Volunteer Roles

As a member of a customer-focused volunteer team, you will welcome patients and visitors to Lakeridge Health, provide them with appropriate and required assistance to find their destination within the hospital, and learn about the services and departments in the hospital.

Please note this is role requires standing and walking.

This role is available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, and Oshawa Hospitals. 

Friendly Visiting and Recreation Therapy 

Volunteers play a meaningful role by spending time with patients or residents, either one-on-one or in group settings. You will support recreation therapists by helping with fun and engaging activities like games, arts and crafts, and music. You may also assist by escorting patients to common areas for socializing and events. 

These opportunities are available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Port Perry, and Whitby Hospitals, as well as Lakeridge Gardens. 

Talent Sharing 

If you have musical or creative talents, you can brighten patients’, residents’ and clients’ days by sharing your skills with them. 

This role is also available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Port Perry, and Whitby Hospitals, and Lakeridge Gardens. 

As a volunteer at the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre (JCHWC), you will warmly greet patients, help them find their way, support smooth patient flow through the clinics on the third floor, and assist patients as they leave the facility safely.  

Learn more about the JCHWC, located at 1690 Dersan Street in Pickering. 

In outpatient clinics, volunteers play a key role in supporting patients who are coming in for appointments, day surgery, or other treatments.

You will warmly welcome patients as they arrive and offer support to family members and caregivers. You may also help clinic staff with various tasks to keep things running smoothly.

Outpatient clinics include areas such as the Fracture Clinic, Diagnostic Imaging, Day Surgery, Dialysis Unit, and Ambulatory Clinics.

These volunteer opportunities are available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Port Perry Hospitals.

As a volunteer in the Emergency Department, you will warmly welcome patients and assist with the registration kiosk. You will also help connect patients, families, and staff, offer age-appropriate activities and comfort items, and escort patients and visitors to different areas within the department. You will be there to answer general questions and provide support during their visit.

This role is available at Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, and Oshawa Hospitals. 

Cancer Centre Navigator

As a navigator, you will warmly welcome patients to the DRCC, assist with registration at the computer kiosk, and help answer general questions. You will also escort patients to various areas within the DRCC and Oshawa Hospital, making their visits easier and more comfortable. 

Systemic Suite/RROC Volunteer 

In this role, you will support patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments by offering comfort items like blankets, ice chips, and water. Most importantly, you will provide compassionate, friendly conversation to help brighten their day. 

These volunteer opportunities are available at the Oshawa Hospital. 

Volunteers have a meaningful opportunity to support clients during group sessions at Pinewood Addiction Services. You will help comfort and guide clients around the centre, and assist with security measures, all while working closely with the Pinewood team. 

This role offers a great introduction to the important work happening at the centre and a chance to have a positive impact on clients’ experiences. It is especially ideal for post-secondary students interested in gaining mental health experience. 

As a volunteer with the Academic Affairs team, you will help with both virtual and in-person orientations, tours, and educational rounds.

This role is available at the Oshawa Hospital. 

Volunteers will assist LHEARN Centre team members with event support (i.e. marketing materials, registrations and set-up), clinical education support, website updates and simulation preparations.

This role is available at the Oshawa Hospital.

As a Spiritual Health Visitor, you will support Lakeridge Health’s Spiritual Care team by visiting units to introduce spiritual services early in patients’ admissions. You will also help identify patients who might benefit from additional support from Spiritual Health volunteers or practitioners. 

The role is available at the Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville and Oshawa Hospitals.

Volunteers with Distress Centre Durham (DCD) receive training to support community members by answering helpline calls from those seeking emotional support or experiencing distress or crisis. You will also help with the callout program by making scheduled check-in calls to community members.

Volunteers commit to four shifts per month, each lasting four hours. Shifts take place onsite in DCD’s call room, between 8:00 a.m. and midnight.