Family and carers of people who are dying, or at the end of life, need your help.
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The Eurobodalla Palliative Care Volunteer Service is seeking men and women over the age of 18 to become a palliative care volunteer.
Death and dying, end-of-life, and palliative care can be difficult and sometimes confronting topics.
The volunteers' role involves supporting people along the way, as they grapple with these sensitive subjects.
Palliative care volunteers provide social, emotional and practical support to families, carers and clients when a life is limited due to an incurable illness.
Project officer of the Consumer and Carer Relief at End of Life Project, Fiona Sivyer, said volunteers provide one-on-one meaningful social support to clients, their family, and carers.
"It's about maintaining the best quality of life until death," Ms Sivyer said.
Volunteers can also provide much needed carer respite.
"Carers might want volunteer support so they can have a few hours break each week," she said.
"They might want a volunteer to stay with their loved one while they go have a shower or get to an appointment without worrying about leaving their loved one alone.
"Having additional volunteer support means that carers can practice a little bit of self-care. It's the little things that can make a big difference."
Ms Sivyer said there was often a need for more men to apply for the role as palliative care volunteers.
"The ratio of male to female volunteers has traditionally been skewed in favour of females, but it is really important to have the blokes in the mix as well," she said.
Clients are matched with volunteers on personality, likes and interests.
"Some clients would prefer to interact with another guy about common interests and concerns, tell their story," Ms Sivyer said.
"The same goes for carer support, if a volunteer is there to assist a male carer rather than a male client, it may be that an experienced male volunteer would be the best match.
"People just want to feel heard and understood, particularly during such a significant time of life, so it is really important that we can make a good volunteer match and get it right for each client and their family".
The Eurobodalla Palliative Care Service is also encouraging applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for volunteer positions.
Training in cultural diversity and safety is provided to all successful applicants, Ms Sivyer explains: "Many who are frail and at end of life, revert to their first language and take comfort in the familiar."
"Having a volunteer who has a similar sensitivity to the cultural heritage of the family can assist in the speed at which a bond of trust can be formed.
"We would love to have to have a greater representation from our first nations' communities, which makes up six percent of the Eurobodalla community, as well as a wider base of culturally and linguistically diverse volunteers to best support our community at end of life."
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Ms Sivyer said there were no qualifications or specific experience required for the role, though life experience, excellent listening skills, an ability to empathise and compassion were beneficial.
Successful applicants will receive free training over two days with ongoing support and supervision.
The initiative is a collaboration between Palliative Care NSW the Southern NSW Local Health District and COORDINARE.
For more information and to apply, contact community engagement manager Renata Sheehan on 0477 322 107 or renata.sheehan@health.nsw.gov.au
Applications close on May 3.