Meet some of our lovely student volunteers

This week, we're celebrating how volunteering has helped our volunteers develop their skills, make a difference in their local community, and gain valuable work experience.

Meet Michael – Healthwatch Westmoreland and Furness

Michael is a sixth-form student planning to study medicine at university and has volunteered with Healthwatch Westmoreland and Furness since last summer. While volunteering, Michael has attended pop-up events and engaged with the public about their experiences with all health and social care aspects. 

“Going forward, I hope to continue volunteering at Healthwatch and look forward to being involved with the varied and interesting projects they undertake!”

Meet Jeevan – Youth Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire

Jeevan began volunteering with Young Healthwatch a few months ago, during which time he has seen an immense boost in his confidence. Jeevan aspires to work in neonatology and maternal-fetal medicine and felt that meeting professionals and workers in NHS sectors has given him a deeper insight into the healthcare sector. 

“I can evidently vocalise the impact being a part of Young Healthwatch has created on me. Being able to confidently say your voice and opinion is making a difference to the local community truly is a feeling that one cannot even begin to describe.”

Meet Daisy –Youth Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire

Daisy is a 19-year-old student nurse and volunteer. Since joining Young Healthwatch, she has been involved in blog writing, raising awareness of rare diseases, visiting Bedford Hospital and giving them recommendations based on her visits. 

“I have really enjoyed my time at Young Healthwatch and have gained so many invaluable skills from my work.”

Meet Dolce – Healthwatch Thurrock

Dolce joined Healthwatch Thurrock as a placement student as part of her Health and Social Care course at college and has been volunteering for over a year. When Dolce started her placement, she expressed her interest in pursuing a career in midwifery. Dolce helped with a project focusing on resident's experience of local maternity services, giving her a greater insight into maternal healthcare.

“I am really enjoying my time at Healthwatch Thurrock, I have gained more confidence in speaking to people and how to work in a team. I feel really lucky, it has opened my eyes and made me realise that everyone’s experience of Health and Social Care is so different.”

Meet Bami – Youth Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire

While studying at university, Bami got involved with Young Healthwatch to expand her knowledge of the healthcare system and what improvements could be made. She has made an impact in several ways, including going to hospitals and universities, reviewing websites, posters, and leaflets and discussing projects, which has motivated her passion for psychology.

“As a result of volunteering with Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire, I was able to get a job that required the skill set which I was able to develop due to Young Healthwatch.”

Meet Mars - Youth Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire

Mars has volunteered for over a year after hearing about Youth Healthwatch during a careers lesson at school. Mars has been involved in various projects, including the Don't Stop the Beat project, which taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and helped out with social media content.

“The main reason I joined was the learn more about the medical field as I want to be a paramedic, so it has helped me to learn and has been a lot of fun. I hope I can continue to work with Young Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire more in the future.”