Anam Ahmed is 17 and has been volunteering for 18 months in the palliative care unit of a Sheffield hospital.
“Hospital staff came into our college and showed us a video and I just thought it would be interesting. I knew I wanted to work in healthcare but I didn’t know specifically what I wanted to do. I thought this would be a good way to find out.
“I go to the hospital a couple of times a week from about 9am until 12 or 1pm. I usually sit on the reception desk and then take visitors through to the patients. I get things from the shop in the morning for the patients and I help the doctors and nurses with passing notes around to the different departments.
“I’ve also started to do an oral history project. The patients tell me their life story and we make it into a CD. They do paintings too. When they’ve passed away, their work is left for their relatives. It’s a really lovely idea. I’d heard about these projects before and that was why I wanted to volunteer on this ward.
“I really enjoy volunteering. It’s something to do outside college and I’m gaining a lot from the experience. I'm learning how to talk to people, for example.
“I love going to the ward and I’m really glad I’ve done it. I’m doing biology, chemistry and psychology A-levels and I’ve applied to medical school in Sheffield. I hope I'll continue to work in healthcare.
“It’s definitely worth the time even if it’s just a couple of hours a week. You get so much out of it and meet so many different types of people. It’s not something you’d usually do.”
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