Volunteering Opportunities at Addenbrookes Hospital

I am pleased to correspond with you regarding our Young Persons Volunteering Programme at Cambridge University Hospitals.

Volunteering is about making a difference for patients. Volunteers play a vital role as part of the team contributing to the wellbeing of our patients and visitors. YPP volunteers are allocated to the wards, where they help out with the evening meal, providing assistance and encouragement for our frailer patients. YPP volunteers engage patients who are lonely, isolated or anxious with the opportunity to communicate. This can take the form of:

 

A conversation
An activity (such as a game or puzzle)
A book from our patient library

 

These interactions are simple but can make a great difference to patients, to whom the day in hospital can seem long and dreary. A listening ear, a friendly smile and a kind word are sometimes the things that matter most. Such interactions may seem trivial, but if they help to lift a patient’s mood this can lead to increased appetite, for example, thereby making a tangible difference to patient outcomes.

 

Our young volunteers often have an interest in investigating a career in the NHS, so valuable insight can be gained into life on the wards. This is not mandatory of course, as young people may wish to volunteer simply for the joy of volunteering. Communication skills will improve, as will confidence as volunteers move through the 15 week programme.  Volunteering in a clinical environment is also frequently seen as beneficial by Higher Education establishments.

We have just begun our fifth cohort of the programme this month. Feedback from the volunteers has been very positive and they are enjoying the programme, talking to our patients and developing their confidence and communication skills.

What the Young Persons’ Volunteering Programme involves

Our next Cohort is due to start on Monday, 8^th January 2018 and will run for 15 weeks ending on Friday, 4^th May 2018.

Applications for the YPP starting in January are invited between Monday 2^nd October – Sunday 31^st October 2017. After this date the vacancy will close.  Applications are via our website: https://www.volunteering.cuh.org.uk/volunteering-opportunities-2/young-persons-programme/  clicking on the Young Person’s Volunteering vacancy button (not the general volunteering vacancy button). Applicants should be aged 16 -19 at the time of application and in full time education.

 

All applicants should consider their application carefully and try to demonstrate their clear motivations for wanting to volunteer and their genuine interest in helping others. It would be helpful if they could give an example of where they have demonstrated the Trust values of safe, kind and excellent in relation to helping others.

 

After the closing date of Sunday 31^st October we will consider the applications received. If shortlisted, applicants will be invited to attend an assessment event. There are two available on Monday 14^th November 2017 or on Thursday 16^th November 2018. Further information will be sent closer to the time. We do have a maximum capacity of 100 volunteers, so any applicants who are unsuccessful will be able to re-apply for the next Cohort starting in September 2018.

 

Successful Applicants will receive a Conditional Offer to join the YPP Programme which is subject to satisfactory pre-engagement screening checks. These will be explained in further detail at the Assessment Events. One of the required checks will be for the applicants to supply a reference from their current place of study. It would be appreciated if the reference is sent back to us as soon as possible to process.

 

We will run a welcome and induction morning on Wednesday 3^rd January 2018 from 9am – 1pm. Volunteering will begin w/c Monday 8^th January 2018. The volunteering duty is two hours, 4.30pm until 6.30pm, and successful applicants will be allocated an afternoon slot on a weekday (Monday to Friday), which will not be transferable. Volunteers will be expected to volunteer for a 15 week period, from:

 

Monday 8^th January 2018 – Friday 4^th May 2018

Volunteers are required to complete the minimum of 30 hours, unless illness or other agreed absence prevents attendance.

YPP volunteers will be supported throughout the programme by Trust staff and will have an Evening Duty Supervisor available as well as the support you will get from the ward teams.

At the end of the programme there will be a celebration evening where volunteers will be presented with 30 hour badges, certificates and a reference. There will be opportunities for continued volunteering for graduates of the programme and these will be outlined at this event.

We look forward to receiving your students’ applications to join our Young Person’s Programme, and please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any queries.

Kind regards

Andrew, Coordinator for the Young Persons Programme.

 

Andrew Keeble| Administrator| Voluntary Services Ext: 3762| 01223 217762 | Voluntary Services, Box 214

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ

The Trust is: part of the National Institute for Health Research - Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, and a member of Cambridge University Health Partners