Frequently asked questions about volunteering

We have hospices and palliative care hubs, along with shops and regional offices across England, Scotland and Wales. We also have a range of online roles that can be carried out from your own home.

You can search for volunteering roles in your local area and register your interest or find your nearest Sue Ryder charity shop.

Need help finding a suitable role? Email our Volunteering team at volunteering@sueryder.org and we can let you know about the volunteering opportunities available in your area.

If a role requires a specific commitment, we’ll always let you know first. Otherwise, you can give us as much or as little time as you like.

Ideally, volunteering for four hours at a time, or half a day, is best for us as it makes it easier for us to plan how our opportunities work. But if you only have an hour to spare, we’ll be just as grateful.

Yes, as we appreciate any time given if supportive. Many of our roles can be flexible to suit you.

You can volunteer in our charity shops from the age of 18.

Most roles that involve contact with service users in our hospices have a minimum age of 18. However, we welcome volunteers aged 17 and over in all the roles that help our centres run smoothly, such as gardening, admin and reception.

Yes, we offer taster sessions that give you a chance to meet the team and try out the role before agreeing to volunteer with us.

The short answer is yes! Before you start we will carry out a risk assessment and we'll make adjustments that mean you can thrive in your role.

We will:

• have an attitude of acceptance and understanding
• communicate effectively, discussing the situation with you
• be flexible and open minded
• use common sense to find what is practical and will work
• carry out regular reviews/appraisals of the situation and of any adjustments.

Where reasonable adjustments to the role are not sufficient to make it safe, we will support you to find an alternative role that meets your needs.

Yes you can. You will not be paid, and will only be reimbursed expenses, so your income will not be affected.

You can volunteer for as many hours you want as long as you:

• are still actively looking for a full-time paid job
• are available for work
• are still able to go to an interview at 48 hours' notice
• are still able to start a job at one week's notice
• let your Jobcentre Work Coach know before you start and tell them about any expenses you may get.

Our palliative care teams have offered engaging and challenging activities for corporate teams for many years, and from time to time we have opportunities for groups to support our charity shops too.

If you're interested in volunteering in a group as part of your company's corporate social responsibility programme, please email us on volunteering@sueryder.org or call 0808 164 4572.

Yes. Some of our roles in healthcare require previous training or experience, but we can offer you all the training you need for most of our roles.

Volunteering can be a great way to develop your skills and boost your your CV.

Having a criminal record is not necessarily a barrier to volunteering with Sue Ryder. We ask that you disclose your offence to your manager in a confidential setting.

We work with probation trusts across the country and are also proud to work with currently serving offenders through our Community Plus Programme.

No. Previous employers can vouch for your ability at work, but we can also accept references from friends, colleagues and clients.