There are numerous volunteer opportunities at Haven Hospice and training varies depending on the type of volunteer work.

All new volunteers are required to take Introduction to Haven Hospice, approximately 1 1/2 hours long.  This training covers basic information about Haven Hospice services, guidelines for volunteers, safety and advance directives.

Non-patient Volunteers
Volunteers who prefer not to work directly with patients and families will be able to volunteer after taking Introduction to Haven Hospice and a specific department orientation.

Patient and Family Volunteer Training
All volunteers who will have direct contact with patients and families must complete Patient and Family Training.

Patient and Family Training will give volunteers specific information on the skills needed to support patients, families and caregivers during a challenging time in their lives. Training topics include emotional support, spirituality and communication skills. The format includes lectures, self-discovery exercises and role-playing. At the conclusion of this 14-hour training, participants will meet with Haven Hospice Volunteer staff to determine the best placement.

Further specialized training will be required for:

Healing Hearts Volunteers -
must complete volunteer Patient/Family training as well as a blended program that consists of nine hours of training focused on the dynamics of the grieving family and the special needs of the grieving child. Volunteers who wish to work as facilitators for Healing Hearts grief support groups must complete an additional four to six hours of training. Camp Safe Haven volunteers must complete 1.5 hours of additional training.

Licensed Massage Therapy (LMT) Volunteers –
once selected, Licensed Massage Therapist volunteers will complete specialized massage therapy training and the volunteer Patient/Family training, which includes supervised massage sessions. Volunteer LMTs must provide a current Florida LMT license and certificate of professional liability insurance with their volunteer applications.

Pastoral Care Volunteers –
must complete Patient/Family training followed by an in-depth training with Chaplains that focuses on delivering spiritual care to patients and families. It is recommended that volunteers interested in this position meet with a Haven Hospice Chaplain to discuss the role of a Pastoral Care Volunteer.

Pet Therapy Volunteers –
must complete Patient/Family training and provide a current, health certificate signed by the animal’s veterinarian.

Transitions Volunteers –
must complete the Patient/Family training followed by a six-hour specialized training, including phone skills, family dynamics, anticipatory grief, writing clinical notes, and program procedures.