On-site Volunteer Opportunities

CHLA requires all volunteers to complete 64 hours of Outpatient shifts to familiarize you with the hospital before serving in other areas of the hospital.  The first 32 hours will be At Your Service (Escorting patients to hospital appointments) & the additional 32 hours served doing Mobile Play Carts (Playing with patients in waiting rooms).  We do not offer evening or weekend opportunities for this required opportunity. Volunteer opportunities do not include job shadowing or internship experiences.

Before you may volunteer in any of the Volunteer Opportunities listed below, you must first apply through our Volunteer Resources Department and complete the required 64 hours of  outpatient shifts.

Many of our volunteers work directly with patients through a variety of opportunities such as:

• Child Life: Assisting in hospital playrooms and sometimes at the bedside
• Literally Healing: Volunteers assist patients, families, and staff in selecting free books from the Gifting Library, delivering books and reading to patients at the bedside.
• Mark Taper and Johnny Mercer Artists Program: Assist in inpatient playrooms family lounges and sometimes at bedside
• Volunteer Cuddling: Volunteer Cuddlers are trained to interact with patients, families, and team members on all in-patient units, including the NICCU, in order to provide positive touch, age-appropriate engagement. Volunteer Cuddlers are selected from the general pool of adult volunteers and receive extensive training.*
  *In addition to the 64 hours of outpatient shifts, 32 hours of inpatient shifts must be completed. When all 96 hours of service are completed, an interview with the Cuddler Program Specialist and training sessions are required prior to officially starting as a Volunteer Cuddler.
• Rehabilitation Services: Assist in the fields of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology