Plenty of variety in rewarding role
In the second part in our series on hospice staff we profile Rebecca Colley.
There’s no such thing as a typical day.
One moment you may be interviewing someone for a volunteer administration role, next minute you’re talking with a nurse about a patient who would benefit from a family support volunteer because they are socially isolated.
I match volunteers to positions depending on their motivations and interests - sometimes not into the role they were expecting.
We have volunteers who garden, fundraise, work in the retail shops, work alongside patients, write patients’ life stories, do hairdressing, massage, work in the office with us, drive patients to appointments, and more.
I love having so many balls in the air.
I’m trained as an occupational therapist but I’ve worked in the volunteer sector for maybe 10 years.
I like still working in health, but with an amazing group of volunteers.
The job fits with my philosophy of not taking a day for granted - I’ve always had that but it’s highlighted within hospice.
I love being involved in supporting people and their families to live the best possible life in whatever time there is.
Probably the sheer number of willing people in our community wanting to give back.
I love gardening, fishing, cooking and sharing that with others. And I have two young people, aged 21 and 23 who still take up time, which is wonderful.
We provide people with lifelimiting illnesses and their families with the reassurance that there is someone out there. It’s OK to cry, reminisce, laugh or meltdown.