Volunteer Responsibilities
Job Description
During this volunteer experience, students have an opportunity to become familiar with the child life profession and children’s reactions to hospitalization and illness. The program’s foundation is to provide the students the opportunity to learn how child life specialists apply theory to practice. Therefore, part of the schedule consists of students shadowing child life specialists and other staff through observation to gain assessment skills. In addition, students also have “hands-on” experience with patients and families as they plan activities and develop communication skills.
I worked under the direct supervision of Susan Eyre and Lara Johnson, the Child Life Activity Coordinators. A typical day consisted of cleaning and organizing playrooms on all of the floors, making deliveries to out patient clinics, and working in the third floor playroom. The majority of my time was spent in the playroom, where I got to visit patients and bring them to and from the playroom and deliver toys to patients who were unable to leave their rooms.
I worked under the direct supervision of Susan Eyre and Lara Johnson, the Child Life Activity Coordinators. A typical day consisted of cleaning and organizing playrooms on all of the floors, making deliveries to out patient clinics, and working in the third floor playroom. The majority of my time was spent in the playroom, where I got to visit patients and bring them to and from the playroom and deliver toys to patients who were unable to leave their rooms.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Must be in college and have completed Freshman year
- All volunteers are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours over the course of the summer.
- Minimum of 8 weeks of a traditional summer vacation; May/June to mid-August.
- Multiple assignments can be selected, and are similar to those available to adult volunteers.
- Dependability is very important. Volunteers are assigned to a specific area on a specific day and time
Benefits and Opportunities
Volunteering at Texas Children's Hospital benefits the volunteer, the patients, the families and the hospital workers. I benefited from meeting new people, learning new skills, and gaining valuable experience. The skills I learned included learning how to interact with kids in a hospital setting. Individuals wishing to go to medical school and work in hospitals will also gain relevant experience and boost their resumes.
You are offered very flexible hours and you will be working with other college students who also have a passion for helping others.
You are offered very flexible hours and you will be working with other college students who also have a passion for helping others.
Achievements
The greatest achievements that happened this Summer at Texas Children's Hospital were not my own. I got to witness kids fighting off illness and disease every single day with everything they had. I saw families come together and support their kids by bringing gifts and laughter and company. I saw nurses and doctors slowly earn the trust of their patients, and build lasting relationships with them. There are so many incredible achievements that happened at Texas Children's this Summer, that mine couldn't even compare. My greatest achievement would probably be the relationships that I built with patients who I brought to the playroom almost every single day. It is the only place in the hospital where doctors are not allowed, and so it makes it a safe place where kids' walls go down. I got to see and use the transformative power of play that makes kids feel normal in a place that is so far from it.