Volunteering as a student with Healthwatch Rochdale

Blog - 12 February 2020

Volunteers play a vital role at Healthwatch Rochdale, helping the public have their say in health and social care. To celebrate Student Volunteering Week, Paul spoke to us about what he learned during his time as a student volunteer.
Young male

Why did you decide to volunteer with Healthwatch?

I decided to get involved with Healthwatch Rochdale through work experience during Year 10 of Secondary school, and it was an experience that was incredibly valuable and made me realise how rewarding it was to help improve health services in the local area, as well as learning important skills such as teamwork and communication. Even though my experience was fairly short, it was enjoyable and the staff there were both welcoming and supportive. 

What did you do as a student volunteer?

I was given an overview of how important it is as an independent champion to ensure that the feedback given by people who use heath and social care services is acted upon, supporting their views and ensuring everyone is supported. In particular I focused on ways to help younger generations give advice on how health and social care can be improved to support their needs.

What would you say to someone who was thinking about volunteering?

Overall Healthwatch gave me a very positive experience that I would recommend to anyone, and their work is vital in making sure people are listened to.

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