St. John Ambulance

by Gloria Welton

St. John Ambulance carries out their mission through community service, first aid, and CPR training.

Community Services volunteers are uniformed members who serve communities across Canada, providing first aid and emergency response support. As well, they improve the quality of life for people confined to healthcare facilities through a Therapy Dog Visitation program.

“Our volunteers contribute millions of hours to Canadian communities each year,” says Jazlyn MacLeod with St. John Ambulance Nova Scotia and PEI. Instructors, volunteers, and staff provide high-quality first aid and CPR training and products.

“Under the guidance of our network of medical and healthcare professionals, St. John Ambulance is the national leader, setting the standard for training in first aid, CPR, and other lifesaving skills.”

Jazlyn oversees the PEI office, which sells first aid kits, offers first-aid courses, and hosts volunteer programs.

“Being a volunteer looks great on a resumé. Volunteer opportunities are with either the Medical Responder or the Therapy Dog Visitation program.”

Work opportunities here on PEI

Instructor Development Program: St. John Ambulance is always looking for instructors on PEI.

“For those who wish to become a first aid instructor with St. John Ambulance, this program has an in-class portion covering how to be an instructor, and a post-class development phase where new instructors teach under the guidance of an experienced instructor.

“There is a fee for the initial training, but once successful paid opportunities to teach are waiting for you. Once you are part of this program, you can sign up for dates to instruct that fit your schedule. Classes run on weekdays and weekends, multiple times a month.”

Jazlyn says COVID-19 has caused instruction to move online with more team/mentor teaching rather than in-class.

“As we navigate the pandemic and the changes that come with it, this is constantly changing as well.

“To apply, reach out to our Charlottetown office directly and we can help get in touch with the right person.”

Work Placements: “St. John Ambulance offers unpaid work placements through other organizations where their students/clients could benefit from on-the-job training with someone in our office. Someone will guide volunteers through their placement, assigning daily tasks and weekly goals.

“Our Community Services/Marketing side is the best place to gain experience for those interested in non-profits and working with or managing volunteers and volunteer programs.”

“Organizations can reach out at any time and see what we can offer for their students and clients based on their interests and goals.”

No experience or skills are needed to take part in either program.

St. John Ambulance was part of a job fair hosted by the UPEI Experiential Education department. For a complete list of employers who attended and their hiring needs, click here.