Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers For Public Health

Volunteer Program

Do you want to impact the lives of others? Do you have several hours a week to give? The DUPAGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT invites you to an environment where people welcome and appreciate your talents.

The BEHAVIORAL & MENTAL HEALTH VOLUNTEER PROGRAM seeks volunteers for a variety of activities including:

DROP-IN-CENTERS: Spending time listening and playing games in a relaxed atmosphere with adults facing mental health problems.

PLAY GROUPS: Interacting with infants or children, and observing their behavior from week to week.

PREVENTION: Helping mothers who are struggling with mental illness to cope with and normalize the problems of parenting infants.

BUDDIES: Spending one-to-one time with adults, adolescents or children to offer companionship and opportunities to enhance socialization skills.

OFFICES: Providing administrative support for The Volunteer Program and other vital programs.

There are additional opportunities working with infants, children, adolescents or adults. You may select the project that best matches your skills and interests.

To prepare you, the program conducts a four session training course which covers topics including mental health diagnoses, medications, stigma, empathic listening skills, and, more.

For further information about the Volunteer Program and the next training series, please call:
The Behavioral & Mental Health Volunteer Program,
Volunteer Coordinator (630) 682-7400 ext. 7027

CONNECTING MINDS ~ CONNECTING HEARTS

Other volunteer opportunities are available throughout various programs including Vision & Hearing, School Health, Dental and more.
Call 682-7400

AIDS Volunteer Opportunities

The AIDS volunteer program has been designed to link qualified individuals sensitive to AIDS related issues from the community with clients living with HIV disease in order to ease the impact of the diagnosis on the client's daily life.

Responsibilities may include:

1. Protect client's rights to confidentiality
2. Transport clients without adequate transportation to appointments or assist in running errands
3. Develop rapport and provide emotional support
4. Provide companionship in a short term relationship as a "Visitor" or in a long term, more intensive relationship as a "Buddy"
5. Provide Respite Care by relieving a caregiver so they can take a break, leave home, etc.
6. Act as a "handyman" by installing shower bars, etc.
7. Provide childcare to allow client to attend support groups, appointments, etc.
8. Assist with grocery shopping; light household chores, or pet care.
9. Provide food box delivery one time per month
10. Report to Case Manager or Volunteer Coordinator at the end of each assignment to maintain continuity of care.

Qualifications:

1. Persons interested in becoming a volunteer must be a high school graduate or have experience in Human Services
2. Volunteers should be mature, flexible and emotionally stable
3. An accepting attitude towards persons of different ethnic backgrounds, value systems and sexual orientation is a necessity
4. Two personal references are required
5. Volunteers must have own automobile, insurance coverage and valid driver's license.

Training and Preparation:

Before assignment, interested persons should complete an application and attend a screening interview. Attendance is required at Volunteer Training Course. Post-training interviews are conducted after the training. Full acceptance into the volunteer program is not given until after post-training interview.

Commitment:

Volunteers will be asked to give 1 - 4 hours/month for one year.

For more information - call (630) 682-7400 X 7310 and ask to speak to the volunteer coordinator.

Volunteer and Internship Opportunities in Behavioral & Mental Health

The DuPage County Health Department invites you to an environment where people will welcome and appreciate your talents. The Behavioral & Mental Health Services Volunteer Program is seeking volunteers and college interns for a variety of activities which include:

Administrative office support
Drop-in-centers
Instructor of parenting classes
One-on-one buddy
Mentor Mom
Play groups
Transportation

Our volunteer opportunities can be with infants, children, adolescents and adults. You may select the activity that best matches your interests.

To prepare you for this work, the program requires a 12-hour training course. (Exception: Administrative office support has a two-hour training.)

For further information, please call the Volunteer Coordinator at 
(630) 682-7400, 7980.