A friendly face and a listening ear: Wendy's volunteering story

Having worked across the public and voluntary sector, volunteering with Healthwatch has allowed her to continue using those skills and experiences while making a difference locally.

Using experience to support others

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.”

Today, Wendy speaks to people in libraries, community venues and carers groups, helping them share their experiences of health and social care. She also raises awareness of Healthwatch's work and encourages people to take part in research projects and other opportunities to have their voices heard.

“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.”

Listening to local people

For Wendy, one of the most rewarding parts of volunteering is simply taking the time 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.”

These conversations help build a clearer picture of people's day to day experiences and highlight both 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.”

Wendy values knowing that the feedback gathered through these conversations does not end there.

"Gathering this information helps organisations better understand people's experiences and identify opportunities for improvement, as well as to highlight what is working well and to say thank you."

Seeing care from different perspectives

As part of her role, Wendy is also involved in Enter and View visits to care homes, helping Healthwatch understand the experiences of residents, relatives 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, volunteering has provided an opportunity to use her experience, meet new people and help ensure local voices are heard across North Yorkshire.

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.