Voluntary activities have been implemented in the General Teaching Hospital in Prague since 2005. Volunteering has been practically in interpersonal relationships for a long time and has been an important part of patient psychosocial support in the hospital environment.

The volunteer devotes his time and energy to another person, at a given moment of illness and hospitalization, thus allowing him to withdraw from the difficult situation. The patient comes up with other ideas, talks, laughs, tells his life story, plays cards, listens to music and sings, creates a gift for pleasure… Canistherapy is an important part of voluntary activities. Canistherapy teams are warmly welcomed by all patients, both in group activities and in individual visits, where the dog spends a few minutes on the patient's bed.

All these activities belong to the spectrum of voluntary activities of our hospital and make the patients more pleasant and have a positive impact on their mental health. Volunteers have no substitute for professional staff, nor do family members, and bring the world of health into a disease-related environment. Volunteering in our hospital is dedicated to university students in helping professions: medicine, healthcare, psychology, social work, or special education, as well as people who, despite their successful careers, desire to meet deeper values. Experiences, experiences and new skills - especially communication - are rewarded by volunteers for their merit.

Volunteers in our program perform:

One-time activities - music and singing, creation with patients, accompaniment of patients, help with organization of various events, etc.

Regular and long-term activities - visit patients at bedside intervals once a week or 1 x 14 days for 1–2 hours.

Voluntary activities usually take place in the afternoon between 2 and 5 pm.

The Center for Voluntary Activities cooperates with a number of hospital workplaces, for example s The Chaplain Service of the General University Hospital in Prague. Thanks to this cooperation, we organize community events across the hospital and support the spiritual dimension of our patients 'and employees' lives. If you are interested follow our activities also on Facebook.