The Volunteer Companion role is designed to promote and support the quality of life for Mary Potter Hospice patients who are living in their own homes, as well as provide respite for carers to support their wellbeing. Volunteer Companions come from a wide range of backgrounds and age groups. They all make themselves available to spend time with patients, which gives relief to the patient and their family, whānau or carer. Companionship may include but is not limited to:
Sitting with the patient and talking Reading a book, article, letter or newspaper to the patient
Playing cards or a board game, doing a jigsaw puzzle
Writing cards or letters for the patients
Walking the patient’s dog with them
Supporting the patient to do an activity that is important to them
Be present even if the patient does not want to talk, or if they want to sleep
Keeping the patient company if their carer goes offsite for up to two hours
Be safe and responsible so the carer feels confident leaving the patient at home while they go out
Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Be non-judgmental and open minded
Be comfortable working with and be able to build a rapport with a diverse range of vulnerable people
Be compassionate and empathetic
Be well presented, reliable, and punctual
Be able to work within clear professional boundaries
Have the ability to work unsupervised
Have a high degree of integrity and the ability to maintain patient and family privacy and confidentiality
Be willing to attend orientation and training, and ongoing learning and development opportunities relevant to the role
Have a clean, full current driver’s licence
Policy Vetting is required for this role
3-4 hours per week
Getting started:
The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below.
We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.
Companionship