Trust celebrates Volunteer to Career Programme

Sixteen aspiring healthcare individuals have received recognition for completing the Volunteer to Career (VtC) Programme in midwifery at the Trust, which runs the county’s two acute hospitals.

Volunteers on the most recent midwifery programme have collectively accumulated over 1,000 hours of volunteering on the antenatal and postnatal wards within The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

This has allowed them to experience what life is like in the clinical setting of Maternity Services whilst offering additional support for patients and staff.

Additionally, they have attended a programme of evening sessions designed to covering several topics enhancing their insight into the career and offering invaluable support for interviews and job applications; a simulation of a birth, the importance of difficult conversations, how to approach a values-based interview, and an evening gaining knowledge and insight from some of our existing midwives – all giving a greater insight into the career they are exploring.

To celebrate the success of the VtC programme, a presentation evening was held with talks from volunteers, certificates handed out and speeches.

The programme was developed by SaTH with the support and funding from Helpforce - a national UK Charity created to improve the lives of healthcare staff, patients and our communities through the power of volunteering.

Helpforce selected SaTH as one of a handful of hospitals to participate in the VtC programme and each programme is designed to identify the workforce needs of the organisation. 

The VtC programme provides an exceptional chance for individuals of all ages to gets hands-on experience before committing to a job or applying for further education. It is particularly helpful to anyone who might be considering a career in the NHS but might have some trepidation about making the jump from an existing career.

Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation, said: “Volunteering has always been a valuable pathway for our volunteers to advance their careers within the NHS, and the VtC programme supports that even further through an experiential and developmental approach.

“We have had great success in the first two cohorts of the programme and the candidates are a talented, compassionate pool of potential employees, with a solid understanding of how things work in practice.

“Of the 16 individuals on cohort 2 of the programme, a third have secured places at university studying midwifery, and the others have already gained employment within the Trust or are applying for roles.”

Nigel Lee, Executive Director of Strategy and Partnerships, said: “Volunteers are incredibly important to our hospitals and it is a delight when their support can be used to carve out a life-long career within the NHS.

“What makes the programme so special is the additional support and guidance it offers to our volunteers. The programme offers our volunteers placements to gain experience and training sessions with clinical leads to develop their skills and knowledge. We are delighted to be offering this at our Trust and look forward to watching the programme grow and expand over the coming years.”

Hayley Flavell, Director of Nursing, said: “The programme has been instrumental in connecting our hospitals with our local communities by attracting people from all walks of life to the programme. They undertake valuable volunteering roles, whilst accessing a clinically led career pathway that has been designed to enable VtC volunteers to make the decision to embark on a career in becoming a midwife or pursue employment in other roles here at our hospitals.

“This is exactly the type of new innovation we have been looking for to help meet our workforce needs and with the ‘try before you buy’ approach is proving to be very effective with 73% of volunteers who completed the pathway securing employment or embarking on further education or training.”

The Trust is now recruiting to their first cohort for Radiotherapy. A Therapeutic Radiographer is an allied health professional (AHP) who has undergone specific training to be able to deliver radiotherapy for patients undergoing treatment for cancer. This programme will give volunteers a great insight into this profession. The Trust is holding an online event to find out more on Thursday 21 March 2024 6pm-7pm - Volunteer to Career Programme - SaTH.