Mental health volunteers working at an Edinburgh hospital have been found to be a ‘vital cog’ in the system, with their experience laying the groundwork for future employment in health and care.

A total of 71% of volunteers working at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital’s Volunteer Hub responding to a snapshot survey said their voluntary work has helped with their career development, while 74% went onto secure employment in mental health and/or health and social care.

Conducted by Voluntary Health Scotland’s former policy lead, the report shows volunteers most enjoyed building relationships with patients and ‘meeting people from different walks of life’.

This study found that volunteers not only build skills, but compassion which enables them to create ‘trusting and impactful relationships’ with in-patients at the hospital, all of whom have complex mental illnesses.

Not only was the Voluntary Hub found to have helped patients feel more supported and cared-for, it has also helped volunteers to develop the key skills they need for a career in health and care, while supporting them to develop a greater understanding of the mental health needs facing Scots and work directly with NHS staff.

Volunteers shared that their experience has ‘equipped them for future careers including occupational therapy, support work, nursing and clinical psychology’.

Introducing the findings, the report states:

‘Volunteer programmes such as this are a vital cog in the system for developing the future workforce.’

In September last year, Audit Scotland revealed that the mental health workforce is ‘struggling to meet demand’ and Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee has now echoed concerns over the pressure facing mental health staff.

Psychiatrists also expressed “utter disbelief” over cuts to mental health funding announced in this year’s budget, with the Royal College of Psychiatrists Scotland urging the government to review its budget and saying the public’s mental health needs cannot be ignored.

Now, VHS and Volunteer Edinburgh reveal that more than half of the volunteers who responded to their survey said that volunteering supported them to gain further qualifications.

At the Hub, volunteers work to a “relationship model”, where they receive comprehensive, person-centred and recovery-focused training to ensure they get to know patients individually.

The study focused on 45 respondents who were not retired during their time volunteering to assess the impact on future work, of whom 89% were between 16 and 45 years old.

A majority of respondents shared that they felt volunteering built their understanding of the challenges people face, with 69% saying it helped them understand how positive activities and relationships support recovery.

Around two thirds of respondents shared that volunteering helped them ‘see people beyond their illness’.

One volunteer said that the experience ‘broke down many subconscious prejudices’ he held about the interests and abilities some patients might have.

He explained that his assumptions that people with complex mental health issues might have limited interest or engagement in learning a language or studying philosophy, were ‘quickly thwarted’.

A step towards working in mental health

One respondent shared that they were initially volunteering to contribute to their community and because of their own family experience with mental health conditions but are now pursuing a career in health and social care.

Around one in five volunteers highlighted that the insights they gained working with people who have complex mental health conditions were most valuable to their volunteer experience. One explained that it “strengthened my desire to work with mental health services”, while another respondent said:

“It felt like a nice way to experience what working in the NHS would be like. I got to meet lovely people and find out where my skills were best suited in working with complex mental health conditions.”

Another volunteer who already knew they had wanted to work in mental health, said the Volunteer Hub was their first experience of a clinical setting and spoke of the initial intimidation of secure wards.

They explained that they quickly became used to this and the sometimes unpredictability of patients, adding: “It’s more than just CV experience, it teaches you how to connect.”

Following their psychology degree and their experience at the Volunteer Hub, this volunteer is now working part time in a school and part time for a charity which supports adults with disabilities.

The report concluded that such programmes are ‘not only vital for patients, but invaluable for volunteers and significant to the development of the future workforce in mental health.’

Read more: Concerns for ‘significant pressure' on mental health; Link workers in 2023: sustainability top of agenda;Role of Mental Health Officers ‘critical’; Staff shortage concerns in MWC reviews; New mental health support to go national

Sign up to our bulletin for key health & social care updates straight to your inbox and you can follow healthandcare.scot on Google News.