Volunteer Opportunities

Our volunteer opportunities are based on the needs of various areas in the health centre. We match applicants’ skills, availability, interests, and experiences to fill our current needs.

Child Life
The playrooms are a popular area with volunteers, therefore space is extremely limited. Here you will interact with patients who come to enjoy some time away from their hospital rooms. Patients range in age from newborn to 12 years. Most placements take place Monday to Friday between 9:30am and 4:00pm.

Child Life
The teen lounge is another popular request from volunteers. Here you will interact with teens from age 13 to 18 years by playing board games, video games, pool, or just talking and listening.

Clerical
We have a number of clerical placements within the health centre which involve a variety of administrative duties. Areas requesting clerical volunteers include: women’s health, medical day unit, and various clinics.

Day Surgery
Volunteers assist families and patients through the process of getting ready for surgery. Placements in this area are extremely limited.

Emergency
The Emergency Department requires volunteers every day of the week. Volunteers provide comfort to children and families waiting to be treated, re-stock supplies in treatment areas, clean toys for patient safety and performed a variety of other tasks as required.

Gift Shoppe (Biggs & Littles)
This placement involves cashier duties and some work in the stock room.

Information Desks
You will be the first point of contact for families, patients, and visitors who enter the health centre. You will provide directions to their destination and answer any questions they may have. Each information desk has three shifts from Monday to Friday: 8am-11am, 11am-1:30pm, & 1:30pm-4pm.

IWK Foundation
Please click here for more information.

Mental Health & Addictions
Volunteers have an active presence our mental Health & Addictions Programs. They can be found in the inpatient unit, autism programs, CIS classroom, and in CHOICES, a centre for teens with substance abuse problems.

Model Railway
Volunteers run our model railway in the lobby of the South Street entrance. This is a great, interactive project for both children and adults.

The Newman Garden
These dedicated volunteers maintain our beautiful gardens all year round.

Patient and Family Visitor
These volunteers provide support to patients and families through one-on-one visits. These include pediatric visits, adult visits with women on bed rest, language visits with families whose preferred language is not English, or episodic child minding for outpatients/siblings.

Pediatric Medical Unit (PMU)
Volunteers visit patients and families in their rooms to help lessen the stress associated with a hospital stay.

Ronald McDonald Family Room
Please click here for more information

School Services
This is a tutoring position primarily for math and science.