I have been volunteering for Healthwatch Leeds for two years. I originally started as a representative of young people on the Healthwatch board.
The role involved attending quarterly meetings and echoing the views and opinions of younger people on matters relating to health and care.
Also, whilst volunteering I have attended meetings, sat on my local care partnership board, gone into health and care settings and spoken to people, including data inputting and more! I have also attended numerous training sessions, including Mental Health First Aid.
Reasons to volunteer
I volunteer because I love working with people and I am passionate about giving people and communities a voice.
I see the difference that volunteering makes, and not only does it feel rewarding, but it is great to see how it’s helping others. Volunteering has made me more confident, happier, has allowed me to meet great people and has prepared me for working life. It also helped with my motivation for university, as volunteering affirmed what I want to do as a career, so it inspired me to work harder.
Give and gain
Volunteering has impacted me in many ways. It has helped my wellbeing, because helping other people through volunteering is fulfilling, allows you to learn about yourself and most importantly makes you feel happy. It is also a great way to meet new people and allows you to see life through different lenses.
It really is true when they say you give and you gain; not only does it help you with your career and education, but it also makes you more compassionate and open-minded.
Learning to seek solutions
Whilst volunteering for Healthwatch Leeds, I took part in Listening Week which involved going to Leeds General Infirmary and speaking to people in the Emergency Department. We took surveys around involving questions such as why they are visiting, if they accessed any other care services before attending A&E, and so on.
It was really interesting to meet so many different people and I felt privileged that people were trusting me with personal and sensitive information. However, it was also challenging for a number of reasons – one person I spoke to didn’t speak English, but wanted to take part, so we found a way around it and communicated through Google Translate.
Advice for future volunteers
Volunteering is an invaluable experience, don’t be afraid to do it! Sometimes opportunities might be outside of our comfort zone, but trying new things always teaches us something.
Depending on where you volunteer, you can learn lots of different skills which will prepare you for work life.
It might seem overwhelming trying to balance studies, volunteering and anything else you might have going on, but volunteering opportunities are extremely flexible and there is no pressure to commit to anything permanent. I would just say do it when you can! Personally, the volunteer manager I work with is understanding of other commitments and knows I will accept opportunities when I can.
More information about volunteering
Read more student profiles about volunteering
Find out more about volunteering opportunities as a student at Leeds
If you’re a not-for-profit organisation in Leeds that would benefit from student volunteers, email the Volunteering Team at volunteer@leeds.ac.uk