Student Volunteer Program

DISCLAIMER: The purpose and expectation of St. Louis Children’s Hospital Volunteer Services is to provide play, distraction and comfort to our patients, and to provide guest services to all guests of the hospital. If you are interested in shadowing any of our medical staff, completing an internship/externship or practicum, receiving clinical experience or expanding your knowledge of the medical field, VOLUNTEERING IS NOT WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. Please contact the specific medical department you are interested in working with to learn about potential opportunities.

Long-term Student Volunteer Program 
The structure of the Volunteer Program is based on a consistent weekly schedule, which usually consists of one 3 to 4 hour shift a week. Starting January 2011, all new student volunteers will be required to serve a minimum of 75 hours of service over a 2-semester time period before written documentation of service will be released.

Currently, our greatest volunteer needs fall on weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., though we do have limited opportunities in the evenings and weekends.

Please click here to learn how to apply.

Service Project Students 
We are always happy to accept students who need to do service hours for graduation credit. If you will volunteer during school hours, please contact our office to check if we have availability before submitting an application.

Students who need to do service for National Honor Society, or hours for class credit or graduation credit that need to be done on non-school time do not need to contact us for availability.

Please note: Volunteer Services will not release a written record or sign student forms until the 75 hour commitment has been achieved, even if fewer hours are required for school graduation credit, class credit, etc. After volunteers have reached the 75 hour commitment we will be able to release a record of hours or sign student forms.

Please click here to learn how to apply.

Summer Student Program
The deadline for the 2012 Summer Volunteer Program was April 13, 2012.  We are no longer accepting applications for the Summer Program at this time.

To Apply:
To apply for a long-term volunteer opportunity:

1. Attend an upcoming Informational Session, held on the first Thursday of each month. Attendance at one of these sessions is required in order to submit an online application. Please e-mail us (slchvolunteer@bjc.org) or call (314.454.6145) for more information about these sessions and to RSVP.
2. Submit an online application.  Information on how to access the online application will be supplied at the mandatory Informational Sessions.
3. Print two copies of the reference form, which is available here, and the Criminal History Background Check release form, which is available here. The reference forms must be completed by non-family members (i.e. former/current employer, teacher/professor, school counselor, coworkers, etc.). Please submit all forms via fax or mail them in one envelope to the Volunteer Services Office:

   Fax: 314.454.4876

   Mail (all forms in one envelope):
   Volunteer Services
   Suite 3N24
   One Children’s Place
   St. Louis, Missouri 63110

4. Once we have received and reviewed both the online application and Reference and Criminal History forms, you will be contacted with information regarding the next step*. If your schedule availability and volunteer interests match our current needs, you will receive information via e-mail or phone about upcoming New Volunteer Orientations. If we do not have a need for additional volunteers during your specified time of availability, you will receive a post-card in the mail noting your options. 

   *Note: You will not be contacted by Volunteer Services until your volunteer application has been reviewed. Your volunteer application will not be reviewed until you have attended a mandatory informational session and have submitted your online application, reference forms and criminal history form.

Information regarding Volunteer Health Requirements
If you are accepted as a volunteer candidate, you are required to supply the following documentation when you attend the New Volunteer Orientation.

• Current Immunization Record from physician. New volunteers are also required to provide documentation of TB test results from the current year of submitting an application as well as a seasonal flu shot during Flu Season.