University student says volunteering has boosted her confidence
Studying for a degree in human nutrition gave Bath Spa University student Isabelle an interest in finding out more about the health care sector.
21-year-old Isabelle Lloyd wanted to find out about health and care from a different point of view and a volunteering role with us has allowed her to do just that.
New skills
Isabelle, who is originally from Surrey, listens to the views of local people and gathers the feedback for Healthwatch BANES. She is also currently undergoing training to carry out Enter and View visits, where our volunteers inspect healthcare settings, chat and listen to residents, patients, families and staff members and then report their findings to the decision-making organisations.
She says volunteering has given her a great confidence boost:
“It is a great way to learn about the health care sector form a different point of view. My listening and communication skills have developed hugely, and my confidence has grown massively with talking to new people.
“Luckily everyone at Healthwatch is really nice and there is no pressure on the amount of hours that I have to do. This makes it perfect to fit around studying so when it’s in the quieter parts of the term I can volunteer more but when it gets busier with deadlines and exams, I can lower the amount of volunteering hours.
It is also about time management and learning what needs to be prioritised and this is an important skill.
Future plans
Isabelle is hoping for a job in the health sector when she graduates, working on public health campaign, encouraging healthy lifestyle and support programmes.
She believes volunteering will help her get on the right career path:
“If you are looking to get into the healthcare system then it’s a really nice way to start. Everyone is so nice and friendly and working at a local level is so rewarding.”
