Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, from talking to people about their experiences of local health and care services, to sitting on our Steering Group.  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

Our Volunteer Roles

From the satisfaction of helping to shape local health and care services, to learning new skills and meeting new people, volunteering offers so many rewards.  Discover the many ways you can volunteer with Healthwatch Dorset and make a real difference whilst developing your own skills and experience.

Local Healthwatch Volunteer

Local Healthwatch Volunteers are the voice of Healthwatch Dorset and people in the community.  You can support us by talking to people, gathering opinions about local health and care services (good or bad) and spreading the word about the ways we can help people.  You can also act as an ambassador for us at events and meetings and make sure our views and the views of local people are heard and taken seriously.

This is a perfect role for a friendly, approachable and compassionate person who enjoys connecting with people.

Authorised Enter and View Volunteer

Healthwatch Dorset has a statutory power that allows us to Enter and View publicly funded health and 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.  You can help us conduct these visits and spend time talking to patients, carers and relatives as well as helping us report back on our findings.

This is a rewarding and specialist volunteering role for a confident and compassionate person who enjoys connecting with people.  You might also like to represent us a Local Healthwatch Volunteer alongside this role.

Feedback Collector Volunteer

Struggling with self-isolation?  Do you feel like you still want to give back to your community, but you do not wish to leave your house?  Healthwatch Dorset has created this new volunteer role to adapt to these uncertain times and introduce virtual volunteering.  We wish to keep all our volunteers safe and well, so how better to help than from within your own home.

Our primary aim at Healthwatch Dorset is to collate feedback and look for trends to provide evidence for a change to happen within a service.  We are looking for a team of Feedback Collectors to gather people’s views that have been made through the internet.

Healthwatch Project Volunteer

Our Project Volunteers help us to deliver important health and care projects which benefit people in Dorset.  As a Project Volunteer you can help us compile research and feedback from members of the public.  You can also help us organise health and social care events and consultations or provide assistance with day-to-day administration for the team of staff and volunteers at Healthwatch Dorset.

You might also like to be involved with specific projects which are important you.

Healthwatch Associate

If you are interested in a more informal volunteering role you might like to become a Healthwatch Associate.  Associates are interested in our work and like to be kept up to date with information about our events and activities as well as taking part in our surveys and consultations.  You can also be part of our Readers Panel which involves looking at leaflets and documents for various health and care agencies and making suggestions on how they can be improved.

If you aren’t sure which volunteering role is right for you, becoming a Healthwatch Associate will give you a taste of our work so you can decide how you would like to get more involved in future.

Healthwatch Local Board Member

Local Board members will oversee and contribute to the work programme and play a crucial role in monitoring its delivery.  They also play a part supporting the organisation to adhere to its principles, purpose and vision and ensuring that it operates in a moral and ethical way.

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.

Call us

0300 111 0102

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Interested in Volunteering?

Fill out our easy online application form and a member of the team will get in touch with you for an informal chat about volunteering.

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