Teen Volunteering
Special Notice: Teen Volunteer Opportunities
The teen application for our 2025 summer program has reached capacity.
About Teen Volunteering
Our summer teen program for 2025 is soon approaching! Our teen volunteers experience an introduction to the pediatric environment, completing meaningful tasks under the supervision of hospital staff. Our current teens and their families report a rich experience with exposure to many different aspects of the medical field. Teen volunteers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital create meaningful relationships through opportunities for growth in areas of self-awareness and self-efficacy. We are so proud of our teen volunteers and the many ways they contribute at Nationwide Children’s! Our teen program is competitive, and spots are limited. Due to a high number of applicants, we may not be able to accept every applicant.
Who: Teens must be 15 years old by June 1 and currently in high school to apply.
What: Volunteers accepted into the program attend a group interview where they are assessed based on maturity, ability to make a weekly commitment and experience. Most assignments are supported by staff and focus on supporting families, patients and employees. Teens who are successful in providing service in their initial assignment will have the opportunity to grow into new assignments.
When: Volunteers commit to a consistent assignment that is 2-3 hours in length on the same day and time each week throughout the summer from June to mid-August. Due to the high interest in healthcare related volunteer opportunities, teens are not permitted to miss more than 2 shifts during this 10-week program. Limited weekend and evening positions available.
Where: Primarily at Main Campus; there are limited opportunities that are not downtown.
Application Process and Timeline
The application for summer 2025 has reached capacity.
- Interviews are projected to take place in March
- Volunteering begins in beginning of June
The application process includes:
- Complete the online application
- References: Electronic form submitted by those non-family members you select
- Group interview session: Parents are not required to attend but will given an informational packet and commitment form to sign off on.
- Sign a commitment form stating regular attendance for the summer
- Submit vaccination record including flu (no waivers accepted)
- Complete an online orientation: an overview to hospital policies including safety, infection control, boundaries and privacy laws.
- Attend an assignment specific training
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have additional questions, we will be happy to answer them. We encourage teens to take the initiative to communicate with us!
The teen will receive an email and instructions on how to sign up for a group interview.
Our teen volunteers must be interested and enthusiastic about what they are doing. It is important to be independent and comfortable talking to children and adults. There are many rules regarding infection control, confidentiality, and interacting with children and families—it is important to pay attention to this information and follow these regulations. Hospital staff expects a teen volunteer to follow directions and demonstrate maturity and respect.
Our volunteers are given an assignment on the same day and same time each week, for example, Wednesdays 4:00-6:00 p.m. Typically, volunteers are here 2-3 hours each week. We expect teens to maintain 80% attendance or above. The commitment is once a week June through mid-August.
Most of the available assignments are on the main hospital campus. Opportunities at our Close to Home’s will be discussed during the interview. We look for applicants who are interested in the assignment, not just the location.
Job shadowing is an academic pursuit, and therefore is not coordinated through Volunteer Services. To learn about the opportunities Nationwide Children's Hospital has, click here.
