Echuca Regional Health (ERH) has a team of more than 60 passionate and enthusiastic volunteers who are an invaluable part of the health services, supporting patients, their families and hospital staff.
Volunteers at ERH help families navigate the hospital, visit patients who need support, assist staff with administrative tasks and provide companionship to the facility’s aged care residents.
Echuca Regional Health volunteer co-ordinator Georgi Baker highlighted three reasons why people volunteer at ERH.
“Usually, when people come to volunteer, they want to give back to the community and the health service after coming through the health service or their family,” Mrs Baker said.
“The other way is because they want to build their confidence in their job skills if they have had time away from paid employment.
“The third opportunity is that volunteering at the hospital can provide an enhanced experience in the health sector if they are looking to enrol in a course or are currently in a course, so it can reinforce what they are learning.”
People can volunteer at ERH in the emergency department, the wards, the Hopwood Rehabilitation Centre, guiding people through the hospital from the Concierge Desk, helping with administration or supporting residents at Glanville Village.
“Our volunteers’ primary role is to provide social and emotional support to the patients and their families,” Mrs Baker said.
“They can also do some behind-the-scenes things with the support staff.
“In our emergency department, they provide social and emotional support to patients and families, but they also ensure that the treatment trolleys are always well stocked with the things the clinical staff needs.
“This is so the clinical staff can focus their time on patient care rather than going and finding dressing packs or other bits and pieces.
“They make sure that everything keeps moving in that regard.
“Blankets for patients are always at the ready, and they just keep things stacked up where they can.”
Mrs Baker understands that coming to the health service may cause people a level of stress and anxiety.
She thinks this is where the volunteers come into their own.
“The staff would always love to provide lots more time, but patient needs are essential,” Mrs Baker said.
“We have volunteers on our rehab ward who spend time talking with patients and having conversations there.
“I have had feedback from some of the volunteers that patients ask them, ‘Are you coming back again this week?’ or ‘When will I see you again?’
“A friendly face is great for our patients to have.
“Our Concierge Team provide lots of wayfinding throughout the hospital and greets everyone as they come in.
“Hopefully, that will reduce people’s anxiety as they come through the service.”
Due to COVID-19, volunteer numbers dropped at ERH and are slowly being rebuilt.
The hospital currently has volunteer spots open in the emergency department, at the concierge desk and on the wards.
“We look for volunteers who share Echuca Regional Health’s values of collaboration, accountability, respect and excellence,” Mrs Baker said.
“When I meet with volunteers, I usually talk to them about the values, and they give me examples of how they live those values in their own lives.
“It is a good way to use the values as our baseline because we have volunteers as young as 16 who volunteer in the emergency department over the weekend.
“Then we have volunteers coming into their 90s as well.
“We have a large age group, and everyone’s got varied experience.”
To volunteer at ERH, you must be 16 years old or over, have a minimum of three COVID vaccinations as mandated by the Victorian Government and be willing to undertake a police check.
People volunteering in the aged care facility will also need to undertake an NDIS worker check and a working with children’s check in the emergency department.
The checks are free for volunteers, or ERH will cover the cost.
To apply to volunteer at ERH, fill out the application form on the ERH website’s volunteers page and return it to Mrs Baker at the hospital.
The application form can be returned by email or dropped off at the hospital, or you can call Ms Baker to make an appointment.
Once Mrs Baker has received your application to volunteer at ERH, she will contact you to arrange an interview.
If you would like to find out more about volunteering opportunities at Echuca Regional Health, contact Georgi Baker at (03) 5485 5434, email volunteers@erh.org.au
For information about volunteering, including downloading an application form to volunteer at Echuca Regional Health, go to https://erh.org.au/volunteers/