Our friendly teams of companion volunteers connect with patients throughout Auckland City Hospital. They engage with patients one-on-one and in group settings through various activities, such as playing games, arts and crafts and music.
Currently there are two companion volunteer roles.
Companion volunteers make a real difference to our patients’ experience. We are looking for people with the following qualities:
This friendly team of Companion Volunteers provide non-clinical support to the patients on the 4 Mana Awhi/Older People’s Health Physical Rehabilitation wards as well as an all ages, new state-of-the-art Taiao Ora/Ward 51 stroke and neurology ward. Patients on these wards often experience long hospital stays while rehabilitating from stroke, fractures/falls and are predominately 65 years and over.
These patients greatly benefit from companionship. Activities on these wards can include conversation, providing books and magazines, encouraging movement, speech practice following stroke, playing music, arts and crafts.
Shift Information (Required one shift per week)
Currently, there are no vacancies available. However, please check back regularly, as this can change frequently. The potential next intake of volunteers will be in August 2025
Our friendly volunteers provide non-clinical support to the patients on ten General Wards of the Auckland City Hospital, including General Medicine, Orthopaedics, Urology and Respiratory wards. Every day is different, our Companion Volunteers interact with a variety of patients of different ages, cultural and social backgrounds through conversation, playing games, providing books and magazines.
If you are an initiator and a team player with great communication skills, we would love to have you on this team
Shift Information (Required one shift per week)
Currently, there are no vacancies available. However, please check back regularly, as this can change frequently. The potential next intake of volunteers will be in August 2025.
Our Tea Trolley volunteers offer a smile and a cup of tea and coffee, free of charge, to the patients and their whanau who are waiting for an outpatient appointment. It is a much-appreciated service that helps the patients pass the time whilst in the waiting area.
Shift Information (Required one shift per week)
Currently, there are no vacancies available. However, please check back regularly, as this can change frequently. The potential next intake of volunteers will be in July 2025.
This role provides support, orientation and companionship for parents and caregivers. Your contact with the families is by referral and volunteers spend time with families at often stressful times.
Shift times are:
Currently, there are no vacancies available. However, please check back regularly, as this can change frequently.
Pet Therapy programme volunteers facilitate the visit of specially selected and trained Hato Hone St John therapy pets and their owners onto the Starship Hospital wards. The role of the Pet Therapy volunteer is to guide them to the Starship wards, liaise with staff, organise the visits from the children and ensure hygiene is maintained at all times.
Shift times are:
No current vacancies.
The Hospital Grandparents provide care support on a one-on-one basis for children and their families. Hospital Grandparents care mainly for children whose families cannot be with them all the time. They provide care support to long-term patients and children from out of town and sometimes are with children while they undergo procedures such as x-rays, blood transfusions and chemotherapy.
Currently, there are no vacancies available. However, please check back regularly, as this can change frequently.
Working under the supervision of the hospital play specialist, volunteers provide activities in the Starship wards and outpatient playrooms. Your work helps children cope with the anxiety and stress they may feel during their time in hospital.
Shift information:
Applications are temporarily on hold.
School assistant volunteers assist qualified teachers in the on-site hospital school. They provide one-on-one help to children in the classroom. Volunteers may assist children in their rooms.
No current vacancies.
These volunteers work across Auckland City Hospital, Greenlane Clinical Centre, and Starship Children's Hospital. They provide information and assistance to patients and visitors who may need assurance, guidance or a helping hand. They may also escort visitors to appointments if needed.
Auckland City Hospital is New Zealand's largest public hospital and clinical research facility.
Shift Information (One 3-4 hour shift required per week)
Applications are now closed.
Greenlane Clinical Centre is a day clinic where you will be helping with day-stay patients and their families.
Shift Information (Required one shift per week)
Applications are now closed.
This volunteer service provides non-medical assistance to patients, parents, other relatives and visitors to the hospital. Their role is to meet and greet patients/families on arrival and to offer help to get them to clinics, wards and other facilities as required. Often people coming into the hospital are stressed and need reassurance and helpful assistance.
Shift times are:
We are looking for several candidates! Apply now. (external link)
It is a challenging time for those going through cancer treatment. To help make it a little easier the Cancer Society (external link) has a team of volunteers working in the Auckland City Hospital oncology department.
As a volunteer you complement the care given by hospital staff, providing support and comfort to patients and their supporters in the oncology clinic, acute area, chemotherapy day stay and radiation therapy department.
Our volunteers
The volunteer driving service provides transport to and from cancer treatments and appointments. Our volunteer drivers help people and their families during difficult times.
Being a volunteer driver may only take a few hours once a week, once a fortnight or even once a month. You can choose to drive as little or as often as you like on days that suit you.
All volunteer drivers are given training and ongoing support. A contribution towards travel costs is available.
To find out more about becoming a Cancer Society volunteer enquire online at cancernz.org.nz (external link), phone 09 308 0496 or email volunteer@akcansoc.org.nz
Your generosity enables the Cancer Society to support those living with cancer, fund research and advocate for cancer prevention.
Chaplaincy assistants work with our professionally trained chaplains to provide pastoral care and spiritual support to our patients, their whānau, and family and hospital staff. Our hospital chaplains are trained professionals. Chaplains respect a person's individual beliefs and will support all people. Our chaplains visit the wards daily and try to see as many people as possible.
Chaplains and chaplaincy assistants are employed by the Interchurch Council for Hospital Chaplaincy (ICHC). (external link) Volunteer chaplaincy assistants must be members of good standing within their church or organisation.
Training is provided and all assistants work under the supervision of a chaplain.
Contact chaplaincy coordinator Rev Young Jun You;
Radio Lollipop is an independent international not-for-profit organisation. It provides play and radio programmes in Starship Children’s Hospital. Volunteers visit the children in the wards with games and activities and sometimes organise theme evenings and special guests.
Volunteers must be willing to attend a compulsory information evening held twice a year. You must be reliable, mature and have experience with children and be comfortable around them.
For more information:
visit: radiolollipop.org (external link)
email: nzinfo@radiolollipop.org
phone: 09 377 3997 and leave a message.
The St John Friends of the Emergency Department (external link) are volunteers who provide comfort, information, reassurance and non-clinical support to patients, whānau and family while they’re waiting to undergo treatment in the emergency department. The work involves:
If you want to become a Friend of the Emergency Department, phone St John on 0800 ST JOHN (0800 785 646) or visit join.stjohn.org.nz (external link) for more information.
The St John Therapy Pet programme has more than 550 volunteers sharing their pets throughout New Zealand. Visiting schools, libraries, rest homes, hospitals and other health services, their furry friends deliver a dose of aroha, boost well-being, provide distraction and comfort, and help ease loneliness.
At Auckland City Hospital we share the joy of our dogs with patients in different departments throughout the hospital.
If you are interested in becoming a St John Therapy Pet volunteer, please:
Our volunteers come from all walks of life, all ages and ethnic and religious backgrounds. We seek volunteers who have a mature, caring attitude and who are English speakers with advanced proficiency. Multilingual volunteers are especially encouraged to apply.
We would love to receive your online application if you meet these criteria and if you:
are aged 18 years of age or over
can commit to volunteering at least one 2-4 hour shift per week
can commit to volunteering for 12 months or more
have no criminal history of violence drug offences, sex offences, or crimes against children, and if you are willing to obtain a Police Check and for some roles a TB and immunity check history through a blood-test.
can contribute skills and experiences obtained from previous volunteer/work, or life experience relevant to the volunteer role, with referees able to attest to this.
Please contact Volunteering Auckland (external link) for a range of volunteer options in and around Auckland.
Unfortunately, volunteering will not assist you to secure a job at the hospital and we discourage applications from candidates whose motivation is to improve their career prospects.
You can apply for the role of your choice and after a discussion with the volunteer manager during an interview, a role can be assigned to you based on your availability, skills and experience and in keeping with the hospitals' priorities.
You can apply to volunteer for any of the roles with an 'apply now' button and complete the online application.
What does the application process involve?
an interview with the Volunteer Coordinator or Manager
signing a consent form to obtain a National Police Check and
signing a consent form to undergo a blood check here at one of our Hospital Laboratories
reference checks.
You can expect an invitation for an induction, where we will talk to you about our health & safety regulations, emergency response and some of our role-specific do’s and don’ts.
We will provide you with our organisation's ID badge and we will provide you with a uniform for the duration of your volunteering time with us.
You will be provided with a role-specific manual and receive training on the job.
We regularly organise team meetings and/or training days.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer short-term, single-day volunteering for groups or individuals.
However, if your volunteer involvement with us is based on a (minimum) of year-long regular once-a-week commitment, then please reach out to the volunteer manager LindyL@adhb.govt.nz.
Due to the minimum age of 18 and the time commitment required, our volunteer program is not suitable for school community service or Duke of Edinburgh requirements.