Current Volunteer Opportunities

Emergency

Activities in the emergency volunteer role include:

• Supporting patients and families waiting in the Emergency Department.
• Providing age-appropriate activities and comfort items (e.g., colouring, word searches, teddy bears, etc.).
• Calling transportation services (i.e., taxis).
• Assisting with wayfinding, directions, or escorting patients to different departments.
• Answering general questions.

This role is available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Port Perry Hospitals.

Durham Regional Cancer Center (DRCC)

• Supporting navigation for new patients and others.
• Facilitating comfort and care during treatment.
• Facilitating communication between the nursing team and the patient.
• Offering conversation (listening/distraction) and support to reduce anxiety.

This role is available at the Oshawa Hospital.

Cancer Centre Navigator

The Durham Regional Cancer Centre (DRCC) has an incredible volunteer opportunity. In this role you would greet first time patients and assist them with registering as well as provide support to patients and their family who arrive at the DRCC for their ongoing appointments.

Activities in this role include:

• Circulating in the waiting areas on 2 levels and provide supporting conversations within the journey of care and providing wayfinding support (you will learn a lot about the hospital in this role).
• Supporting patients in the flow and process for their first appointment or other appointments by assisting with the registration computer as required/requested (training and support is provided to the volunteers to become comfortable with the computers).

Note: There are two areas for this role – a roving position where a volunteer will move through the Cancer Center during the shift or a more stationary position at the Cancer Center entrance.

This role is available at the DRCC located at the Oshawa Hospital.

Lobbies and Entrances

In the lobbies and entrances volunteer role, you will learn about the hospital and its services while interacting with patients and visitors at various entrances. This is a physically active position.

Other activities include:

• Greeting people as they enter.
• Providing required assistance to find locations within the hospital.
• Reinforcing safety protocols.
• Helping to deliver essential personal items to units.
• Assisting with managing wheelchair resources, as required.

This role is available at Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Whitby Hospitals.

Retail – Gift Shops, Cafés, and Second-Hand Clothing Stores

In the retail volunteer role, you will work with other volunteers to support the Lakeridge Health Auxiliaries and their fundraising goals through customer service and sales from various retail operations.

This role is available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Port Perry Hospitals, Lakeridge Gardens, and offsite locations across the Durham Region.

Healthy Aging – Social Connection, Friendly Visiting, and Recreation Therapy

Activities in the healthy aging volunteer role include:

• Interacting with patients in a group setting and assisting the Recreation Therapy team escorting patients and encouraging them during programs.
• Interacting with patients in a one-on-one setting, providing socialization, and engaging the patient/resident in activities.

This role is available at Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Port Perry, and Whitby Hospitals and Lakeridge Gardens.

Patient Experience – Patient Family Experience Advisor

The patient experience patient and family advisor volunteer role is for individuals who have had a health-care experience as a patient or family member at Lakeridge Health in the last two years and would like to share their experiences, insights, and ideas with us to shape the care we provide.

Activities include:

• Joining committees and councils.
• Reviewing patient information and education materials.
• Sharing your story at various events.
• Contributing to policies and procedures.

This role is not hospital specific. You may be asked to contribute virtually or in person.