Local Service Directory

Connect2Health Volunteer Opportunity

Posted October 24, 2018

Connect2Health is a student-run volunteer organization that works with under-served patients get connected to resources they need for healthier lives. It's a great opportunity to fulfill either patient care or volunteer hours. Our Health Mentors are generally students headed toward careers in medicine, nursing, public health, social work, or other related fields. The commitment is one 3 hour shift/week and 2 meetings a month for 2 consecutive semesters. C2H is also affiliated with AmeriCorps, you can be an AmeriCorps member for Connect2Health. Those requirements are 6 hours/week + weekly meetings for 3 consecutive semesters. Members receive an education award of around $1242 after completing 300 hours and a mobilization project. A mobilization project is where you mobilize 5 non-AmeriCorps members to do service for at least 1 hour each. Applications open up on October 30th and close on November 30th. The application can be found here: https://spark.utah.edu/community/health-mentor/

Attached document: C2H Flyer Fall 2018.pdf

Opportunity through

Connect2Health
Multiple locations - contact Volunteer Coordinator for details
Contact by Email

Connect2Health.recruitment@health.utah.edu
www.connect2health.org

Category: Medical
County: Salt Lake Valley

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Connect2Health (C2H) is a University of Utah student driven volunteer program working to meet the social needs of under-served patients in community clinics and hospital units. Connect2Health Volunteers, known as Health Mentors, use a database to create ‘Resource Prescriptions’ for patients. Patients can use their Resource Rx to access community organizations providing needed services. Connect2Health’s Mission is to empower individuals to utilize community resources in order to cultivate multidimensional health. For some patients, a simple Resource Rx is all the empowerment needed. For others, Connect2Health Volunteers will help mentor patients through the resource landscape.
As a General Volunteer, you will commit to two consecutive semesters (Spring-Summer, Summer-Fall, or Fall-Spring). You will serve a consistent weekly shift of 3-4 hours in a clinical environment. Here you will talk with patients and families one-on-one to assess their needs and priorities. Then, using a database you will create a ‘Resource Prescription’ for each patient to help them gain access to community resources that provide basic things like food, clothing, and transportation. You will also be expected to attend a one hour Reflection Session every other week. If you are an AmeriCorps Member, your duties will be the same, but you will commit to 300 hours in 12 months, and you will serve approximately 6 hours in clinic each week, plus a weekly Reflection Session.
This has honestly been one of the most impactful things I have ever been able to do. I love the whole concept of the program. We go and meet with individuals with complex needs and ask them on how we can help. We then go back and figure how to meet those needs with the resources that we have. In my mind, it is a perfect civic engagement model for addressing complex social issues. We are not studying theory or previous models of alleviating homelessness, but creating together with our patients a working relationship that is changing peoples’ lives. – Derek Woodruff