Becoming a Hospice Biographer
You can make a difference by training to become a volunteer Hospice Biographer.
Please read the job description below and be aware that our patient’s interests and wellbeing are at the centre of everything we do.
To qualify to become a Hospice Biographer (HB) you will need to be an existing volunteer or staff member at a local hospice.
If you wish to join us without prior hospice experience we suggest you first volunteer your local hospice for about six months.
Thereafter please feel free to contact us.
It could be that your local hospice has already trained HB volunteers bu please still contact us as they may require more HBs in the future.
We look forward to hearing from you.
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR HOSPICE BIOGRAPHER APPLICANTS (HBs)
This volunteering role is unique, exciting and brand new. No other position quite like this has ever existed within hospices across Britain before.
You will become part of a highly sought after and growing population of loyal Hospice Biographers across the UK.
Warning: this position is an extremely rewarding but challenging role. Applicants should not apply without due consideration and discussion.
This is not a position for those only wishing to enhance their own careers.
Our charity and hospices will personally recommend two such individuals for each hospice who are already known and trusted.
HBs must be prepared to volunteer one day every fortnight, ten months of the year. HBs will work in pairs, ensuring that between them their designated hospice receives a visit from an HB each week.
HBs must be energetic, engaging and highly tenacious, utterly committed to recording audio life stories for the sole benefit of hospice patients and their families.
HBs must be self-starters with excellent listening skills, such as those who are volunteers in bereavement/pastoral care, or they might be retired nurses or journalists.
HBs must be prepared to give up an entire day in hospice Day Care (approx. 10am-3pm) as designated Hospice Biographers.
During this time HBs will mingle and chat with Day Care patients, gently enquiring if they wish to conduct audio interviews about their life stories at some point during the day.
HBs should otherwise be prepared to make tea and generally offer a helping hand to anyone who needs it in Day Care.
HBs must be prepared to pledge a minimum of one year’s commitment to our charity.
If you are selected we will enroll you on our free two day training course and loan your hospice a free broadcast quality audio recorder.
New HBs will be taught the art of chronological interviewing, use of audio equipment, downloading onto USBs from hospice computers, vital listening techniques, privacy, boundaries, safeguarding, and GDPR compliant data collation.
In due course HBs should be prepared to work with their hospice’s new or existing outreach initiatives, which may include, with requisite preparation, the possibility of you recording on audio the life stories of prisoners, the homeless and travellers.
This course has been compiled by our charity in association with North London Hospice’s "Oyster" training course providers.
