Join Our All-Volunteer Helping Children Cope Team!
We are a small group of people passionate about kids and families, and about helping to make their lives a little easier at a very difficult time. No matter what your skills or interests, we have something you can do to make a positive difference.
All members of our Helping Children Cope team are registered volunteers of South Shore Hospital. As such, an application and interview with the Director of Volunteer Services is required, along with a South Shore Hospital volunteer orientation.
Contact us directly for additional information.
Volunteer Positions
Program Facilitator
Our Facilitators lead the program sessions, working directly with the children and/or the adults who bring them. This involves specific training with Joan Drescher, author of The Moon Balloon book and approach used in our program.
To work directly with the children, professional background is required in one of the following: teaching, counseling, psychology, social work, nursing, medicine, ministry, art therapy, or other areas specifically related to children and families. This is desired- but not required- of facilitators working only with the adults.
Typical time commitment once training is completed: one 3-hour program session per month. Additional time may be asked to do an individual session with a family as needed.
Educational Program Developer
We are continually developing and refining our program content, methods, and materials. If you have interest in program development, writing, or planning, contact us for more details. Time commitment is flexible.
Events Planner
We sponsor 1-2 community training events each year. These are held in the community and target educators, counselors, and child care professionals primarily, and may also include psychologists, social workers, school nurses, and clergy. The Events Planner works closely with program leaders to arrange all aspects of the event: speaker, location, catering, audio-visual equipment, program notebooks, promotion, photography, press release, registration, and on site management during the event. Time commitment is flexible except for the day prior to and during the event.
Fund Raiser
As part of a fund raising committee, the goal of this position is to plan and execute one major fund raising event per year. It may also include projects such as sales of specific items through our website and at our community outreach events. Time commitment is flexible, depending on the event, and includes one committee meeting per month.
Grants Specialist
The role of this position is to identify sources for grant funding, write proposals and letters of intent, and ensure that for all grants received, requirements for actions and reports are fully satisfied. Prior experience desired but not required. Time commitment is flexible.
Historian
This fun, do-it-at-home position focuses on preparing an annual scrapbook that documents program activities, community events, training programs, promotion materials, photos, media events. The book will contain photos, promotional materials, newspaper and magazine articles, etc. This position also keeps organized records of specific email announcements and communications for the year so that information and decisions are easily identified and retrieved. Time commitment is flexible.
Marketing Specialist
This position has separate functions which could be combined desired. Time commitment is flexible in all functions.
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Materials development: brochures, flyers, slide presentations, letters, and website content.
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Photos and film snippets: for inclusion in presentations about the program and for website content.
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Marketing lists: for email and regular mail promotions.
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Announcement postings: in regularly occurring community and special events mailings, Public Service Announcements, South Shore publications such as Kidding Around the South Shore, e-lists for moms and dads in Boston and South Shore, cancer-related community lists, and more.
Promotion Specialist
People in this position take an active role in acquainting community people with our program. This may involve on site discussion meetings and some brief presentations at meetings of school, civic, or community groups. Public speaking skills are required. Time commitment is flexible.
Research Assistant
Program assessment and evaluation is This position will aid the program leaders in demonstrating the effectiveness of the HCC program. Tasks involve tracking and compiling data, following up with participants and reviewing comparable programs' measures, design and outcomes. Desirable traits: organizational skills, critical thinking. Some familiarity with research or evaluation or statistics a plus, but not a requirement!!
Table Host
Our HCC team takes part in selected community events related specifically to children or cancer. We host a display table where we meet people, explain our program, and distribute printed materials. Events of this type happen 4-8 times a year. Table hosts handle the scheduling, set up, and hosting functions. Time commitment varies with schedule and is shared with other volunteers.
Web and Social Network Specialist
This position involves postings and monitoring on one or more of these: our HCC website, Facebook, and YouTube. This position works closely with our webmaster, Hospital marketing representatives, and our Helping Children Cope Executive Committee. Contact us directly for more details.
