Invigorated volunteer programme launched | News and events

Norfolk and Suffolks’ mental health trust has relaunched its volunteer programme with a new recruitment process and training.

Volunteering was halted within Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation trust during the COVID lockdowns but the team has used the time to develop the system and is now ready to welcome volunteers back.

Volunteer co-ordinator Sarah Briggs said: “Volunteers are important at NSFT as they help enrich the experiences of our services. They also help our services run smoothly and allow our staff to spend their time focusing on delivering the best support for our service users, helping us to build greater connections and reach those people we may not have been able to before.”

She said it had taken a long time to get back on track since COVID. “The focus has been on ensuring the volunteers recruitment process and training is as robust as possible. As a Trust, we need to ensure that anyone who has contact with our services user are appropriately recruited, trained and supported. We have some volunteers in the Trust, but are ready to welcome more to help support the services that we provide.”

Roles include supporting groups in the community or activities on wards which encourage patients to take part. There are opportunities for gardeners and roles for people with personal experience of mental health problems, either as a patient or carer.

Sarah said: “In particular, the perinatal team in Suffolk is looking for a dad who supported a partner during pregnancy for a new peer support group and there are roles helping staff assessing ward environments.”

She said they were looking for people with a passion for volunteering who were kind, compassionate and willing to learn. “People don’t always have to have an in-depth knowledge of mental health or the NHS, they can learn, but communication skills are important as you will spend a lot of time talking to people from different backgrounds who have varying experiences in the NHS.”

And she added there were benefits for the volunteers too. “It can give people confidence and skills to take on new opportunities. There’s the chance to make friends, help with loneliness and improve health and wellbeing. Volunteering can give a chance to try something new, even providing a stepping stone to a new career.”

Deputy chief executive and chief people officer Cath Byford welcome the refreshed volunteer programme. “Volunteering is beneficial both for us as an organisation and for the individuals involved. We can share expertise and experience to make NSFT a safer, kind and better environment for patients, families, carers and staff.”

 

Drive to support dementia cafes

One of the first volunteer drives is for dementia cafes at Poppies Café, Carlton Court Hospital, and Hammerton Court, Julian Hospital,

Safer care practitioner Sarah Nichols said: “We currently run well-attended carers groups but we would like to see these carers, and their loved ones with dementia, having fun in a safe environment together.”

“Volunteers pre Covid were a vital part of helping to deliver inclusion events and help with activities. Hammerton Court and Carlton court both had groups and dementia cafes creating an environment to make patients/relatives and carers feel that they are included, valued, and respected and who share a common interest.”

Now teams are hoping to regenerate this across the Trust starting with Carlton Court. “The Poppies Lounge has been revamped and we have also been given a lovely piano. We do find a patient or carer (or two) surprise us on the ivories now and then,” said Sarah.

She also hopes to see the dementia café at Hammerton Court, Julian Hospital, re-introduced.

 

CONTACT

For more information or to register your interest in any volunteering opportunities, email volunteer@nsft.nhs.uk