L-R: Zoe Donnelly, Theo Hall and Megan Plenderleith
St Clare Hospice in Essex have appointed three new Young Ambassadors as part of their clinical placements scheme.
Zoe Donnelly, 17, Theo Hall, 16, and Megan Plenderleith, 17, will join the hospice on six month voluntary placements until February 2019. During the half a year the Ambassadors will work in a variety of hands-on clinical roles.
The Young Ambassador’s scheme offers young people aged 16-18 years the opportunity to volunteer in St Clare’s Inpatient Unit. It is open to all those who are interested in careers in medicine, nursing, or healthcare, and offers the opportunity to gain practical experience of the clinical world and voluntary sector.
During the six months, volunteers will be responsible for vital housekeeping duties within the Inpatient Unit, as well as having the opportunity to shadow nursing staff and other clinical staff. The project also aims to help students enhance their college, university or job applications, while offering valuable skills through direct contact with the patients, families and hospice care teams.
Commenting at the start of the Young Ambassadors project, Zoe said:
“I first applied for the Young Ambassadors project at St Clare because I wanted to find out more about the work they do, and about hospices in general. I am hoping to study Medicine myself when I go to university, and, in my opinion, palliative medicine is one of the most challenging areas of the practice. Therefore, I am really looking forward to gaining experience and insight in the field of palliative care as a Young Ambassador – especially at my local hospice, St Clare. When I attended my interview for the project, it was the first time I had ever stepped foot in a hospice. Immediately, I was surprised to realise what a bright, cheerful and positive place it was, so I knew at once that I would enjoy volunteering here!”
Megan added:
“The Young Ambassadors project is an outstanding volunteering opportunity for young people who wish to work within the healthcare sector. I am so glad I applied for the project as I feel really lucky to be here, and am looking forward to showing what I have to offer. I had never visited a hospice before I started my role as a Young Ambassador – I, too, used to think that hospices were just places to come to die, but after learning about St Clare’s care and support for local people, I realised that hospice care is so much more.
Theo said:
“When I first arrived at St Clare, I immediately remarked the atmosphere as something I did not expect. It was one that reminded me of home and not a hospital in any way. It was beautifully clean and comfy and I immediately felt as though I fit in wonderfully. I look forward to starting my Young Ambassadors Project and learning more about how a hospice works.”
For more information visit St Clare Hospice
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