Volunteering is about supporting the needs of the children and their families you meet each week – whether that is one child you engage with for a long period of time, many for shorter visits or escorting families to their appointments.  The number of patients and families you engage with will vary from week to week and there are no set targets.  However, it is important as an organisation that we can demonstrate the impact our volunteers are having and to demonstrate the need for the services CIH provide nationwide.

Each hospital site will have a binder or other safe set space with a sheet for each volunteer to sign-in and fill in the following information per shift:

  • Volunteer to sign in
  • # of supports
  • # of packs distributed
  • JustAsk volunteers will be asked to list the areas they escorted families to on an additional sheet

Each Team Leader will return the sign-in sheets on a monthly basis and a new one will be sent out.

Please click here to review a sample sign-in sheet.

Please see below some helpful tips when recording your interactions:

  1. Count the children in the playroom, bedsides and waiting areas you spent time with, including siblings.
  2. Count the children you brought toys or colouring packs to, including isolation room play packs but who didn’t necessarily want you to stay.
  3. Count children who engaged with colouring or activities or whose parents you chatted with in Outpatients or A&E settings (and their siblings).
  4. Count a child only once when you are working in a pair, not per volunteer.
  5. For the JA Volunteers ensure you count the families escorted to all areas of the hospital including Toilets, the ATM and Coffee shops.
  6. Keep a piece of paper and pen (which should be available at each site) in your pocket or tabard to make note of all your interactions, do your best to keep a count but don’t add undue stress to your time.
  7. Please total the count before leaving the numbers on the sign in sheet – especially where large teams might be leaving at different times, the last pair/person to leave can total the numbers and add to the sign in sheet.
  8. Do not list children’s names, room numbers or other identifying information on the sign-in sheet.