Volunteer at The Children's Hospital at Westmead

You can volunteer within the Hospital doing various general tasks, including concierge service, sibling care, working in the Volunteer Shop, toy distribution and clerical assistance.

Please email the Volunteer Coordinator for this program, Kelly Bowler for more information.

Ward Grandparents are a vital part of the caring network for children at the Hospital. Parents face a variety of pressures when their child is sick and this is compounded when the family come from a rural area and/or the parents have other children to care for and few extended family supports.

Ward grandparents use their experience in loving and caring for their own children and grandchildren to make a difference in the lives of our children. When parents are unable to care for their children they cuddle, play with, talk and meet the basic needs of the children. They can also offer support and encouragement to parents in their time of need.

If you have a love of children and are willing to invest in their lives please email SCHN-CHW-SocialWork@health.nsw.gov.au

Family Support Volunteers work off-site from the Hospital, visiting families at home. They support families who have children with life-limiting illnesses. The volunteer role includes playing with unwell children or their siblings, helping with outings to the shops or park, providing light practical assistance around the house or garden or being a listening ear in a time of need. Family Support volunteers need to have a positive and flexible attitude, be emotionally mature and have openness to diverse cultures, religions and backgrounds.

Volunteers need to be able to commit to up to four hours per week, preferably on week days between 9am and 5pm. It is useful to have a full driving licence and access to a car (petrol costs are reimbursed). We offer comprehensive training and continuing support to all our volunteers.

Currently we especially need volunteers who are able to visit in the Western suburbs such as Auburn, Blacktown, Erskine Park and the Bankstown and Hills Districts however, applications from other areas in Sydney are also encouraged.

Please email Sarah Potter for further information or see the Palliative Care page.

Volunteers are needed to provide support for carers through the Parent and Carer Resource Centre. Carers are usually the parents of the child but carers can also be grandparents, foster carers and other relatives or friends of the child.

Volunteers in the Carer Support Program are responsible for staffing the Centre. The Centre has been designed by parents for parents and is a non-clinical, homely environment where carers can take a break. We require our volunteers to provide assistance and support to carers of children at the Hospital, this includes providing information about appropriate services and support to access them, providing a listening ear, a friendly chat or sometimes just a cup of tea to a stressed or tired carer.

Carer Support Volunteers work solely with carers and parents. Our volunteers do not work with the children in the hospital.

Please email Nicola Riebolge for further information.

The Book Bunker on level 1 of the Hospital is a recreational library for the inpatients and their siblings. Operating as a normal library, books are catalogued and loaned out via computer.

Volunteers interact with patients and their families as librarians do. In spare time, processing of books occurs as well as displays and any other useful activity. There is no need to have library expertise, just a love of reading.

Volunteers distribute books using a trolley to children in beds in the wards, or patients and parents can visit the library on level one and read and/or borrow. 

The Book Bunker is open from 10 until 3 Monday to Friday.

Requirements and training are the same as all other hospital volunteers.

For more information, please email Bronwyn Jackson

Volunteers work in the Child Life and Music Therapy department tp support staff in the preparation and cleaning of resources. Volunteers may work on the wards under the supervision and guidance of therapists.

Please email the Volunteer Coordinator for this program, Kelly Bowler for more information.