Training and development opportunities

Volunteering with Sue Ryder can be a brilliant way to enhance your skills and CV, whether you’re looking to get back into work, are interested in starting a new career path or want to excel in your role as a volunteer. Whatever your skills and experience, there is a wide range of opportunities available to you.

Digital skills, interviews and your CV

Digital

Learn My Way offer basic computer skills courses. These include how to search and explore the internet, keep in touch with email and use public services online. You can also find courses on office programmes, social media and video calling.
Google Digital Garage provides free online training courses to help people improve their digital skills, including career development, digital marketing and data.
Microsoft 365 Training helps you learn the basics of their different Office software, such as Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
FutureLearn offer a great course which can help you build digital skills for work and life. The course is free and suitable for anyone who is interested in learning more about the digital world.

Interviews and CVs

The National Career’s Services ‘How to write a CV’ information page shows you how to structure your CV and what to include.
Reed offer a range of free interview skills courses, as well as other online job skills webinars.
The National Careers Service also have lots of helpful interview tips and advice, such as types of interview, questions you might get asked and how to prepare.
Barclays Life Skills features a handy 10 step guide on how to prepare for an interview.

Transferable skills

Did you know the skills you gain as a volunteer are gold-star material for your career? They're absolutely brilliant for shining bright in an interview and making your CV stand out!

We've rounded up some of the most sought-after skills that employers are actively looking for, and some tips on how to show you've mastered them through your amazing volunteer work.

Let's make sure those achievements get the spotlight they deserve!

Problem solving - Volunteering shows you are resourceful when faced with unexpected challenges like sudden changes in plans or a shortage of supplies. It demonstrates your ability to think on your feet and find creative solutions.

Communication - Volunteering often involves advocating for a cause through fundraising or awareness campaigns. This shows your ability to clearly communicate a message, tailor your message to diverse audiences and persuade others.

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Teamwork and collaboration - Working on a volunteer team means cooperating with diverse people to achieve a shared goal. This shows that you are a team player who can build professional relationships.

Time management - Balancing volunteering with other commitments hones your time management skills, such as prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines. This shows that you are disciplined, reliable, and can handle multiple responsibilities.

Other free online courses

Free Courses in England provide lots of free online courses, from mental health to digital skills, where you can gain a qualification and improve your employability.

Open University offer some brilliant free short courses which can help you build skills that can help you in your volunteering or in your career. Courses available include:

The National Careers Service skills toolkit has a range of free courses available to help you learn new skills. Courses include maths, communication skills and lots more.

For those who would like to learn more about different faiths, Birmingham Hospice has a range of Faith Lectures available to watch on YouTube.

Skills for Careers allows you to start exploring your training and career possibilities, or get advice to help guide your next step.

Learn at Scope offer free courses for disabled people in the UK.

Looking for your next career step?

Whether you’re looking to get back into work or interested in starting a new career path, we have a range of learning and development opportunities available to you as a Sue Ryder volunteer.

Sue Ryder training and webinars

If you need further information about training courses and webinars, or would like to book yourself onto an upcoming course, please email the Learning and Development team at learningteam@sueryder.org

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Bereavement, grief and loss awareness e-learning

An online course for anyone interested in raising their awareness, understanding and compassion for yourself or others when learning to live with the death of someone or something close.

Sue Ryder training courses for volunteers

Boundaries training for volunteers

We’re excited to share that we’ve developed tailored boundaries training for volunteers across all of our different settings.

Each directorate has its own specific training video below, designed to reflect the unique situations and challenges relevant to your area.

This training is designed to help create a safer, more respectful volunteering environment by raising awareness of boundary issues before they arise.

It includes clear, practical examples of where boundaries might be crossed, along with guidance on how to handle these situations appropriately.

Please do take time to watch the short video below that is appropriate for where you volunteer:

EDI Masterclasses

Recorded sessions

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