The Junior Volunteer Program at St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston has been around for decades. Mariah Rinck, patient experience manager, oversees the program and shares, “I was a junior volunteer back in the day. In fact, at the kickoff of our summer volunteer session, I shared a black-and-white photograph of myself with the group, which drew laughs. Today, I’m proud to be managing and working to grow the program.”  

Mariah says the junior volunteer program is experiencing a resurgence.

“Over the summer, we had 17 volunteers, who often worked multiple shifts and made an incredibly positive impact at both the hospital and d’Youville Pavilion.”

The program is open to 14- to 17-year-olds. Volunteers are asked to work at least one 8 a.m.-4 p.m. shift during the summer. Happily, many continue to volunteer when they return to school and even return the following summer to volunteer again. Not surprisingly, several junior volunteers are considering careers in healthcare and are hoping this firsthand, immersive experience in a hospital and/or skilled nursing community will help them decide on a career path. Others have a family connection to St. Mary’s and want to help out. Still others simply want to give back.

“Our volunteers are ambitious, compassionate, and empathetic young people who have stepped up to help improve the St. Mary’s patient experience by helping professional staff in whatever way they can,” says Mariah. “In addition, the junior volunteers are of great support to our dedicated adult, year-round volunteers.”

Junior volunteers provide patient transportation, deliver flowers, do errands, deliver mail, and manage special projects at the hospital as well as host resident/patient engagement activities at d’Youville Pavilion.

Once volunteers are welcomed to the team, they complete a comprehensive orientation. This includes training on St. Mary’s heritage; values of compassion, integrity, collaboration, and excellence; and mission to provide healing care for the whole person, as well as on the AIDET® communication model (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank You), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and various safety and hygiene procedures.

“Our staff and patients genuinely appreciate our junior volunteers,” says Mariah. “They enjoy the fact that they bring a refreshing sense of energy, optimism, caring, and humor to our culture that directly translates to improving a patient’s experience at St. Mary’s.”

To learn more about St. Mary’s junior volunteer, college student, and adult volunteer programs and their requirements, please visit stmarysmaine.com.