We often hear from volunteers across the country that it is an honour and a privilege to be an ‘end of life’ volunteer; to be with patients in their last days and hours, and provide emotional support and company to them and their loved ones at such a challenging time in their lives.
We work closely with our partner hospitals to help them get this support to patients as quickly and efficiently as they can. But we couldn’t do that without the help of so many amazing people – the volunteers themselves.
If, after going along (in person or virtually) to an informal information session, you decide to apply for the role, and are successful after an interview, you will be invited to attend a training day where all the information you will need to carry out the role will be provided.
You will meet teams from across the hospital, from the Specialist Palliative Care team, to Chaplains, Voluntary Services, and Patient Experience. You may even be lucky enough to meet the Chief Executive of the Trust or the Chief Nurse. They all value this service and are keen to meet the amazing people who come forward to help support their patients.
Once you start in the role, you will be supporting patients in some of the following ways:
I enjoy my role as a Butterfly Volunteer because it has enabled me to give something back to this wonderful hospital I work in, in the form of comfort and compassion – not only to patients but also to their families. No-one should have to die alone and to be with someone in their final hours of life, who would otherwise have been alone, for me is an absolute privilege.”
There’s no difference.
Here at the Anne Robson Trust, we like to use the name Butterfly Volunteers because butterflies are thought to represent endurance, change and hope and are recognised as a symbol of palliative care.
Some of the hospitals we work with choose to call their end of life volunteers Butterflies; others prefer to use a different title.
But whatever they’re called Swans, Compassionate Companions or VaLE (Volunteers at Lifes End), the role of these volunteers is largely the same.
Butterfly Volunteers are members of a hospital’s volunteer team who work on the ward to support patients at the end of their life and their families.
They provide company and companionship to the patient in their last days and hours of life, and support and respite for their family and friends.
Important qualities include being:
No, just a passion for making a difference for others.
A minimum of two 4-hour shifts per month (depending on the hospital policy).
You’ll receive a generic induction to your hospital as one of their volunteers, including safeguarding, GDPR and health & safety.
You will then attend an End of Life Volunteer training day for specialist training and volunteer wellbeing, supported by the Anne Robson Trust.
Further training specific to your role will be provided by your hospital.
As you will be part of the hospital’s volunteer team, you’ll need to contact their Voluntary Services department for information directly.
Once you’re volunteering at your trust you’ll be invited to join the Anne Robson Trust End of Life Volunteer Community. Where you can receive additional training, meet volunteers from across the country and be invited to social events.
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