Volunteering

Volunteering is an excellent way of developing skills and experience to support your future career choices. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to explore the range of careers, both clinical and non-clinical that are available within health and social care. From the hospital to community, mental health, physical health, older people and children. Through volunteering not only are you improving your employability or opportunity to access further education, but you are also making a direct positive difference to patients, their families and staff by providing additional support above and beyond core services.

What is volunteering?
Volunteering is any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, undertaking an activity which aims to benefit individuals or groups.

​Which type of activities can I do?
There are a number of opportunities across many organisations across the district and there is something for everyone including a wide-range of activities that enhance services and adds value to the patient and family experience.

Who can apply to be a volunteer?
People aged 16 and over can apply to become a volunteer. There is no upper age limit. Even if you work full time – there are many opportunities that require volunteers at evenings and weekends. Most volunteer roles ask for a minimum commitment of 3 or 4 hours per week. There are also opportunities for ‘one off’ events or community based volunteering.

How much time do I need to give?
Volunteers are generally asked to commit to a minimum of 6 months for 2 hours a week. Volunteering also allows real flexibility of when it can be done, depending on the role; day, evening and weekends.

You can find out more about the some of the organisations you can choose to volunteer below. Different organisations have different criteria for volunteers, by clicking the links to each organisation you can find out more about specific questions you may have, these could include:

  • What experience do I need?
  • ​How do I contact the organisations?
  • ​How do I apply?
  • ​What support will I get?
  • Will it cost me anything?

Some of the organisations you can choose to volunteer include:

A few examples of volunteering roles at the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust include:

  • Therapeutic Activity
  • Baby Clinic Volunteer
  • Podiatry Clinic Volunteer
  • Walk Leader
  • Skill Share Volunteer
  • Peer Support Volunteer
  • Creative/craft Volunteer
  • Music/singing Volunteer
  • Befriending (Face to Face or Telephone)
  • Hospital meet and greet Volunteer
  • Hospital Shop/Cafe Volunteer
  • Volunteer Driver
  • Research and Development Volunteer