Volunteer Support

Volunteer Support symbolizes caring and sharing by the community in a variety of ways. It may be in a very simple form or providing more qualified skills within Hospice. Since the Hospice opened in 1988, volunteers have consistently risen to the challenge.
The first face you will see at Hospice Isle of Man is a friendly and helpful volunteer receptionist. Their job is to meet and escort visitors to all departments of the Hospice. The first voice you will hear on the telephone is our volunteer telephonist, who will deal sympathetically and efficiently with enquiries. These volunteers undergo training sessions in-house to help them to deal with all the situations they might come across – you do not have to have an office background to volunteer here – just a willing heart.

In our administration department volunteers help the permanent staff in many ways. They help with the accounting side and secretarial matters as well as general administration, providing a back up second to none.
In the In-patient Unit bedroom volunteers spend time with the patients, making drinks, seeing to flowers, perhaps shopping for the daily newspaper - in fact all the little jobs that mean so much to the patients and nursing staff.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays volunteers help out at the Day Therapy Unit working together with the nursing team and occupational therapist. Two volunteers and a volunteer beautician attend on half day shifts, looking after up to twelve patients who spend the day at Hospice Isle of Man. Volunteer drivers collect and return the patients home, often going the "long" way back to give time for enjoying the Manx countryside and a good chat. Volunteer drivers may also help out with transport to clinics and appointments also for relatives who find transport difficult.

The Volunteer Service is run jointly by Paulene Tortasso (Volunteer Service Manager) and Pat Lowe (Transport and Volunteer Co-ordinator).
They can and do overlap and between the two of them they keep in close touch with all    Volunteer matters. Paulene and Pat are very much aware that an important part of their role is to give all Volunteers a chance to gain more skills, so that every volunteering opportunity can be available to everyone.

We now have over 550 volunteers, including over 230 involved in running our six Hospice shops, who give up their time on a regular basis to be a vital part in the smooth running of Hospice Isle of Man. Without their kindness and goodwill we could not function – to give of your time is as much of a donation as a cheque – economically and practically speaking, we rely very much on them and are very grateful to them all.

For many, there is a preference to help out with fund raising through our regional committees or by volunteering to man one of our shops spread throughout the Island.

Visit our Regional Committee Fundraising page or the Share the Care website www.hospiceshops.com  to find out more about these activities and to perhaps join in generating income for Hospice Isle of Man.
If you are an Isle of Man resident, and would like to consider volunteering from once a week to once a month we would love to hear from you. Telephone 01624 647445 or e-mail us here at Hospice Isle of Man vsm@hospice.org.im  - come and visit the Hospice, look around and meet the team. Paulene Tortasso or Pat Lowe can answer any queries you may have.