Chad Tucker, director of volunteer services at ECU Health Medical Center, said Christopher's experience is exactly what the program hopes to give back to local students who give their time to give back to their communities.
“This program is an investment in our future,” Tucker says. “Many students go on to college and get the opportunity to see the hospital firsthand. It's so rewarding to see former Volunteer Teens going to medical school, becoming nurses or respiratory therapists, or working in a variety of different capacities and attributing part of their foundation to the Volunteer Teen program. Not only do these young people get to help our team members and the patients we serve, but it also helps their careers.”
The program also offers leadership sessions for teen volunteers, providing them with opportunities to see unique areas of the health system and develop their skills. During one session, the group visited EastCare's helipad, learning about the team, seeing the inside of a helicopter and observing a landing.
In another session, the Human Resources and Workforce Development team tackled resume writing and shared interview tips with VolunTeens.
“We have quite a few upperclassmen at our school who are about to start college, so if they are going for job interviews or scholarship interviews, it gives them a good perspective on how to navigate their first interview as a young adult,” Tingen said.
We are proud to support VolunTeen programs at ECU Health Medical Center and select ECU Health Community Hospitals, and we are grateful to the teens who help us serve Eastern North Carolina each summer.
To learn more about the VolunTeen program or other volunteer opportunities at ECU Health, visit ECUHealth.org/Volunteers
