About our Champions
Our Community Champions do their best to support and brighten the day of our patients and visitors. We’re privileged to benefit from their years of knowledge, enthusiasm, empathy and generosity.
Our Champions may help visitors and patients find their way around our hospital, visit patients and even drive eligible patients to appointments at the hospital.
Roles include concierge, patient transport, emergency department, chemotherapy, dialysis and allied heath and patient support across LRH including medical, surgical and children’s units.
Who can be a Champion?
We do our best to provide something for everyone!
Roles include concierge, patient transport, emergency department, chemotherapy, dialysis and allied heath and patient support across LRH including medical, surgical and children’s wards.
A typical Champion role involves at least one shift per week or fortnight of approximately four hours (or you can do more if you like!). From day one you will feel part of the LRH team as you are supported by our Engagement team, staff and your fellow Champions.
To be eligible to become a Community Champion you need to:
- genuinely want to help improve the experience of our patients and their loved ones
- be keen to support people from diverse backgrounds and older people
- be well presented
- be kind, caring, enthusiastic, and willing
- aged 18+ years
- commit to a regular four hour shift each week or fortnight
- complete an interview, police check and obtain a Working with Children check
- provide proof of immunisation
- attend volunteer orientation, induction and training
- comply with yearly mandatory training and relevant policies and procedures, including the LRH Code of Conduct
Our Community Champions program has been established in accordance with relevant national standards and principles.
What can I expect from the role?
Expect the unexpected! Some days may be very busy, depending on your role, and some days are quieter. We can never predict how many patients need our support or how many family members and visitors will come through our doors seeking out a friendly face.
If you help just one person during your shift, you’ve made a difference!
As a member of our Champions team, you’ll need to be a little flexible. While everyone has a regular role in the program, we may need your help elsewhere on the day.
First and foremost though is the care you can give. If you are someone who genuinely cares about others, there is a spot for you in our program. If you can help people find their way around the hospital with a smile on your face, then join us. If you are willing to go up to a stranger and ask them if they need help or sit with a patient to keep them company, we want you on our team. If you are able to get up early to drive a patient to an appointment and don’t mind shuttling patients to and from their homes each day, we’ve got a role for you.
And if you are thinking – I’m not sure whether I can do this, well, we’re happy to have a chat to see whether our program is right for you. We appreciate volunteering to help people who are unwell is not for everyone and your skills and compassion may be better suited to one of the other amazing programs in the area.
Ultimately, our mission is to improve the health care experience for patients and visitors and it’s the little things that count – being able to spot a person lost, confused or lonely and reaching out to help them. Being positive and cheerful to brighten someone’s day.
Contact our team if you’d like an informal chat.
How do I express an interest in becoming a Champion?
To enquire contact call the Community Engagement team on:
5173 8589 (Mon-Fri)
5173 8145 (Tue-Thur)
or email engagement@lrh.com.au
Once you fill in the formal application, you’ll have an interview and need to undergo a police check and Working with Children Check.
If your application progresses, we’ll provide you with orientation, training and support to get you started.
