What type of volunteering do we need?

[deleted862527]

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I am volunteering at Hospice and I find it one of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities out there. Would this count as clinical or non-clinical volunteer experience? I would think clinical, but as a Hospice volunteer, I mostly provide emotional support to those dying and to patient's family members. Sometimes I feel like I don't do much because I can't erase the pain from the family, but I do the best I can.

Do I also need non-clinical volunteer experience? I am also looking for leadership opportunities to do as well. Any ideas? I was thinking about hosting my own blood drive I think that would be super cool as well.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I am volunteering at Hospice and I find it one of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities out there. Would this count as clinical or non-clinical volunteer experience? I would think clinical, but as a Hospice volunteer, I mostly provide emotional support to those dying and to patient's family members. Sometimes I feel like I don't do much because I can't erase the pain from the family, but I do the best I can.

2) Do I also need non-clinical volunteer experience?

I am also looking for leadership opportunities to do as well. Any ideas? I was thinking about hosting my own blood drive I think that would be super cool as well.

1) From what you've described, it's Clinical.

2) For your application to have the broadest appeal, it is highly desirable for you to have nonmedical community service, too. Look for an off-campus cause you care about that serves those with few econonomic resources. Something providing face-to-face experience is best.

Examples: include Meals on Wheels, homeless or women's shelter, soup kitchen, food pantry, crisis hotline, after school tutoring of kids or ESL for adults, Big Brother/Big Sister, Special Olympics or coaching athletic programs for the physically disabled, helping with a scout troop or other youth group in the inner city, providing enrichment classes in a poor school (eg, science demonstrations or health topics), Habitat for Humanity, or Humane Society.

Once you are established with a group, look around for what needs to get done. Leadership opportunities abound.

 

[Pholaffle]

I can't imagine how you would host your own blood drive unless you were associated with a more formal organization and had the space for it.

 

[LizzyM]

I can't imagine how you would host your own blood drive unless you were associated with a more formal organization and had the space for it.

Organizations that run blood drives are always looking for local venues (school gyms, church halls, office park conference rooms, etc) in which to hold blood drives. The group that hosts often staffs the front door/welcome table and does local outreach to constituents (students, congregation, office workers) and other advertising to bring in donors. If you can do one every 8-10 weeks you can build a group of "regulars" who will make that location their own and give every time it comes around.

So, if OP has access to a large space and can find a blood collection group (Red Cross is best known but there are others in some locations), it could be a good leadership activity and a huge help to those who quite literally can't help themselves.