Available Teen Opportunities

Direct Patient Contact | Limited Patient Contact | No Patient Contact

Characteristics necessary for all teen volunteers:

• Maturity, dependability and outgoing personality
• Ability to "take the initiative"
• Leadership qualities
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, caregivers, staff and guests

Direct Patient Contact Positions

Beauty/Barber Shop
Daytime program

Additional characteristics for successful Beauty/Barber Shop placement:

• Strong customer service skills
• Willingness to assume flexible job responsibilities (e.g., sweeping floors, assisting with wigs, answering phones
• Ability to assist patient with wig, scarf or turban

The Beauty/Barber Shop offers cancer patient’s services such as a shampoo, haircut, shaving services for face or head, head coverings and wigs, all free of charge. Services are on a first come, first served basis. The volunteer will greet the patients, assist the two staff members with clerical tasks and assist with showing scarves and wigs to patients. The volunteer will also have opportunities to visit with patients and family members in the clinic centers and at the Rotary House while demonstrating how to wear the "Urban Turban" head covering.

Clinic Aide - Brain & Spine Center
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Diagnostic Imaging - Area D
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Gastrointestinal Center
Daytime program

Responsibilities include retrieving charts and files, picking up supplies from Sterile Processing and Central Supply, directing and escorting patients to other areas of the hospital and preparing patients for the "vital sign" room.

Clinic Aide - Head & Neck
Daytime program

Responsibilities include greeting patients and family members, retrieving films, records and supplies from other hospital areas, preparing exam rooms and escorting patients to other areas of the hospital.

Clinic Aide - Infusion Therapy
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Internal Medicine
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Leukemia
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Lymphoma
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Respiratory Care
Daytime program

Clinic Aide - Sarcoma
Daytime program

Responsibilities include delivery and retrieval of materials to and from other hospital areas, escorting patients to other areas of the hospital and clerical assistance as needed.

Coffee Cart
Daytime, evening and weekend program

Additional characteristics for successful Coffee Cart placement:

• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to work well with a team
• Ability to walk extensively and push a cart

Volunteers in this program have a good opportunity to visit with patients and families, making their waiting time in the clinic areas easier. Responsibilities include making coffee, stocking the cart with crafts and traveling through the clinic areas offering free beverages, activities and friendly visitation.

Jolly Trolley
Daytime program

Additional characteristics for successful Jolly Trolley placement:

• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to work well with a team
• Ability to walk extensively and push a cart

Volunteers in this program have a good opportunity to visit with patients and families, making their waiting time in the clinic areas easier. Responsibilities include traveling through the clinic areas offering free coffee and selling cafe' items.

Patient Family Center
Daytime program

Additional characteristics for successful placement:

• Comfortable initiating conversation with patients, caregivers, staff and guests
• Strong listening skills
• Computer skills

The Patient Family Center is a room where volunteers serve as hosts and hostesses, providing personal and friendly attention to visitors and offering comfort and diversionary activities.  The volunteer may provide directions, both within the institution and in the Houston area, assist patients and family members with travel arrangements, transportation, banking needs, housing information, restaurant locations and places of interest.  The volunteer will escort patients and visitors to other areas of the institution.  The volunteer in this job must have strong communication skills and be self-motivated.

Inpatient Floor Host Assistant
Daytime and weekend program

Additional characteristics for successful Inpatient Floor Host Assistant placement:

• Strong customer service skills
• Comfortable initiating conversation with patients, caregivers, staff and guests
• Strong listening skills
• Ability to work independently without a partner
• Ability to walk extensively
• Teen volunteer will deliver newspapers and amenities

Limited Patient Contact Positions

Volunteer Gift Shops
Daytime, evening and weekend program

Additional characteristics for successful Gift Shop placement:

• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to learn to use cash register (occasionally)
• Willingness to assume flexible job responsibilities (e.g., stocking supplies, organizing shelves, assisting with inventory)

Volunteers will train in the gift shops to learn shop functions. Responsibilities will be varied and include handling merchandise, assisting customers, stocking cold drinks in coolers, candy, toiletries, over-the-counter drugs and various sundries. When necessary, there will be occasions to operate the cash register. Proceeds from gift shop sales support volunteer and patient programs.

Additional characteristics for successful placement:

• Strong customer service skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to follow directions
• Strong attention to detail

Responsibilities in this position include organizing merchandise, confirming correct pricing and ticketing items in the various gift shops.

Cyber Center
Daytime, evening and weekend program

Additional characteristics for successful Cyber Center placement:

• Ability to work with or without a partner
• Strong customer service skills
• Some computer skills required
• Comfort with entering patient rooms to retrieve TVs & DVD's

Volunteer will assist patients or families with computers, fax machine, copier, checking out DVD's and retrieving TVs from patient rooms.

No Patient Contact Positions

Gift Shop - Stockroom
Daytime program

Additional characteristics for successful Gift Shop-Stockroom placement:

• Ability to follow directions
• Self-motivation
• Ability to move boxes, unpack and put items away on shelves

Responsibilities include assisting the store clerk with receiving, pricing and distributing merchandise to four gift shops, as well as maintaining the stockroom area in a neat, orderly fashion.

Staff Support - Volunteer Services
Daytime, evening and weekend program - clerical position

Additional characteristics for successful Staff Support-Volunteer Services placement:

• Experience only
• High level of maturity
• Demonstration of management skills

This teen will be selected based on years of experience as a volunteer. These chosen volunteers assist staff with various duties related to the teen program.