Volunteering opportunities for companies and their employees

St Elizabeth Hospice is highlighting research results that show 75% of the public believe that it is either very important or absolutely essential for companies to act in a socially responsible way and 88% of consumers are more likely to buy from a business that visibly supports activities to improve society.

Companies and their employees choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them. For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Regardless of the motivation, generally staff find it both challenging and rewarding.

St Elizabeth Hospice offers a range of volunteering opportunities available including:

• Event support for events including:
  • Midnight Walk (12 May)
  • Extreme Ninja (16 June)
  • Bubble Rush Ipswich (26 August)
• Retail work at one of our shops or retail centres
• A variety of roles in and around the hospice including ward assistants and decorators

Employees actively engaged in community programmes are more satisfied in their work, with 85% saying their perception of their company had improved and 71% of employees citing volunteering programmes as key to improving personal well-being.

Companies that volunteer can:

• Define their corporate identity and show the world they are ethical and trustworthy and different from their competitors
• Increase staff morale and work performance driving benefit straight to the bottom line
• Give employees a chance to give back to their communities which can help to instil a sense of pride in themselves and their organisation whilst making them proud to work for the company therefore aiding recruitment and staff retention
• Build a stronger team – employees are able to partner across divisions and work in team environments outside of their direct work groups which can promote a greater sense of unity as they work towards a shared mission and common goal
• Training and development – a number of key skills and behaviours can be developed by volunteering including coaching and mentoring, confidence, communication, team-building, self-awareness and creativity
• Increase local connections in local communities which are made up of current and potential customers, suppliers and employees and building strong relationships with these local stakeholders can translate into clear business benefits
• Share the stories of their volunteering which can be seen in the local media, website and social media and can demonstrate to clients, customers and business partners that the organisation and its leadership team are dedicated to charitable causes

If you and your employees are interested in volunteering please email for further information [email protected]