Role description
The purpose of this role is to provide a café service for patients, visitors and staff within the Hospice. It should be a place that people can rest and be provided with food and refreshments that can be eaten onsite or taken away. It should have a friendly feel about it but provide a high level of service and cleanliness.
Hospice staff and volunteers are expected to reflect our Hospice Values in the way they carry out their roles, and in their interactions with each other and with patients, family members and any other visitors.
Our Values are: Care and Compassion, Respect, Trust and Partnership.
What will I be doing/involved in?
- Providing a friendly, helpful and professional service to patients, visitors and staff who use the Café and Gift Shop
- Interacting with the Café and Hospice teams and contributing to the smooth running of the service
- Preparing and serving hot food (e.g. paninis, toasties etc)
- Using the till system and handling cash, including banking excess cash from the till at the end of the day
- Maintaining excellent levels of hygiene in the preparation, serving and seating areas of the café, following food hygiene standards.
- Keeping Café goods and Gift Shop displays fully stocked
- Being aware of food allergies and intolerances in our products
- Being familiar with stock sold in the gift area
- Taking part in any relevant training where possible
- Communicating with customers and co-workers to improve the service and solve problems
What experience or skills do I need?
- Understanding of the work, rules and values of St Columba’s Hospice. Willing to keep informed and stay updated about our work
- Friendly with excellent customer service and communications skills
- Able to establish good working relationships and work well within a team
- Numerate (able to operate till and handle cash transactions)
- Able to prioritise when the Café is busy
- Willingness to undertake training in the operation of equipment within the Iona Café
- Willingness to abide by food hygiene standards
- Comfortable working on own during quiet times in the day and with other staff/volunteers when busy
- Good personal hygiene practices
- A strong understanding of the need for and importance of patient and client confidentiality and boundaries, at all times
- Confidence and sensitivity when dealing with difficult information from distressed and anxious patients or relatives
- Experience of working with people with advanced illness is helpful, though not essential
Time commitment and duration
Shifts are generally 3-4 hours and can be taken weekly, fortnightly or monthly. The cafe is open 7 days a week.
We are also recruiting standby volunteers, who are crucial for covering holidays and unexpected absences. Volunteers will be sent a monthly email containing all remaining shifts and can take as many or as few as they choose.
The role will be reviewed on a yearly basis
Where will I be based?
St Columba's Hospice Care, 15 Boswall Road, Edinburgh
Who will I be volunteering for?
Iona Café Manager
Who else will support me?
Volunteer Services team, Stewards, Catering Team, Finance team and other Hospice staff as needed
Recruitment checks
- Interview with Volunteer Services Manager and Iona Café Manager
- Application Form
- Two references
- Volunteers must be 16 years or over
Training
- Hospice Volunteer Induction programme
- Hospice Orientation
- Cafe Induction Programme (including 1:1 induction with Café manager and work shadowing with experienced volunteer)
- Team meetings (as necessary)
- Ad-hoc Volunteer training/support programme
Additional Information
- Hospice Chaplains are always available to support volunteers
- Volunteers may claim reasonable travelling expenses for transport to and from the Hospice, or the place you volunteer, e.g. one of our retail shops. Please speak to your manager about this.
- The Hospice provides complimentary tea and coffee to all volunteers, staff, patients and families as part of the hospitality strategy.
- If you volunteer for a full day at the Hospice, you can claim a free meal from the staff café or Iona Café. Please speak to your manager about this.
You can apply online here
Alternatively, please email us at volunteer@stcolumbashospice.org.uk to request a paper application form, or to ask us any questions about the role
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