We are committed to providing volunteering opportunities for people who are passionate about giving back to their local community.
Our volunteers make a real difference and the benefits of volunteering is very much a two way process. Not only do our volunteers share their time and expertise to make a difference, but through volunteering people can gain new skills, experience, achieve personal goals and make new friends. Volunteering can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being.
If you are aged 16 or over, you are welcome to register your interest to volunteer with us. Please note, we prioritise applications from people that reside or study within Tameside & Glossop.
Once your application has been received, it will be reviewed and, if suitable, you may be asked to attend an informal interview. Following this, if successful, the recruitment team will commence necessary checks. You will be asked to complete a health screening questionnaire to ensure appropriate vaccinations are up to date and that you are capable and fit for the role you have chosen.
Satisfactory references will be required, which include your current employer and the previous 12 months of consecutive employment/study and, where necessary, we will carry out a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
We take care to offer you the most suitable role to help you have a great experience. Some of our volunteers have been with us for over 25 years!
You must be able to commit to 3 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months.
You must be able to attend regularly and keep us informed if you can’t make it.
You are expected to attend mandatory and refresher training and be professional in your role as well as adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
We offer volunteers essential training and a local induction to the areas they will volunteer in, as well as specific training for certain roles.
You will complete the Trust’s mandatory training using e-learning. This covers key information such as safeguarding, health and safety and confidentiality. Elements of this training have to be repeated periodically and we will let you know when.
You will also attend the Trust’s corporate induction before you start volunteering.
In addition we will expand the learning and development offer available to help people access the skills they need, either as a volunteer or to help them gain paid employment.
We will also ensure that that our volunteers receive:
• A warm welcome and a friendly environment to volunteer in
• Access to a dedicated Voluntary Service Department who can help and support all our volunteers.
Our volunteer roles require you to wear our uniform, which is a polo shirt. A fleece is provided where necessary for some roles. You will wear you own trousers/skirt and shoes. Clothing must be smart and shoes must not be open-toe.
If you volunteer in a clinical area you will need to be bare below the elbows, which also means no jewellery and no nail varnish. Long hair will need to be tied back.
We have processes we need to follow to make sure volunteering at the Trust is safe, personal and effective. You won’t be able to start volunteering until this process has been completed. These checks which can take several weeks.
We ask that our volunteers are at least 16 years old. There is no upper age limit.
We will be as flexible as possible to make sure you’re happy in your role and with the time and place you are volunteering.
If you’d like to change anything, the voluntary services team will support you where possible. We are happy for you to volunteer in more than one role.
The Trust does not currently offer work experience placements, and volunteers do not normally carry out any shadowing of staff.
Volunteering at the Trust will not guarantee you a paid position. Volunteering can give you valuable experience and build skills that can help you to gain paid employment by enhancing your CV.
Our volunteers can claim back public transport costs or vehicle mileage at 40p per mile (if travelling within Tameside & Glossop).