Why do people volunteer?
There are many reasons why people choose to get involved with the charity. Some of them are to:
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support the charity and the work of the hospital
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do something new and inspiring
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meet new people
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get the 'feel good' factor by giving something back
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learn new skills and improve their CVs
Listed below are some common questions relating to volunteering with us, and their answers. We are currently recruiting volunteers in London and Surrey.
If you have a question that isn't covered here, please complete our online enquiry form or contact the Regional Fundraising Team on 020 7239 3066.
Questions
Answers
People volunteer with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity for a variety of different reasons. Some volunteers have personal experiences of the hospital, for example they are a parent or relative of a child who has been treated by the hospital. Other volunteers have no experience of the hospital and volunteer as they have certain skills required for a particular role, or they wish to gain new skills, or because the location is suitable.
Whatever your reason is for wanting to get involved, we'd love to hear from you.
Volunteers are an important part of hospital life. They work alongside hospital staff and contribute to the care and well being of patients and their families. They do this by offering a range of services and activities to children and their families which aim to improve their quality of life during their stay at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Please follow the link to the Hospital's Volunteering web page to find out more. http://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/gosh/clinicalservices/Voluntary_services/Homepage
People of all ages have something they are able to bring to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. For fundraising volunteers, the legal minimum age for collecting money is 16 years.
The commitment you are able to make is up to you. All our roles are very flexible, but there are, however, some roles where we would ask usually for a minimum or regular time commitment to help us plan. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity has a responsibility to ensure that all our volunteers are cost effective to the charity.
All volunteers are appropriately supported by their Volunteer manager and other volunteers within the team. Support will include: an induction to the hospital and the charity, reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses, possible training for the role you are undertaking, insurance cover and access to ongoing support, supervision and feedback from the Volunteer Manager.
All out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. This includes travel (car mileage, parking costs or public transport fares), telephone calls, postage and any other out-of-pocket expense incurred on behalf of the charity. Your Volunteer Manager will be able to clarify further details.
All potential volunteers will meet with either a member of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity staff or a registered volunteer. The meeting will provide an opportunity for us to find out what your skills and experiences are and your areas of interest. It will also provide an opportunity for you to find out more about the charity as well as to ask any questions you may have.
Yes. All of our volunteering opportunities can be undertaken outside of normal office hours. Many of our volunteers prove it is possible to fit regular volunteering into a busy lifestyle. All you need is lots of enthusiasm and a little planning.
You will receive any training that is relevant to your volunteer role. Some roles will require 'on the job' training whereas other roles, such as our public speakers, may require attendance at a formal induction or a presentation skills course. Some roles can be self taught with the support of your Volunteer Manager.
It is not unusual for people to volunteer to help gain a specific qualification. By volunteering you are likely to gain valuable skills and experiences which can be used in other walks of life.
We do ask all volunteers to provide details of two referees who will be approached for a reference before you can start volunteering with us.
There are a variety of volunteering roles within the charity. Some roles do require particular skills and experiences, whereas other simply require the desire to help!
As long as you only receive out-of-pocket expenses you are still entitled to claim benefits while volunteering. It is, however, always good practice to keep the Benefits Agency informed if you are volunteering for any organisation.
It is charity and hospital policy that all staff and most volunteers are CRB checked. This also enables us to offer volunteers other opportunities at events where children maybe present. You may not require a CRB check if you are supervised by other volunteers or a member of staff.
We review each application on an individual basis. We will take various considerations into account such as whether the conviction is relevant to the position, the seriousness of the offence and the length of time since the offence occurred.
Volunteering for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity is a rewarding experience and it can offer a number of benefits to a volunteer, for example, new skills, new friends, having fun, plus the satisfaction you are making a contribution to a worthwhile cause. We will also keep you in touch with you by sending you regular copies of our hospital and charity magazines including our e-news.
If you would like to join our team of volunteers or have any questions relating to volunteering with us, please complete our online enquiry form or call us on 020 7239 3066.
Please note that unfortunately Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity is unable to offer volunteering opportunities within the hospital itself. If you are interested in volunteering within the hospital please call 020 7405 9200 and ask for volunteer services or visit the hospital's website. Thank you.
