my name is Silvia Advent I'm a
coordinator for volunteers I work at the
qe2 Hospital in Grand Prairie and also
look after the sites for Graham cash
beaver lodge and hike and I've done this
for just a little over ten years I do
love working with the volunteers making
sure that they are in a program that
they feel they are contributing in a
meaningful way I do individual
interviews with all new applicants for
their volunteering we provide them with
a packet that they need in that
application process I also do a an
orientation for the new volunteers so
that even though they may look at our
provincial handbook which is very
helpful we talk about how does that work
at the qe2 at hospital and then we do a
more site-specific orientation as to
their program patient care is really our
prime focus I find our volunteers can
come alongside and sit with patients
whereas professional staff may need to
be more task oriented so we have
volunteers who do visits they assist our
recreation therapy staff as well with
their programming whether that's our
patients in the hospital or residents in
long-term care facilities there are some
great volunteer coordination programs
and literature that is available for
training some great opportunities for a
person considering this role would be to
work with people in a volunteer fashion
probably have some volunteer experience
themselves and then be willing to just
be very flexible with your job I have
been a volunteer even prior to my
working
here and so I've just had a little bit
better than 20 years of volunteering
still maintain my role as a visitation
volunteer I think the best part of this
job for me is to interact with so many
people who are willing to give of their
time we can make an impact
to people to encourage them to give them
a quality of life that's very meaningful
and touching and it's just encouraged me
many times over to let other people know
that they do make a difference in other
people's lives