By Tracy Drenth
Like many not-for-profit organizations across the country, St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s), experienced a drastic decline in the number of volunteers post-pandemic. The individuals most relied upon by our hospital were sidelined as they were deemed most vulnerable.
During the peak of the pandemic, my team and I were redeployed to support perimeter screening operations, however, we also spent countless hours staying connected to our 1,050 volunteers, checking in on them by phone and sending them regular email updates about what was happening within the hospital. At the onset of the pandemic, we knew we needed to keep them safe by removing them from our buildings, but we also went to work to create a strategy to reintroduce them to the hospital as soon as we were safely able to do so.
In the spring of 2023, we realized we were competing with many other local organizations also attempting to regain their volunteer work force. Since approximately half of our volunteers did not return to the hospital post-pandemic, we knew we needed to change or enhance processes and remove barriers to create an atmosphere that solidified St. Joseph’s as the place of choice for volunteering.
Over the next year, we double downed on efforts on a recovery strategy. The Volunteer Services team focused on recruiting students and youth volunteers, with the University of Western Ontario within walking distance to the main hospital campus and older adult volunteer rates declining. In late 2023, we released a new volunteer recruitment video and social media campaign targeting a younger audience, which resulted in an immediate spike in applications, due in part to a higher than average engagement rate on social media, and based on paid ads, clicks to St. Joseph’s volunteer services website exceeded the objective set by 432 percent. At the same time, we leveraged a new partnership with Fanshawe College, and invited students from the Fashion Marketing and Merchandising program to gain hands-on experience by creating window and store displays in the six on-site gift shops and variety stores, which are also supported and overseen by our department. It also exposed students to the hospital and possible future volunteer opportunities.
Based on feedback, one of the challenges to volunteer with us has been the requirement to have updated vaccinations. To address this, we partnered with the Occupational Health and Safety Services Department to provide free tuberculosis testing for new volunteers, as well as any outstanding mandatory vaccinations. Guided by the Ontario Medical Association’s recommendations for those working within a health care setting, the hospital’s health review process has been a barrier for volunteers due to excessive costs within the community for testing, or the requirement for a physician to confirm an individual’s immunity to a number of communicable diseases. If a prospective volunteer is unable to incur these costs, or does not have access to a family physician, until now, they have been unable to proceed with the application process.
The internal process adjustments weren’t the only changes required post-pandemic to align with the hospital’s mission. There was an obvious shift in the landscape of our community, with many patients requiring additional support when they arrive at the hospital. Responding to these unique needs, a new volunteer role called the ‘Appointment Assistant’ was created. This new volunteer role was developed to support patients coming for outpatient appointments, who needed assistance navigating the hospital, but also to help ease the anxiety and confusion for patients, who, in some cases, are nervous about their appointment or procedure. The appointment assistant meets the patient at the entrance, escorts the patient to their appointment, helps with registration if needed, stays in the waiting area during the appointment, escorts the patient back to the entrance and waits with the patient for their ride home.
“I saw Monica (volunteer) as my angel that day,” says Joan, a patient who used the service when she was scheduled to have outpatient cataract surgery, but didn’t have someone to accompany her while in hospital. “She was kind, empathetic and caring. It made me feel loved and cared about. It truly was a gift to have Monica there with me.”
This novel program is catching the attention of hospitals across Ontario. In the planning phases of the program, I contacted other hospitals to see if they had similar programs that could offer some insight. None of them did but more than a dozen administrators indicated they would consider it based on our experience. Although our volunteer service is not about direct patient care, it is our way of being able to contribute to supporting our patients.
The enhancements done over the last few years, in response to a changing demographic in volunteerism and the local community have paid off, as the current number of active volunteers has steadily increased to just under 800. In the Fall of 2023, we conducted a survey using an online tool provided by the Professional Association for Volunteer Leaders – Ontario (PAVRO) which showcased marked improvements across various metrics compared to previous years and against peers in the province. The confidence and comfort level our volunteers expressed regarding overall patient safety increased by 14.4 percent compared to the 2019 survey, placing us in the top 3 of all responding hospitals. There were other notable increases in how well the hospital makes all people feel welcome, regardless of culture, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion and ability, and whether our volunteers would recommend St. Joseph’s as a place to volunteer.
Amid high leadership turnover at the hospital throughout the pandemic, we remain committed to educating new staff about the value and impact of volunteers. We are actively proposing new and innovative solutions, including a new volunteer role to advance lagging projects or provide additional support where needed. Looking ahead, we also have additional enhancements planned in the Volunteer Services Department such as rolling out updated volunteer management software, a new online training platform, and updates to on-site store operations. A new Volunteer Advisory Council, comprised of 18 active volunteers varying in age, backgrounds, roles and years of experience ensures the volunteer program addresses the ongoing needs of all volunteers throughout the organization. Our goal is to continually improve the volunteer experience at St. Joseph’s with meaningful volunteer roles to adapt to changing demographics and community needs. St. Joseph’s volunteers are dedicated to the values of the organization in caring for our patients and residents, and, as the Volunteer Services Team, we are dedicated to ensuring our volunteers have a rewarding experience.
Tracy Drenth is the Volunteer Services Coordinator at St. Joseph’s Health Care London in London, Ontario. She has over 20 years experience in volunteer management, team leadership and strategic and operational planning.
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