Cohen's Medical Center Seeks Volunteers

From the NSLIJ Cohen Children's  Medical Center:

Those who give generously of their time are very special friends of Cohen Children’s Medical Center. A small amount of time makes a big difference in a child’s life - the time it takes to read a story – play a game – greet a family or color with a child.

We are looking for volunteers who are caring, professional, dedicated and reliable. We cannot succeed at giving the best to our patients and their families, if we can’t rely on you! Please note that we ask for a volunteer commitment of at least 6 months (although we hope you will stay longer).

Join our team of volunteers at Cohen Children’s Medical Center and learn new skills and meet new friends. Whether playing with children, helping families find their way or answering phones, our volunteers make a difference that often eases the stress for patients and families during a difficult time.

Before volunteering you will be asked to complete an interview, medical clearance, orientation and criminal background check.

If you are under 18, we ask that you submit a letter of recommendation and have your parent or legal guardian accompany you to the orientation.

We offer Volunteer opportunities in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Please review our volunteer opportunities page to learn more. In addition, all hospital volunteers receive training from hospital staff to prepare for their positions.

Get that special satisfaction by helping a family or just making a child smile - volunteer!

For more information please contact:
Maxine Legall, LMSW
Coordinator, Volunteer Services
(718) 470-3258

Some of the available opportunities:

Summer Volunteer Program

• SUMMER APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY April 1st, 2012
• Summer Volunteers must commit to volunteering for at least 8 weeks with a minimum of 12 hours per week .
• We will contact you only if you will be invited for an interview

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Surgical Waiting Area
Assist family members in ambulatory surgical waiting area. Volunteer duties include answering waiting room phone, escorting family members to recovery rooms and assisting visitors with navigating lobby area. Must be personable and patient with excellent customer service skills.
Minimum age requirement is 18 years or older. Volunteers are needed Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8am-8pm.

Child Life
Assist Child Life Staff with engaging children and teens in therapeutic play.  Volunteer duties include playing and reading to patients in playrooms or at bedside, cleaning and sanitizing toys, monitoring playroom and toy usage. Must be comfortable working with children, have a knack for engaging children in play, and the ability to maintain healthy boundaries. Tech savvy skills (i.e. play station, Ipads) helpful.  Minimum age requirement is 17 years or older. Must complete Child Life orientation. Volunteers are needed daily (every day) between the hours of 9am-8pm.

Clerical Volunteers
Assist office staff with clerical duties including filing, faxing, answering phones, running errands and greeting visitors.  Strong customer service skills are required and knowledge of Microsoft Word is preferred.
Minimum age requirement is 14 years or older. Volunteers are needed Monday thru Friday between the hours of 9am-6pm.

Comfort Cart 
Bring the simple comforts of home to family members and visitors. The Comfort Cart contains toiletries and various other necessities.  Volunteers bring the cart to all inpatient units and are responsible for restocking the cart when necessary.  Strong interpersonal and customer service skills are required.
Minimum age requirement is 21 years or older. Volunteers are needed Monday thru Friday between the hours of 9am-5pm.

Gift and Donation Volunteers
Assist Child Life staff with collecting, organizing and wrapping gifts for patients. Volunteer duties include retrieving donation messages, retrieving donations and stocking and organizing donation storage room. Good organization skills are required and the ability to do light lifting.
Volunteers are needed Monday thru Friday between the hours of 9am and 6:30pm.

Kohl’s Family Resource Center
The Resource Center, located in the Medical Center Atrium, provides vital health information through books, pamphlets and recommended health websites. Volunteers assist families, patients and visitors in the Resource Center, stock the book cart and take it to each unit. Strong interpersonal and customer service skills are required. Prior experience in education is preferred but not required.
Minimum age requirement is 21 years or older. Volunteers are needed daily between the hours of 9am-8pm.

Gift Shop
Greet and assist customers in our busy gift shop. Volunteers also maintain and organize the store while performing sales transactions. Must have an attention to detail with excellent customer service and organization skills.
Minimum age requirement is 17 years or older. Volunteers are needed daily between the hours of 9am and 8pm.

Atrium Ambassadors
Assist patients, families and visitors in our Atrium lobby. Volunteers provide additional directions and way finding when visitors need it most. Must have excellent communication, customer service and interpersonal skills. Additionally, volunteers must be able to walk and stand for extended periods of time. Minimum age requirement is 18 years or older. Training provided.
Volunteers are needed Monday thru Friday between the hours of 9am and 7pm.

Pediatric Emergency Department
Greet and assist visitors and patients to our busy Pediatric Emergency Department. Volunteers are also needed to assist Child Life and Nursing staff with providing an extra component of care and compassion to patients and their families. Volunteers will act as a liaison between patients and the ED staff. They will provide age appropriate play opportunities at the bedside and in the waiting area to enhance the patient’s experience. Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Minimum age requirement is 21 years or older. Volunteers are needed daily (every day) between the hours of 12pm-8pm.