currently available and think about what feels realistic for you. Some roles may ask for a regular weekly commitment, while others may be more flexible or event-based. The application process helps both you and the Hospice understand where your time, skills and confidence can be used well.

At Hospice in the Weald, the exact process may vary by role, but it will usually include:

• Choosing a role that suits your interests, skills and availability
• Completing an application form for the volunteer vacancy
• Having a conversation with the team about the role and what it involves
• Completing any checks needed for that particular volunteering opportunity
• Receiving induction, guidance and training before you begin
• Keeping in touch with your volunteer lead once you start, so you feel supported

This is not about expecting you to arrive with all the answers. It is about helping you feel prepared, safe and clear about what you are there to do. Hospice volunteering works best when volunteers feel confident, valued and part of the wider team.

As you embark on this role, make sure to check in with yourself regularly. Are things proceeding roughly as expected? How are you holding up emotionally? Do you feel you could be doing more – or should be doing less? Be honest with yourself and ask for help if needed; overextending yourself only does a disservice to you and those you’re trying to help.

What do hospice volunteers do?

If you are asking, “what do hospice volunteers do?”, the answer is wonderfully varied. Some volunteers spend time with patients and families. Some help our shops raise vital funds. Some support events, fundraising, admin or practical tasks that keep the organisation running smoothly. Together, this volunteer workforce helps us reduce costs, strengthen our services and reach more people across the community.

Different volunteer roles may include:

• Patient and family support: spending time with people, offering companionship, helping with activities, supporting visitors, or helping staff create a calm and welcoming environment. These roles may suit people who feel comfortable in care settings and can bring patience, empathy and reliability.
• Shop volunteering: helping in one of our charity shops by sorting donations, preparing items for sale, serving customers, creating displays, supporting stock movement or simply being part of a friendly local team. Our shops play an important role in raising funds for Hospice care.
• Events and event promotion: helping at fundraising events, welcoming guests, supporting sign-ins, preparing materials, handing out information, spreading the word locally or helping events run smoothly on the day. This can be a good route into hospice volunteering if you enjoy being around people and like practical, hands-on tasks.
• Admin and back office support: helping with essential behind-the-scenes tasks such as data entry, mailings, reception support, organising materials, making calls, or supporting teams with day-to-day admin. These roles may be especially helpful for people who are organised, calm and detail-focused.
• Gardening, café and practical support: helping to keep Hospice spaces welcoming, peaceful and well cared for. A warm drink, a tidy garden path, or a friendly face in a shared space can all make someone’s day feel a little easier.
• Specialist or skills-based volunteering: sharing professional experience, creative skills, driving support, fundraising knowledge, or other practical abilities where there is a suitable role available.

There is no single answer to what hospice volunteers do, because every Hospice needs different kinds of help. The common thread is care. Whether you are sitting with someone, pricing donated items, welcoming guests at an event or helping a team with paperwork, your time supports people who need kindness, dignity and practical help.

What skills do you need for hospice volunteering?

You do not need to be a healthcare professional to volunteer at a hospice. Some roles need specific experience, but many rely on human qualities that cannot be taught from a textbook. Kindness, patience, reliability and good listening skills are often the most important place to start.

Useful skills and qualities include:

• Warmth and empathy, especially when people may be anxious, tired or grieving
• Good listening, without feeling you need to fix everything
• Respect for privacy, dignity and personal choice
• Reliability, so teams know when they can count on you
• Flexibility, because no two days in a Hospice environment are quite the same
• Teamwork, as volunteers work alongside staff and other volunteers
• Confidence to ask for help when you are unsure

Training is part of the process, so you will not be left to work things out alone. Depending on the role, you may receive guidance around safeguarding, boundaries, confidentiality, health and safety, communication, or the practical tasks involved in your volunteer area. For patient-facing roles, the team will make sure you understand what is expected and who to speak to if something feels difficult.

It is also perfectly normal to wonder how you will feel around illness, grief or end-of-life care. You do not need to pretend to be unaffected. You simply need to be honest about what you can manage, choose a role that feels right, and keep talking to the team if your circumstances change.

For volunteers, the benefits can be deeply personal. You may find friendship, purpose, routine, confidence, new experience, or a renewed sense of connection. For some, volunteering is also a helpful step towards future work in care, retail, fundraising, events, administration or the charity sector.

For the Hospice, the impact is just as important. Volunteers help us do more with the resources we have. They support paid teams, strengthen our shops and events, keep essential background tasks moving, and bring extra warmth into the everyday life of the Hospice. That means more of our resources can go towards the care and support patients and families rely on.

For the wider community, hospice volunteering is a way of showing that people living with terminal illness, and those close to them, are not alone. It is a practical expression of neighbourliness. It says: we see you, we care, and we want to help.

Why volunteer with us

We have volunteer opportunities of every stripe available at Hospice in the Weald! Whether you’re interested in personal care, volunteering in one of our shops or in our garden, helping out with counselling and/or spiritual services, or something else entirely, we can find the ideal volunteer role for you.

And while we offer a wide range of roles across multiple locations, the best part about volunteering with Hospice in the Weald is that you’ll be making a huge difference to the people for whom it matters most: those with life-limiting illnesses, those at the end of their lives, and their friends and family.

From volunteering directly with our hospice patients to working in our charity shops, you will be doing your bit to support these people in need – and nothing could possibly feel better than that.

We are especially grateful for people who can support care-side roles, back office functions, shops, events and event promotion. These areas all help the Hospice stay close to the community while keeping services moving behind the scenes. You may only have a few hours to give, but those hours can become part of something much bigger.

If you are still unsure how to volunteer for hospice work, begin with the role that feels most manageable. You do not have to start with the most emotionally demanding opportunity. You might begin in a shop, support a one-off event, help with admin, or talk to us about what would suit you. The right volunteer role should feel useful for the Hospice, but also sustainable for you.

How to find the right volunteer role

Before you apply, it can help to ask yourself a few simple questions:

• How much time can I realistically give?
• Would I prefer a regular role or occasional volunteering?
• Do I feel comfortable in patient-facing settings, or would I rather support behind the scenes?
• Do I enjoy working with people, practical tasks, organisation, retail, events or admin?
• Are there any personal experiences or recent bereavements that might affect the kind of role I choose?

There is no wrong starting point. The best role is one that fits your life, feels meaningful, and allows you to support Hospice care in a way that is steady and sustainable.

Ready to start your volunteer journey at Hospice in the Weald?

If you would like to volunteer at a hospice, we would be very pleased to hear from you. You can view current volunteer vacancies, explore shop volunteering opportunities, or look at wider roles through our Join our Team page. 

If the perfect role is not available today, please keep checking back, as new hospice volunteering opportunities can become available throughout the year. If you’re in any doubt, please contact our team to get the latest information and support.