We speak with Amerjit Chohan, CEO of Helpforce, about the strategic transformation of healthcare volunteering. Amerjit leads the national charity dedicated to harnessing the power of volunteers to improve health and care outcomes. In this conversation, he explores how volunteering is evolving from a peripheral “nice to have” to an essential “must have” – a strategic enabler that can reshape healthcare delivery, strengthen communities, and support the NHS’s shift toward prevention and neighbourhood care. We were proud to support Amerjit’s appointment to this pivotal role in 2024 and we enjoyed catching up with him in this interview.
Volunteering is often described as the “hidden lifeblood” of health and care, yet it can be overlooked when systems are under pressure. How do you advocate for the strategic value of volunteering in a sector that still tends to prioritise clinical delivery?
The journey we’re on is proving that volunteering is no longer just a “nice to have”, it’s a “must have.” Over the last nine years, we’ve shown that volunteering is a strategic enabler for healthcare. By linking volunteering directly to system priorities, we can demonstrate impact in areas such as patient experience, reducing depression, strengthening community cohesion and resilience, improving patient flow through hospitals, reducing admissions and readmissions, and enhancing staff well-being.
But the key is framing volunteering in terms of measurable impact. That’s what convinces leaders to see volunteering as an integral part of organisational objectives, not something peripheral. With staff under huge pressure and budgets tightening, volunteering has to be understood as a strategic resource.
Helpforce operates across highly complex environments – from NHS trusts and hospices to local authorities and community organisations. What kind of leadership is required to navigate these diverse partnerships, and how do you build the trust, confidence and resilience needed for success?
For me, leadership in this space is about listening, respecting different cultures and pressures, and finding common ground. Trust is built through transparency, by delivering on promises, being accountable, and sharing credit.
Confidence grows when partners see you are willing to co-create rather than impose solutions. We’re not here to tell people what the answer is; we’re here to work with them to design it together.
Resilience comes from holding a clear vision but staying flexible. There’s rarely a “cut and paste” solution. It’s about listening to what people need. Leaders often understand the problems but don’t have the bandwidth to develop solutions, that’s where collaboration becomes powerful.
“For decades, it’s been clear that hospitals aren’t always the right place for specific types of health interventions — while communities often are.”
The NHS 10-Year Health Plan places more emphasis on prevention, neighbourhood care, and partnership working. What excites you most about the opportunities this creates for volunteering, and what do you believe leaders must do to ensure volunteers are fully integrated into new models of care?
What excites me is the recognition that healthcare must extend beyond hospitals. For decades, it’s been clear that hospitals aren’t always the right place for specific types of health interventions — while communities often are. The shift towards neighbourhood care creates an enormous opportunity for volunteers to play an active role in prevention, social connection, and personalised support.
To make this work, leaders need to co-design services with volunteers in mind, and see volunteering as central to delivery, not just an add-on. That means proper training, proper support, and robust evaluation to ensure volunteering delivers the intended impact.
At Helpforce, we have just launched a bold new three-year campaign – ‘Giving Back, Transforming Care’ – designed to inspire national conversations, foster deeper public engagement and shift perceptions of healthcare volunteering from a ‘nice to have’ to a strategic imperative. Building powerful alliances with health organisations and charities to deliver system-changing programmes, will be crucial to our success and we are fortunate to have existing relationships with over 100 organisations across the NHS and voluntary sector.
“Volunteers bring something unique: empathy, connection, and the ability to complement the work of professionals, freeing staff to focus on clinical care.”
As demand grows, there is a risk that volunteering is seen simply as a way to absorb pressure in the system. What recommendations would you give to leaders to make sure volunteering is not just filling gaps, but actively shaping a more sustainable and compassionate future for health and care?
Volunteers should never be positioned as a substitute for paid staff. Paid staff are and always will be crucial for an effective healthcare system. Instead, volunteers bring something unique: empathy, connection, and the ability to complement the work of professionals, freeing staff to focus on clinical care.
My recommendation to leaders is to invest in infrastructure that supports volunteering strategically: clear role design, strong volunteer management, and proper impact evaluation. If you frame volunteering as innovation rather than substitution, it can help shift the system towards prevention and well-being, which is exactly where healthcare needs to be heading.
“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive. Nurture people, nurture partnerships, and focus on making a lasting difference.”
Finally, reflecting on your own career, what advice would you share with emerging leaders in the voluntary and community sector who aspire to make a meaningful difference in health and social care?
First, believe in yourself but stay value-driven. The sector is at its best when it holds true to compassion, equity, and inclusion.
Second, always work in partnership. Partnerships create greater impact, share challenges, and build resilience, even when they’re difficult.
Third, take the long view. Systems change takes time and persistence is essential. You often learn more from failure than from success, I know I have.
Finally, remember that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive. Nurture people, nurture partnerships, and focus on making a lasting difference.