AUGUST 2017

VOLUNTEERS NEWS

ACH | GREENLANE | ST ARSHIP VOLUNTEERS CENTRE

FROM THE VOLUNTEER C OORDINATOR: INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

FROM THE VC 1 CELEBRATING 2 N A T I O N A L V O L U N T E E R WEEK Most of us will recognise how refreshing a different perspective can be,

MESSAGES OF 3 whether it is caused by a break away from work or by visiting a similar or- THANKS ganisation elsewhere. I happen to have enjoyed a few of those ‘breaks’ S T A F F 4 VOLUNTEERING lately and it has left me with some new and renewed views on volunteers EXPERIENCE management and on life/work balance. VC’S TRIP TO 5 - 7 MELBOURNE On pages 5-7 you can read about my experiences visiting Melbourne’s NEWS FROM TE 8 WHETU TAWERA Royal Children’s and about my participation at the Australian Bet- LORDE’S VISIT 9 RADIO LOLLIPOP ter Impact membership day where I met with other volunteer managers.

WELCOME NEW 10 Very inspiring to learn how other organisations (some much larger than RECRUITS ours) in Australia utilise the Better Impact system. As soon as I was back FAREWELL JUDE 10 at the VC, Shubhra checked out all of my notes and made adjustments to E V E L Y N ’ S 11 VOLUNTEERING our system which we proudly presented to you during the National Volun- JOURNEY teer Week in June. THE NEXT ISSUE 12 & DID YOU KNOW As much as I like to be hunting new ideas, I find it equally satisfying to

come back to base when I learned that our ways have been an inspiration to others.

My unexpected break away from work to care for my mother in The Netherlands has brought home some hard truths regarding spending time  Monthly Newsletters‘ input needs to come from with family. It also made me realise how you all of us: Coordinator, volunteers divide your time over many different all volunteers, charge commitments; study, family, volunteering job(s) nurses, security people and paid position(s). It brings such a wealth of and all other key people that work alongside us. different perspectives to the Hospital. Another great benefit of working with volunteers!  Your input can be new ideas, shared experiences, Happy reading! good ol’ memories, anything of mutual interest is welcome! VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 2

CELEBRATING NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

took advantage of the opportunity of- fered during National Volunteer Week to write messages of thanks to the volun- teers. You can see some of the messag- es on the adjoining page.

Entertainment

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, Trevor Anderson (Blue Coat ACH and GCC) provided some entertainment, playing the keyboard during his shift on Afternoon Tea Level 5 at ACH.

As part of the National Volunteer Week celebration an afternoon tea was held at the Marion Davis Li- brary on Monday, 19th June. The afternoon tea was an opportunity to show our appreciation to the volunteers for their hard work and time.

About 30 volunteers from Companion Volun- teers, Blue Coats ACH and GCC and Te Whetu Tawera attended. It was a rare chance to mingle Brenda Lawson (ACH Blue Coat team leader) showing and chat with volunteers from other teams or Sue Jarvis (Operations Manager, Adult Community & those working different shifts. Long Term Conditions) the ropes

At the afternoon tea, Shubhra Shrotriya, our IT Staff Experience Analyst/Admin Volunteer gave a presentation on the recent improvements and adjustments made During the week, some senior managers spent to the Better Impact system. an hour or more working alongside the volun- teers to learn more about the work being done Messages of Thanks by the Blue Coats. One of the senior manager, Judith Catherwood, wrote about her experience Many patients and visitors as well as ADHB staff on page 4. AUGUST 2017 Page 3

MESSAGES OF THANKS

VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 4

A FRIENDLY FACE AT A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY

Last week was National Volunteer Week and I a lot in the hour I was had the pleasure of joining our Blue Coat volun- there, so I imagine the teers for an hour to work alongside them and Blue Coats cover a lot see first-hand what they do in our hospital. It of steps every was a truly fascinating and humbling experience day. One of my Blue for me. Coat friends was counting his steps on I was greeted by three of our regular Blue Coat the app on his phone. volunteers, and spent an hour helping them, on the volunteer desk at one of the main entrances Many of the Blue to our hospital. The area was busy and during Coats I spoke to had my hour there I would say there was a new per- been volunteering son asking for help every minute. I was really here for many years. Some used to work here very impressed with the knowledge the Blue and some also volunteer in other places. Most of Coats have of the entire hospital and of the loca- them give at least two half days every week. tions of some of our services. They know how to They give this time freely, and provide a wonder- help people find their way around and help to ful service to our community. give them confidence in where they are going. So my message to our Blue Coats: “you are a Many of the people approaching the Blue Coat marvel and having spent time with you I will con- desk were anxious, concerned or indeed upset tinually be reminded as I pass the volunteer about a loved one. I have to say, sometimes I desk, of the role you play every day in helping struggle to find my way around. But for a patient the many thousands of people who transition who may have had bad news, or a visitor who through our hospital, helping them find their way may have no idea what to expect when they find and making patient and visitor experience just their loved one in one of our wards, this makes that little bit better.” their experience even harder. The Blue Coats not only offer guidance, they listen, and they often Judith walk the person to the place they are looking for. Judith Catherwood They are the welcoming face to our organisation Director and provide comfort and a friendly face at a time Adult Community & Long Term Conditions of uncertainty. DHB As well as a humbling experience it unexpectedly Posted on Team Talk turned out to be good exercise, I found I walked June 26, 2017 AUGUST 2017 Page 5

IMPRESSIONS FROM MY MELBOURNE TRIP

The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne is huge and about twice the size of our main hospital. It re- ceives a budget from the Victoria government (not a District Health Board) and is partly financed through a separate funding arm (like our A+ Trust) that will fund specific equipment, upgrades or renovation projects.

I met with the volunteers’ management team, led by Kiley Kavanagh for the full day on Tues- day, 30th May.

I didn't feel like I was lane filled with (children’s toys) shops, cafes entering a hospital and restaurants, a gym and a school. The cen- tre had a low half round reception desk.

First Impressions The first shop you’ll see is a candy shop with sugars and ice creams galore; next door is a What I immediately noticed as I entered the Ronald McDonald along with other healthier hospital is that I didn’t feel like I was entering a food restaurants to choose from as well. hospital, but a (not so ‘scary’) shopping mall VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 6

IMPRESSIONS FROM MY MELBOURNE TRIP ( c o n t )

Most of the RCH volunteers have a ‘companion’ like character and volunteer on the wards.

The RCH’s volunteers’ management is slightly different to ours in that both RCH and ACH each have their own historical ways of doing things I be- lieve. Their motto is that initially you have to go Another lane took you to an outpa- through some pretty tough tient area with several clinics that hoops to be accepted by have self check-in computers where RCH as a volunteer/ volunteers assist with check-ins. employee, but once you’re After check-in, the patient and fami- in, the world is your oyster. lies are free to roam all the public Yet, their volunteers who spaces and go about their normal are in close physical con- day activities rather than having to wait in the tact with patients are not waiting rooms for hours on end, because TV screened on immunity (in comparison to some of screens (right throughout the public spaces) our volunteer groups who have to undergo a keep them informed of when their number is blood check here at our lab). coming up. All of the RCH volunteers/employees have to or- ganise their ‘working with children’ clearance at their own cost, separately from a criminal record Partnership with check. I haven’t checked that working with chil- Melbourne Zoo dren’s application yet, but I’m keen to learn about their screening.

RCH Volunteers

The Hospital has 570 RCH volunteers and partners with about 24 external organisa- tions who have their (approximately 350) people volunteer as well. For instance, their meercat enclosure is a partnership with the Melbourne Zoo who delivers and cares for the animals. The RCH facilitates the space and safety of the enclosure. AUGUST 2017 Page 7

I believe that the ADHB team might be ahead of Hurray for our RCH in utilising the system with a future vision in Blue Coats! mind such as dealing with a changing volunteers population, and being able to change past ways of working into new ones to suit new goals.

Six years ago, RCH was built with the intent to Also, being part of Auckland DHB’s Strategy and offer the public high tech signage to assist them Performance Improvement team has proven to be in finding their way around the hospital. Yet, one a huge advantage in bringing the volunteers ser- and a half years ago, management decided to vices to the level it is now. introduce their so called ‘green shirts’ (way find- ing/welcoming volunteers). The rationale was Better Impact’s Membership day was very in- that despite the high tech signage, any hospital formative and a great way to get to know other can be an overwhelming and scary place, which volunteer managers in Australia. The members of is why we need real people on the ground to be the Australia group come together every 3 the welcoming go-to person for patients, public months. Unfortunately that it is not likely to be and staff. Hurray for our Blue Coats! happening here in NZ any time soon due to the still small number of NZ members. Hamilton Hos- pital’s volunteers management who came to visit Better Impact us last January have purchased the system re- At RCH the volunteers managers also work with cently and hopefully others will follow. the Better Impact volunteers software. When we Shubhra and I made adjustments to our Better compared managing the volunteers with the help Impact system since the membership day in Mel- of the Better Impact system, Kiley seemed a little bourne and proudly presented some of it during reluctant to have volunteers ‘self-roster’ as she the National Volunteer Week in June. believed she would lose control over the volun- teers. In contrast, this ‘self-rostering’ ability was one of the main reasons we purchased the pro- gram last year. On the flip side, Kiley has a tech- Improvements made to nological background and understands comput- Better Impact er lingo. The way they have set up their website in conjunction with their Better Impact is second to none. I would like to thank Dr Andrew Old (Chief of SPI) once again for allowing me the opportunity to visit the Royal Children’s Hospital and to participate in Being part of the SPI the Better Impact membership day! On both occa- team has proven to be a sions I felt very fortunate to exchange thoughts with our Australian counterparts. huge advantage

Lindy Lely VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 8

TE WHETU TAWERA VOLUNTEERS

Volunteering at Te Whetu Tawera is going well with the majority of vollies being musicians at the moment. We have three new musi- cians – Kiralee who plays flute and guitar, Ella who plays amazing piano and Jungyoon who plays the violin. They are all students who happily make time to come in once a week to share their music. We still have several vollies who come in to play chess, Board games etc. as well as our other musicians who have been with us now for several years.

One of our former Volunteers has gone on to work as a registered psychiatric nurse at the Fraser MacDonald Unit – an acute mental health unit down the hill from Auckland Hospital. She says she was drawn to working in Psychiatry because of her experience as a vol- unteer with Te Whetu Tawera.

Having volunteers in an acute psychiatric hospital is quite an unusual thing. We have three new staff mem- bers from America who all say that having volunteers working with seriously mentally ill people would not be sanctioned there because of Insurance/liability and safety issues. We think that that is a real shame as we know that people who come in to Te Whetu Tawera as patients really appreciate seeing new faces, hearing great music and hugging our pet therapy dogs!

We had an American student from Boston who came and volunteered with us for three months, three times a week, just to get experience because she knew that she wouldn’t be able to do this back in the US. She wants to be a Psychiatrist and has now got a place at Medical School in Seattle and is sure that her volunteering expe- rience with us helped her a great deal.

Last but not least … we now have four Pet Therapy dogs who come in each week and a fifth one is about to join us soon. Well that’s about it from us in Psychiatry.

Julie Hagan AUGUST 2017 Page 9

LORDE’S VISIT TO RAD IO LOLLIPOP

On Wednesday the 19th of July, Radio Lolli- pop Starship was lucky enough to have El- la Yelich-O'Connor, better known as Lorde, come to the Starship hospital to visit. Upon her welcome, there was an array of kids, parents and nurses alike all excited to meet the star! Her bubbly attitude and ex- citement was a delight! We got an in- depth scoop on Lorde when she spoke on the kids had to being able to meet such an amazing radio, such as her favourite colour being or- superstar. Many were inspired and ange. But really, it was a great way to show the shared their own dreams with her. It was an kids that they didn’t need to be shy. amazing night that will be remembered by every- one. A big thank you to the Radio Lollipop volun- Lorde made her way through the wards, spend- teers and the ADHB who made this all possible. ing a lot longer than planned with us, to make sure no one missed out on meeting her. From singing the Frozen song “Let it go” to thinking Chelsea Ong up a song for a superhero she was not short on Administrator ideas and spreading joy to the children. It Radio Lollipop warmed our hearts to see the excitement the VOLUNTEERS NEWS Page 10

WELCOME NEW VOLUNTEER RECRUITS

Morgan Brewster Hailey Bae Juliet Bagley ACH Blue Coat & SSH Family Info Desk SSH Playroom SSH Info Desk

Good luck new recruits! Great to have you on our teams in Starship Children’s Hospital and Hospital.

We are currently looking out for new volunteers in the age group of 50+ Nicki Green How about sharing your shift with a friend or relative? SSH Info Desk

WE BID FAREWELL TO J U D E C O O K

Jude Cook, who has been a Starship Hospi- tal Grandparent for the last two years has left our service A morning tea was held to farewell her on her last day with us on Wednesday, the 28th of June. We are disap- pointed to see her leave but wish her noth- ing but the best with her future endeavours. Kirsty Teague, Hanne Haivalainen, Jude Cook, Prue de Bie, Ginny McCarthy, Wendy Peacock AUGUST 2017 Page 11

MY VOLUNTEERING JOUR NEY

I retired just prior to my 70th birthday in 2014, we add the pictures that the children can feel, after a forty year career in HR Departments, that go with story. Three years later on Wednes- mostly with just two companies, managing the days I am still with them and love it and payroll and administration of all things connect- the lovely group of ladies that I work with. ed with employees such as superannuation, July 2015 I applied for a Blue Coat position as I health insurance, Kiwi Saver, and paying taxes, live very close to the Greenlane Clinical Centre. etc. Not long after commencing, Lindy knowing of my Almost immediately after retiring I went overseas back ground in HR matters asked if I was inter- for four and a half months. Travel and photog- ested in helping her in the Volunteer Centre. I raphy have been a big part of my life as I have assist her with pre screening applicants, an- always travelled for swering emails, sending out interview and in- five weeks every King crabbing in Norway duction invites. When I had an operation on my single year. It was foot just prior to last Christmas and I was more adventure house bound for three months with non travel in the begin- weight bearing plasters I resigned from the ning including a Blue Coat position. It was great with Better Im- three week trek in pact being an on-line system, as I was able to the Himalayas, visit- continue with the volunteering admin work ing the Falkland from home. Islands, South I hope to continue assisting Lindy for many Georgia, and Ant- more years. The numbers of applicants that we arctica. I have trav- receive, and the fact we are elled to all five con- not able to take on every- tinents and proba- body, reading through the bly around fif- applications is time consum- ty countries over time. In the lat- ing and Lindy appreciates ter years as I aged, travel became that by me attending to that, more luxury then adventure. it enables her to spend more On my return to NZ I realised that I time on the things that she no longer had structure in my life can put her expertise to. with no where to go each day. This was when I got into volunteering, first with BLENNZ out at Homai making Evelyn Platt sensory story books for blind and low Admin Volunteer/ vision children. The story is written in Former GCC Blue Coat

Braille done by the co-ordinator and Blue cod fishing in Iceland THE NEXT ISSUE: Check out our Website adhb.health.nz  Will be released in October 2017

 Introducing new VOLUNTEERS CENTRE recruits

 Update on projects Auckland District Health Board  HEALTH & SAFETY Participation & Experience Level 4 around wheelchairs 2 Park Road Grafton  We want to hear Auckland 1142 from YOU: fun Tel: 021-674-826 stories, advice, E-mail: [email protected] anything you’d like to share

VOLUNTEERS DO IT BEC AUSE THEY CARE!

DID YOU KNOW:

Mary Haley, Anne Evans, Carol King, Janet Brown, Carol Dowman, Lindy Lely and Lynley Frame has been a Starship ex Blue Hospital Grandparent for over 11 Coat years and was recognised for her Christine Gunn volunteer work with an ADHB Lo- cal Hero Award in January 2015. A farewell lunch was organised by were very lucky to have had her Check out her story on the Star- the Thursday pm Blue Coat team for so many more years as a Blue ship’s Birthday website here at to farewell Carol Dowman, who Coat. http://www.starshipstars.co.nz/ had been volunteering since the the-rewards-of-being-a-starship- start of the Blue Coat program in hospital-grandparent 2003.

Carol has spent her entire profes- sional life in as a mid- wife. When I asked her how many babies she helped bring into this world, she said she had lost count!

After retiring, Carol couldn't quite leave the hospital buzz and so we John, Robert and Trevor united in music