Induction involves being shown one aspect of CHR's work each week (usually on a Tuesday evening between 8pm and 10pm) for about 6-8 weeks. Apart from the informal interview, the first visit usually includes a brief tour of the station. In subsequent weeks, you will be:

1. Given a general tour of the hospital (and shown where to find the toilet!),
2. Shown how to use our library and on-line database,
3. Given the chance to sit in during a broadcast,
4. Shown how to visit the wards and collect requests, and
5. Given the opportunity to collect some requests from patients.

After this, we have a review meeting and if you're happy and we're happy, you become a member and are then normally placed as a PA with an existing presenter. 

We prefer to restrict visitors and new applicants to visiting on the first Tuesday evening of each month. That way, you will meet other people who are in a similar situation to yourself and it also means that we can make more effective use of our time and your time. 

Since we're all volunteers the station is only staffed in our members' free time, we therefore can't offer you work experience during a "normal" working week. We also can't offer you any form of payment for your time, in fact all members pay a small but vital membership fee annually. We can, however offer you the chance to join and become a member (subject to the minimum age restriction). All we ask is that you don't become a member for a few months and then leave again. This is because (i) It takes several months to get through initial training and (ii) As a station we invest a lot of time in training our members and we do expect some committment in return. 

Either go to the Joining CHR section of the website and download our application form and information sheets, or contact the station and ask us to send you the forms in the post. Fill out the forms and send them back to us, we will then contact you to arrange a date for you to come in for your first visit. 

That's no problem. We will carry out your induction training as and when you're able to attend.

In addition, we have meetings of the executive committee (which runs CHR) on Tuesday evenings about once every 6-8 weeks. On these Tuesday evenings no training takes place. It is your responsibility to make sure that you check the wall planner, noticeboards and website regularly to find out when these and other meetings take place so that you don't come in unnecessarily. 

This is a bit like asking "how long is a piece of string"! All applicants are required to go through our initial induction training that normally takes place on Tuesday evenings. If you are able to come along every Tuesday evening, you can usually become a member in 6-8 weeks. 

Sadly, we're no longer able to accept applications from those under the age of 18. The law relating to the supervision of under 18's is complex and it is almost impossible for us to have in place a policy that can guarantee at least two adults will always be there to supervise. If you are going to turn 18 in a few months time, contact us now and we can start the application process, so that you can become a member as soon as you turn 18. 

We welcome applications from those with different abilities and we strive to be accessible to all. All but one of the doors in our premesis are around 1 metre wide and all rooms are accessible to wheelchair users with care. Access to the studio mixer is restricted, requiring a wheelchair which is no more than approximately 75 cm wide.

We have had volunteers in the past with visual impairments and we would be happy to discuss ways to maximise accessibility (such as software aids).

Unfortunately we cannot ask our members to supervise those adults who are vulnerable or who require supervision or a carer; this would place an unreasonable responsibility upon our volunteers. However, we are happy to consider applications from such people, on the understanding that they undertake to provide their own carer/supervision. 

We'll invite you in on the first Tuesday of the month for an initial look around and for an informal interview. If we're all happy after this, we then have to start the process of obtaining a Standard Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) - more details of this can be found in another FAQ. When this is received back and we're given the go-ahead from the Hospital, you become a trainee and then spend an induction period of about two months getting to see the various activities that take place at CHR. Training and admin normally take place on a Tuesday evening between 8 pm. and 10 pm., but some aspects of the induction can be done at other times. 

While we appreciate that applicants may not like the added bureaucracy that the CRB check creates, we have no say in the matter because the CRB check is mandatory for all new volunteers, as required by the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust.

You will be required to bring-in three forms of identification (not photocopies); a list of suitable ID is available as a PDF file on the CRB's Disclosure website (both links open in a new window).

You will not have to send your documents away, our Chairperson is authorised to sign to say that you have brought-in the documents and that he has seen them. 

Yes, but compared to some voluntary organisations, we feel that the annual fees are very reasonable. For 2006, those with a regular income contribute £18 per year and other members contribute £9. Membership fees become due on 1st January each year.