Chapel Hill Medical Center, YBH, Chatham Hospital and Clinic/Off-site - Community Volunteers

Volunteer your time and talents to make a difference, touch lives, learn, and have fun!

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and not enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program or be in high school.

Places we really would love to have

community volunteer help!

• Are you interested in assisting our patients and families in the various waiting rooms at UNC Hospitals? Do you feel comfortable providing people with directions, updates on their loved ones, or possibly being a sounding board to people who are worried about their loved one’s surgery or diagnosis? Please consider becoming a WAITING ROOM ROUNDER VOLUNTER! These volunteers don’t just stay in one waiting room but go between multiple waiting rooms to help as many people as they can. You can even volunteer with someone else and volunteer as a pair! Must be comfortable interacting with lots of people. Available M-F, 1pm-6pm.

• Do you feel you can be a calming presence to long term patients who don’t have friend or family support? If yes, then please consider being a part of our VOLUNTEER COMPASSIONATE COMPANION TEAM! We have lonely patients who really could use some companionship. If you feel comfortable, there may be opportunities for you to sit with patients who are in their last stages of life. Training for this is mandatory. We are especially in need of Spanish speaking volunteers. Available 7 days/week, 10am-7pm

• Would you like to assist the Patient Relations Department in retrieving feedback from patients regarding their stay at the Medical Center? No one likes to be in the hospital, but we want to make sure that each patient’s stay is the best it possibly can be. This unique volunteer opportunity of being a PATIENT RELATIONS VOLUNTEER allows volunteers to round on patients, asking them specific questions in order to gauge what things made their stay positive and find out what things can be improved upon. Lots of walking involved. Must be comfortable interacting with a multitude of patients. Available M-F, 9am– 4pm

• Required Time Commitment

  Community volunteers must commit to weekly 2-4 hour shifts for a minimum of 6 months and 40 hours of service. If you are currently job seeking, please establish employment first to ensure you can commit to a weekly volunteer schedule. Only apply if you are ready to complete the onboarding process and start volunteering within 30 days of application submission.

  Requirements and Application Process

  1. 1. Review the Volunteer Areas List and complete an online application. List a specific volunteer area on your application (examples: Patient Guide, Office Aide, etc.)

        • If interested in the Patient Family Advisory Board, complete the program-specific application.

     2. Check your email for an automated message containing details about online orientation, compliance modules, background screening, and immunization requirements. Check your inbox and spam/junk folder for this email and contact volsvcs@unchealth.unc.edu if you do not receive it within 24 hours.

        • Different onboarding requirements apply to UNC Health Employees. Please reach out to Volunteer Services for more details.

     3. Review the Adult Volunteer Immunization and TB Testing Requirements. 

     4. Volunteer dress code is a short or long sleeved plain white, light blue or navy polo. Volunteers supply their own shirts.

Additional Questions?

Please contact Volunteer Services at volsvcs@unchealth.unc.edu.