In Volunteers' Week, Dr Ros Scott reflects on the inspiring work of volunteers and asks if we really understand the significance of volunteering to hospice and palliative care?
"Once, volunteering was a power. We didn't react to trends, we caused them. We didn't supplement staff, we created them. Politicians didn't use us; we used them. And we made dreams happen…" Ivan Scheier
For me, this quote sums up volunteering in hospice and palliative care. If you think about it, volunteers in so many countries ‘caused’ hospices and ‘created’ the professional roles as fledgling organisations grew. And many individual and community ‘dreams’ have been realised through volunteers.
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