Applications for the 2027 Summer Blue J Program will open March 1, 2027.
Applications received before March 1, 2027, will not be accepted. Space is limited, and spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Summer will be here before we know it, and we are so glad you are considering volunteering with Methodist Healthcare!
The 2027 Summer Blue J Program will run from June 7 through July 30, 2027. All Blue J volunteers must be at least 16 years old by June 1, 2027 to participate.
Ready to Apply?
Beginning March 1, use the link below to complete the Blue J application:
After your application is received, you will receive an email with orientation times, location details, and a link to register for an available Blue J Orientation session.
Required Blue J Orientation
Orientation will be offered on:
Saturday, April 24, 2027
Saturday, May 1, 2027
All Blue J volunteers must attend one of these orientations to participate in the summer program. These will be the only Blue J orientation dates offered, so please select the date that works best for your schedule.
Due to limited space, we kindly ask that parents/guardians not attend orientation.
Onboarding & Required Documents
After you have signed up for a Blue J Orientation session, we will email you the required onboarding forms to complete and bring with you to orientation.
The emailed forms will include:
- Blue J Volunteer Contract
- Background Check Volunteer Authorization Form
- Background Check Volunteer Information Forms
- Blue J Consent Form
- Employee Health History and Immunization Records Form
You will also need to bring:
- $15 cash or check, payable to Blue Bird Auxiliary, for membership dues and one polo shirt
- Copies of your immunization records, including:
- MMR – 2 doses
- Varicella
- Tdap
- TB skin or blood test results completed within the past 90 days, if available
- Two reference letters from non-related adults. There is no required format for reference letters. Please choose two non-related adults who can speak to your character, reliability, communication skills, and why they believe you would be a good fit for the Blue J program.
Employee Health Clearance
At orientation, we will provide instructions for scheduling your required Employee Health appointment. You will need to be cleared by Employee Health before you can start volunteering in the program. Same-day Employee Health clearance is only possible if you provide TB skin or blood test results completed within the past 90 days.
TB testing will be provided free of charge by our Employee Health Office after completing orientation.
Please keep the following estimated turnaround times in mind if you are completing testing with our Employee Health Office:
- TB testing: 3–5 business days or longer
- MMR and Varicella titers: 5–7 business days or longer
We highly encourage Blue J volunteers to complete Employee Health requirements as soon as possible after orientation so there is plenty of time to receive clearance before the program begins.
Summer Schedule
Before orientation, we will email you a scheduling questionnaire to complete. Please have an idea of your summer availability and bring the completed questionnaire with you to orientation.
On the questionnaire, you will be asked to list any dates you already know you will be unavailable due to vacations, school, work, camps, or other commitments. You will also have the opportunity to indicate the volunteer areas you are most interested in.
We work hard to match Blue J volunteers with an area that interests them; however, placements cannot be guaranteed. Popular areas, including children’s units, tend to fill quickly, and volunteer opportunities vary by hospital.
Because the Blue J Program is only eight weeks long, we ask volunteers to be available for and commit to the majority of the summer program. If you know you will be unavailable for a significant portion of the eight weeks, we encourage you to consider applying the following summer when you are able to make a greater commitment.
Standard Blue J shifts are:
Morning: 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Afternoon: 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Blue J volunteers may commit to a maximum of two 4-hour shifts per week during the 8-week summer program. Additional shifts may become available once we know how many volunteers will be participating.
We typically have our greatest need for volunteers during afternoon shifts, so afternoon availability is always appreciated.
Final Schedules & Assignments
Final schedules, including your assigned hospital, volunteer area, days, and shift times, will be emailed toward the end of May.
Once schedules and assignments have been finalized, changes can be difficult to accommodate. If your availability changes from what you submitted on your scheduling questionnaire, please notify Volunteer Services no later than May 15, 2027.
We will always do our best to accommodate your preferences while maintaining a balanced schedule for all summer Blue J volunteers.
Questions?
If you have questions about the Summer Blue J Program, please contact Volunteer Services at mhmh.volunteerservices@mhshealth.com.
If you have applied or accepted a spot in the program but are no longer able to participate, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the opportunity to another student.
Thank you for your interest in the 2027 Summer Blue J Program. We look forward to providing our Blue J volunteers with a meaningful, productive, and memorable summer experience!
