VOLUNTEER

​A Shelter for Cancer Families (ASCF) relies greatly on the generous donations of both time and talent from our volunteers. In fact, our volunteers donate more than 5000 hours to advance the organization's mission annually. Our volunteers work in a variety of roles for ASCF including facilitating cancer family celebrations throughout each family's cancer journey as well as serving as trained volunteer cancer family navigators and hospitality greeters for those who may reside in ASCF short-term residences. 

Our volunteers are:

• compassionate, generous and dedicated,
• trained to help guide families along the cancer journey,
• diverse and bring a variety of gifts to the community we serve,
• discreet and recognize the importance of maintaining confidentiality, and
• understanding of the unique challenges facing those with a cancer diagnosis. 

To serve as a volunteer for A Shelter for Cancer Families. Please complete the following:

• All persons 16 years old or older who want to volunteer for an ongoing volunteer placement must complete a Volunteer Application.  You will receive a confirmation receipt once we have received your complete application.
• All persons 16 years old or older who want to volunteer for ASCF must complete a confidentiality agreement.
• All volunteers 18 years old or older must submit to a criminal background check prior to receiving an ongoing volunteer placement. ASCF will notify each volunteer individually if and when this is required. If you have been notified, please complete your volunteer background check. 

Children may be able to volunteer for some activities if they are accompanied by a supervising adult.

Additionally because many of the families we serve have compromised immune systems, ASCF requests that if you and/or a loved one may be ill that you refrain from participation in those activities that require direct contact until a full recovery is made. 

What does it take to be an ASCF Cancer Family Navigator? 
Many of our ASCF Cancer Family Navigators have been patients or have had loved ones affected by cancer. Some are retired social workers or nurses. None are serving in a professional healthcare capacity for ASCF but rather offer their volunteer services in an effort to guide families affected by cancer in order to help ease some of the burden associated with the cancer journey.

Volunteers serving as ASCF Cancer Family Navigators must be patient, have great attention to detail as well as an excellent command of the English language. They must use discretion and be willing to sign a confidentiality statement as some information revealed by patients may be sensitive in nature. Navigators must be willing to attend a scheduled ASCF Cancer Family Navigator training and to shadow and be shadowed by a more experienced navigator for a period of time to be determined based on the volunteer's previous experience. Navigators must be able to communicate clearly and be willing to ask healthcare professionals to clarify medical jargon and terminology if needed. They must be capable of taking detailed notes of each encounter.

Navigators must have flexibility on days they are scheduled to volunteer as cancer care can be unpredictable and they must be able to provide their own transportation to and from the hospital (parking is reimbursable). These volunteers must be willing to learn, listen, and more than anything have a heart for serving others. 

If you would like to learn more about ASCF and our many volunteer opportunities, please contact us at info@cancerfamilies.org