Our Volunteering Roles
Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, from talking to people about their experiences of local health and social care services, to sitting on our Local Board. Whatever your background, your time and your talent could make a real difference in your local community.
So, make today the day you decide to volunteer
From the satisfaction of helping to shape local health and social care services, to learning new skills and meeting new people, volunteering offers so many rewards. Discover the many ways you can volunteer with Healthwatch Gloucestershire and make a real difference whilst developing your own skills and experience.
Local Member
Healthwatch Members are interested in our work and like to be kept up to date with information about Healthwatch Gloucestershire events and activities as well as taking part in our local surveys and consultations.
If you aren’t sure which volunteering role is right for you, becoming a Healthwatch Member will give you a taste of our work so you can decide how you would like to get more involved in future.
Readers’ Panel
Being on our Readers’ Panel involves reviewing leaflets, documents and other material for Healthwatch Gloucestershire plus various health and social care commissioners or providers, to make suggestions on how these could be improved. This role is often undertaken virtually from the comfort of your own home, but also occasionally as a focus group. We are always on the outlook for people from all backgrounds to join our Readers’ Panel, to ensure that it is listening to views from a diverse group of people.
Read more about our Virtual Engagement Panel.
Community Ambassador
Our Community Ambassadors usually have an interest in health and social care and help to spread the word about Healthwatch Gloucestershire and its work. This is done in their local communities, through friends, work colleagues, community/social/support groups, schools and Patient Participation Groups. This unique role can complement voluntary/paid roles in other organisations, while assisting us to engage with a wider local audience. As such, this role requires a smaller time commitment compared to other roles.
Project Volunteer
Our Healthwatch Project Volunteers are passionate about helping to develop our health and social care projects in Gloucestershire. Conscientious and organised, our project volunteers help us compile research and feedback from members of the public, support us with health and social care consultations and provide administrative support for the team at Healthwatch Gloucestershire. This is a great role for an analytical and organised person who wants to get involved with our work but who might not necessarily want to interact directly with members of the public or out in the local community.
Engagement Volunteer
Our Healthwatch Volunteers are the voice of Healthwatch Gloucestershire and local people in their community. They support us by talking to people, gathering opinions about local health and social care services (good or bad) and spreading the word about the important work we do. Local Healthwatch Volunteers act as representatives for us at events and meetings and make sure our views and the views of local people are heard. This is a perfect role for a friendly, approachable and empathic person who enjoys interacting with members of the public.
Enter and View Volunteer
Healthwatch Gloucestershire has a statutory power that allows us to Enter and View publicly funded health and social care premises to speak to people about their experiences. These visits are usually announced in advance but they can also can be unannounced if we hear things are not going well. Our authorised Enter and View representatives help us to conduct these visits – spending time talking with patients, carers/relatives and staff – as well as assisting us to report back our findings. It is a rewarding and specialist volunteering role for a confident, empathic and assertive person who enjoys interacting with members of the public. As this is an occasional role, volunteers might also like to represent Healthwatch as a Project or Engagement Volunteer.
Local Board Member
Local Board members will oversee and contribute to our work programme and play a crucial role in monitoring annual priorities. They support Healthwatch to adhere to its principles, purpose and vision to ensure that the organisation operates in a moral and ethical way. The Local Board also develop community networks and partnerships by representing Healthwatch Gloucestershire at meetings with commissioners or service providers and at other community events.
We’re looking for local people with a passionate interest in helping the local community shape the way their health and social care services are run. Although not essential, if you have knowledge or experience in social care, children and young people, mental health, or equalities and diversity, this would be beneficial.
For more information and a recruitment pack, please contact info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk.