Volunteers play an important role in our healthcare facilities and hospitals by contributing to the wellbeing of patients, their families and visitors. They complement the care and service provided by the professional staff by assisting with various non-clinical tasks.

Volunteering is an opportunity to support your community hospital or healthcare facility by sharing your skills and experience. It offers people the chance to grow, learn, make new friends, exchange ideas and feel valued.

Ways you can help

There are many ways you can volunteer, these include:

  • Providing information and assistance to patients and visitors
  • Spending time with patients — chatting, playing games, arts and crafts, reading
  • Encouraging, supporting and guiding practice sessions for long-term patient recovery
  • Distributing books and magazines throughout wards
  • Arranging and tending to flowers in wards
  • Knitting, quilting and sewing items for maternity wards
  • Supporting whānau with tamariki in hospital
  • Assisting with pet therapists
  • Providing musical performances for patients
  • Administration tasks
  • Editing and layout for newsletters
  • Working in the gift shop
  • Some light gardening
  • Assisting with events and fundraising
  • Delivering meals and drinks

Volunteer opportunities in your area

Contact your local district for volunteering opportunities.

Northland

Northland

Locations:

  • Whangārei Hospital

 

Contact:

  • To find out about volunteering call (09) 430 4101 extension 7802

 

Auckland (West and North Shore)

Auckland (West and North Shore)

Locations:

  • North Shore Hospital
  • Waitakere Hospital

 

Contact:

Auckland (Central)

Auckland (Central)

Locations:

  • Auckland City Hospital
  • Greenlane Clinical Centre
  • Starship Children's Hospital
  • Te Whetū Tāwera Auckland City Mental Health Unit


Contact:

Auckland (East and South)

Auckland (East and South)

Locations: 

  • Kidz First Children's Hospital
  • Manukau SuperClinic
  • Manukau Surgery Centre
  • Middlemore Hospital


Contact:

Waikato

Waikato

Locations:

  • Taumarunui Hospital
  • Te Kuiti Hospital
  • Thames Hospital
  • Tokoroa Hospital
  • Waikato Hospital

 

Contact:

Bay of Plenty

Bay of Plenty

Locations:

  • Tauranga Hospital
  • Whakatāne Hospital

 

Contact:

Rotorua and Taupō

Rotorua and Taupō

Locations:

  • Rotorua Hospital
  • Taupō Hospital

 

Contact:

Tairāwhiti

Tairāwhiti

Locations:

  • Gisborne hospital

 

Contact:

Taranaki

Taranaki

Locations:

  • Taranaki Base Hospital
  • Hawera Hospital

 

Contact:

Manawatū-Whanganui

Manawatū-Whanganui

Locations:

  • Whanganui Hospital
  • Dannevirke Community Hospital
  • Horowhenua Health Centre
  • Palmerston North Hospital

 

Contact:

Hawke's Bay

Hawke's Bay

Locations:

  • Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital

 

Contact:

Wairarapa

Wairarapa

Wairarapa Hospital employs a Volunteer Coordinator to oversee the development of volunteer services in the hospital and to ensure that your experience as a volunteer is enjoyable and rewarding.

Those who interact directly with patients will also need to be health screened. This is free and is for your own protection as well as the patients'.

Wairarapa Hospital volunteers are required to be a member of New Zealand Red Cross and to have a police record check.

Are you:

  • Outgoing and friendly
  • Responsible and dependable
  • Culturally sensitive
  • Willing to accept Health NZ policies and procedures
  • Able to maintain strict confidentiality

Do you have:

  • A positive attitude to patients, visitors and staff
  • A health status appropriate to the position

Do you want:

  • To give something back to the hospital and community
  • To meet new people
  • Training and ongoing support
  • A uniform and identification badge
  • The same safe and healthy working conditions as paid staff

What do our volunteers do?

  • Our Meet & Greet volunteers provide a warm and friendly welcome to visitors. They might help with wayfinding, locating wheelchairs, delivering flowers or offering general assistance such as calling a taxi.
  • Emergency Department (ED) support volunteers work in conjunction with ED doing numerous tasks, helping ease the workload of this the fast-paced environment.
  • Meals on Wheels volunteers head out in all kinds of weather to make sure vital sustenance is delivered to people who depend on us.
  • Volunteers undertake administrative roles within the various hospital departments
  • The Flower Ladies create beautiful floral arrangements and tend to patients' flowers. They work between the months of September and May.
  • The Interdenominational Chaplaincy service provides support for patients and their families from volunteer chaplains.
  • Volunteers take around a book and magazine trolley, which has some free toiletries on board for patients in need.
  • Knitters and crafters often donate goods such as knitted hats and blankets for our maternity wards. We are supported by several local knitting groups in the Wairarapa.

 

Becoming a Hospital Volunteer

If you have skills to offer or spare time to contribute, contact us to see if volunteering is for you. We are open to all kinds of contributions. We may not be able to accommodate everyone but you are welcome to make enquiries.

 

Contact the Wairarapa Hospital Volunteer Coordinator

Phone: (06) 946 9800 x 475

Mobile: 027 278 3552

Postal address:

Wairarapa Hospital
PO Box 96
Masterton 5840                              

Wellington and Hutt Valley

Wellington and Hutt Valley

Locations:

  • Kapiti Health Centre
  • Kenepuru Community Hospital
  • Hutt Valley Hospital
  • Wellington Hospital

 

Contact:

Nelson-Marlborough

Nelson-Marlborough

Locations:

  • Alexandra Hospital
  • Murchison Hospital
  • Nelson Hospital
  • Wairau Hospital

 

Contact:

West Coast

West Coast

Locations:

  • Buller Health
  • Te Nīkau Grey Hospital and Health Centre


Contact:

Canterbury

Canterbury

Locations:

  • Burwood Hospital
  • Christchurch Hospital
  • Christchurch Women's Hospital

 

Contact:

South Canterbury

South Canterbury

Locations:

  • Timaru Hospital

 

Contact:

Otago and Southland

Otago and Southland

Locations: 

  • Southern Hospital
  • Lakes District Hospital


Contact:

Volunteer for other health organisations

Hato Hone St John

Hato Hone St John organise volunteer positions such as Friends of Emergency Department, Hospital Friend, Hospital Host, and Community Carer.

Learn more about volunteering for Hato Hone St John

Cancer Society

Cancer Society Te Kāhui Matepukupuku o Aotearoa volunteers support people with cancer by driving them to hospital appointments, general support during hospital appointments, baking, and making cushions, turbans and hats.

Learn more about volunteering for the Cancer Society