Box Hill Hospital kinder tours: volunteer Annette Gibbs retires
Box Hill Hospital’s longtime kinder tour guide has decided to call it a day after years teaching young children about hospitals. Now the hospital is in search of a new volunteer to lead the fun.
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For 10 years Annette Gibbs has dedicated her time to showing kinder kids around Box Hill Hospital to help prevent any anxiety they may have around being in a hospital in the future.
The Blackburn volunteer came out of a long career working in childcare and as a teachers’ aid for children with special needs only to dive into conducting hospital tours — specially designed for three and four year olds — in her retirement.
Ms Gibbs said the task had been extremely rewarding, and she had especially enjoyed the children’s reactions and enthusiasm.
“I’ve just loved every part of it,” she said.
“The children are bright and happy and just interested to learn.”
“They’re like little sponges.”
Ms Gibbs said on the tours children were encouraged to dress up as doctors and nurses and engage in role-play to understand what being in a hospital and interacting with the staff was like.
The tour participants are then shown wards and medical equipment, including medical imagery machines, as well as babies in the special care nursery.
“Hospitals are big, they’re busy, bright and noisy,” she said.
“All these things just make them familiar with it and very relaxed.”
Ms Gibbs said children always adored the tours and came out of them less daunted by the unusual scenario.
And while it’s been a lot of fun for the past 10 years, Ms Gibbs has decided to retire from the role, and Box Hill Hospital is seeking a new volunteer for the role.
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The tours are run on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings during school terms from April through to November.
Potential tour guides will need past experience working with young children and be willing
to undertake a Working with Children Check.
Anyone interested in applying can do so at easternhealth.org.au or by phoning 9895 4658 or volunteers@easternhealth.org.au before Friday, December 13.
Anyone interested in arranging a tour of Box Hill Hospital for their kindergarten should contact susan.hammond@easternhealth.org.au.