Nelson Region Hospice Trust

Photo above: Boyd showing Volunteer Manager Mary, the photos he took and had framed for a patient (see "all the little extras" below).

Click here for volunteer opportunities

Our 390 team of volunteer staff allows hospice to:

• Provide a comprehensive range of patient support services we would not otherwise be able to offer.  For example, caregiver relief and other community based support, biography (life stories) and bereavement follow up.
• Free up our nurses for more patient care and other paid staff to extend their own roles.  For example, administration, assisting nurses in the IPU, coordinating car maintenance, delivery & installation of electric beds and equipment. 
• Raise valuable funds for hospice.  For example, raffle programme, hospice shops and other fundraising events.

We offer volunteers:

• A comprehensive and highly regarded training course (for volunteers working with patients or in IPU).
• Orientation and inservice training during the year for different groups of volunteers
• “Bounce Back” opportunities.  For the many people who are away from Nelson for part of the year e.g. travel, family, work commitments etc.   We welcome “bounce back” volunteers and try to offer flexible roles that allow volunteers to be on leave and return to their volunteer work when it suits them.
• Short term opportunities.  If you are only in Nelson for a short time, we would still love to hear from you.  We will try to match opportunities according to your experience and intended length of stay.
• The opportunity for any skills/abilities to be considered for inclusion in our volunteer programme.  Many of our services to patients and families have evolved as a result of volunteers’ particular skills and suggestions.

 Volunteer Roles

Current volunteer opportunities

• SHOP WORK.  Our hospice shops make a hugely valuable contribution towards hospice funding and there are a variety of volunteer roles with shifts to suit different needs.  It is also an area of volunteering ideally suited to short term visitors to Nelson  who wish to volunteer just for a few weeks or months.  Anyone interested in helping, particularly in our Takaka or Nelson shop, may phone Debbie in Takaka Ph 03 5257639 or Irene in Nelson 03 5481823.

• RAMPS - A BUILDER OR RETIRED REGISTERED BUILDER. Building ramps for patients who become wheelchair-bound and find access to their home and garden difficult - or sometimes impossible. The role also includes installation of hand rails - often in a shower. 
  TIME. A few hours for each ramp or less to install hand rails. It is not a hugely busy job - months can go by with no referrals - but very useful nonetheless because the waiting list for ramps via the hospital system is too long for our patients.
  CRITERIA. As well as having building experience, the person doing this role needs to be comfortable around illness and have good communication and listening skills and to be non judgemental.

• MASSAGE, NELSON AND MOTUEKA. Massage can make a significant difference to patients’ ability to relax and in some cases, to their mobility. It can also be an effective stress management tool for caregivers who are also occasionally referred as well as patients.
  THE JOB. Offering massage to 1-3 patients (or sometimes caregivers), one half day a week. The Nelson role is based in our IPU and coordinated and referrals made through the IPU Team Leader. The Motueka, role is based in the District Nurses rooms and coordinated and referrals made by the D/N team leader.
  TIME. Around 4 hours a week.
  CRITERIA. Qualification in standard relaxation massage. To be comfortable around illness, have good communication and listening skills and to be non judgemental.

• TRUST OFFICE VOLUNTEER. Hospice only receives partial public health funding and we are obliged to do a lot of fundraising to keep the hospice service going. Our Trust office is the hub of this funding management activity. Volunteers are a wonderful help carrying out some basic administration work, answering the phone and the counter. This frees up our administrator to either get on with some complicated computer work or to pop out if necessary. Are you interested in helping in the office for just one or two hours a week?
  THE JOB. Basic administration, photocopying, reception work and answering phones, Based at the Trust Office (Buxton Square) from 10 – 12 on a Tuesday.
  SKILLS. Confidence in an office situation with a pleasant welcoming personality and phone manner. To be reliable, methodical and able to work unsupervised at times. Computer or keyboard skills can be an advantage. A sense of humour works well.

 

To contact our Manager, Volunteer Services, for further information or to make a volunteer application:    MARY GARNER Ph 546 3912 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it