Volunteer Services

Volunteer Guidelines

UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Guidelines

Departments inviting individuals to volunteer through the UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Program should review the following Volunteer Guidelines to ensure that the proposed activities and roles are in compliant with UCLA policies and guidelines before proceeding to complete the Scope of Duties Forms:

  • Required Commitments:
    • Minimum duration of assignment is 3 months (90 days) AND a commitment to complete at least 50 hours.
    • Approved Scope of Duties forms are valid up to 2 years and must be renewed. 
    • Completion Certificates for the entire program requires a MINIMUM of 100 Hours and the RETURN of your Volunteer ID Badge to the Volunteer Office.
  • Parameters in which your prospective Assignment must follow:
    • Applicants must meet the Volunteer Eligibility in order to start the on-boarding process to obtain clearance to start.  
    • Start Date and Granting Access:
      • Volunteers/SRP students must obtain their Volunteer ID badge once clearance is completed in order to:
        • Start any duties or activities, must be first trained onsite by supervisor(s). See below for more details. 
        • Be approved for any access including Mednet access. 
      • Individuals will need to re-complete to the entire on-boarding process if their volunteer status has been terminated/inactivated for more than 120 days and would therefore require reinstatement of their active status.
    • In-Person and Remote Positions:
      • Volunteers may be on a hybrid format in which remote volunteering (restrictions and other approvals apply) are optional for those eligible and have completed the clearance process for their assignment. (VPN access are not permitted).
      • Volunteers may NOT be COMPLETELY REMOTE or start volunteering remotely. Volunteers may be on a hybrid (remote and in-person) format, however, they must be trained onsite under supervision for their start date. 
      • Volunteers must be within the local area (Greater Los Angeles) for any remote activities and be able to come for onsite volunteering (under supervision) on a regular basis. 
    • Locations of services MUST be at the UCLA Westwood/Santa Monica UCLA medical campuses.
    • ALL duties and responsibilities must be within their approved Scope of Duties form and Personal Device Form. Any changes or additions to their role and duties must be reviewed for approval by the Volunteer Office in order to perform new duties. 
    • Roles and Assignments are NOT permitted to:
      • Include any type of training and/or practicum activity in which a professional certificate, degree (ex. MD), or license will be involved.
      • Be substituted as a solution for the current “hiring freeze”, please check with HR and the Redeployment Office if you have staffing issues or hiring issues. 
      • Resemble any type of training, clinical work, medical services, or work that the volunteer may expect monetary compensation in the future (i.e. trial periods before being hired, to start working before being hired, or to perform unpaid work or services until being hired). 
      • Include shadowing/observing as part of their assignment or role (exceptions: Formalized Approved Shadowing Program designated shifts).
      • Have shifts that are on an “on-call” or sporadic basis. Shifts for an assignment should be consistent and predictable (i.e. weekly, biweekly basis, etc.)
      • Replace, resemble, or supplant a paid position (including work-study or part-time paid positions).
      • As a means to continue ongoing or previously initiated projects, research, or work. 
      • Conduct more than 6 hours/day and/or 20 hours/week for all UCLA Health Sciences programs including volunteer programs from UCLA Health System. 
    • The Inviting Supervisor must be a current Career Employee of UCLA Health/Schools (MUST NOT be a Work-Study, Per Diem/Temporary, Retired, Contractors, Casual/Restricted, or Float Pool Employee).
    • Health Sciences Policies governing volunteers (available on PolicyStat):
      • Clinical Observers and Shadowers, HS 0360 (For more information, please click here).
      • Clinical Research Volunteers Scope of Duties, HS 0361
      • Volunteer Computer Access and Usage Policy HS 0362 (NEW)
    • Additional guidelines and restrictions are listed on Section 1 of the Volunteer's Scope Duties Form and other additional parameters may be required as each assignment is under a case by case review.
    • Certain activities and accesses may require other approvals.

To proceed, please return to the UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Program Homepage for more information.