Vibe project

This is an exciting project funded by v, the youth volunteering charity which is being delivered in partnership with CSV. It is based at Queen Mary’s hospital in Sidcup and aims to provide over 600 new volunteering opportunities for young people aged 16 -25, to help them gain an insight into the healthcare profession. Now approaching the end of its first year, over 300 volunteering opportunities, full-time as well as part-time, have been provided, covering:

• Befriending patients on wards and clinics
• Assisting in meal times
• Communications / PR – marketing the hospital
• Website design
• Retail
• Hospital Radio
• Fundraising
• Speech and Therapy volunteers
• Gardening
• Occupational Therapy volunteers
• Physiotherapy department volunteers

Project co ordinators have been recruited and publicity designed. The name of the project has been changed, at the young volunteers' request, to reflect their desires – they are actively involved in the design, delivery and running of the project as well as being volunteers on placements.

Young people are also fully represented in the management and planning of the project. For example, Medtime was a day-long medical event which was organised by a group of 6 volunteers for over 70 volunteers to attend. Top consultants and Junior Doctors gave up their time to take part and support the event, which was opened by Lorraine Knight Deputy Chief Executive and Kate King Acting Director of Nursing both of whom thanked the participants for their contribution within the hospital.

The next steps include actively recruiting more new volunteers, providing taster sessions and developing training for them in buddying other volunteers, with the help of Attend Academy.

Recent training for volunteers on the project designed by Attend Academy includes an introduction to fundraising, communication skills, and setting up and running your own project.

The 1^st years recruitment process has been a success!

269 young people have taken part in Short-Term opportunities

106 young people are volunteering in Part-Time opportunities

4 young people are in a Full-Time opportunties

62% of young people are recruited from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities

6% of the young people recruited are with a physical or learning disabilities

A time line of key achievements

January 2008 – Vibe Steering Group and 8 members of the YAT gave a PowerPoint presentation highlighting their achievements throughout the year and what they envisaged to be the next steps for the YAT as Vibe moves into the 2^nd year.

May – Kate Grimes, CEO of Queen Mary’s Hospital and a number of the Executive Management Team took time out of their board meeting to meet up with volunteers to thank them for their contribution and support to the hospital.   At the event volunteers who took part in the Fit4Future project were presented with certificates.

June – The Department of Health published the consultation paper ‘Towards a strategy to support volunteering in health and social care: Consultation’  The paper contained a Case Study about a Vibe volunteer at Queen Mary’s Hospital

August – Kate Grimes CEO invited volunteers to a thank you coffee morning

September – Along with staff at Queen Mary’s Hospital volunteers at Vibe where presented with NHS 60^th Anniversary pens. 

October – Press releases were drafted to send to the local press to highlight volunteer’s contribution towards the 'Make A Difference Day.'

October – Top consultants and junior Doctors gave up their time to take part and support the MedTime event.  The day was opened by Lorraine Knight, Deputy Chief Executive and Kate King, Acting Director of Nursing, both of whom thanked the participants for their contribution within the hospital.

November – Vibe volunteers were included in one of the Bexley Primary Care Trust Newsletters acknowledging how the participants from the Aphasia Unit have enjoyed the company of younger volunteers and highlighted the added benefit of partnership work.

December – The Vibe volunteers who help the Aphasia and Stroke groups were invited to their Christmas Party.  2 of the volunteers were also presented with NHS 60^th Anniversary pen sets.

January 2009 – The success of the MedTime event was written up in the QM Live magazine which is distributed around the hospital for Staff, Patients and Visitors. 

Outcomes

Exciting opportunities experienced by volunteers over the last 12 months

• The Publicity Team – A group of volunteers were instrumental in choosing the name of the new vinvolved Project, designing the logo and leaflets for the project. 
• Xmas Elves – A youth led project setup and organised by volunteers to visit and deliver a Christmas card to every single patient on the wards.  The project enabled 30 volunteers to experience what it is like up on the wards for the very first time and also meet up with a large number of Vibe Volunteers.
• Leap-A-Head – Volunteering within the Occupational Therapy Department supporting staff in a new pilot project whereby children are brought together to help work on their co-ordination skills.

Community Impacts

• The Publicity Team worked together coming up with ideas, drawings and visions making sure that the name of the project would be attractable to other young people.  A volunteer also had the role of designing a logo that complemented the ideas of the publicity team. A leaflet involving volunteers was also created to promote the project.  To enable the leaflet to be all inclusive a visually impaired leaflet was also designed. 
• Xmas Elves was a project identified by a volunteer who has been regularly volunteering on the wards supporting and befriending patients.  All 250 patients within Queen Mary’s Hospital would receive a personally signed Christmas card from a volunteer. 
• Leap-A-Head is a movement group for children aged between 5-7years and 8-11years who find it difficult to perform large body movements. The main aim of the group is to help these children develop skills and confidence with their basic movements as needed in P.E., recreational games and sports.  The sessions last for a period of 6 weeks at a time, each group has 2 volunteers supporting no more than 4 children at a time. 

Case Study of a Volunteer

To find out more about v, the youth volunteering charity visit their website by clicking here. Alternatively, if you are interested in volunteering in the Vibe project please email getthevibe@csv.org.uk with your details.