Junior Volunteer program returns to Scotland Memorial

LAURINBURG – On Wednesday, 34 area teenagers participated in Scotland Health’s junior volunteer orientation held at the Dulin Center on the campus of Scotland Memorial Hospital.  The participating students helm from Scotland, Robeson and Marlboro counties and have a variety of career goals that can benefit from their summer experience serving in various roles at the hospital.  It is the first group of junior volunteers in action at Scotland Memorial Hospital since COVID-19 disrupted the program in 2020.

“The junior volunteers will be working in all areas of the hospital,” explained Nancy Rogers, Scotland Health’s volunteer and gift shop manager.  “Some will work in the emergency center and surgical services while others will work in the different units upstairs.  They will go anywhere that we can find a place for them.”

Many of the young volunteers have a career path in a mind and Rogers does what she can to provide the volunteers with experience that may best cater to their individual career trajectories.

“They put on their application what they want to do and I try to place them in the areas that they request,” Rogers continued.  “We have volunteers wanting to go into administration, sports medicine, imaging, nursing and many other fields.  We want to give them the best possible opportunity to learn as much as they can.”

For rising Scotland High School Senior Joshua Stone, the junior volunteer program has professional networking advantages that may help him to gain access to future job opportunities.

“Whether you plan to go into healthcare or not, this program is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn new things,” shared Stone.  “If you are interested in going into healthcare, it can help you figure out what path you want to go on.  Junior volunteers learn a lot about the healthcare system and what the hospital staff does.  You meet a lot of great people who can be references for jobs or who may even hire you one day.”

Joshua Stone, right, explains wheelchair safety to two of his fellow junior volunteers.

The junior volunteer program is made up of four, two-week sessions.  Each of the junior volunteers will work from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout at least one session (two consecutive weeks).  Those interested in working additional sessions will be allowed if space is available.  

The attending volunteers spent several hours on Wednesday participating in a similar onboarding orientation that newly hired Scotland Health employees participate in.

After an introduction to the program and general education by Rogers, the junior volunteers participated in wheelchair training, hand hygiene and safe lifting techniques.  They were then visited by Kelvin Oxendine, Scotland Health chief human resource officer and Greg Wood, Scotland Health CEO who welcomed the teens and provided some insight on the history, mission and values of the organization as well as the importance of their new role within it.

After a lunch break, the group concluded the day with another hour of additional training before heading home for the day.

In addition to their session of service, the junior volunteers will have two opportunities to participate in career days.  The first, will take place on June 29 while the second will take place in August.  The career days will give the volunteers access to members of the hospital leadership team.  At these events, the leaders will share their employment and educational history as well as offer the junior volunteers the opportunity to ask questions in an effort to help the students know what to expect as they plan their career paths. 

Rogers also plans to get each of the volunteers CPR certified this summer if possible.

The junior volunteers will begin their new roles at Scotland Memorial Hospital on Monday, June 19 when the first of the four sessions begins.  For more information about Scotland Health’s various volunteer opportunities, please call Nancy Rogers at (910) 291-7314.