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Volunteer and Spiritual Services

"YOUR COMMITMENT... MAKING THE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!"

Volunteers are a valuable human resource.

Prairie North Health Region recognizes volunteers as an integral part of the healthcare team, and encourages teamwork between salaried staff and volunteers.

Volunteers enhance service delivery and are an important link between clients and community. Volunteers provide encouragement, support and assistance to people dealing with illness, change and aging. Volunteers contribute their unique talents, skills and knowledge to provide personalized attention to clients, leading to enhanced quality of life. Our Volunteer and

Spiritual Services Program provide support through:

• Orientation & Training
• Registration of Contributions
• Inservices
• Newsletters
• Appreciation Event
• Letters of Reference & Support

Approximately 3,900 volunteers participate in 30 facilities/programs and 15 auxiliaries in Prairie North Health Region. Many volunteers in rural and urban centers are involved in more than one program, serving facility-based and community-based programs. Each facility is unique and attracts volunteers interested in that sites's particular range of programming.

PNHR's Regional Manager of Volunteer and Spiritual Services is located in The Battlefords. Volunteer coordinators are situated with Battlefords Home Care and in Lloydminster and Meadow Lake. Volunteer management consists of program planning, recruitment, orientation, ongoing training, evaluation and appreciation. The program promotes staff/volunteer relationships, awareness of volunteerism, and awareness of the broad scope of volunteer opportunities.

Recruitment, volunteer placement and appreciation at several PNHR facilities and programs are under the direction of designated operational staff, often recreational and nursing. The volunteer manager and coordinators provide support for staff working with volunteers, through:

• Regional Policies and Procedures
• Risk Management Program
• Resource Sharing
• Program Development
• Appreciation Events
• Newsletter, Media and Promotions
  

Volunteers are active:

• as Individuals - through visitation, Meals On Wheels, palliative care, greeter, and clinic volunteers
• through Groups - as entertainers, schools, service orghanizations, corporate and business volunteers
• in Auxiliaries
• as Ministerial and Spiritual Service Laity
  

Auxiliaries

Auxiliaries are partners with volunteer service programs, Foundations and other Auxiliaries. Members fundraise for patient comfort items and contribute thousands of dollars towards items not met by other budgetary means. Auxiliaries contribute to recreation programming, decorating and furnishing of family rooms, and purchasing of specialized equipment. Auxiliaries recognize and support quality of life activities for clients and their families, through family functions and community events.

Spiritual Services

Prairie North Health Region believes that attention to a person's spirituality has a significant impact on his/her physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. The Region focuses on client-centred care which embraces the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. PNHR also believes that all clients, relatives, significant others, volunteers and staff have the right to access spiritual care, counseling and support.

Ministerial and Faith Community volunteers assist in:

• Chaplain On-Call Program
• as Volunteer Chaplains
• Memorial Worship Services
• Seasonal Celebrations
• Bible Studies, Visitation Programs and Cultural Gatherings
• Regular Sunday Services
• Chaplaincy Committee

The Manager of Volunteer & Spiritual Services is an associate member of the Battlefords Ministerial Association and chairperson the Saskatchewan Hospital Chaplaincy Committee. The Coordinators of Volunteer Services in Meadow Lake and Lloydminster are chairpersons of Chaplaincy Committees in those areas. Programs and services are coordinated and managed to support clients, their families, volunteers, and faith community leaders.

This ensures:

• Coordination of facility, memorial services, emergent services, resource and contact lists
• Continuum of service delivery to clients through referral for spiritual services
• Registration and orientation of visiting Faith Leaders/Ministerial & Laity
• Ongoing training, support and recognition programs
• Coordination of Palliative Care Volunteer & Spiritual Services Programs
• Ministerial involvement as an advisory resource to examine concerns, recommend policies and procedures, and provide networking among groups which have an interest in, or impact on, spiritual services
  

THE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

• Student & Adult Unit Assistant Volunteers
• Clinic & Greeter Volunteers
• Palliative Care Volunteers
• Mentoring and Visitation Programs
• Meals On Wheels
• Special Interest Groups (arts, crafts, music)
• Working one-on-one with clients in our Education Centres, Vocational Programs, Industrial Therapy and Group Homes
• Spiritual Service Laity Volunteers
• Public Awareness and Health Promotion
• Fundraising; selling tickets, working auxiliary bingos, foundation events, donations of crafts and baking
• Entertaining/sharing special interests
• Supporting family functions and special events
• Committee, Auxiliary or Board work
  

 VOLUNTEER PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Orientation & Ongoing Training through inservices and workshops
• Registration of your volunteer hours and contributions
• Area-wide and facility/program based Appreciation Events
• Communications through Newsletters, Meetings, & Media
• Insights and Skill Development
• Involvement with an Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement Program
  

 THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING

• Learn new skills and share interests
• Increase your well-being with community involvement and socialization
• Develop new interests and friends
• Gain insight into careers in a health care setting
• References and support for employment
• References for scholarships, education programs and careers
• Access workshops, resources materials and health promotion activities
  

YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE AND WE APPRECIATE THAT!

We will help you choose the activities which are right for you. You can be involved in your own home, in our health care facilities, or in a community setting. You can choose the time of day, the time of year, and the projects that are best for your commitment.

For more information contact;