Volunteer
Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. In fact, over 50 years ago the Hospice was founded by a small group of volunteers.
We cannot run any of our services without the help of volunteers – you will become an integral part of our ‘one workforce’. Today, more than 1,200 people give their time so we can continue to offer free care to people with life-limiting illnesses, and their families.
Learn new skills, meet new people, give back to your community
We have a huge variety of different volunteering opportunities throughout the organisation, with differing levels of commitment. From assisting the teams at Winsley, to supporting people in your local community, to helping raise money for the Hospice via our fundraising team or working in our charity shops – every role is vital.
Our volunteers gain a huge amount working for us too – work experience and skills, meeting new like-minded people, training opportunities and the knowledge that every hour you volunteer for us, you are helping to ensure our community has access to vital end of life care.
How do you apply for a volunteering role?
All of our volunteering vacancies are listed here. If you are new to volunteering at Dorothy House, please do browse our vacancies and apply for the one which most suits you.
Whether you have a personal connection with Dorothy House, or you just want to give something back to your local community, we would love to hear from you.
Get involved
Hear from our current volunteers
Volunteer your way
Spotlight on fundraising volunteering
Event fundraising
Love the buzz of an event? Join us to help set up, welcome participants, support activity areas, run information points and keep everything running smoothly. Every event you help with — big or small — raises vital funds for Dorothy House care. It’s fun, flexible and full of energy, and you’ll play a key role in creating meaningful moments for our supporters.
Fundraising in the community
Help Dorothy House and volunteer in your local community where you live.
We have several exciting community roles, from posters and leaflet distribution into cafés and shops, helping to check and swap community donation boxes, street or shopfront collections, to chatting to people at local markets or fairs. These roles help more families find the compassionate care they need — and you can give as much or as little time as you like.
Fundraising Administration
Make a powerful behind‑the‑scenes impact. You’ll support our Fundraising Support Team with everyday admin tasks, you could help the Trusts and Grants team with research and record‑keeping, help ensure donations and supporter information stay accurate and well‑managed. Perhaps you like making phone calls to thank our supporters? You can choose to help with some or all of these tasks. Supporting our admin teams will help to provide care, comfort and compassion to local families.
Volunteering FAQs
How many volunteers do you have?
We have around 1,200 volunteers who support all areas of the Hospice.
Do you pay expenses for volunteers?
Yes, reasonable out of pocket expenses (such as bus fares or car mileage) are reimbursed.
Do you need to have previous experience to be a volunteer?
This really depends on the role. Some roles may require you to have a relevant qualification and experience. However, for most of our roles full training is provided so we just need you to have the right attitude, be committed and have a willingness to learn.
What is the minimum time commitment for a volunteer?
There is no minimum commitment to volunteer for us, it varies per role and will be detailed in the relevant Role Description and Person Specification.
How long are volunteers expected to stay in their role?
Some of our volunteers have been with us for over 35 years – but we don’t expect that of everyone! We usually encourage people to think of it as a commitment for at least a year. This ensures that you get the most out of the experience and that we get a good return on our investment in recruiting and training you. Often people will move from one role to another.
What sort of training do you offer?
All volunteers are invited to attend the Dorothy House Core Induction. There is also a series of mandatory online training modules – these are a requirement of our contract with the NHS. Some roles require you to attend further special training. You will also have the opportunity to shadow another volunteer until you feel confident in the role. Our Education team offer a variety of ongoing, free training opportunities which are open to our whole workforce, including volunteers so there is always an opportunity to learn!
What sort of screening do you do for volunteers?
We always follow up references for volunteers and some roles require Disclosure and Barring Service checks. Additionally, there are a few roles that demand an Occupational Health check.
What is your minimum age for volunteers?
Our minimum age for volunteers is 16 but there are some age restrictions for certain roles. Sometimes we will take on people as young as 14 if they are part of an organised programme such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
What is your maximum age for volunteers?
There is no specific upper age limit for volunteering with us but many roles require volunteers to be physically fit and some are subject to Occupational Health checks.
Can I volunteer even though I have been recently bereaved?
When you apply to volunteer with us we will ask you if you have experienced bereavement or had any other distressing personal experience within the last year. Please note this will not necessarily prevent you from volunteering with us but we may need to discuss this further.
Can I volunteer even though I have a criminal record?
Having a criminal record will not necessarily exclude you from volunteering with us. It depends on the role that you are applying for and the nature of your offence. Hospice volunteer roles are excluded from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, meaning that applicants and their referees are not entitled to withhold information about convictions. We will therefore ask applicants to disclose spent or unspent convictions. These details will be treated in confidence.
Do you take Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme students?
Yes, usually in retail; contact your local Dorothy House shop to see whether they have openings available.
Can you accommodate groups of people who wish to volunteer as a one off?
If you are from a business would like to enquire about corporate volunteering opportunities for your organisation, please complete this form.
Do you take on people for work experience?
If you would like more information on work experience placements, please visit our work experience page here.