April 10 to 16 is National Volunteer Week, a time for all of us to pause and consider the enormous contribution that volunteers make at VCH.

There are over 1,300 active volunteers in Vancouver today. They work in community health centres, at Vancouver General Hospital, in shop-by-phone programs at your local Safeway, at George Pearson Centre, at immunization clinics, at Dogwood Lodge, in needle exchanges, at GF Strong, in communicty recreation facilities, at UBC Hospital, and in so many other places that the list is too long to include here. All of them support our patients, clients and residents. All of them deserve our thanks.

Celebrating our student volunteers

One of the ways our Vancouver Volunteer Resources departments express their thanks is by recognizing those who have made an outstanding contribution, and who promise to make an even bigger impact on health care in the future. Each year, a prize of $500 is offered to each of four student volunteers. In March, 36 applicants wrote a short essay describing their volunteer experiences, and sharing the insights they gained through those experiences. The selection committee chose the following four volunteers to receive one of these awards:

Agnetha

Agnetha has contributed over 1,000 hours as a volunteer at VGH, in the CIBC Centre for Patients and Families, in the Emergency Department (ED), and on the On-call Infection Control Team. She is a Masters of Science student at UBC, and plans to pursue a career in public health. Agnetha says that her experience in the ED has helped her “… to work independently, as well as with a partner, in a dynamic and, at times, challenging environment.”

Ashley

Ashley has contributed more than 300 hours supporting child immunization clinics at the Raven Song Community Health Centre, and helping in the VGH Gift Shop. She is a Sciences undergrad at UBC. It was her mother’s successful battle with cancer that inspired Ashley to consider a health care-related career. She has learned a lot by watching the nurses at Raven Song. “They all lead by example, and from them I have learned the importance of being patient with others in order to provide quality service.”

Christa

Christa has contributed over 500 hours supporting recreational programs at George Pearson Centre. She is a fourth year Life Science major at SFU, and plans a career in the pharmaceutical field. Her experiences at Pearson have taught her that “… age, culture and physical and mental health cannot become barriers in building a friendship.”

Jennifer

Jennifer has contributed over 600 hours supporting needle exchange clinics, facilitating SMART groups for clients recovering from addiction, and serving as a Downtown Women’s Night activity leader. She is a third year BCIT Bachelor of Science student. Her volunteering has shaped her desire and passion to work in community nursing when she graduates. Jennifer is grateful for her volunteering experiences because “… my career choice, my outlook on life, my ability to cope with changes, and the way I view the world have been positively impacted.”

These four people exemplify the dedication of our volunteers. By recognizing them, Volunteer Resources recognizes all those who give so generously and who share our common commitment to our patients, clients and residents.

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Join us and thank a volunteer next week