Volunteer - Companion - Langport Surgery

Full Job Description

Why we need your help

Marie Curie is piloting a Companions in the Community Service in partnership with Langport Surgery to support those in their last year of life.

The Service will compliment the support already provided by the Surgery Team, and local community service, providing end of life expertise to patients and their circle of support. Whilst clinical and care professionals provide hugely important services, we want to ensure that those who have a life limiting condition and/or experiencing health decline have all the support they need to help navigate the practical and emotional journey.

What we need you to do

Companions will be trained in a variety of end-of-life support needs, to allow the person to choose what they need, when they need it. This will include topics such as: Compassionate Conversations, Advance Care Planning, Unconscious Bias, Community Services and Connection, what to expect at the End of Life and Bereavement Support.

Support provided could be a one off activity such as completing an Advance Care Plan or supporting them to access Carer’s Support Allowance, or it could be an going engagement providing different aspects of support over a longer period of time.

What skills or experience do you need?

• willingness to support others during death, dying and bereavement.
• Interest in supporting people face to face, including their personal homes, care homes and community.
• Access to IT equipment and basic IT skills e.g. typing on word and email attachments
• Passionate individuals who are keen to support us in making this pilot a success, to benefit the people we support and the Langport Surgery Team
• Patience, empathy, and emotional awareness
• Excellent active listening skills and an ability to build a rapport with others.
• Commitment and reliability
• Inclusive and respectful values
• Willingness to learn and operate within Marie Curie processes and boundaries.

• An excellent opportunity to build on your skills in a charity environment
• An induction, training, support and supervision in your role
• Agreed reasonable out-of-pocket expenses

• To provide two references from non-family members and other relevant documents related to the role
• To keep to all the charity’s policies and guidelines 
• To complete an induction and any training related to the role

Marie Curie is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of patients and their families and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  Marie Curie will treat all volunteers fairly and with respect.  We will not discriminate on the basis of disability, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sex (i.e. gender), sexual orientation, religion or faith, or gender reassignment.  We will not discriminate on the basis of age, unless the responsibilities of a role require us to do so in order to safeguard our volunteers and/or service users.

For more information or if you have any questions regarding this volunteer role, please contact the Volunteer Operations Centre on  or on 0800 304 7032. 

For internal use only