Volunteering at Childrens Hospital St Louis?

Question

I am 16 and was wondering if anyone knows anything about the volunteer program at Childrens Hospital in St. Louis?

Or if you you're a volunteer, and have some helpful things to get me going. What are some challenges. I love working with children, i've babysat for about six and a half years now. I watched Quadruplets and Twins. Also i have worked with kids with Cancer and disorders. I would love any advice!!! :D

Answer 1

What a wonderful thing to do. My children volunteered by working in a nursing home in our area. They got to understand what it was to be older and unable to care of oneself.  

I am a volunteer in two different areas.  One is mentoring a woman who has fallen on hard times, and is trying to make a life for herself and her son. My challenge is to encourage her and to allow her to know her own worth.

The other volunteer job is at our local hospital. Kids your age are also volunteering there, doing whatever is needed. I started in the NICU, which is for newborns who need intensive care. I loved helping the babies, but ended up with a dry cough and thought it best to get away from the babies. I now work in the snack shop, which is fun and at another time I work in the Surgery Waiting Room, helping families with their anxiety as their loved one is operated on.  We use teenagers in the information booth, in the pediatric unit(when toddlers are in the hospital).  You could ask your local hospital if there is a place for you, working with children. With your background, I know they would love to have you.

Volunteering is a wonderful thing to do, because not only does it put you with those who need help, but it gives you a valuable outlook on life other than your own. It teaches you to work with others, and even to find out if you would like the area as your career path.  

Good luck, and God bless you in your decision to help others less fortunate than you.  The challenge is to remember to take care of yourself first, than you can give to others.  Volunteers are caring people, and when you volunteer in one place, many other opportunities of need surface.  You must learn to set boundaries and priorities. I am asked to work every day, but only work 4 hours two days a week, and two hours once a week with the woman.  Any more hours would take away from my love of gardening and friends, and family time.  Keeping a balance, such as for you would be school, family, friends, and a certain dedicated number of hours for volunteering.  And learning to say " Thank you for wanting me to work another shift, but I can't do it at this time."   And then sticking with that answer.  Otherwise, you will burn out and resent being used; do your share but not everyone elses.  

Have a great day, and a wonderful future.

Answer 2

Call the hospital and tell them you want to volunteer. You will be given an orientation that will detail what volunteers do at the organization, and what you will do initially. To work with children, you will have to undergo a criminal background check, and you will need to provide references who can verify that you have worked with children with cancer and other disorders, that you have babysat, etc. Get those references together before you fill out your application at the hospital to volunteer (you will need to contact the people to get their agreement to use them as references, and include their contact information so the hospital can contact them).