{
  "abstract": "Background Hospices have already integrated volunteering into clinical services (Morris, Payne, Ockenden, et al. Health Soc Care Community. 2017;25(6):1704-1713) with some individuals transitioning to employment. Volunteer to Career TM builds on this principle and is a model of providing placements to support future education or employment opportunities for participants. Volunteer to Career has been used in other sectors but is relatively new to the hospice sector (Helpforce. Volunteer to Career Programme 2022-24: End of programme report. 2024).Aims To integrate Volunteer to Career into a hospice setting and evaluate its effectiveness and sustainability as a workforce tool.Methods 12 week Volunteer to Career placements (60 hours) in our day hospice and referral centre were externally advertised and appointed. Individuals were supported with objectives, career discussions, mentors, a daily learning log and participation in clinical service delivery. Organisational, volunteer and staff surveys were completed to aid project evaluation.Results Volunteer to Career participants were appointed with individual career conversations guiding placement content. Reasons for applicants being unsuccessful included being unsuitable for the role, wanting longer term volunteering and being unavailable during the shifts. An organisational survey and ten staff/volunteer surveys were completed, indicating a need for increased development of career pathway opportunities. Feedback from participants was positive, enjoying the placement and connecting to the role. Participants gained direct experience of care, interaction with the multi-disciplinary team and increased understanding of the hospice setting.Conclusion Volunteer to Career relies on and supports the collaboration of volunteering (recruitment), education (career pathway) and clinical (placement experience) directorates in developing a sustainable Volunteer to Career pathway of care in a hospice setting. There is a demand for placements but robust screening is needed to identify suitable candidates. Lowering the age to 16 and considering evening/weekend placements may increase the uptake. Integrating Volunteer to Career into the volunteering strategy has developed career pathway opportunities and resulted in closer partnerships with the wider community (e.g. colleges).This project was funded by a grant from the Rank Foundation managed by Hospice UK.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "St. Margaret’s Hospice, Taunton and Yeovil, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Amanda Wilkins"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "St. Margaret’s Hospice, Taunton and Yeovil, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Karla Howe"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P-233 Volunteering as a solution to workforce challenges: implementing the volunteer to career model in a hospice",
  "uid": "5d3df0dc-8783-5c1a-ae9c-cca3719d14dc"
}