VHS is pleased to announce a new report has been published in collaboration with Volunteer Edinburgh. ‘‘Developing the mental health workforce: The role of volunteering at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in employability development’. The report looks at the impact volunteering had on volunteers in their career and provides a snapshot of the important role volunteering programmes, such as the Volunteer Hub, can provide to the NHS and to mental health services.
Background:
In October and November 2023 a study was undertaken of the experiences and employability outcomes of individuals who had been engaged by Volunteer Edinburgh at their Volunteer Hub within the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and wished to pursue a careers in mental health/or health and social care. The study highlights how important the volunteering experience was in benefiting employability, with 71% of respondents reporting it helped with their career development and 74% going on to secure employment in mental health and/or health and social care.
Kimberley Somerside, former Policy and Engagement lead at Voluntary Health Scotland worked on the project with Volunteer Edinburgh and was responsible for the writing, research methodology, survey work, interviews and analysis of the report.
Some of the key findings:
* Volunteering at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital has significant employability benefits for individuals wishing to work in mental health and/or wider health & social care. It is identified as an important way of developing essential skills, attitudes, behaviours and networks/contacts.
*Volunteers with career aspirations in mental health sought out opportunities with Volunteer Edinburgh at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital to work on a one-to-one basis with in-patients experiencing complex and challenging mental illness. This was described as invaluable in developing insights into peoples’experiences, understanding their situation and seeing the “person beyond the diagnosis”.
*The volunteering experience and environment could be challenging and at times intimidating. This played a key role in individuals’ decision making about career choices. For most, their aspiration to work in mental health was strengthened but a small number decided on other career options. All reported that this decision making was greatly helped by their volunteering experience.
*The robust and comprehensive training delivered by Volunteer Edinburgh was highly praised by volunteers and described as a key element in developing their employability.
Read the full report here.
The Volunteering Hub is a Volunteer Edinburgh project based in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital (REH) which was established in September 2008. The hospital provides psychiatric and mental health services, including support for learning disabilities, dementia, forensic psychiatry and a wide range of other specialist services. The hub is a unique project which engages both patients and members of the public in volunteering.
