Volunteer with us

Volunteers in Partnership is an initiative developed by our Council of Governors. Our governors recognise that volunteers enhance our services. There are lots of opportunities throughout Cornwall, in community and mental health hospitals and day resource centres.

We recruit volunteers from our local community. They include retired people, students, people with lived experience and people in work or who are unemployed. Volunteering is flexible, to suit your availability and fit in with your lifestyle.

Volunteering in the Trust provides the opportunity to take part in a range of roles. It allows people to use and enhance their skills, share knowledge, develop a sense of purpose, or increase their self-confidence. It also allows people to learn and gain experience in many areas of our organisation, which can help towards a career in healthcare.

Current volunteering opportunities

Opportunities for volunteers include:

  • activity volunteers for our mental health wards and resource centres. This involves helping with a variety of groups offering activities such as quizzes, music, cookery, gardening, or exercise
  • dementia ward volunteers. These volunteers help with hymns, music and pub sing-alongs, or garden activities, reminiscence, and talking groups
  • therapy dog volunteers for our community and mental health wards
  • befrienders, activity volunteers, and mealtime assistants for community hospital wards
  • meeters and greeters for Bodmin and Camborne Redruth Community Hospitals
  • volunteers for Sowenna, our adolescent mental health unit in Bodmin
  • spiritual and pastoral volunteers for community and mental health wards
  • Pitch Up and Sing

What do volunteers do?

Volunteers may have many roles such as:

  • helping a clinician to run an activity group on a mental health ward, which could include craft workshops, healthy eating, exercise, reading or music
  • visit community hospital wards as a befriender to provide conversation and company
  • provide spiritual and pastoral support on the wards
  • meet and greet in community hospitals
  • visit wards and centres with therapy dogs
  • assist with activities on the dementia ward
  • provide exercise sessions such as tai chi, yoga, and keep fit (qualifications required)

Benefits to you

Volunteering gives you the opportunity to meet others, share your knowledge and, gain an insight into our work. It also provides you with valuable skills and experience that may benefit your future employability.

Training

As a volunteer you will be provided with all relevant training for your role.

How do I apply?

Complete a Volunteers in Partnership application form (DOCX, 72 KB), or contact the Volunteers In Partnership office by post, email or telephone.

  • Write to: Volunteers Manager, The Engineers House, c/o Shaw House, Porthpean Road, St Austell, PL26 6AD.
  • Call 01726 873 253.
  • Email the Volunteers Team.

Pets As Therapy

Pets As Therapy enhance health and wellbeing in the community through the visits of trusted volunteers with their behaviourally assessed animals. Provide a visiting service in hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes, special needs schools and a variety of other venues all across the UK.

Therapy Dogs Nationwide

Therapy Dogs Nationwide is a national charity where visiting volunteers take their own dogs into establishments to give comfort, distraction, and stimulation. We regularly visit local hospitals and hospices where patients and staff interact with our dogs and look forward to their visits