I have no medical experience.  Can I volunteer?

Yes!  Think of a hospital and all the people who help run it.  We need Receptionists, Schedulers, Greeters, Screeners and other Lay Volunteers to help us manage our Medical Clinic, our Dental Clinic, our Mental Health Clinic and our Wellness Market.  And, we always need Interpreters!

How often should I volunteer?

That is totally dependent on your availability.   Our most successful Volunteers come once a week, usually at the same time each week.   However, we also have volunteers who come twice a month, or once a month, or seasonally.

I don’t live here all the time.  Can I still volunteer?

Yes!  We have many volunteers who only come when they are in town.  You will be able to sign up for future shifts whenever you anticipate being in town.

What if I can’t make it when I’ve signed up to volunteer?

You will have access to Volgistics, our Volunteer Management System, from your phone, tablet or home computer.   Volgistics manages your schedule, and your service hours.   If you need to cancel a regularly scheduled shift, you can remove yourself in Volgistics.   If it’s within 24 hours of your shift, please email or text the Director of Volunteers.

Do I need to find my own substitute if I can’t come?

No, that’s our job!   Conversely, if you see an opening on the schedule in Volgistics, you can add yourself to the schedule, to fill in for others.   Occasionally, the Director of Volunteers will send an email to all the volunteers in your department, asking for extra help during a particular shift.   You can respond if you’re available.

What if I don’t enjoy the volunteer job I’ve been assigned?

Just let the Director of Volunteers know that you’d like to try something else.   We will also train you for multiple positions if you are interested in doing more than one job. 

How do you train new volunteers?

Most of our training is on-the-job!   On your first day, we will introduce you to others in your department, and you will shadow another volunteer until you are comfortable on your own.  If your job requires access to our EMR (Electronic Medical Record), you will be given a username and password for login.  Please keep that information confidential.

Why do I have to keep track of my service hours?

VIM tracks all volunteer hours to demonstrate the benefits of having the Clinic in our community.   We often use the number of volunteer hours served, when we are writing grants for funding.  VIM saved the community more than $13 million in healthcare services in 2023!

How do I keep track of my service hours?

We will take your photograph when you come to the Clinic for a tour.  With your photo, we will make your VIM Volunteer ID Badge.  Your badge will have a barcode on the back.  You will scan your barcode at the beginning of every shift, and then again, at the end.  We will also show you how to track service hours on Volgistics for times when you are volunteering, but not on the Clinic campus.  For example, if you volunteer at one of our fundraising or community events, your service hours can be entered into Volgistics manually.

What should I wear when I volunteer?

If you are a Clinical Volunteer, you may want to wear scrubs, or a lab coat, and always comfortable shoes!  If you are a Lay Volunteer, please wear neat clothing.  Please, no tattered or torn jeans, no short-shorts and no open-toed shoes.