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Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer in action in recreational therapy program

Thank you for your interest in participating in the volunteer program at Toronto Grace Health Centre. The information on this page provides an outline of volunteer opportunities along with schedule options.

Program information and related role requirements are clarified below.
At the present time, we have a limited number of student opportunities. 

  • Adult Volunteer Opportunities: Our adult program is geared to professionals, retired individuals and recent grads.
  • Student Volunteer Opportunities: Our student volunteer program is geared to applicants who are enrolled in a full or part-time academic program (college or university). Students must be at least 18 years of age to participate in our program. Because of the complexity of our setting, most of our student roles are geared towards senior level university and post grad students. For information on our Summer Volunteer Program.
  • Student Placement Opportunities: For inquiries regarding clinical placements please contact our Advanced Practice Nurse.

If you have any specific questions about the TGHC volunteer program please feel free to call us at 416-925-2251 ext. 256 or by e-mail at volunteer@torontograce.org. Please see the Application & Contact page for further contact information. 

Year Round Program Information

Most of our year-round volunteer opportunities require a minimum commitment of one year on a weekly basis (for a three-hour shift). Other scheduling options and commitments can be discussed however depending on the opportunity. The ability of our volunteers to ensure a regular and reliable commitment is essential to the success of our program.  Opportunities are available Monday through Sunday in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Complex Continuing Care

Monday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. or 4 to 7 p.m. (some flexibility is possible and custom schedules can be developed)

This rewarding role provides the opportunity to work as a valued member of the patient care team helping to support the quality of life for complex care and rehabilitation patients. An interest in working with people, flexibility and a comfort level in the hospital setting and assisting people who are experiencing complex health issues are important qualities to bring to this role.

Volunteers provide invaluable support to our patient care units. They visit with patients, encourage participation in activities, assist at mealtimes and provide general support to the care team. Most importantly, the time volunteers spend with patients supports a friendly, compassionate and supportive environment.

Volunteers accepted into the program receive an orientation, patient care training and ongoing support through volunteer gatherings and educational sessions. The patient care volunteer role requires a 3 hour, weekly commitment for a minimum of one year. This role is best suited for adult applicants (i.e. professionals, retired, recent grads) or individuals with related or transferable experience who would be comfortable volunteering in a challenging setting, assisting a more complex patient population. The ability of our volunteers to ensure a regular and reliable commitment is essential to the success of our program.

Palliative Care

Monday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. or 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (some flexibility is possible and custom schedules can be developed)

This rewarding role provides the opportunity to work as a valued member of the palliative care team helping to support the quality of life for terminally ill patients and their families. An interest in palliative care, compassion, flexibility and a comfort level in the hospital setting and assisting people who are facing end of life care are important qualities to bring to this role.

Volunteers accepted to the program receive an orientation, palliative care training and ongoing support through volunteer gatherings and educational sessions. The palliative care volunteer role requires a 3 hour, weekly commitment for a minimum of one year and is appropriate for adult applicants (i.e. professionals, retired, recent grads). 

Please speak with us for further information on the PCU program and our current needs. This role requires a minimum commitment of one year.

Spiritual Care, Chapel Porter and Patient Support, and Spiritual Care Chapel Pianist
Sunday, weekly 10 a.m. to 12 noon & Thursdays (every second and third Thursday) 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Working alongside the Spiritual Care team, volunteers assist with transporting patients in wheelchairs to and from chapel services, monitor patients during the service and assist with any needs that arise to ensure that patients who wish, can participate in the weekly chapel services.. This role requires a one year commitment.
Pianist: Play hymns at the weekly Sunday and Thursday chapel services (this role requires a commitment of one or more times per month).

Therapeutic Recreation 
Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to noon & 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (most opportunities however are for our afternoon shift)

Volunteers in this role assist our Therapeutic Recreation team with a variety of group programs. Programs are offered Mon-Fri mainly in the afternoons (1:00-3:00 p.m.) and some mornings (10:00 to 12:00). Volunteers can assist with a range of activities which include Movement to Music, Seated Yoga, Tai Chi, crafts, cooking and a variety of other programs designed to engage and enrich the lives of our patients. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with patients are important requirements for this role.

A weekly commitment (of approximately 3 hours) is required for a minimum of one year. Volunteers should enjoy working with an elderly patient population and be comfortable in a hospital setting. This role is best suited to students in recreation program or who have an interest in Therapeutic Recreation or for adult applicants.

Arts at the Grace – Weekday Music Programs
Assist with coordination and patient engagement

Monday to Friday 3:00 to 4:00, 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. and Saturdays 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Volunteers in this role assist with portering and in engaging patients in our weekly unit based music program. No musical background is necessary for this role. This program is part of our Arts at the Grace initiative developed to enrich the lives of patients and family through a variety of creative programs.

Rehabilitation
Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Working alongside our rehabilitation staff, volunteers provide support with both group and individual programs. This non-clinical role will be of particular interest to individuals who have an interest in physiotherapy or occupational therapy. Volunteers have the opportunity to work directly with patients (within the guidelines of the role and tasks assigned by the supervising therapist) and also help with some administrative and project activities. A one-year commitment is required or 3 shifts per week for our summer program. We are looking for students who have related academic (e.g. in a Kinesiology Program), volunteer or work experience that would support them in this role.

Administrative Support
Monday to Friday generally 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
(some flexibility is possible and custom schedules can be developed)

Opportunities and times will vary depending on current needs. Generally shifts are three hours. This volunteer role provides clerical and administrative support to staff. Volunteers also assist with special projects (hospital and program related). Good communication and organizational skills and a comfort level with administrative tasks and computers are requirements for this role. We currently have a limited number of opportunities with this program.

Leadership, Training & Special Events
Flexible Schedule, please speak with us for further information on our current needs.
We encourage and support opportunities for volunteers to take on leadership roles within our volunteer program. Opportunities vary throughout the year and may include involvement with training new volunteers, recognition activities, special events, project work and program development.

Art at the Grace Music Program

Schedule varies. Share your musical talents. We are recruiting musicians to join one of our interactive patient focused music programs or to host a concert. We are currently recruiting vocalists for our in-house group, Improm2Crew. For further information, please click on the ‘Arts at the Grace‘ link in the menu to the right of this page.

Pet Therapy

Monday to Sunday, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. or in the late afternoon/early evening
Pet Therapy volunteers visit the health centre on a weekly basis with their canine friends. This program provides our patients with opportunities to enjoy interaction and companionship with an animal. Pet Therapy teams must complete a pet therapy assessment and receive certification to be accepted to the program. Please contact us for information on our pet therapy program.

High School Co-op Education Program

At the present time, we are not offering high school co-op opportunities.

Volunteer Resources Program Assistant

This role is well suited for an individual who is interested in assisting with Human Resources and administrative activities. Volunteers assist with a range of duties which support the administrative and screening functions of the Volunteer Resources department. Related experience or transferable skills are required for this role.

Please refer to the Application & Contact page for information on the application process.

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