Supporting Nurses, Inspiring Futures: Anna’s Volunteering Journey
Anna, one of our volunteers, shares how volunteering at a clinic supported the nurses there and gave her meaningful experience, which helped inspire her future career in medicine.
For many students, the school holidays are a chance to rest and recharge. But for Anna, it was also an opportunity to give something back — and gain valuable insight into a future career in medicine.
As part of her volunteering with East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH), Anna supported the nurses at a leg ulcer clinic by carrying out small but important tasks: cleaning bowls and chairs, collecting equipment from the supply room, and calling patients in from the waiting room.
“Being able to volunteer in the leg ulcer clinic gave me something to do throughout the holidays that felt meaningful and didn’t take up a lot of time”, said Anna, “The staff at the clinic were lovely, and I enjoyed coming back each week.”
These practical tasks made a real difference for both staff and patients. By helping with jobs that nurses would otherwise have had to do, Anna reduced the workload on clinical staff and thus helped appointments run more smoothly.
What are the benefits of volunteering in clinics?
But the benefits didn’t stop there. The experience gave Anna a chance to test her interest in medicine, develop her social skills by talking to patients, and see first-hand how nurses provide compassionate care.
“Volunteering in the leg ulcer clinic has helped me feel confident in choosing a career in medicine, and that I could handle blood and wounds. I felt that my social skills were being developed by talking to the patients. Watching how the nurses interacted with and treated patients was very insightful and helped me feel that medicine was right for me.” Anna explained.
Asked whether she would recommend volunteering with ECCH to others, Anna’s answer was clear:
“I would recommend volunteering with ECCH because it is an incredibly rewarding experience. Supporting your community in this way feels meaningful, and ECCH has been a great first experience of volunteering for me.”
Thank you to Anna and all our volunteers with ECCH and our other services. You make such a difference to so many people’s lives across Norfolk and Waveney!
To find out more about volunteering with any of ours services, please click the link below:
