Volunteer for Chai
We often refer to our volunteers as both our frontline ambassadors and the backbone of our organisation. Fulfilling roles that include driving and befriending, volunteers enable a wider range of support to be available to more clients, making a real difference in their day-to-day living. No commitment is too small, even an hour a week can be pivotal to a client’s wellbeing.
But this is very much a two-way benefit: the personal touch so appreciated by our clients is equally enriching for our volunteers. Being able to give back is hugely rewarding and enjoyable – indeed many describe it as a privilege to volunteer for Chai.
Opportunities Include
- Transport – clients often need lifts to and from Chai centres and hospital appointments.
- Befriending – help reduce the sense of isolation a client can feel when their life has been affected by cancer by meeting them once a week for a coffee and chat with someone who understands.
- By Your Side – a one-to-one service, which matches a client to a volunteer who has had a similar cancer experience in the past. The volunteer provides invaluable insights and practical answers to the questions that inevitably arise for the client.
Who Can Volunteer?
We would like to ensure that volunteers who work with our clients fully understand and appreciate the issues that are important to our clients. As such we normally ask that volunteers have had some personal or family experience of cancer or have the attributes and empathy to work with cancer patients. If you have had personal or family experience of cancer, we would suggest a time gap of one year minimum.
Every volunteer receives extensive group training at Chai, which covers responsibilities and boundaries, including confidentiality. We recognise the duty of care we have to both clients and volunteers in dealing with the emotive issues that are being addressed and also provide ongoing supervision to volunteers.
Every volunteer receives a Volunteer Handbook and our Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Woolfson can advise with any queries and concerns you may have about any aspect of volunteering.
If you would like to find out about volunteering for Chai, please call Debbie Woolfson on 020 8457 2076 or email debbie@chaicancercare.org.
