PCSYR - Resource Library

Winter 2000

Volume 11 No. 1

PCSYR Volunteer Corner

Sign Up HERE!

Sybil Pugh

I was a teacher for 27 years. I taught primary grades, children who looked forward to anticipating the rest of their lives. I now volunteer in a completely different environment, which is devoted to care of the terminally ill. I have come to appreciate the term palliative care.

As a weekly volunteer at PCSYR, I enjoy the variety of tasks I am assigned during the day. Through them I have gained a wider knowledge, and appreciation, of what palliative care is all about.

On my first day, I was fortunate enough to meet several other volunteers who had been assigned to work on a mailing task. Another of my early days was spent with other volunteers preparing binders for one of the many educational programmes organized for support services of palliative care.

Membership Facts!

Membership is open to all service providers, organizations and consumers interested in fostering the mission and goals of the Corporation. To be a member in good standing, a person and/or organization must pay the annual dues as set by the Board of Directors and approved by the members at the Annual General Meeting.

There are three levels of membership and the annual dues vary across the three levels:

a consumer membership is $25.00 per year,

a partial corporate membership is $250.00, and

the fee for a full corporate membership is dependent on the nature of the corporation (this one is a little complicated, so contact us for details).

Benefits of membership are:

CONSUMERS Ų The satisfaction of helping to make a difference to people dealing with a life threatening illness in your community. Keep up to date with changes in the palliative care world via our newsletter. Influence the direction of palliative care by sitting on our committees.

I realized then that I was indeed part of a volunteer team. Having taken the Core Concepts Program, I truly appreciate the knowledge, experience and dedication of the speakers and the values they impart to the participants.

Other working, but learning experiences, have been as a support resource at lunch time seminars provided for doctors and nurses, held at local hospitals, and also at the annual PSM conference.

From office tasks, such as filing, copying and word processing to helping at special meetings, volunteering at P.C.S.Y.R. is a rewarding learning experience. The exposure to health care provisions and the training available to service providers in the community is one which can be passed on to improve public awareness of the Palliative Care Services in York Region.

I find being a member of the volunteer team a rewarding experience. I have been made to feel welcome and appreciated by Pat, Marsha, Debra, Carol and Teresa, and look forward to continuing my association with this community service.

PARTIAL CORPORATE Ų Subject to qualifications as prescribed by the Board of Directors, this category shall include membership on:

Service Providers Council

Board of Director through five representatives elected

Board of Directors Committees

Regional Pain and Symptom Management Committee

Palliative Care Community Networking Committee

Regional Data Base Committee

Any other committee prescribed by the Board of Directors

FULL CORPORATE Ų Subject to qualifications as prescribed by the Board of Directors, this category shall include membership on:

Service Providers Council

Board of Directors through five representatives elected by the Service Providers Council

Board of Directors Committees

Regional Pain and Symptom Management Committee

Education Committee

Palliative Care Community Networking Committee

Regional Data Base Committee

Any other committee prescribed by the Board of Directors

In addition all staff shall be eligible to attend Core Concepts, Advanced Issues and Train the Trainer educational programs at no cost.

YES! I would like someone to contact me about becoming a volunteer...

Why Don't You Become a Volunteer?

Do you have some spare time? Do you have a skill you would like to put to use for a few hours each week? Or, maybe youd like to sit on one of our committees. If so, wed like to hear from you soon. We also need volunteers to help in our offices with computer or administrative skills, and at our educational sessions. If you can help please call our office at 905/895-3628 and ask for Carol
(ext. 270) or Deborah (ext. 294)

Have You Moved?

If youve moved, changed your name, title or position - let us know so we can update our database. Contact Carol Darlington, Administrative Assistant at 905/895-3628 ext. 270 or by e-mail at [email protected]

Can You Help?

Please help support Palliative Care Services for York Regions Newsletter or our Regional Pain & Symptom Management Consultation Teams. Send in your donation. Please, help us to help others. (PCSYR is a non-profit charitable organization funded by donations, foundations, bequests and the Ministry of Health.)