Job summary
- Main area
- Volunteer
- Grade
- Volunteer
- Contract
- Voluntary: Volunteer
- Hours
- to be discussed
- Job ref
- 351-VS-BAY18
- Employer
- Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Orchard
- Town
- Lancaster
- Salary
- Volunteer
- Closing
- 08/11/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Activity Support Volunteer - DIY
Volunteer
Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:
- Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
- Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
- Extensive community physical health and well-being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term condition management.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.
For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Job overview
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust recognise and value the importance volunteer support is to us and our patients. We currently have a volunteer role available supporting us at The Orchard in Lancaster
To apply for this role, you should live within the Lancaster area and have full UK right to work. We cannot accept applications from people living abroad.
Main duties of the job
Volunteering on award involves a long term commitment (for example 9 – 12 months), and to bring continuity and stability for patients and staff, we ask volunteer to support by doing the same periods each week, which are discussed and agreed by the volunteer and volunteer supervisor.
Our ability to provide a comprehensive and individually targeted programme of activities and non-clinical support for our in-patients can be enhanced by volunteers. This is evidenced through self-governance evaluations and client feedback. Volunteers can assist the Occupational Therapy Team in providing therapeutic activities to in-patients under supervision.
• To provide specific support to in-patient clients to improve and/or learn DIY skills, (these could be painting and wallpapering, general DIY, furniture upcycling or basic joinery depending on the skills of the individual volunteer).
• All on ward activities will be pre-arranged and monitored by staff in line with client need on a daily or weekly basis. All activities will be supervised by a member of ward staff.
• Volunteers to attend unit at pre-arranged times and report to reception where an appointed supervisory member of the OT/activity team will meet them.
• All activities to be risk assessed by appropriate ward staff.
An Enhanced DBS with Adult Barring is required for this role. There is no charge to a volunteer for a DBS application.
Working for our organisation
• To follow instructions of OT staff as to activity to be facilitated and any relevant client information.
• Chat to people in groups or individually.
• Build relationships with service users, giving them confidence to make friends and join in.
• Encourage and help service users to take part in activities.
• Ensure service users are engaging with the activity safely, and alert supervising staff to any issues.
• Help staff to set up and clear down the room. Prepare equipment and materials in advance of the activity taking place.
• Feedback any relevant and appropriate information to staff at the end of the session or beforehand if necessary.
• Develop potential new activity ideas alongside staff members and service users.
• Having some degree of expertise in a relevant trade or DIY/upcycling furniture is essential.
• Good people skills are required as a lot of direct interaction will take place with the service users.
• Be able to manage individuals or small groups of people undertaking an activity.
• Be enthusiastic about your chosen activity
• Be friendly and approachable – able to build a rapport with service users.
For this role applicants must be over the age of 18
An Enhanced DBS with Adult Barring is also required for this role
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Applicants must be 18 and over for this role. To apply for this role please use this link MyImpactPage - BAY18 - Activity Support Volunteer - DIY, or contact the Volunteer Service for an alternative method. Please read the attached Role Description, or email main contact, for further information on this role. Please do not apply for this role via Trac.
Person specification
Requirements
Essential criteria
- See Role Description
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Karen Wheeler
- Job title
- Peer Support Worker
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Volunteer Service
email - [email protected]
phone - 01772 645507
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