Youngsters complete hospice volunteer programme

Young people interested in a career in medicine have completed six-months’ volunteering at St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Eastbourne.

The Young Clinical Volunteer (YCV) programme invites people aged 18 to 24 years old to spend four hours once a week with patients and their families on the Inpatient Unit. Over six months they learn about the 15 Standards of the Care Certificate, which includes basic life support, fluids and nutrition, and infection prevention and control.

A celebration evening was held at the hospice in Broadwater Way recently and YCVs were invited to say a few words about their time at St Wilfrid’s.

YCV, Rose, said: “It has been amazing to work alongside such caring and empathetic people, and I have learnt so much about palliative care. It was great to do some ward rounds with the doctors, as well as a drug round with the nurses. Shadowing the healthcare assistants taught me a lot about the importance of communication skills and how to care for patients in a kind and respectful way.

“I have loved talking to such a range of healthcare professionals and to be able to get lots of tips and advice for the future. I could not recommend this programme enough. It has been so amazing for me to see my own confidence grow as I helped care for more patients. St Wilfrid's will always have a special place in my heart.”

YCV Coordinator, Gillian Laloux, said: “We'd like to thank all our YCVs for completing the programme, it’s been a pleasure to have them at hospice for the last few months. The team on the Inpatient Unit are very grateful for all the hard work they put in and I have received lots of positive feedback from patients saying how much they enjoyed having the young people around.”

Applications for the next intake of YCVs opens in the summer. For more information, visit www.stwhospice.org, email vsteam@stwhospice.org or call 01323 434205.

St Wilfrid’s Hospice provides high-quality care and support for people across Eastbourne, Seaford, Hailsham, Uckfield, Heathfield (and all points between) with life-limiting illnesses.