The high standard of care we provide at St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph (SJHCG) is the result of a team effort. A crucial element of that care is the contribution made by our committed volunteers. At SJHCG our volunteers generously give their time to support our mission of delivering compassionate, person-centred care through discovery, innovation, and partnerships.

Our Volunteer Services Department is dedicated to encouraging volunteer participation.

View additional information about applying for a volunteer position at SJHCG.

Volunteer Services Goals

The Volunteer Department’s primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for our clients, their family members, staff, physicians, and the volunteers themselves by providing effective volunteer services to the various departments that make up SJHCG.

Achieving our goal means ensuring that our volunteers are able to promote independence in all aspects of client life (social, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical) through purposeful activities.

To accomplish this, the Volunteer Services Department:

  • promotes quality volunteer programs that meet the needs of our clients
  • facilitates the involvement of volunteers throughout the Health Centre
  • ensures a meaningful and rewarding experience for every volunteer
  • promotes continuous development of the existing volunteer programs
  • increases staff awareness of volunteer participation, and of the humane, enriching services that volunteers contribute
    and
  • promotes community awareness of the volunteer programs at SJHCG

About Our Volunteer Program

Volunteering at SJHCG offers an opportunity to meet new people, develop new skills, explore different career options, and assist in our community.

The programs include:

  • Retail volunteers who serve clients, visitors, and staff in our Silver Maple Gift Shop and the Hair Care Place.
  • Activities volunteers who assist clients with the broad range of activities provided by our Recreation, Speech/Language Pathology, Rehabilitation, and Community Support Services programs; early morning coffee hour; church services; sing-alongs and more.
  • Neighbourhood volunteers work on one of our client neighbourhoods (hospital or long term care units), enhancing quality of life for clients by visiting them, walking with them, reading to them, playing a game with them, or assisting them at meal time.

We invite volunteers aged 16 years of age and older to apply.  A minimum 6-month commitment is required.

Volunteer Quote

“I am greatly appreciative of the opportunity that St. Joseph’s has given me…it has honestly been the best volunteer position that I have ever been able to have, and has without a doubt broadened my perspective. I really mean this. I wanted to volunteer in the first place to gain a better understanding of therapy, and came out with a much more emphatic and sympathetic view”.