Rachel House Complementary Therapist

What activities will I be involved in?

• Providing therapy to parents for relaxation during their stay in the hospice
• Providing therapy to children if requested by the Care Team and parents
• At times providing therapy to staff and volunteers on request
• Keeping detailed, confidential records of treatment
• Complying with the CHAS Complementary Therapies Policy
• Complying with Health and Safety regulations governing the use of equipment and oils

What skills and abilities will I need to have?

• Excellent people skills
• Experienced therapist with recognised qualification (all therapists must have successfully undergone training which is recognised by one of the voluntary regulatory bodies).
• An ability to represent CHAS enthusiastically and appropriately
• An ability to relate to people of all ages
• Good communication skills

How much time should I offer?

You can volunteer on any day of the week, for a few hours, in the morning, afternoon or evening. This can be discussed and agreed with your Supervisor and the Hospice Voluntary Services Manager.

Where is the opportunity based?

Rachel House Hospice in Kinross

What ongoing learning/support/guidance will I receive?

It’s important to us that you feel happy, safe and confident in your role. As a CHAS volunteer you will be invited to complete a short core learning package that is tailored to your role – your learning will include Representing CHAS, adult and child protection, manual handling, basic health and safety and fire safety.

You can choose to learn as part of a group or complete the learning online. The learning won’t take up much time and will equip you with the skills you need to undertake your role safely and confidently.

We are always developing new opportunities for volunteers to learn and offer a range of options for volunteers including our annual Volunteers’ Day which includes a range of learning workshops.

All volunteers are assigned a supervisor – this person will be your point of contact and will meet with you on a regular basis to provide you with support and guidance.

What are the benefits to me?

• Using your skills for a great cause
• Getting more involved and making a real difference to the families of children with a life-shortening condition.
• Adding to your cv
• Meeting new people
• Having fun!

What are the benefits to the children and families supported by CHAS?

Families supported by CHAS are often under a lot of strain. Complementary therapy treatments can help to relax parents, enabling them to have a break and some valuable time to themselves, away from the pressures of caring for a child with a life-shortening condition.

What else should I know?

All therapists must be registered with a recognised professional body which has codes of conduct, ethics and discipline in place. We will need to see proof of qualifications and relevant CPD when you come in and meet us for an informal interview.

This role requires membership of the PVG scheme (children only). There is a simple form to complete and we will assist you with this. You may already have a PVG form – if so you will only need to complete an update form. The process won’t cost you anything and having a criminal record will not automatically exclude you from volunteering. We will assess each applicant on an individual basis.

We will pay your out of pocket expenses in line with the CHAS volunteer expenses policy.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please give us a call on 0141 779 6195 (Mon-Fri  9am-5pm) or email volunteering@chas.org.uk. You can also now apply online.