Volunteer Opportunities
Board of Management
The Northeast Health Wangaratta Board of Management consists of 8 members (non-remunerated positions) who are appointed by The Minister for Health for terms up to 3 years duration. Applications are invited from persons in the community who want to contribute to their local health service. The Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organisation as well as governing the overall financial control of the organisation. This is an exciting opportunity for suitably qualified and experienced persons to contribute and provide high level advice on the delivery of business management, commerce or banking, health issues, human/capital resource management, information technology, law, public finance and public health care to the Victorian rural community.
Cognition Program
We are committed to improving care for older people. Statistics show that 30% of older patients experience delirium at some stage during their hospitalisation. Having a cognitive impairment whilst in hospital can have a detrimental effect on a patient's health. Research has shown that the use of environmental, behavioural and social strategies can help manage a patients cognitive impairment. Though these strategies are simple everyday tasks, they are time consuming. The use of volunteers enables these strategies to be put in place and assists the patient to orient themselves to a new environment and aid in reduce anxiety during a time of illness. The aim of the program is to increase awareness around the prevalence of cognitive impairments and to reduce the incidence rate, severity and duration of delirium.
Community Advisory Committee
This group of community members from Wangaratta and it's surrounding districts was formed in 2002 and meets every month for one hour to assist NHW in adequately meeting the needs of its community. It ensures the community's opinions are represented in decision making, brings local health issues to the awareness of the organisation and acts as a link between the hospital and our community. Members also review documents such as brochures and pamphlets, assist in policy formation (where appropriate) and help with preparation of publications such as the annual Quality of Care Report.
The members of this committee generously give their time to assist in improving NHW services.
Emergency Department Liaison
The Emergency Department Liaision Volunteer can undertake duties including informing peope in the waiting area about the reasons for any delays; talking to patients in the Emergency Department who are undergoing assessment; to keeping children entertained while they wait for a family member. The volunteers can be involved with anyone from parents with children to the eldery. With professional staff tending to focus on the higher end of patient care they don't always have time to get back to the things that make people comfortable, volunteers have a big impact on the way the Emergency Department operates. This role fills that gap and provides someone to assist and support people through what can be a traumatic time.
Fundraising
If you are interested in fundraising our Community Relations Department is always looking for assistance during our Spring Appeal campaign. Volunteers are involved in activities including, raffle ticket selling, assisting with function preparation and implementation, donation tin rattling and administration tasks. If you would like to know more, contact our Community Relations Department on (03) 5722 0448.
General Assistance
People may want to support NHW through volunteering, but would prefer to assist in a non-patient contact role. The General Assistance Volunteer role enables volunteers to be active in the support areas of NHW utilising their skills and talents.
Illoura Lifestyle Program
Volunteers provide community contact, social interaction and leisure activities for residents at our Illoura Residential Aged Care facility. The volunteers attentively support and encourage the residents to participate in many different types of activities such as sing-a-longs, gardening, walks, quizzes, card games, special functions, assisting ladies with their hair styling and make-up, piano playing and assisting residents at meal times. Residents also enjoy visits from primary school children, CWA and Uniting Church members as well as members of the Wangaratta Dog Obedience Club and their pets.
Library Volunteers
Do you enjoy meeting and talking to people? The library volunteers operate throughout the acute hospital in pairs as part of a team on a monthly 2 hour roster, providing waiting areas with fresh magazines and reading material and also visiting patients to ensure they have magazines and books to help pass the time.
Mental Health Services
Mental Health Services at Northeast Health include Community Aged Psychiatry, Community Adult Mental Health and Kerferd Inpatient Unit who provide services to people living with a diagnosed mental illness. Volunteers at Northeast Health Wangaratta are an essential part of our health services team. They undertake duties that enhance the direct patient care performed by qualified clinicians. These non-clinical duties can vary from patient visitations, to assisting with fundraising activities, or assisting with the running and/or coordinating of mental health programs. Our volunteers are compassionate and considerate to patients and their families, as well as the general public and staff at NHW. It is expected that the volunteer component of the mental health team will bring with them a range of skills to compliment those provided by paid staff.
Oncology Unit Volunteers
Volunteers in the Oncology unit have had specific training to enable them to provide practical and emotional support to patients and families. The oncology unit is a vibrant, cheerful and often very busy unit and volunteers find that their skills can be utilized in many ways. Many people who come in for chemotherapy travel quite long distances and the treatments can take all day to administer. Volunteers play an integral role in providing support during these days - from making patients and visitors comfortable, providing drinks, sitting and talking to patients and relatives, providing hand massages as well as information about support groups and programs such as Look Good Feel Better. Our volunteers also manage the wig and hat and book libraries. Volunteers also provide practical support to staff during busy times by assisting with various non clinical activities.
Palliative Care
The Northeast Health Wangaratta Palliative Care service provides specially trained volunteers to support people registered on the Palliative Care programme and their families. Their role includes providing a listening ear, companionship, assistance with practical issues for example running errands, allowing time for family to have a break by sitting with the client and support in assisting them to undertake activities of interest such as hobbies, reading, writing letters, etc. Although unpaid, Palliative Care volunteers are valued members of the palliative care team and play an integral role in the support of people who are admitted to the Palliative Care programme and their families. An assessment is undertaken by the Family Care Coordinator to ensure that volunteers are suitably matched to an individual and their family, which facilitates a unique relationship being built between the volunteer, the individual and their family. Experienced volunteers can undertake additional training to assist people to write "their story" through the Memoir Service and volunteers can also support families during their bereavement through the Bereavement Support Programme. If you would like more information about the Palliative Care Volunteer service please contact the Family Care Coordinator at Northeast Health Wangaratta Palliative Care on (03) 5722 0184.
Pastoral Care Visitors
Pastoral Care Volunteers are provided by their particular denomination to visit patients and residents at their request, sometimes to simply sit with them or to listen to their concerns and problems. Pastoral Care Volunteers come from many faiths and denominations, if you are interested in this role, please contact your local church for further information.
Pet Therapy
There are a number of areas within NHW that have the four legged variety of volunteer involved. Activites include walking groups and participating in resident activities at Illoura Residential Aged Care. If you are interested in including yourself and your dog in our volunteer program please contact us for more information.
For more information on any of the above volunteering opportunities please contact Kerryn Mitchell, Volunteer Coordinator on (03) 5722 0297.