Are there age restrictions on volunteering?
Volunteering can commence from age 16, however there are some areas where volunteering may not be possible for under 18s. This would mainly be the case for opportunities in the Hospice.
Volunteer FAQs
Please find below a list of frequently asked questions which we hope will help you with your decision to volunteer for LOROS.
If you are unable to find the answer you are looking for below please email volunteering@loros.co.uk or ring 0116 231 3771
As a volunteer, am I insured?
Yes, while you’re volunteering with LOROS you’re on the LOROS insurance. The exception is if you’re using your own car, in which case you need to check with your insurer that the volunteering is covered and that it doesn’t attract an additional premium. LOROS insurance does not cover volunteers on their way to or from their place of volunteering.
Can I apply for any role?
Yes, that’s the glory of volunteering. What LOROS is after is your care, your humanity, and your ability to fulfil a role capably. If the role excites you, apply. The training LOROS provides is the thing that will make you feel confident to undertake the volunteering you want to do. Also, if you feel that there is a service you could provide which is not listed, please get in touch as we are always looking to expand our volunteering profile.
Can I volunteer while on benefits?
Yes, and recently the Government/JobCentres have taken the view that volunteering tends to be good for health and good for employability. Just check with your Advisor as the contract between a claimant and the social security authorities works best with openness between parties. To volunteer every day of the week might well be said by a JobCentre Advisor to mean that the Job Seeker is leaving themselves too little time to seek and apply for jobs, or someone claiming benefit on health or disability grounds, might be demonstrating their readiness for work.
Do I have to do set days as a volunteer?
Each volunteering role is different, there will be some roles that require a regular shift to be covered but there are also volunteering roles which can be carried out on an ad hoc basis. There are so many roles to choose from. LOROS asks that should you decide to volunteer, the minimum time we would ask is 6 months.
What’s the minimum amount of time I have to give?
There is no minimum in terms of hours a month for some roles or in terms of months or years. However, for some roles LOROS has to make an investment in terms of training and supporting new volunteers, and to be efficient, it is very helpful if volunteers will then stay with the organisation for a year or two. But the bottom line is there is no contract between LOROS and its volunteers; as a volunteer you don’t have to make that sort of commitment. Some roles are designed to be short term, and these are there just for those without long-term availability.
Will I have to do training?
LOROS wants volunteers to carry out their roles safely and confidently.
All volunteers receive training when they start, whatever their role. This training will keep volunteers safe and inform them about their responsibilities and duties. All volunteers are expected to do refresher training every year. Training and information is delivered in different ways to volunteers by face to face sessions, E-Learning, one to one sessions or written packs.
Reasonable adjustments can be made as to how the training is delivered so please let us know if you have special requirements and we will try to help.