What Can You do to Help?

Volunteer roles are determined by our clients' requests for support, and we aim to match our volunteers to the best role to achieve this.

• Befriending - one to one with a client
• Driving clients to appointments at Chai, or their doctor's or to a hospital appointment 
• Fundraising to help Chai be able to continue to support its clients
• Reception and hospitality at the Chai Centre

"I like helping out in anyway I can and enjoy knowing I have made a difference.  I would recommend volunteering at Chai as it is a very worthwhile thing to do.  There are so many ways to be involved at Chai." Simone.

Do You Have to Commit a lot of time to Chai?

How much time you commit depends on the role you undertake, and how much time you have.  While some roles require a weekly or fortnightly commitment, others especially volunteer driving require a more flexible approach.

"We can relate to the clients and they in turn relate to us, they know we are not doctors or professionals just people.  I most enjoy making people laugh through all their problems." Bondia

Does Chai Provide Training?

Every volunteer attends induction training.  This takes place in three parts each lasting half a day, and will include meeting some of the staff and existing volunteers.

Training includes:

• Understanding the organisation and its services
• Explanations of the different volunteer roles
• Understanding confidentiality and boundaries
• The psychological effects of cancer
• The role of therapies & complementary therapies at Chai
• Developing listening skills
• Examples of some of the clients who use Chai's services

Additional training is provided for specific roles.  On-going training in the form of expert lectures takes place throughout the year.

"I found the training course most interesting and informative.  Through discussion and exercises we explored how best to respond to clients' questions and concerns.  I have found I am better able to support people since attending the programme." Stanley.

To find out more about volunteering opportunities at Chai please call Shirley Mitchell on 020 84202 2211 or email shirleym@chaicancercare.org.