Cancer Wellbeing & Information Centre Volunteer, Colchester only
Do you want to make a difference in the life
of someone affected by cancer?
*Please note you must be over 18 years old, be 12 months post treatment and have personal experience of cancer for this role*
Are you empathetic and supportive towards others?
Do you have excellent listening skills?
Do you have a calming, sensitive and polite nature?
If you answered yes to all of these, our Cancer Wellbeing & Information Centre team would love to meet you.
Across ESNEFT we have two Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centres (based at Ipswich and Colchester hospitals) offering a wide range of vital services and support to anyone affected by cancer. Cancer can impact all areas of a person’s life – physical, emotional, financial, relationships, work to name just a few.
The cancer wellbeing and information centres are in the unique position of being able to offer the time, personalised support and information that is so needed to help people improve their quality of life at what can be a very difficult time.
Our teams work collaboratively with hospital and community services to support people who drop in to our centres, attend our wellbeing programmes and sessions, and call us for information.
We’re are keen to welcome some special volunteers into our friendly team to use your experience and skills to help us reach everyone affected by cancer by:
- warmly welcoming visitors to the centre and on the telephone,
- providing a safe and supported space for someone to talk openly about how they feel and what they need, offering listening ear,
- working with the centre team to provide the support a person requires, signposting to other services or offering support from our charity funding wellbeing activities programme,
- ensuring the information we offer is always relevant, up to date and readily available, and researching new information,
- contacting patients via telephone to book appointments or to chat with them about their support needs,
- making refreshments for visitors.
Full training and support is offered, along with regular reflective practice sessions to help you grow in your role.
Currently shifts are available at the following locations.
- Tuesday 8:30am-4pm
- Wednesday 8:30am-4pm
- Thursday 8:30am-4pm
- Friday 8:30am-4pm
If this sounds like something you'd like to try and you can spare half/full day on the same time/day each week, we would love to hear from you.
Due to the nature of this role it is open to over 18s only.
We asked our volunteers what it is about working as part of our team that they find so worthwhile…..
“I worked in the health service a few years ago and I find that volunteering in the cancer wellbeing and information centre is a wonderful way to use my previous experience and life skills. Every day and every person is different so the issues they present with are extremely varied, which leads to a very rewarding role.”
“Having lived through cancer myself, I can empathise with how others may be feeling. I love being able to make a difference to how someone is feeling that day, and pay back some of the invaluable support I received myself at a very difficult time.”
If you’d like to find out more about helping us with our mission to ensure everyone affected by cancer has access to the wellbeing support and information they need to improve their quality of life, give us a call and arrange to pop in and met the team at either centre!
If you’re interested in supporting us at the Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre at Colchester Hospital, pop in and see us. We would love to meet you!
Gillian
Gillian Clarke
Cancer Wellbeing & Information Centres Manager
ESNEFT
https://www.ipswichcancerinformation.co.uk/
