A friendly face and a listening ear: Wendy's volunteering story
For Wendy, it has been an opportunity to stay connected locally while continuing to build on the experience she gained during a career in the public and voluntary sector.
Using experience in a new way
Wendy previously worked with a range of organisations across the public and voluntary sector. Volunteering with Healthwatch has allowed her to continue using those skills and experiences in a new setting.
“I had previously worked in the public and voluntary sector working with a variety of organisations, so have been able to use my skills and experience in this volunteer role with Healthwatch.”
Her background has helped her feel confident speaking with people from different communities and understanding the issues that matter most to them.
Meeting people in the community
A key part of Wendy’s role is talking to people in everyday community settings and making it easy for them to share their experiences.
“As a volunteer with Healthwatch I enjoy meeting a variety of different people from my local community and feeling like I am making a difference to how local services are delivered.”
These conversations often take place in libraries, community venues and carers groups, providing opportunities to hear directly from people about their experiences of health and social care.
For Wendy, meeting people from different backgrounds and listening to their stories is one of the most rewarding aspects of volunteering.
Giving people time to talk
Many of the people Wendy meets simply value having someone willing to listen.
“The people I meet really appreciate having a friendly face to listen to them so they can share any concerns they have with their health and social care services.”
Taking the time to listen helps people feel heard and often provides valuable insight into what is working well and where improvements may be needed.
“A friendly chat to air their views either negative or positive can help to illustrate where services are working well or where improvements can be made.”
These conversations help build a clearer picture of people’s day to day experiences and ensure local voices are heard.
Turning feedback into action
The experiences people share do not stop at conversation. They are used to help inform improvements and influence future care.
“Gathering this information leads to real action being taken to develop new services.”
Volunteers also help raise awareness of Healthwatch’s work and encourage people to take part in research and projects that can lead to positive change across North Yorkshire.
Seeing care from different perspectives
As part of her role, Wendy is also involved in Enter and View visits to care and nursing homes, helping Healthwatch understand the experiences of both residents and staff.
“I am part of the Enter and View team which visits care homes to assess the home from the residents and staff’s points of view.”
These visits help identify good practice, celebrate what is working well and highlight opportunities to improve people's experiences of care.
Feeling supported and valued
Volunteers receive training, guidance and ongoing support to help them feel confident in their role.
“The training at Healthwatch and the support of the staff team is excellent and has made volunteering with them pleasurable and rewarding.”
For Wendy, this support has helped her feel part of the team while making a meaningful contribution to her local community.
Would Wendy recommend volunteering?
Volunteering with Healthwatch has allowed Wendy to use her experience, meet new people and help ensure local people’s voices are heard.
Whether speaking to people in community settings, taking part in Enter and View visits or helping gather feedback that can influence change, she has seen first hand how volunteers can make a difference.
Healthwatch provides an independent place for people to share their experiences of health and social care. By listening and feeding this back, volunteers help ensure those experiences contribute to improvements across North Yorkshire.
