Volunteering for the NHS

Internship or work experience placements are still popular in the City - a good way into a career. If the youngsters are only being asked to volunteer for short periods and are getting genuine experience then it seems a sensible move to me.

www.nhslothian.scot/getinvolved/youth-volunteering/
It is a short term project. Surely there's no harm in it.

I am hostile to unpaid work placements.

Volunteering is not the same.

If this is to lead to a potential career it should be paid.

I suppose it depends on exactly what the jobs consist of. If they’re things that wouldn’t exist otherwise ie nice-to-have but not essential such as providing cups of tea or guiding people to their appointments it’s ok.

If it’s to replace paid workers, then it’s not ok. My local council last year emailed me to ask if I’d volunteer to work in care homes because they couldn’t get enough staff to work in them. That is not ok and I emailed them to tell them so.

Unpaid placements mean only people with money can do this.
The poorer working class youngsters need money for food, perhaps rent etc.
So unless you have family to pay your way you cannot do this.

A lot of NHS jobs are internal applications only, by volunteering some trusts will let you apply for those jobs, in the Trust I worked for they had back to work schemes run by Job Centre plus which enabled people who had been long term unemployed to try out clerical jobs jobs in different departments and while doing that apply for vacancies as they arise. I knew of a lot of staff who gained access through that scheme and went onto other jobs.

I agree with you SueDonim. I have nothing against "nice to have" extras - services which just wouldn't exist without volunteers. However, I don't support volunteering for roles which would have to be done, where volunteers are replacing paid staff.

I can see it from both sides.
I do accept that not every youngster can afford to work unpaid but if it leads to paid work and is hugely beneficial to the health service, perhaps by keeping patients happy .
When I was 15 I helped in the local Children hospital where I played with the children, read to them, listened to them, rubbed ointment on their sores, took their temperatures, changed nappies and sluced bedpans.
The nurses loved having someone who didn't mind the menial jobs.
I think I did receive a small cash payment but pocket money. I was living at home.

Looking at the link, it seems you can have a four week placement during the summer, travel expenses paid, or commit to two hours a week for six months. These wouldn’t be replacing paid jobs. In my experience youngsters on work experience are very time consuming and they don’t add value to a business - quite the reverse, they can be an almighty hindrance - but it’s a good way to find out about a sector and perhaps get into it. It looks good on a cv too - paid holiday jobs can be hard to find. I think calling them volunteers is misleading - work experience would be better.

My Grandson done a unpaid work placement for 4 weeks, he was offered an apprenticeship for company and is being trained as a hydraulics engineer.

My Grandson got excellent GCSE results but did not want the debt of Uni, so did not do his A levels. He did the 4 weeks unpaid at 16, had his 1st driving lesson at 17, as needed for his job and passed his test and theory in 4 months.
This 4 weeks was a wonderful start for him and he knew he wanted to do this for a career. He is motivated and keen on doing well.
He is just 18 now, I really cannot agree with posters who say that they disagree with the work being unpaid. He got all his expenses. He is motivated and, forward thinking and knows what he wants. The company are also paying for his qualifications.
I am also fed up with people saying only rich people can afford to do unpaid work, my Grandson has parents who are separated, they work, but are in no way rich.

That’s great rafichagran. These placements can and do work wonders. They are certainly not only for the children of the rich - for them the old boys’ network is unfortunately still alive and kicking.

I think it's a great idea to give young people a taste of the career they are looking at. I worked in our local hospital as a Red Cross cadet every Saturday morning for a while. I made beds, changed the solution in thermometer holders ( yes it was that long ago ) helped patients with drinks and food. It helped to confirm my ambition to go into nursing. One of my daughters helped at the local stables at weekends and went on to be a riding instructor.

I'm an NHS ward volunteer. It was made very clear to us that none of the wide variety of NHS volunteer roles impinged on paid jobs. The unions were all quite happy about them.
All I do is visit people who may not have visitors and chat to them and generally get to know them and try to involve them in various activities. I'm just the 'blethering woman'

That is a great story rafichagran. Your DGS sounds sensible and motivated.

I wish there were more opportunities to try different options.

Work experience from school for my 4 was decided for them because not many companies wanted youngsters to "manage"

Where I work (unpaid) 4 hours a week has a volunteer liaison person who is paid to supervise, support, train and to recruit new volunteers.

Unpaid work placements.....
you may not needto be rich but your family will need to have enough money to keep you fed and eveything.

Do you think that those key workers currently striking, and reliant on food banks will be able to stretch to keeping their teens while doing unpaid work?
I think work placements are fantastic but please do not forget that the cost if living Crisis has made the lack of sufficient income even more of an obstacle for some.
no-one said you had to be rich btw
food and travel expenses would be the least of expenses

It’s difficult for children to find paid holiday work. Not like it was when we were young. If they get a chance to move into a career and their travelling expenses paid isn’t that a good thing?

I cannot stress enough the GAP between those young people who have families who can afford to support them and those that are on a low income so cannot, is enormous. It's particularly noticeable for those who have to take unpaid internships far from home because of the nature of the work they are trying to get into.
I think it should be banned.

True volunteering is different and good for everyone, in my opinion.

If it’s to replace paid workers, then it’s not ok.

- correct! And illegal!

pinkquartz

Unpaid work placements.....
you may not needto be rich but your family will need to have enough money to keep you fed and eveything.

Do you think that those key workers currently striking, and reliant on food banks will be able to stretch to keeping their teens while doing unpaid work?
I think work placements are fantastic but please do not forget that the cost if living Crisis has made the lack of sufficient income even more of an obstacle for some.
no-one said you had to be rich btw
food and travel expenses would be the least of expenses

My Grandsons expenses were covered by the employer. He was not paid for the work done, but he learned alot and people gave him their time and taught him things.
I was a single parent to a teenage son having got divorced and I am sure no matter how hard things got I could manage a lunch box and fares if the situation arose, as I am investing in his future.

The youngsters who volunteer with us are paid because the government pays the project to employ them.
Some of them like it so much they continue to volunteer or do extra unpaid shifts.
One lad who has been really good particularly in the café has found a permanent job at a commercial cafe.
His confidence and ability has grown noticeably.

I had absolutely no idea - until I started teaching adults - just how many youngsters (then aged 14, 15 or 16) had been told in no uncertain terms, to leave school and get a job - or get out. Parents in extreme poverty had no choice but to be that cruel.

I'd just assumed that everyone wanted the best for their kids, a good education and help to follow their interests. Silly me!

I was a single parent to a teenage son having got divorced and I am sure no matter how hard things got I could manage a lunch box and fares if the situation arose, as I am investing in his future.

Some sections of society couldn’t even manage that, though. If everyone could, there would be no need for free school meals.

suedomin My Grandson got his expenses paid for by his employer, and the experience was invaluable for him.
I honestly feel that this type of work placement is a good idea, and it gives a School/College leaver a good idea of the job and if they are suitable for it. I can also lead to a paid job/apprenticeship.

rafichagran - my daughter's internships (she did several) were all in London except for one short one in Leeds. We live too far away for her to travel from home.
She had to have food and accommodation and got her London travel only.
The area she wanted to work in was not available nearer home.

She worked more than full time in her placements for no pay and then more than full time (two jobs) between placements and didn't spend on anything frivolous. It was tough financially (and emotionally) to be honest even so - and we eventually took out a bank loan to help fund her as we hadn't got a lot of slack.

Unpaid work is for the privileged unless like Grammaretto there is funding specifically set up to help pay them.

The NHS 4 week summer placement above is an entry-way to "regular" volunteering (they ask you to commit for at least 6 months at a minimum of a few hours a week). The 4-week thing is to see where you may fit in with the volunteering - not necessarily into a job. That's how I skim-read it.

Some workplaces won't look at applications without experience so for some careers it's a catch 22 if you are disadvantaged.
Happy to say my daughter has been successful in ger chosen career but definitely the system is very wrong.