Volunteer
Jocelyn House Volunteers Are a Group of Ordinary People Who Together Do Extraordinary Things
Jocelyn House combines comfort and care for people who are living the end of their lives and can’t stay in their own home, but choose not to be in a hospital. Jocelyn House is a comfortable, inviting, home for four residents, set on a beautiful naturally-wooded riverside property in Winnipeg.
Jocelyn House Staff and Volunteers Truly Understand and Are Deeply Committed to End of Life Care
Jocelyn House feels like home because remarkable people make it so. Jocelyn House staff and volunteers truly understand and are deeply committed to end of life care. They have the skills, training and support to be outstanding at their tasks. They have time to spend with residents and families. They respect confidentiality and foster trust.
Inspired by Jocelyn Hutton, a courageous 17 year-old who had terminal cancer, Jocelyn House was Western Canada’s first freestanding hospice. Jocelyn chose to live each day fully and be supported by her family, friends and community. After she passed, her parents, Bill and Miriam Hutton donated their family home and founded the hospice in 1985. More than 400 people have lived and died at Jocelyn House since then.
Jocelyn House started as a community project and today, we receive only a portion of our funding from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. While we are grateful for their support, we rely on support from the community to continue to hire staff and cover the expenses that keep the house running.
Volunteers Are Critical to Our Operations
Our volunteer program celebrates the gifts, capabilities and experiences of each volunteer. Volunteers are critical to our operations and can contribute in a number of different areas and ways, for example:
- Meal Preparation
- Baking
- Gardening
- Yard Care
- Sewing
- General Maintenance
- Art Therapy
- Music Therapy
- And other opportunities, as the need arises
Jocelyn House volunteers are warm and caring. They have good listening and communication skills. They are reliable and committed but can be flexible. They are able to deal with illness and death and have processed any personal loss issues. They are willing to work as part of a team for the benefit of the residents and the house.
All volunteers are asked to provide a three month commitment to begin and to take part in an orientation session to help them understand how the house functions and to be more comfortable.
Volunteering at Jocelyn House brings different rewards to each person. Most people who volunteer achieve some personal development, enhanced training and skills and a sense of accomplishment and personal achievement, when volunteering at Jocelyn House.
The volunteers are encouraged to register for the Compassionate Care Course offered by Palliative Manitoba which offers educational opportunities for the volunteers to learn and develop their skills in palliative hospice care.
Considering Becoming a Volunteer?
Considering becoming a volunteer? We’d love to hear from you. To learn more about volunteering at Jocelyn House call us at ext 229 or email jbouvier@jocelynhouse.ca
