The start of something big
“Our volunteers are hugely valued and highly respected at UBC Hospital, and now they have the space and amenities to reflect the growing importance of their role on campus,” says Greg Terpenning, manager, Volunteer Resources – Vancouver Acute and Residential Care.
The UBCH Renewal Project has met its first milestone with completion of the new Volunteer Resources Centre.
Located in Purdy Pavilion, the new centre boasts almost double the space. Cleaner, brighter and more functional, the centre provides a comfortable home base for the more than 200 volunteers working across the hospital campus.
With almost double the space, the new centre accommodates secure storage lockers for our volunteers.
“Our volunteers are active everywhere and can be found in all UBCH buildings,” says Barb Bowman, volunteer coordinator. “They’re enthusiastic and genuinely care about the people they help, whether they’re wayfinding, running patient errands, gardening or assisting in physio and recreational programs.”
“I like the connections you make while volunteering,” says UBCH volunteer Alun. “The more you work here the more you get the opportunity to really know the residents on the floors.”
Kathy, a fellow volunteer, agrees. “I enjoy building relationships with the patients,” she says, “and every time I come in I learn something new.”
Cleaner, brighter and furnished comfortably, the new Volunteer Resources Centre feels custom-built for the job.
Funded by our VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, the UBCH Renewal Project is a major capital initiative that will transform the hospital’s inpatient clinical spaces and much more. This project will support the relocation of scheduled surgeries from VGH to UBCH, part of a broader strategy to improve patient access to timely surgery.
To support the growing number of patients and visitors on campus, plans are in the works to recruit more volunteers and establish a fully functioning information booth in the main lobby of Koerner Pavilion.
“UBC Hospital will continue to be an exciting and challenging place to work and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” says Barb.