Local care home benefits from outstanding student volunteers

This week marks Student Volunteering Week, and local Sevenoaks care home Gloucester House is celebrating the success of their volunteer scheme, which over the years has seen many volunteers continue go on to become permanent team members.

Emma Adams and Emily Dixon-Brown, Level 3 Health and Social Care students at North Kent College, have been regularly volunteering at the Greensleeves Care home since October, and this week the residents bid them a farewell and good luck as they left to focus on their upcoming exams.

Emma and Emily

Student Volunteering Week, led by the Student Volunteering Network, is focused on improving student wellbeing, developing their employability, and positively contributing to the wider community.

Particularly as Emma and Emily are studying Health and Social Care, their experience at Gloucester House has provided them with hands-on experience in the sector and has allowed the home’s staff and residents to benefit from their knowledge and enthusiasm.

Leigh Leggatt, Activities Co-ordinator at Gloucester House, said:

“Both Emma and Emily are extremely pro-active and have led some incredible arts and crafts sessions with our residents, taking the time to get to know everybody as an individual, which is exactly our approach to care at Gloucester House.

They also impressed everybody on our team when they attended our Infection Control workshop and both passed the knowledge assessment with 100%!”

Bethany Powley, Home Manager at Gloucester House, said:

“We are always looking for ways to involve our residents with the local community, as I think it is extremely important to extend the hand of friendship to our neighbours, and for our residents to feel a sense of belonging both in the home and in the surrounding area.”

The volunteer scheme has benefitted Gloucester House over the years by providing volunteers with an insight into the care sector as well as providing new experiences and relationships for the residents.

Emily Dixon-Brown commented:

“I gained a lot of experience on the differing needs of the residents from staff members. I was unaware about all the different roles within a Care Home.”

Emma Adams commented:

“It was good working in a team and getting to know details about the residents. It was interesting to find out about their lives – previous jobs, family and early childhood experiences.”

For more information about Gloucester House, please visit: https://www.greensleeves.org.uk/care-homes/gloucester-house-nursing-home-sevenoaks/