Year Round Volunteer Intake
Applications for regular (minimum 6-month commitment) volunteers are open all year. Contact for an interview is dependent on volunteer needs at each site and the start date is dependent on the completion of the entire volunteer onboarding process, which must be completed within 3 months of an interview.
Previous UHN Volunteers
If you have previously volunteered with UHN and would like to be considered for a return to volunteering, please connect with the site you wish to volunteer at. (Volunteer Resources Contacts) We can guide you through the steps that are specific to your situation to become an active volunteer.
Summer Volunteer Program
The Summer Volunteer Program accepts students (Secondary and Post Secondary) who wish to gain volunteer experience during the months of May to August.
Volunteers are required to apply by March 1st, be completely onboarded and be ready to start volunteering the first week of May.
Note: Volunteer role availability for summer volunteers is determined by the needs of each hospital site and may vary each year.
- Must be 16 years of age or older
- Must be able to commit for the whole summer (4 months: Beginning of May to end of August)
- Must be able to commit to 2-4 hours per week
- Applicants must indicate on their application they are applying for the Summer Volunteer Program
- Applications must be submitted no later than March 1st
To become a volunteer at UHN, you will need to complete the following steps: Click on each of the Steps to expand.
Submit only ONE (1) Volunteer Application Form through Better Impact to be considered for a volunteer role at a UHN site. You will receive an automatic confirmation that your application has been submitted successfully.
For each, make note of the password, as you will be asked for it on the Online Application.
When applying:
- Complete your application in full within 7 days
- Include your resume and cover letter (preferred)
- Select your preferred location for first choice and second choice
- Indicate which type of programs you are interested in (there is no guarantee of placement in that program)
- Be flexible with your expectations and indicate more than one area of interest
- Indicate the days/times you are available to volunteer
As volunteer roles become available at the UHN site to which you applied (1st choice, 2nd choice), applicants may be invited to attend a virtual, telephone or in-person interview.
After a successful interview, Volunteer Resources will provide you with the steps in the mandatory onboarding process you need to complete to be cleared to volunteer at UHN.
These steps include:
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References: Uploading two (2) completed professional reference forms to your Better Impact application. References cannot be from friends or family and they cannot be greater than 1 year old.
UHN Reference Form
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Health Services Clearance: Volunteer Resources will email you the forms and links for you to submit the required information to Health Services. UHN does not reimburse for any associated costs. Includes: Two-step TB skin test, signed record of immunizations, proof of at least two doses of COVID 19 vaccinations
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Volunteer Orientation:
- Phase 1 includes 12 online modules; Volunteer Resources will email you the links to these modules
- Phase 2 is a site specific virtual Volunteer Orientation; Volunteer Resources will email you to register for this orientation
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Criminal Record Check: Volunteer Resources will send you an email with the instructions and link to submit the required information to complete a third party Criminal Record Check. If you are under 18 years of age, this step will not apply. (There is no charge to the volunteer for this step)
Your volunteer role, schedule and start date will be determined once
all of the mandatory onboarding steps are complete. The volunteer role you are placed into may require additional training/mentor shifts. Volunteers must make a minimum
6 month commitment to a volunteer shift of
2 - 4 hours once a week.
- Volunteers are selected and placed according to the needs of the hospital
- Volunteer roles are based on requests for volunteer support that Volunteer Resources receives from Volunteer Supervisors; therefore type of and availability of volunteer roles varies
- Interests, skills, availability and suitability are all taken into consideration
- Evening and weekend opportunities are limited
- Volunteer roles have boundaries and do not include any tasks that can only be performed by trained healthcare professionals
- Volunteering will not allow you the opportunity to practice or develop your clinical/technical skills, nor will you be able to observe medical treatments or procedures
*PLEASE NOTE*
- Applying for a volunteer position at UHN does not guarantee you a volunteer placement opportunity
- The onboarding process to become a volunteer has several steps. Post a successful interview this process can take 6-8+ weeks to complete.
- There are areas of the hospital that do not offer volunteering opportunities
- We keep volunteer applications on file for a period of 1 year at which time the application is closed
Commitment
To become a UHN volunteer requires commitment. You must meet the following general criteria:
- Be 16 years of age or older
- Be willing to commit to your placement for at least 6 - 12 months
- Must be able to contribute 2-4 hours once a week
- Must submit Health Services screening information that includes a two-step TB test and at least 2 COVID vaccines
- Agree to wear a uniform (purchase) and ID badge during every shift
- Respect the mission and values of UHN
- Abide by the Confidentiality and Volunteer Agreements
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
- Be professional, reliable, punctual, team-oriented and customer-service oriented
- Good interpersonal skills, caring and friendly, and able to interact with family and visitors when required
- Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills
- Proactive and resourceful
- Pay attention to detail
- Must be able to take directions, but also be able to work independently
