ElderSource strives to offer our volunteers a worthwhile and enjoyable experience. Our goal is to increase partnership so we can serve more seniors, caregivers and adults with disabilities.
See our three available volunteer opportunities below.
Eligibility to Volunteer
- Volunteers must be 18 years old or older
- Pass a background screening
- Pass reference checks
- Enjoy working with older adults
- Attend orientation and training if required
- Additional eligibility requirements may exist for the individual volunteer opportunities (see below)
SHINE & SMP (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Elders & Senior Medicare Patrol)
You can be part of an amazing team of volunteers that changes the lives of older adults! The SHINE Program provides free, unbiased, and confidential counseling assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Many people find the Medicare system to be complicated and daunting. As a SHINE volunteer you will be trained to help individuals make the best decisions for their needs.
As a SHINE volunteer, you serve your community by performing at least one of the following functions:
- Provide Medicare and health insurance information, counseling, and assistance in person or over the phone
- Deliver educational presentations or speeches.
- Distribute educational and promotional materials in your community.
- Provide training and leadership to other volunteers.
- Assist with general program support.
How To Get Started:
- First, complete an online volunteer application at www.floridashine.org.
- Then, you will complete our comprehensive Online Orientation at http://training.floridashine.org/STL_Modules/Orientation/story.html
- After completing the first two steps, you will be contacted by SHINE staff.
- Agree to uphold the integrity of the SHINE program.
For questions and inquires, contact SHINE Program Manager Carrie Fortuny-Gonzalez at [email protected].
Caring Connections Telephone Reassurance Program
The Telephone Reassurance Program is an ElderSource initiative that provides a friendly telephone call from a volunteer to an older adult who is living alone and/or homebound. The goal of the program is to eliminate or reduce some of the concerns facing homebound seniors: isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety and cognitive decline. Caring Connections volunteers will reach out by phone regularly to these seniors to offer a friendly check-in and an opportunity to feel connected to the community beyond their front door.
This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity for someone looking to make a difference in the life of an older adult. All volunteers must:
- Be willing to establish a friendly, caring relationship with seniors over the phone.
- Have great listening skills.
- Be willing to make a commitment to call a senior at least once a week for a minimum of six months to one year.
- Agree to a background screening and reference check.
- Attend orientation and training sessions.
ElderSource Advisory Council
ElderSource seeks volunteers from each of its seven counties to serve on the Advisory Council. Duties for the Advisory Council members are to report on the needs of older adults and emerging issues in their respective counties; review and comment on the agency’s Area Plan; study legislative issues and advocate on behalf of the elderly; assist in promoting the mission, programs and activities of the agency; and to educate the public about the needs and the contributions of the elderly.
Interested in becoming an Advisory Council Member? Send an email to: [email protected] or call (904)391-6631 for more information.
