Volunteering

Volunteers play an important role in our Trust, helping people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism.

Volunteers play a valuable role in complementing the work of our paid staff. They help to improve the quality of life of service users.

We recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds, for various roles

Benefits of volunteering

Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience.

By giving up your time to lend a helping hand and supporting the work of our clinical professionals, you will get the satisfaction of time and effort well spent.

In addition, volunteering can be a great way to:

• meet new people
• learn new skills
• gain useful experience
• give something back

Who can volunteer

Volunteers come from all walks of life. They bring a wide variety of skills to our Trust and no previous experience of healthcare is necessary. Volunteering provides a worthwhile activity which is greatly valued.

The minimum age is 18 and there is no upper limit.

Current volunteering opportunities 

Coffee Beanz Café, Discovery House, Lincoln

We are looking for a volunteer who is friendly and welcoming to support the Café Supervisor and in-patient volunteers with the day to day running of the Coffee Beanz Café at Discovery House, Lincoln.

Previous experience is useful, but not essential as training will be provided.

Volunteer tasks will include assisting with:

• Preparing hot and cold food
• Stocking fridges
• Washing up and clearing surfaces
• Serving customers
• Preparing hot drinks
• Supporting in-patient volunteers to successfully carry out their roles in the café

Additional tasks as agreed with the café supervisor.

The café is open Monday – Friday, volunteer hours to be agreed.

Langworth Ward

Volunteers to support the following activities on Langworth Ward:

• Music
• Gardening
• Knit and Natter
• Men’s Shed Volunteers
• Baking
• Reminiscence 
• Crafts
• Drama

Telephone Survey Volunteers

We are looking for volunteers who can spare a few hours each week to support LPFT in gaining patient and carer feedback using structured questionnaires.

This ‘new’ role will support the Quality and Safety team, and other teams where requested, in gaining feedback from patients and carers relating to their experience of accessing and receiving treatment or interaction from LPFT teams and sending to relevant departments as dictated by the Quality and Safety team or other relevant teams.

The role will be supported by:

• Head of Carer and Relative Experience and Volunteers
• Head of Patient Experience
• PALS Team

Telephone Befrienders

We are looking for volunteers who can spare a few hours each week in the new role of ‘Telephone Befriender’, the aim of this role is to provide support to service users via a weekly telephone call, providing a listening ear and monitoring wellbeing.

Time Commitment:

Making a weekly telephone call at a time that suits both the service user and volunteer, from our Community Mental Health Team bases in Lincoln and Spalding.

The length of the call will depend on circumstances and may be quite short initially.

Conversations may include:

• A general chat
• The news/weather etc.
• Interests/hobbies etc.

Skills and Experience:

Previous experience is helpful, but not essential, the role would suit volunteers who:

• Have experience of working/volunteering with vulnerable adults
• Are reliable
• Communicate well and like talking to people
• Have a calm professional telephone manner

The role will be supported by:

LPFT Community Mental Health Teams

Interested?

If you are interested any of our volunteering opportunities, please contact:

Volunteer Services Co-ordinator - lpft.volunteerservices@nhs.net

Volunteer feedback

"Volunteering for LPFT over the last three years has supported my recovery in a number of ways, but above all by providing an environment to grow in confidence and feel valued as an individual with lived experience.

"I most enjoy being on interview panels and having an active say in who works for the Trust and have built relationships with amazing people throughout the service and beyond."

"Being a volunteer for LPFT has helped me massively in my recovery through a very difficult time for me in my life. 

"I highly recommend being an LPFT volunteer to help yourself and give back to the community."

"Volunteering for the Trust has helped build my confidence and empower me. It’s also given me a chance to build up my CV."

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­"Volunteering for LPFT brings unique elements into my life, using my skills in interviewing and contributing with my lived experience of mental ill health to teach in the Lincolnshire Recovery College. Volunteers are the oil that keep the cogs turning smoothly in the NHS!"