Friends of Moorfields awarded 25k to upskill volunteers

Friends of Moorfields have been successful in winning a £25k award from Health Education England (HEE) which will be used to support the upskilling of volunteers who are looking to embark on a career within healthcare.

The ‘Volunteer to Career’ project will support Moorfields’s recruitment needs by encouraging current volunteers to consider healthcare careers, and to encourage members of the public to consider volunteering as a ‘stepping stone’ into a healthcare career. The project will building on the strong links that Friends of Moorfields has forged with two local schools, Central Foundation Boys School, and Swanley School, to offer volunteering opportunities to young people.

Link between volunteering and employment

This project will develop and expand the link between the volunteer service and Moorfields paid staff, in clinical and non-clinical settings. Sabina Uddin, health information hub manager, who is also a registered nurse and an eye clinic liaison officer, (ECLO) will act as the project lead. She will work with the Friend’s Volunteer Service Team and selected paid Moorfields staff at all band levels/roles to encourage and support volunteers in their decision about their future careers.

Friends of Moorfields will identify 25 volunteers who have expressed an interest in pursuing a career in healthcare and are looking to move on to:

• Employment by Moorfields in clinical roles, including ECLO roles
• Employment by Moorfields in non-clinical role
• Acceptance on an apprenticeship programme
• Employment at a different NHS Trust
• Study ophthalmology or Optometry 
• Study another healthcare professional qualification – including a Medicine or Nursing degree

These volunteers will be asked to commit to providing 150 hours over a 6-month period and will be placed in roles that will help them gain the skills and experiences they need to follow the career path they have chosen. They will also support them with application and interview skills training.

Additionally, successful applicants will receive mentoring throughout the 6 months, and in the longer term will have their progression tracked.