Transforming healthcare volunteering
Guided by our vision of a nation where volunteering is integral to healthcare at its very best, we partner with hundreds of UK healthcare organisations – unleashing the power of volunteers to deliver measurable benefits for patients, staff, and service users.
Our achievements to date
Improving the lives of patients, staff and volunteers
By providing unrivalled volunteering knowledge, data, and analysis to NHS and community partners, Helpforce has greatly extended its reach and impact – measurably improving the lives of more patients, more staff, and more volunteers.
We have helped
910954
patients
130850
staff
77677
volunteers
103
organisations
910954
patients
130850
staff
77677
volunteers
103
organisations
Spotlight news
Helpforce's pioneering 'Volunteer to Career' initiative shortlisted for prestigious national awards
Helpforce's ground-breaking initiative that helps people transition from volunteering roles to frontline healthcare careers has been shortlisted for a 2026 HSJ Partnership Award in the ‘Staffing Solution of the Year’ category. The highly regarded awards celebrate outstanding dedication to improving healthcare and effective collaboration with the NHS.
Our services
We work like a consultancy, and will start our partnership by finding out more about the challenges organisations face. Once we understand their situation, we will work with them to deliver volunteering solutions that help meet their challenges.
Find out more about our services below.
Find out more about our services below.
Developing volunteering services
Our expert team takes organisations through a tried and tested consultation process – Adopt and Adapt – to establish volunteer services that tackle their organisational challenges, fit their situation, and optimise integration between health and community services.
Building future workforce
We help organisations build and maintain their workforces through our Helpforce Volunteer to Career programme™, which allows people to explore a career in health and care, while volunteering.
Evaluating volunteers' impact
We build robust assessments into all our partnership projects and can evaluate other volunteering services. We have built up a unique bank of over 230 evidence findings.
Sharing volunteering expertise through the Helpforce Network
The Helpforce Network is a free online peer community for professionals from statutory and voluntary sector organisations with an interest in volunteering in health and care. Members join the Network to share their knowledge, learn from their peers and find practical support and resources - helping them to improve their volunteering management practice.Case studies
Anna's story
Angela's story
While waiting for her son’s assessment, Anna immersed herself in studying autism. Following his eventual diagnosis, she attended a six-week “Exploring Autism” course, where specialist nurses shared information and parent-carers exchanged experiences. By the end of the course, Anna’s insights and contributions stood out and a specialist nurse invited her to join the team as a volunteer facilitator.
After experiencing the challenges of retail customer service, 40-year-old Angela O’Donnell sought a new direction. Her 70-year-old mother, Ruth, suffered from Alzheimer's, and it had awakened in Angela a deep passion for supporting people living with dementia, inspiring her to ‘give back’ as a healthcare volunteer.
Alisha-Mae's story
Ray's story
At just 17 years old, Alisha-Mai Stevens is already making a difference in the NHS.
Alisha-Mai lives in Telford with her family, including her older brother and younger sister. Her decision to volunteer was deeply shaped by personal experience — her mum, Sharon, has lived with cancer since the year after Alisha-Mai was born. Growing up with regular hospital visits gave Alisha-Mai a first-hand appreciation for the pressures healthcare staff face and the impact that extra support can have.
Alisha-Mai lives in Telford with her family, including her older brother and younger sister. Her decision to volunteer was deeply shaped by personal experience — her mum, Sharon, has lived with cancer since the year after Alisha-Mai was born. Growing up with regular hospital visits gave Alisha-Mai a first-hand appreciation for the pressures healthcare staff face and the impact that extra support can have.
Anna's story
Angela's story
Alisha-Mae's story
Ray's story
Case studies
While waiting for her son’s assessment, Anna immersed herself in studying autism. Following his eventual diagnosis, she attended a six-week “Exploring Autism” course, where specialist nurses shared information and parent-carers exchanged experiences. By the end of the course, Anna’s insights and contributions stood out and a specialist nurse invited her to join the team as a volunteer facilitator.
After experiencing the challenges of retail customer service, 40-year-old Angela O’Donnell sought a new direction. Her 70-year-old mother, Ruth, suffered from Alzheimer's, and it had awakened in Angela a deep passion for supporting people living with dementia, inspiring her to ‘give back’ as a healthcare volunteer.
At just 17 years old, Alisha-Mai Stevens is already making a difference in the NHS.
Alisha-Mai lives in Telford with her family, including her older brother and younger sister. Her decision to volunteer was deeply shaped by personal experience — her mum, Sharon, has lived with cancer since the year after Alisha-Mai was born. Growing up with regular hospital visits gave Alisha-Mai a first-hand appreciation for the pressures healthcare staff face and the impact that extra support can have.
Alisha-Mai lives in Telford with her family, including her older brother and younger sister. Her decision to volunteer was deeply shaped by personal experience — her mum, Sharon, has lived with cancer since the year after Alisha-Mai was born. Growing up with regular hospital visits gave Alisha-Mai a first-hand appreciation for the pressures healthcare staff face and the impact that extra support can have.
Our partners
We collaborate with diverse organisations across the healthcare system, from Integrated Health Boards and individual NHS Trusts, to social care groups and hospices. Take a look at some of our partners below.
“Helpforce’s expertise has supported us to design a highly-effective, volunteer-led falls prevention service that meets the needs of our local community. We’re proud of the impact it has had on patients, staff, and our incredible volunteers.”
Jo Farrar, Chief Executive, Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
“Thank you Helpforce for supporting us to go even further and faster to develop our well-established volunteering offer within our hospitals. They are a delight to work with.”
Merav Dover, Chief of Staff to CEO Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and SRO National Discharge and Flow
“We are delighted to have partnered with Helpforce. Volunteer to Career is an effective way of opening up healthcare career opportunities to people with no prior experience”
Angela Smith, Chief Executive at Friends of Moorfields Eye Hospital
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