Indianapolis, April 2, 2012 — Wishard Health Services is encouraging teenagers interested in a career in health care to sign up for the annual summer VolunTEEN program. This year’s program has been revamped with a special emphasis on mentoring youths and preparing them for future positions as nurses, clinicians, therapists and other health care professions.
Wishard’s Volunteer Services Department is offering its VolunTEEN program in a new two-tier format. The first tier will provide a professional service and shadowing experience for students on a path to becoming health care professionals and will be offered in two separate sessions lasting one month each. Students will choose one of the two sessions for which they wish to participate. The second tier will last two months and will be a more traditional volunteer program conducted in nonclinical settings.
Students who follow the first tier can choose between either the first session, from June 4 – 29, or the second session, from July 9 – August 3. Students who follow the second tier will participate in both of these sessions.
“We are looking for participation from teenage students who are interested in various areas of health care, such as nursing, medicine, physical therapy and radiology to name a few,” said Scott Lawson, manager of Wishard Volunteer Services. “The teens will be matched to their areas of interest as determined during the application process.”
Eligible youths must be at least 12 years old and in good academic standing. The application process takes about two weeks and includes an informational interview, a health screening and a general hospital orientation. The health screening is provided by Wishard to all volunteers free of charge and includes a tuberculosis skin test.
“Some of the advantages of the VolunTEEN program include an opportunity for experiential and service learning, providing teens with a chance to gain a realistic perspective of a career in a specific health care environment. It is also a great way to meet new people and gain community service hours needed for school and scholarships,” Lawson said.
Wishard Volunteer Services offers a variety of volunteer opportunities that allow people of all ages the chance to play a vital role in fulfilling Wishard’s mission of advocating, caring, teaching and serving all citizens of Marion County, with a special emphasis on its vulnerable populations.
For more information on volunteering at Wishard or to obtain a VolunTEEN application, contact Wishard Volunteer Services at (317) 630-7552 or by email at scott.lawson@wishard.edu.
