Healthwatch Darlington's Volunteer of the Month Announcement November 2020 - Jessica Mather
This month we selected not one but two volunteers to receive our 'Volunteer of the month' award. We felt it was important to recognise a volunteer from our Health Connectors and Youthwatch Darlington, especially during these uncertain times.
All of our volunteers dedicate their time and energy to support Healthwatch Darlington and we are thankful for each and every volunteer.
Our 'Volunteer of the month' award shines the spotlight on volunteers who have stood out for their enthusiasm and commitment.
We are pleased to announce that Sue Kirk from our Health Connectors and Jessica Mather from Youthwatch Darlington have been selected for November 2020.
Jessica Mather - Youthwatch Darlington
Jessica joined Youthwatch Darlington in February 2020 before the pandemic started and has been through the transition of face to face volunteering, to then sharing her time remotely from home. Despite the challenging year ahead Jessica has experienced so many fantastic opportunities.
We have seen Jessica share her time to help interview the new director of Public Health in Darlington, become one of the youngest volunteers from Healthwatch Darlington to take part in the NHS Patient Leader training and represent Youthwatch Darlington at a national level during Healthwatch Week 2020.
Jessica is a lovely volunteer who has become a fantastic member of Youthwatch Darlington. Well done!
How did you first find out about volunteering at Healthwatch Darlington?
I first found out about Healthwatch Darlington at the volunteers fair at the Dolphin Centre. I found out about the event on Facebook and decided to go along to see what was out there. After speaking to Jemma and a group of Youthwatch volunteers I was very excited to get started and to see what I could get involved with.
Why did you decide to join the team?
I decided to join the team because I was a recent graduate in Psychology and wasn't sure what avenue I wanted to go down. I really enjoyed learning about Health Psychology in third year and was interested in looking at jobs in this particular field. I joined Youthwatch Darlington to gain experience in the healthcare setting and to help to improve services and to see if this was something I wanted to pursue in my future career.
What has been a highlight of your volunteering experience so far?
A highlight so far with volunteering for Youthwatch Darlington has been our highly commended award by HealthWatch England for all the work we had done. They mentioned our 'Worried about the Future' campaign which was especially poignant for me as this was a campaign I felt very passionate about. The reception we got from that campaign was overwhelming and I am extremely proud that we were able to deliver such a helpful campaign.
Do you have any tips for anyone considering volunteering for Healthwatch Darlington?
Just do it! Volunteering is one of the most effective ways to build confidence, build communication, teamwork, listening skills whilst also making friends and making a big difference. I decided to take a year out of university and whilst I thought at the time this was the wrong thing to do I see all the work I have done with YouthWatch Darlington and what they have done for me I am extremely grateful. You can take part in whatever you feel comfortable with so there are no pressures but it helps you build connections and without volunteering I wouldn't have had any of the amazing opportunities that I have been given.
As one of our Youthwatch volunteers Jess has helped us amplify the voice of younger people in Darlington. Her willingness to help and her enthusiasm for learning new skills to help us reach more young people has been second to none. We really do appreciate all that she does and that is why it’s a pleasure to give her our award this month.
A massive well done to Jessica who has gone above and beyond to help young people during the pandemic. This year Jessica has experienced a year like no other and she has used her experience and passion to create new ways to reach out to young people in the town. Jessica has listened to young people and recognised their needs, helping us share this with the people who will listen.
