Volunteer Writer

Palliative Care Victoria seeks an enthusiastic volunteer who will write engaging stories that improve community understanding of palliative care for use by Palliative Care Victoria in a range of media and communications channels.

This role will suit a person with excellent listening, interviewing and writing skills and, preferably, experienced in writing about and/or participating in health promotion, health care, community care or education.

Your role
To write engaging stories as outlined in specific briefs provided to you by PCV. This will involve interviewing people identified by PCV either by phone or, as needed, in person. The range of people to be interviewed may include: people receiving palliative care, carers, volunteers and others providing support, and health professionals.

The stories will be used by PCV to:
• Increase community awareness and understanding of palliative care and related matters (living, dying and grieving well).
• Provide personal accounts by people receiving palliative care and their carers/families about the benefits of palliative care and community support they receive.
• Share positive achievements and innovations in the field of palliative care and end of life care.
• Profile the diversity of people involved in providing and receiving palliative care and their lived experiences and reflections.
You may also be invited to assist with media releases and/or information resources about palliative care, if you are interested.
Skills, Experience and Attributes
This role would suit an enthusiastic volunteer with expertise in writing engaging stories based on interviews. Relevant experience in writing and/or working in health promotion, health care, community work, social work, or education would be valuable. We will provide an orientation in palliative care, as needed.
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, interviewing, communication and writing skills
• Compassionate, sensitive and able to build a good rapport with people
• Able to follow a specific brief and produce engaging, easy to read stories
• Personal integrity, reliability and commitment to the values of Palliative Care Victoria
• An understanding of, and commitment to confidentiality, privacy, anti-discrimination and work health and safety
• Willingness to commit at least 6 months to this volunteer role
• A current police check is required – we can facilitate and pay for this.

Capacity to travel a reasonable distance to conduct in-person interviews (when this is preferable) would be helpful. Associated agreed costs would be reimbursed. Able to be based at our office in East Melbourne or work from own home.

If you are interested in this volunteering opportunity would you kindly assist us by emailing a brief description of your relevant experience together with an example of your writing to owaanders@pallcarevic.asn.au