Volunteer Involvement at The Credit Valley Hospital .

Volunteers are an integral part of The Credit Valley Hospital. Not only do they bring to the organization a wealth of knowledge and experience, they also bring a perspective that provides community input. Volunteers play an important role in the hospital in supporting the delivery of quality, compassionate healthcare to the patients of our hospital.

Our Volunteer Youth Program gives young adults an opportunity to explore career opportunities, improve life skills, and obtain academic credits. Experienced and committed youth volunteers, have the opportunity to strive for a role as a Youth Team Leader and become a member of our Youth Committee. The Youth Committee helps determine the standards and expectations of how the program operates at Credit Valley.

The Volunteer Resources Department is responsible for the administration of the volunteer program at The Credit Valley Hospital and ensures that volunteers are provided with the ongoing support, guidance, training and supervision required during their placement.

Volunteers provide support helping patients, provide clerical assistance, work in our “Shop At The Valley” store, or become involved in fundraising activities. To ensure consistency of service to our patients, adult volunteers are asked to make a 6 month, 3 hours a week commitment. Youth volunteers are asked to make a 60 hour commitment.

Questions? Read Our Commonly Asked Questions or for more information about volunteer opportunities, please contact the Volunteer Services Department at (905) 813-1585 or email us at volunteer@cvh.on.ca .

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The Credit Valley Volunteer Partners

Volunteers at The Credit Valley Hospital are represented by a self-governing volunteers’ board, which operates as a division within The Credit Valley Hospital. The Credit Valley Volunteer Partners’ Board is accountable to The Credit Valley Hospital Board of Directors. The President of the Partners’ Board has a voting seat on the Board of Directors.

The purpose of The Credit Valley Volunteer Partners’ Board is to provide volunteer leadership and guide volunteers in achieving the hospital's mission and vision. They are responsible for identifying the strategic direction that the volunteers take to enhance their involvement within the hospital.

Volunteers have a long history with our hospital. The Credit Valley Hospital Associates was formed in 1979 with a mandate to provide ongoing fundraising activities, positive public relations in the community, volunteer enthusiasm and leadership. This was at a time when the hospital was still in the planning stages.

In 2000, the Associates, after holding several focus groups with the volunteer membership, created a strategic plan for their future. At this time their name was changed from The Credit Valley Hospital Associates to The Credit Valley Volunteer Partners.

The Credit Valley Volunteer Partners’ vision is to be recognized as a leader of volunteer services within the community. Their mission is to support the delivery of quality, compassionate health care to the patients of The Credit Valley Hospital.

Throughout the years hospital volunteers have assisted in a variety of different areas in the hospital and fundraising initiatives.

Thank You CVH Volunteers!

Did you know that Credit Valley's student and adult volunteers contributed more than 111,309 hours of their time to support patient care last year?
Why do they do it? We asked volunteers...

Jessie Solarski , Volunteer
Jessie Solarski's friend enticed her to become a volunteer at CVH. Jessie works in palliative care supporting families who are traveling through an end of life journey with their loved one. She finds the work rewarding…so much so that she volunteers in other patient areas as well.

Volunteer Arani Sathiyapalan
Arani Sathiyapalan, Volunteer
Arani Sathiyapalan has completed almost 900 hours since she began to volunteer in January 2005. Arani is currently a youth team leader in addition to volunteering in paediatrics. She can also be found on Sunday mornings escorting our patients to the Sunday morning Worship Service. In addition to their gift of time, our youth volunteers also hold several fundraisers throughout the year. Arani has helped organize and assisted at many of these youth initiated hospital fundraisers. CVH would not be able to provide the quality of care that we provide our community if not for the contribution of volunteers such as Arani.

Margaret McIvor, Gift Shop Volunteer
Margaret McIvor was one of the first Credit Valley Hospital volunteers and has been actively donating her time since 1978. Marg has volunteered in many patient care areas of the hospital as well as served on the hospital’s Board of Directors. She was involved with planning the Hospital’s original Gift Shop. Marg currently volunteers with her friends in the Gift Shop, is a buyer and she also donates her beautifully hand knitted items for sale in the shop.

To all our student and adult volunteers like Jessie, Marg and Arani thank you for your compassion and dedication to our patients, staff and physicians.

The Credit Valley Hospital “Shop At The Valley”

Located in the inpatient hospital lobby is our new “Shop At The Valley” store. This bigger, brighter gift shop is not only one of a kind, but carries many new unique items that you will not be able to find anywhere else. The Shop At The Valley is operated by The Credit Valley Volunteer Partners and staffed by volunteers. We carry selected lines of women’s clothing that is currently only available in specialty boutiques. We have a great selection of giftware, lingerie, children’s clothes, toys, greeting cards, books, hand knitted crafts and of course fresh flowers.

To have flowers sent to a patient, call (905) 813-2200 ext 6224.

The Shop At The Valley Hours:

Monday to Wednesday		10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Thursday & Friday		10:00 am – 8:30 pm
Saturday		11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday		12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The Travelling Suitcase and Road Show

Recognizing the need to educate children about hospital care, The Credit Valley Volunteers provide a program which brings the hospital right to the community's children with two popular programs; the Travelling Suitcase and the Road Show. Offered to elementary schools, the programs are designed to provide young students with information about health care and provides an excellent opportunity to quell children's fears, giving them a better understanding of the hospital and what is required of them when visiting. For more information or to book either program please call the Volunteer Resources Department at (905) 813-1585.

Commonly Asked Questions

I am an adult (completed school), how do I become a volunteer?

For adults, your first step is to drop by the Volunteer Resources Department (opened 8:30 - 5:00 on weekdays) and pick up an application and health form (the health form must be completed by your family doctor). Once the application and health form has been completed and returned to the Department, you may be requested to come in for an interview. The interview gives us an opportunity to determine if your assistance through volunteering will be a good match for both yourself, and the hospital. Upon a successful interview, and prior to starting your volunteer placement, you will be required to attend an orientation session (approximately 2 hours in length). This session is conducted by the Volunteer Resources Department.

I am a student (high school, college, university), how do I become a volunteer?

Student application packages are distributed at ‘information sessions’. Please contact us at 905-813-1585 for upcoming dates and times.

I need to do 40 hours of volunteer work for school. Can I do this?

Youth interested in volunteering must be 14 years of age and be able to commit to 60 hours. After your 60 hour commitment has been completed we will gladly give you a letter or sign your school’s documentation to confirm your volunteer hours.

Can I take holidays?

Yes, of course. But we do expect you to let us know when you are going on holidays and when you are returning. Any volunteer who does not work for two consecutive months - without letting the Volunteer Resources Department know of their absence - will automatically be removed from our active list and their position will be filled by a new volunteer.

Can I work in whatever area I want?

Volunteers only work in areas in which staff has expressed a need for volunteer help. If you are interested in such an area and you are available to work at a time when they need help, then chances are good that you will be selected.

What kinds of jobs need to be done?

Volunteers are placed in over 85 different areas of the hospital. Volunteers help to support our staff and patients. This can range from working in our patient clinics, delivering hospital mail, assisting on our information desk, providing clerical assistance to staff or participating in fundraising activities such as helping in our gift shop.

For further information about volunteer opportunities, please contact the Volunteer Resources Department at (905) 813-1585 or email us at volunteer@cvh.on.ca.