On Friday 5 July, the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (L&D) celebrated the graduation of its first student volunteers to take part in a new Youth Volunteering Programme.
The L&D Volunteer team has been working in collaboration with three local schools over the past five months, offering the new student volunteering programme which provides an opportunity for young people aged 17 or over to volunteer on busy wards at mealtimes to help support our patients and staff.
A total of 14 students took part and all received a certificate to mark the end of their placement as a token of the Trust’s appreciation for the time and value the students have provided to our patients.
The Youth Volunteering graduates were presented with their certificates by Ward Manager Julie Piley
Feedback has been positive on both sides – the opportunity has allowed the students to grow and gain more confidence, resulting in one student going on to secure employment at the Trust, and two others continuing their volunteering roles.
Mhairi Emery, Volunteer Coordinator said: “We are really proud of our first L&D Youth Volunteering Programme graduates. They have been amazing, supporting the patients and staff around the hospital and today we wanted to say thank you.”
The Youth Volunteering graduates are pictured with Suldana Begum (centre), housekeeper on Ward 15, who has supported many of the students over the past five months.
She continued: “We hope to continue with the programme and expand the number of schools involved so that a greater number of students will be able to benefit from this opportunity.”
The students were presented with their certificates by Ward Manager Julie Piley.