Volunteer Opportunities

Make a difference to the people of Greater Boston

There are many reasons to volunteer at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. As a volunteer, you can:

• Become actively involved in your community
• Develop your skills and experience
• Explore career possibilities
• Help people who are sick or injured
• Meet new people

As a volunteer, you’ll have the chance to help us fulfill our mission of providing outstanding care to the residents of Greater Boston. We depend on volunteers like you to help make it happen.

How Do I Become a Volunteer?

Volunteer Applicants - college students or adults:

Complete a NWH Volunteer Application and bring it with you to your appointment, along with any required health documentation and a government issued photo ID (or school IDs).  Once your application has been submitted, call our Volunteer Office at 617-243-6048 to schedule a volunteer interview. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Volunteer interviews are scheduled from 8:00am-4:30pm. 

Summer Student Volunteer Program

Middle and High School Students:

During the summer of 2021, NWH will be offering a virtual volunteer program for middle and high school students over the age of 14. This program will have 3 pillars.

            1) Career Exploration sessions
            2) Medical Innovation sessions
            3) Remote Service Component.

Students who complete 90% of the components of this program will receive volunteer credit and a certificate of completion.  Our Summer Student Volunteer Program is specially designed for students who are interested in serving their local community and learning more about careers in the medical. Please note: The minimum age to volunteer is 14.  The Summer 2021 program will run on Wednesdays from 10:00am – noon, June 30 – August 18. The final session on August 18 will be a virtual celebration with students and parents.

Students who register to take part in the Summer 2021 Virtual Volunteer program will receive confirmation and further details prior to the start of the program. Application Details are below.

How To Apply for the Summer Student Volunteer Program:

New Student Volunteer Application: Middle and High School Students (age 14 and over) who have not previously volunteered at Newton-Wellesley Hospital should fill in both our New Volunteer Application and our Supplemental Summer Application.

Current or Previous Student Volunteers: Middle and High School students (age 14 and over) who have previously volunteered at Newton-Wellesley Hospital should fill in our Supplemental Summer Application.

College Student or High School Graduate / Equivalency

Due to Covid-19, volunteer opportunities are currently limited, and available positions require daytime availability during the week. Students who are age 18 by June 1, 2021 and have completed high school or have a high school equivalency are eligible to apply for this volunteer program.

Accepted volunteers will have an onsite or virtual volunteer assignment and additionally will have the option of attending weekly virtual educational career exploration and medical innovation sessions. These sessions will be held weekly on Wednesdays from 10:00am – noon, via Zoom, from June 30 – August 18.

New Student Volunteer Application: College Students or High School Graduates / Equivalency (age 18 by June 1, 2021) who have not previously volunteered at Newton-Wellesley Hospital should fill in both our New Volunteer Application and our Supplemental Summer Application.

Current or Previous Student Volunteers: College Students or High School Graduates / Equivalency (age 18 by June 1, 2021) who have previously volunteered at Newton-Wellesley Hospital should fill in our Supplemental Summer Application.

Once the online application(s) has been completed, please call 617-243-6048 to schedule a NWH Volunteer Interview.. 

Who Volunteers at Newton-Wellesley Hospital?

Our volunteers come from all walks of life. We have volunteers from age 14 (the minimum) to over 90. They include students, retirees, people with full-time careers, vocational work group, and others who choose to spend their extra time serving their community.

Where Do Volunteers Serve?

Volunteers work with us in nearly every area of the hospital. We depend on our volunteers to provide the high-quality care our community deserves. You may choose to serve patients and their families in inpatient or outpatient areas, assist our support services staff members, provide clerical support, or become involved with our community outreach programs.

The following are just some of the many hospital areas, programs, and roles where you can volunteer your time:

• Cafeteria
• Emergency Department
• Fitness Center
• Gift Shop
• Landscaping
• Mailroom
• Maternity
• Escort/Greeter
• Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley
• Musician
• Nutrition and Food Services
• Office Settings
• Outpatient Clinics
• Outpatient Surgery
• Patient Representatives
• Patient Units
• Pediatrics
• Pet Therapy
• Radiology
• Receiving/Storeroom
• Registration Greeter
• Reiki
• Special Projects
• Surgical Liaison
• Thrift Shop
• Transport Services
• Urgent Care Center

What Are the Volunteer Time Requirements?

Our staff members and volunteers all make mutual commitments to provide quality service. Because of the time we spend to train our volunteers, we expect a minimum of three to four hours of volunteer service each week, depending on individual assignments. The total minimum commitment is 100 hours per year for adults and 50 hours per year for students.

Certain volunteer programs, such as the Patient Representative and Surgical Liaison programs, require a minimum commitment of nine months to one year of service.