Community Butterfly Volunteer – CPFT / NHS

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It is a real privilege to be a part of an individual's end-of-life journey. Butterfly volunteers offer support, compassion and companionship to patients and families at a critical time, assisting with accessing services and bringing comfort to those in the last year of life.

This activity is good for wellbeing because

  • You really can make a difference to someone with a terminal diagnosis
  • You will receive training and ongoing supervision and support, so you can feel confident in your work
  • You can use your empathy, caring and skills to help others

Meet Helen, who coordinates the Butterfly Volunteer Service:

What to expect

The Community Butterfly Volunteer Service provides support to people with a terminal diagnosis. It is provided by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) with the help of volunteers; click here to find out more. You can also click here to read more about the CPFT Voluntary Service.

As a volunteer, you will have relevant and enhanced end-of-life care training which has been developed by CPFT Voluntary Services in collaboration with the Anne Robson Trust.

Volunteers receive supervision (both in a peer group and 1:1) and adhere to the policies and procedures of CPFT.

What you will be doing:

  • Talking, providing company and listening to the patients and families.
  • Assisting the patient and families to access information regarding the services that are available.
  • Reading, singing gently to the patient or sitting quietly.
  • Holding hands and/or providing hand massages if requested or appropriate.
  • Providing a consistent professional relationship throughout the patient’s journey within the boundaries of your role.
  • Offering small amounts of respite to the patient’s family or carers, staying with the patient while they take a respite break.
  • Obtaining shopping or small items for the patient (not big shops).
  • Being alert and reporting any concerns to the Butterfly Co-ordinator or community team where appropriate.
  • Completing a volunteer record form to log activity to ensure continuity of care and to give feedback to develop the Butterfly service.

Note that volunteers do not provide personal care.

The skills you need:

  • Compassion
  • Empathy
  • Excellent listening skills
  • Communication skills
  • Emotional and self awareness
  • Ability to be resourceful and respond calmly to potentially stressful situations

What’s in it for you:

  • You will receive a monthly 1:1 supervision and ongoing support from the Community Butterfly Volunteer Co-ordinator to ensure your wellbeing.
  • Mandatory training for the role, and local induction into CPFT including certificates of your achievements.
  • Group Support Meetings will also be available for team-building and staff-facilitated peer support. These meetings can be attended via Microsoft Teams or in person.
  • A rewarding experience.

All training and participation is free. Volunteers are also reimbursed for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses.

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