Frequently Asked Questions About Volunteering at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

All volunteers in the Hospital Volunteer Program must be 18 years of age.

Our Teen Volunteer Program accepts applicants ages 15 to 17.

Our application information includes:

• What to consider prior to beginning the application process.
• Specific steps for completing the application.
• Dates applications will be accepted for the different categories of volunteers. Due to the volume of applications that are received, the Volunteer Services Office will be actively accepting applications only during the time periods listed.

Yes.

Apply to volunteer at UPMC Children's »

Note: The link is only available during open enrollment periods.

Due to a high interest from our community and large volume of volunteer applications we receive, we are not able to wait list prospective volunteers at this time.

We review volunteer assignments and programs regularly to:

• Monitor openings.
• Check availability of applicants.
• Screen applications for best fit.

Due to the volume of applications we receive, we remove all applications from our system every four months.

We are no longer scheduling one-day group visits at UPMC Children's.

The Volunteer Services Department is proud to have partnerships with various corporations, businesses, schools and organizations which members, students and/or employees make a regular commitment to be part of UPMC Children's Volunteer Program. These groups participate in specific, approved assignments at UPMC Children's. Each individual from each group is required to become a fully credentialed volunteer.

If you are a business or community-based organization interested in having members or employees taking on volunteer assignments at UPMC Children's, or a high school or teen student group (per UPMC policy, must be ages 15-and-up), contact John Krysinsky at John.Krysinsky@chp.edu or 412-692-3426.

If you are college organization or department, with a group or class of students interested in taking on volunteer assignments at UPMC Children's, please contact Angie Gordon at at Angela.Gordon5@chp.edu or 412-692-6178.

The focus of the Volunteer Services at UPMC Children's is supporting and nurturing children and families and support the hospital’s greatest non-clinical needs.

Volunteer assignments are classified into the following areas:

• Direct work with children to direct patient interaction.
• Family support.
• Hospitality.

These duties include:

• Helping children with crafts to facilitate play with patients
• Greeting families in the waiting areas and serving as an information resource to greet families, patients, guests/visitors and serve as an information resource at key hospital entrances and waiting areas
• Distributing informational and recreational materials to patients and families.

Learn more about the volunteer opportunities available »

We do not offer a formal baby-rocking program, however volunteers, under the supervision of Unit-Based clinical leaders and staff with support from Child Life staff, interact with children of all age groups, including infants.

Other UPMC locations offer opportunities to interact with infants, but applicants are usually placed on a long waiting list.

Volunteer assignments and hours will be discussed during your personal interview.

We will work with you to match the needs of our patients, families, and staff to your:

• Individual interests
• Working style
• Talents and skills
• Scheduling availability

Note: Volunteers who have relatives that work at UPMC Children’s are generally not placed in the same area/unit for their volunteer assignment.

There are many benefits of volunteering at UPMC Children’s including complimentary meal tickets and an invitation to our annual recognition event.

View a complete list of volunteer perks.

Although volunteers work closely with many members of our medical and support teams, our volunteers are focused on meeting the needs of patients and families during their volunteer experience.

If you are interested in a health care career, volunteering will allow you to gain insight to the hospital environment and supporting the needs of patients and families.

Volunteering at UPMC Children's will not, however, provide any job shadowing or clinical experiences. Those opportunities, if available, are coordinated directly by the hospital department. Additionally, the Volunteer Service Department can provide a letter verifying volunteer hours of service.

Learn more about Youth and Student Volunteer Opportunities at UPMC »

No. We do not offer volunteer opportunities for court-ordered service at UPMC Children’s.

For more information or to request a volunteer application packet via mail, contact the Volunteer Services Department at 412-692-5185 or chpvolunteer@chp.edu.

Adult candidates will be asked to commit to a minimum of one shift (usually 3-4 hours) per week, with an initial commitment period of 6 to 12 months (one year).

While prior hospital experience is always useful, it is not required.

In addition, essential skills include:

• Professional communication skills
• Reliability
• Responsibility
• Flexibility
• Ability to work in a team and with a diverse group of people
• Punctuality

Yes!

College students are a valuable part of our volunteer force and we have created distinct schedules to specifically meet the needs of college students.

Learn more about the College Students Volunteer Program »

Yes.

UPMC Children’s has evening and weekend volunteer opportunities for individuals who work full-time during the day.

Please note these opportunities are very popular and frequently have limited openings available.

Volunteers are asked to notify both their assignment supervisor and the Volunteer Services Office on days they are unable to be in attendance.

Review the most up-to-date information regarding the application process.

If you meet the eligibility requirements and can make a commitment to UPMC Children's Hospital Volunteer Program, you can begin to complete the steps outlined to become a volunteer candidate.

Submit appropriate health and immunization screening documents by email or drop off at the Welcome/Information Center. We require the following immunizations:

• Tuberculosis (TB) – What kind of TB test will be accepted?  All new volunteers must provide us with documentation of one of the following to satisfy the TB requirement:
  • A Quantiferon Gold Blood Test – One time, available and administered by UPMC Children's or UPMC MyHealth@Work Center.
  • PPD Skin 2-Step Skin Test – Two separate shot/placements (no less than 21 days apart) and have arm read each time by a certified medical professional within 48 to 72 hours (2 to 3 days). This is essentially a four-step process.
  • Documentation of chest x-ray 
• Tdap – Must be from within the past 10 years.
• Flu Shot – When you volunteer between December 1 to March 30, getting a flu shot is required.
• COVID-19 Vaccination – All UPMC employees and affiliated staff (including volunteers) must comply with government mandates that exist. The CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) federal vaccine mandate which applies to health care workers is now in effect. The Supreme Court’s January 2022 decision means that health care workers (including volunteers) must receive a first and second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or request an exemption.
• If you are eligible for a COVID-19 booster, we encourage boosters for all vaccine types to sustain your immune response.

Note: Immunizations can be completed at UPMC Children’s at no additional cost. We will provide more information if you are selected for an interview.

• Complete and turn in updated documentation for required immunizations (TB, Tdap, proof of 1st two doses of COVID-19 vaccine and Flu Shot - between October-April).
• Be willing to make a scheduled commitment.
• Attend an orientation session (which are hosted monthly) prior to beginning your volunteer experience.
• Additional orientation and education for your particular assignment and area of the hospital once you begin.

Teens, ages 15 to 17, are invited to apply for the summer program beginning in March.

This program has become extremely popular and spots fill up fast! Application packets are made available online in early March and we encourage applying as soon as the applications are posted.

Learn more about the Teen Volunteer Program »

Download the Teen Volunteer Program Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).

Teen Volunteer Program volunteers will be asked to commit a minimum of 35 to 40 hours of service during each summer in the program.

Due to a variety of reasons, children under the age of 15 are not permitted to participate in our Volunteer Program or come for same day visits with patients.

When they turn 15, they will be eligible to participate in the Teen Volunteer Program.

Unfortunately, we do not facilitate individual opportunities for volunteering at the hospital outside of our established volunteer programs.

However, we encourage students to complete Service Projects in the community which can benefit the patients and families of UPMC Children’s.