1) What is our project called? Are we under NUH or are we under NVAC?
The NUH regular volunteering project is under NVAC (NUSSU Volunteers Action Committee). NVAC is one of the standing committees of NUSSU. Therefore, we are not under NUH but we work closely with NUH to carry out our volunteering project. NVAC has many other regular projects and this NUH project is one of them.
2) What can I expect from this project?
The NUH Project is a weekly commitment. We head down to the hospital to engage the patients of all ages, through activities such as arts and crafts. Our main aim will be to cheer the patients up, and to conduct play or arts therapy in the hope that such activities will hasten the recovery phase of patients.
In addition, you will get to volunteer alongside your fellow teammates in your session. You may also participate in NVAC events, such as the NVAC carnival, where you will mingle and get to know other volunteers from NVAC.
3) How long is the commitment period?
The commitment is for the duration of an entire semester , that spans 10 to 11 weeks. It is not on a yearly basis as there will be new sign ups every semester. There will be no volunteering sessions during recess week, study break, public holidays, vacations and examinations.
We have an overwhelming response for this NUH volunteering project. Hence, in the event that you are not able to commit, please let your Vice Project Director/ Project director know so that the place can be given to another keen volunteer.
4) Why is it that the actual volunteering sessions start in mid or late of the beginning of the semester month?
As our volunteering sessions are usually in the weekdays and since tutorial balloting is in the middle of the month for every semester, we have to wait for all students’ time tables to be finalised before they can indicate their preferred slot. We also need to confirm the available timings and days from NUH's end.
5) What if I am an exchange student in NUS, am I allowed to join this volunteering programme?
6) Why is it that although I have been volunteering regularly in NUH for the past semesters, I am still required to sign up each semester and give my details again?
We would like to ensure that contact details of the volunteers are constantly updated in our records so that in the event of emergency, we are able to contact the volunteers promptly.
7) If I have already volunteered last semester, does it mean that I have to stick to the same timings and I am automatically a volunteer this semester?
No, you will have to re-sign up as a volunteer and indicate your chosen timings for the new semester. This is to ensure that chosen timeslots do not clash with your new semester's tutorial or lecture timings.
Volunteer timeslots for the different division may also differ each semester.
8) Last semester if I had for instance, volunteered in children’s ward so am I supposed to attend the training sessions again?
If you are going to volunteer in Children’s ward again this semester, you need not attend the training session again. However, if you are volunteering in a new division e.g. adult ward /psychiatric ward, then you are required to attend the training session. This is because the needs of the patients in the Children Wards are different from those in the adult/psychiatric ward.
9) How does the registration process and selection process take place? Is it first-come-first-serve?
Registration process will always begin in early semester. Registration takes place in the form of online sign-up. Selection procedure is not in the form of first-come-first-serve basis. Rather, we will be looking holistically at volunteers' previous experiences and their indicated interest in volunteering. It also depends on the popularity of the time slots as indicated by the volunteers.
10) What happens if I realise I am not able to make it after a few weeks due to some reasons?
Please kindly inform your Vice Project Director and your Project Director so that the place can be given to another student keen to volunteer.
11) Do we record our attendance via the computer system in the Volunteers' Room or by other means?
The Computer system in the volunteers' Room is meant to keep track of the volunteers' movement i.e. time in and time out, which will be useful for the hospital for contact tracing in times of emergency. NVAC NUH has a separate attendance records system. Session leaders are given an attendance records sheet, which will be submitted to the respective Vice Project Directors at the end of the semester. Volunteers in the same timeslot will have to continually update your session leader on your attendance.
It will be best if volunteers can attend every week as your presence is valued by both your fellow volunteers and the patients. Hence, do try and make it for all the sessions in the semester. However, in the event that you are ill or not at all able to attend (once or twice at the most), due to some unforeseen circumstance, please do inform your session leader.
11) Do we record our attendance via the computer system in the Volunteers' Room or by other means?
The Computer system in the volunteers' Room is meant to keep track of the volunteers' movement i.e. time in and time out, which will be useful for the hospital for contact tracing in times of emergency. NVAC NUH has a separate attendance records system. Session leaders are given an attendance records sheet, which will be submitted to the respective Vice Project Directors at the end of the semester. Volunteers in the same timeslot will have to continually update your session leader on your attendance.
11) Is attendance compulsory for every week for the session that I am volunteering in?
It will be best if volunteers can attend every week as your presence is valued by both your fellow volunteers and the patients. Hence, do try and make it for all the sessions in the semester. However, in the event that you are ill or not at all able to attend (once or twice at the most), due to some unforeseen circumstance, please do inform your session leader.
