Volunteers at Island Health are an important part of the patient care experience. No matter what role they have or where they are across Vancouver Island we are proud to celebrate and recognize our volunteers.
All Island Health volunteers are eligible for the Celebration of Excellence and Long Service Recognition programs.
Other ways we recognize volunteers
- Site and unit specific celebrations
- Staff and Volunteer summer barbecues
- Educational opportunities such as online training and access to educational events/activities
- Complimentary parking permits for registered and active volunteers
Hours confirmation and letters of reference
- Confirmation of hours after completion of 20+ volunteer hours
- Letter of reference after completion of 50+ volunteer hours
- References for medical school, grad school, and other in-depth recommendations after completion of 70+ volunteer hours
Volunteer Stories
Approximately 4,000 volunteers help Island Health achieve its vision of excellent health and care for everyone, everywhere, every time.
Check out some of our amazing volunteers and what their experience at Island Health means to them.
Kristy Inouye's Volunteer Story
As a University of Victoria student, Kristy Inouye found herself struggling with the usual school-life balance. But instead of reducing her workload, the high achiever added to it - by becoming a volunteer at Island Health.
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Kristy Inouye found herself getting swept up in her quest for achievement during her first year as a biology student at the University of Victoria. A self-professed perfectionist, Kristy was meeting the lofty academic standards she set for herself, but she was also feeling that something was missing from her life.
“My self-worth was tied up with my grades and I decided that it was important to get involved in something that would focus my energy outward,” said Kristy.
In the fall of her second year at UVic, Kristy reached out to Volunteer Victoria, and was directed to Island Health’s Volunteer Resources team.They connected her with Glengarry Hospital’s Bingo Buddy Program where she helped residents with various impairments participate in a weekly Bingo game.
“It was a great way to start off as a first-time volunteer in a residential care environment,” said Kristy. “I was a bit nervous at first,” she recalled. “I’d worked with children as a gymnastics instructor, but never with older adults. Fortunately, this program placed me with wonderful staff and volunteers at Glengarry and I was able to learn from them and meet a variety of residents in a relaxed, group activity.”
Appreciating the benefits of volunteerism
After her first year at Glengarry, Kristy began to appreciate the benefits of volunteerism. She could see how it enhanced the lives of residents by adding companionship and new people to their regular routines. “Being around the residents also enhanced my life,” said Kristy. “I gained more confidence in my ability to talk to people outside my social circles, and it helped me learn that there was more to life, and more to me, than academics.”
As her school schedule evolved, Kristy’s volunteer manager and Glengarry staff provided her with the flexibility, support and encouragement to continue working with residents; this time as a “Pretty Nails” volunteer. Through safety videos, and mentorship with a licensed aesthetician, she learned how to work closely with residents one-on-one and get to know them better on a more personal level.
Bryony Moorman, Island Health’s manager of volunteer resources for south island residential sites says Kristy provided hundreds of manicures and visits to residents.
“She also recruited other volunteers to Glengarry, sharing her positive experience with peers who benefitted from her mentorship,” said Moorman. “She has been an amazing volunteer and built trusting relationships with residents and staff over the years. It was wonderful to see how volunteering helped her grow, take on new challenges and find direction for her future career path.”
“I discovered I wasn’t nearly as shy as I’d always thought I was,” said Kristy. I loved the personal connections I made while spending time individually with residents, listening to and talking with them. Before volunteering, I’d convinced myself that my shyness would restrict me to a career working more behind-the-scenes, with less interaction. I started to think, ‘Maybe I can do this!’”
Understanding Aging
In addition to helping her learn about herself, Kristy says volunteering helped shift her understanding of aging.
“It was humbling to hear staff say that residents remembered me and looked forward to my weekly visits. While the services volunteers provide are appreciated, just spending time with someone can go a long way towards easing the loneliness that people can experience when they move away from loved ones and neighbours.”
During her third year at Glengarry, Kristy realized she had the self-confidence, interpersonal skills and the calling to work directly to support older adults and people with disabilities. Switching gears from Biology, she completed her Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology at UVic, graduating at the top of her class.
Governor General’s Silver Medal
Just before her convocation ceremony, Kristy received a call from the Dean of Education to say that she had won the Governor General’s Silver Medal, the most prestigious award that students in Canadian schools can receive, for achieving the highest academic standing of all UVic undergraduate students.
“It was an honour to win the award,” recalled Kristy. “It wasn’t something I set out to achieve, but it was a wonderful surprise. This achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support from my parents, family, friends, peers, professors and the staff at Glengarry throughout my undergraduate studies. It also validated that I had chosen the right field,” noted Kristy.
Kristy continued her educational journey in healthcare by entering into her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia.
Jeff Moyes' Volunteer Story
Jeff was given the opportunity to become the Volunteer Leader in the Emergency Department, overseeing up to 40 volunteers coming in on a weekly basis as well as training new and existing volunteers.
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My time at Victoria General Hospital has been very rewarding and has taught me a lot about leadership and teamwork.
I was given the opportunity to become the Volunteer Leader in the Emergency Department, overseeing up to 40 volunteers coming in on a weekly basis as well as training new and existing volunteers.
I was given the freedom to expand and improve the roles in the department. This also gave me the opportunity to sit in on meetings with the nursing staff and establish rapport.
I have learned many skills that I am confident have shaped me into who I am today. One of the most important skills was learning how to work as a team.
I am the kind of person who takes everything upon themselves; however, I learned that working as a team and delegating the workload is much more effective in leadership.
It was a hard decision to leave the Emergency Department after dedicating 4 years as a Volunteer Leader.
I am leaving with the satisfaction that I was able to have a positive impact on patients and families who were in their most vulnerable states, and that I am leaving behind a successful program that has grown significantly.
Anita Weng's Volunteer Story
Anita volunteered from July 2013 through to August 2017, with total service hours of 338 Hours.
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Looking back at my first year in medical school, I am certain that my experience in the Volunteer Leadership program at RJH as a volunteer team leader, (VTL) has played a crucial role in preparing me for a career as a physician.
From having to write correspondence every day, hold orientations, and train new volunteers as a VTL, I learned how to communicate in a professional manner, and also how to listen carefully to others for feedback and suggestion. Secondly, I obviously made mistakes as a VTL, and those were immensely helpful for teaching me about humility and self-reflection.
Lastly, being a VTL taught me what responsibility really looks like. Knowing what impact the image and the action of a VTL has on their fellow volunteers, I made sure that I was setting a good example for the rest of my team.
There were so much more, but these were my takeaways from my experience. I’m finding these skills to be incredibly relevant now I'm in medical school, a place where professional standard is strictly enforced and communication within small groups or with patients happens on a day-to-day basis.
Volunteer site: Royal Jubilee Hospital
Volunteered dates: July 2013 to August 2017
Total Service Hours: 338 hours
Healthcare program: Entered Medical School in September 2017