Volunteer Opportunities

AdventurePlex Volunteers

AdventurePlex is a health and fitness center created especially for youth that offers activities in a safe, structured environment. AdventurePlex offers the following volunteer positions: front desk administrative assistant, adventure leader, outdoor activities leader, camp activities assistant and birthday party assistant.

CAPS Group

Calling all knitters and crocheters. The South Bay Auxiliary’s CAPS group makes lap robes to comfort terminally ill children in hospice care. All work is done at home and volunteers attend a lunch each month.

Center for Health Information

The Center for Health Information is a free health education library that’s open to the public. The library is filled with up-to-date health-related materials available for checkout. We are seeking volunteers who can assist the public with finding information to address their health concerns and questions. Must be computer literate and customer service oriented.

Clubhouse

The Clubhouse is a babysitting service for 3 months and older that is provided for the members of the Center for Health and Fitness and participants of wellness classes, lectures and workshops. Clubhouse volunteers answer phones, schedule appointments, sign children in and out, participate in arts and crafts, reading and games. They also must assist staff with projects on an as-needed basis. Contact Megan Burke at (310) 374-3426, ext. 137 for shift times.

Community Event Volunteers

BCHD Communications and Marketing needs your help! We are currently seeking Community Event volunteers to assist our staff at many events (e.g., Redondo Beach Super Bowl 5K, LobsterFest) throughout the year. Volunteers receive training on all the services we provide here at the district. The first event will be Fiesta Hermosa, Memorial Day weekend, May 24 - 26.

Crafty Critters

Are you creative? Want to put a smile on a senior’s face? The South Bay Auxiliary’s Crafty Critters group makes colorful tray favors for local senior facilities. This group meets every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and welcomes new members.

Errand Volunteer Program

Reliable transportation is very hard to come by and simply providing a ride to the grocery store or pharmacy is a major factor in helping our clients live at home independently. Errand Volunteers help our homebound clients who can’t drive meet their daily basic needs and allow them to age in place for as long as possible. Volunteers who can drive clients during the weekday are especially needed. Next training will be scheduled for September, 2008.

Fitness Team

Volunteers who join our fitness team at the Center will help with operational duties of the gym, participate in Center programs and help maintain a safe environment.

Friend to Friend Program

The clients visited by our Friend to Friend volunteers are usually isolated and homebound. The social visit from their volunteer each week is normally their only special activity. Some of our clients have shared with us that without their Friend to Friend volunteer, they wouldn’t see anyone throughout the whole week. These volunteers provide a link to the community that our clients have been missing and desperately need. Next training will be scheduled for October, 2008.

Internships Available for Students

Interested in a career in health prevention or local government? Internships are available in many BCHD departments including Human Resources, Health Education and Volunteer Services. Internships are designed to provide valuable experience for a future career.

Medical Reserve Corps

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a group of nearly 100 medical volunteers supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. They supplement medical care in the event of large scale disasters. Grant funded, the MRC provides emergency preparedness kits and other services to the community.

Peer Counseling

A Peer Counselor is a contemporary who has received specialized training in listening without advising to assist clients who need emotional support from time to time. Peer Counselors provide a safe environment for processing client’s feelings and life transitions as well as a nonjudgmental “ear” that family and friends may not be able to provide. Next training will be scheduled for February, 2009.

South Bay Auxiliary

South Bay Auxiliary (SBA) is a community service organization housed at Beach Cities Health District (BCHD). Members have been helping the three beach cities through service and philanthropy since 1958. Today, members assist Beach Cities Health District with various tasks to better serve our visitors as well as the rest of the community. The South Bay Auxiliary also gives donations to local organizations and provides scholarships to local students pursuing a career in the health field. Volunteer opportunities include:

• CAPS Group - Knit lap robes for terminally ill children

• Crafty Critters - Create crafts for patients at retirement/nursing homes

• Gift Shop - Assist customers in the gift shop

• Lobby Front Desk - Greet, escort and provide guests with resources

For more information or to sign up for any of the opportunities listed, please contact Megan Burke at (310) 374-3426, ext. 137, or megan.burke@bchd.org.