Young people who are aspiring for a career in healthcare are being offered a six-month hands-on clinical voluntary placement.

St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood launched their ‘Young Ambassador’ scheme gives 16 to 18-year-olds the chance to gain practical experience of the clinical world and voluntary sector.

The project, now in its fourth year, aims to help students enhance their further studies or job applications within medicine and nursing.

Theo Hall, 17, who took part in St Clare’s Young Ambassadors scheme throughout 2018-19, said: “I applied for the Young Ambassadors project at St Clare right after my GCSE’s.

“I saw it as an opportunity to learn more about patient care; to witness first-hand the way nurses and doctors work together to care for patients.

“Although I knew this project would ‘look good on paper,’ the actuality of taking part was so much better than I’d ever expected.

“Each day at St Clare, I would come home after my shift at the Hospice feeling content with myself. It was as if every day I was there, I had done a very good deed, and made somebody else’s day better.”

Along with three other Young Ambassadors, Mr Hall helped support different hospice teams on the Inpatient Unit learning how to care for those with life-limiting illnesses.

The 17-year-old said the most profound thing he learned during his placement was coping with patients who eventually, but sadly, pass away.

“I am so glad I made the choice to apply to be a Young Ambassador at St Clare, as my time was eye-opening,” he said.

“I would highly recommend applying to be a Young Ambassador if you are considering a career in care”

St Clare Hospice currently has two placements available for 2019 which will give volunteers a chance to provide the highest standards of care to patients with life-limiting conditions.

Ambassadors will be responsible for vital housekeeping duties within the Inpatient Unit, as well as having the opportunity to shadow nurses and other clinical staff.

The Young Ambassadors can also look forward to receiving advice from St Clare’s multidisciplinary team on how to proceed in pursuing a clinical career.

The deadline for this year’s applications is Monday, August 5, with interviews taking place Monday, August 12.

Placements will commence in September, ending in mid-February 2020.

For more information, please visit the St Clare website at www.stclarehospice.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/young-ambassador

Contact Rob Wallace, St Clare’s voluntary services manager, via email at volunteer@stclarehospice.org.uk or phone 01279 773722 to request a full role description and an application form.