Kowhai Companions

Nau mai, Haere mai koutou katoa
- Make a difference in someone’s life by developing meaningful relationships
- Gain an understanding of working in healthcare and be a valuable member of the hospital team
- Work experience which may benefit your career

About the Kōwhai Programme

The Kowhai Programme trains volunteers to provide person centred emotional tautoko / support and manaaki/practical assistance to at risk patients in hospital. The programme is also designed to support whānau / family or carers when they are unable to be with their loved one, or tautoko those patients who do not have whānau / family support.

About the Kōwhai Companion Role

The Kōwhai Companion role provides tautoko which would usually be provided by whānau or a carer.

By gaining an understanding of the patient’s background, their whānau, identity, personal preferences and activities they enjoy, you will be able to create a Kōwhai conversation chart - personal profile.

Kōwhai Companions will tautoko patients who experience memory and thinking problems such as delirium, those with dementia, or patients who would just benefit from someone sitting with them kanohi ki te kanohi / face to face.

The programme has been running at Burwood Hospital since January 2022 with great success,

**_ “Being a Kōwhai Companion gives me a purpose and reward beyond what I can adequately describe and express. I give my time, attention, and care to the patients I see once a week and in return I hear stories from the past, see smiles on their faces, share laughs, learn new life lessons”_**
- “_**_this programme has done more for me than anything else during my hospital stay, having someone to take me outside gave me something to look forward to”_**

**_ “I felt really happy knowing that someone could be with Mum in the evenings, she gets very frightened and the staff can’t be there with her all the time, they are lovely people ”_**

We are looking for people who may have two to three hours available, once a week, Monday to Friday, times of the day are flexible, who are willing to commit for at least 6 months. This is purely a companion role you will not be expected to provide patient cares.

Please attach a CV and a letter telling us a little bit about yourself, including:

- Why you would like to become a Kōwhai Companion
- What you will bring to the Kōwhai Companion role
- Any experiences in tautoko or manaaki
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