Family Support Volunteer

Location: St Vincent’s Hospice, Howwood

We are looking for compassionate Family Support Volunteers to help create a warm and welcoming environment at bereavement events for children, young people, and their families.

This role is ideal for someone who is calm, caring, and able to offer gentle, sensitive support while respecting the emotional needs of others.

Duties include:

  • Welcoming families and helping create a calm, inclusive atmosphere
  • Offering friendly, non-intrusive support to children, young people, and adults
  • Providing a listening ear and reassurance, referring to staff when needed
  • Supporting children to take part in creative, play-based, and remembrance activities
  • Encouraging families and siblings to take part together where appropriate
  • Supporting families who may become upset and alerting staff when required
  • Assisting with setting up and packing away event spaces and resources
  • Helping prepare materials such as crafts, memory items, and refreshments
  • Supporting sign-in, name badges, and guiding families around the hospice
  • Helping keep spaces safe, tidy, and welcoming throughout events
  • Working alongside staff and other volunteers, taking direction from the event lead
  • Maintaining confidentiality and respecting family privacy at all times
  • Following safeguarding and health & safety procedures and reporting any concerns

Skills required:

  • Kind, compassionate, and emotionally aware
  • Good listener with a calm and reassuring manner
  • Able to respect boundaries and understand when to seek support
  • Reliable and able to work as part of a team
  • Comfortable supporting both children and adults

Time commitment:

Flexible, depending on scheduled events.

Training, support and benefits:

  • Full induction and training in bereavement awareness and safeguarding
  • Ongoing support from the Family Support Team
  • Opportunities to take part in briefings, debriefs, and reflective practice
  • Encouragement to look after your own wellbeing, with support available if needed
  • 20% discount in our community charity shops

Application Form

    Availability - Please give details of which days/times you are available to volunteer.

    Please tell us why you would like to volunteer with St Vincent’s Hospice. Do you have any skills/interests that you would like us to know about?

    Are there any further circumstances that you would like us to be aware of or any medical conditions that we need to consider?

    Please give details of 2 persons we can contact to give you a character reference e.g. long standing friend or neighbour. These should not be relatives and at least one should have no existing connection with St Vincent’s Hospice.

    Reference 1

    Reference 2