Volunteers makes a difference in a whole range of settings as diverse as hospitals, hospices community centres, GP's surgeries, residents' associations, social clubs, individual's homes and transport services.
Volunteering is beneficial to…
Patients
In the NHS Impact Assessment, 86% of staff from Chelsea and Westminster hospital NHS foundation trust recognised that patients really appreciated somebody giving their time free of charge to help them:
“Patients are always amazed to find out that somebody highly caring and professional in manner is a volunteer.”
Institute of Volunteering Research – Assessing the impact of volunteering in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Clients
The Institute of Volunteering Research assessed the impact of volunteering on health at the Norfolk Volunteer Centre and find out befrienders tend to build up a relationship with particular service user over a period of time. Some service users had received help from the same person for over 6 years. The term befriending covers a range of tasks, from playing games such as snakes and ladders to accompanying a client shopping. Service users were asked how they thought their befriender helps by visiting them. Most answers centred upon the social aspect of the visits. For some of the service users, their visits from befrienders were the only contact they had with people who weren’t paid to support them:
“I have no family nearby so I would struggle without their help”
Another service user suggests that the befriender’s assistance has enabled them to leave residential care:
“I was in a residential home. Now I am back in my own house”
Institute for Volunteering Research – Assessing the impact of NVS volunteers on Health in Norfolk
Volunteers
Under certain circumstances, volunteering has a positive effect on volunteers’ health. It could help people live longer and is good for their health and well-being. In addition, volunteering has a positive effect on people’s self-esteem, helps to reduce the number of hospital visits, and can beat depression, stress and pain.
Research undertaken by academics at the University of Wales, Lampeter
Organisations
Lancashire Volunteer Services working in partnership with Rowan Organisation gives the opportunity to volunteers seeking employment to move into paid work.
Trusts
In the NHS Impact Assessment, 86% of staff from Chelsea and Westminster hospital NHS foundation trust mentioned that volunteers help make their job easier:
“Enables paid staff to concentrate on important aspect of their work”
This is perhaps because volunteers are able to perform non-clinical tasks such as: “Taking care of patient’s personal needs which frees up medical staff to concentrate on their medical needs.”
Institute of Volunteering Research – Assessing the Impact of Volunteering in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
