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How did we do?
Working together with volunteers
We are proud to have enabled King’s Volunteers
to expand their activities over the past year.
Thanks to our support, volunteers have helped
tackle the boredom, anxiety and isolation patients
can experience during hospital stays, ensuring
that everyone is made to feel safe, welcome and
comfortable.
Overcoming barriers to inclusion
Towards the end of 2021, we were successful in
our application to the Volunteer Futures Fund to
better reflect our diverse community through King’s
Volunteers. Provided by NHS Charities Together and
the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the
aim of the grant was to encourage young people from
our local community to take up work experience and
volunteering opportunities.
It was a fantastic opportunity to help young people
in our local area overcome the barriers that prevent
them from volunteering, which, in turn, ensures they
can benefit from the improved prospects and wider
horizons that volunteering brings.
By building relationships with local schools, we are able
to bring young people, like Rachel Balogun, into the
hospital to experience life in #Team Kings.
I loved every day of my week’s work experience
with King’s. The online seminars and support from
the hospital’s volunteers’ team really helped me to
prepare for my work experience. It’s not that I was
expecting it to be exactly like Grey’s Anatomy but I was
surprised by how jam-packed and busy it was in real
life. It struck me how, even on the calm days, you have
to give patients attention – no matter what. You can’t
just switch off.
“I want to be a paediatric nurse, so I was absolutely
buzzing at the chance to come in and experience the
paediatric ward. The day in neonatal care was one of
the best days of my life – it’s what I want to specialise
in. The stand-out moment was being tasked to look
after a patient’s three younger brothers. I was so
thrilled to be trusted.
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S U P P O R T K I N G S .O R G .U K
“By funding key staff posts,
equipment and development activity,
the Charity is helping us to grow
King’s Volunteers to help patients,
families and visitors have a better
experience at our hospitals.”
Luke Palmer, Volunteering Impact, Compliance
and Engagement Manager
“That was the best thing about the experience – even
though I am young, the staff didn’t belittle me or make
me feel small. I’m proud of my culture and would never
want to change the fact that I am black and female.
As a young woman of Nigerian descent, I feel that these
are things that can often hold me back – people can
be hesitant or stereotype me. Not here.
“The team at King’s were so inclusive and so kind. Even
in the team meeting where I expected to just be looking
on, I felt included. I was able to ask questions and they
answered in depth and really made me feel part of
the team. After my exams, I will definitely be applying
to join the volunteer programme in the summer.
Rachel Balogun, Work experience student
