We have a variety of opportunities for those who would like to volunteer their time and talent. You can work in many different settings, including with patients, in the office or at community events.
Please click on the items below to learn about the different opportunities for volunteering as a part of Yolo Hospice. If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer, call our office at (530) 758-5566 and ask for our Volunteer Coordinator to start the conversation!
Patient Care Volunteers
Patient Care Volunteers are a vital part of our hospice team. If you choose to be trained as a Patient Care Volunteer, your support of patients may include providing caregiver respite, reading to the patient, writing letters, or running errands. A big part of your effort is simply befriending the patient and/or their loved ones. Each patient’s circumstance is different and will have unique needs. You will be matched with patients based on both their needs and your preferences.
All Patient Care Volunteers go through a free training course to prepare them for working with patients. The training helps new Patient Care Volunteers feel confident in the support they provide. The Yolo Hospice Volunteer Manager facilitates optional, monthly Patient Care Volunteers support groups that offer opportunities for volunteers to share their experiences and receive on-going training. Members of the Yolo Hospice patient care team are also available as valuable resources for you.
Commitment
Patient Care Volunteers are asked to be available an average of four hours per week. Typically, you are assigned to a single patient and will remain with them as long as the patient is with Yolo Hospice. Because each illness, each patient, and each family is different, we assign the volunteer we believe will best meet the needs of the situation.
Bereavement Volunteers
Bereavement Volunteers work with our Bereavement Department, reaching out to patients’ families after a patient has died. Bereavement volunteers call caregivers and loved ones to offer information about our individual grief and group support programs. We offer a variety of drop-in and multi-week support groups for adults, and we offer our Stepping Stones program for children and teens.
Office and Fundraising Volunteers
We also need volunteers to work in our office, answering the phones, helping with essential mailings, and supporting fundraising and outreach efforts. This is a great opportunity for all ages, to gain or utilize office experience–and to work together with our friendly and dynamic team.
Volunteer Training
Training for Yolo Hospice Patient Care Volunteers and takes place through the Sacramento Hospice Consortium. Trainings are held at different locations in the Sacramento area, including Davis. The Sacramento Hospice Consortium handles registration. To see the training schedule or register for the training, please visit the Consortium’s website www.sachospice.org/registration.php.
For additional information on the training program, call the Sacramento Hospice Consortium Volunteer Response Line at (916) 388-6288 or visit www.sachospice.org.
The classes include a total of 24 hours of training. Training is free but donations to offset costs are always welcome.
Volunteer Activity Report
Yolo Hospice volunteers use an online form to record and report their volunteer activities to the Volunteer Coordinator. If you are a current volunteer, please access the form here to submit a report.