A member of the valued volunteer team at QEH has been selected as a Young Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust.
Richard Cavell-Clarke, who volunteers at the hospital five days a week, will spend 15 months sharing his experiences of the benefits of The Prince’s Trust programme and motivating donors and funders.
The 25-year-old from King’s Lynn first came to help at the hospital while at College of West Anglia on Project Search, now the Pathway Project (a year-long course including three rotational work placements for young people with learning disabilities).
He said: “I started by doing three days a week. I was nervous at first but as I did it more and more I really started to enjoy it. I went to four days a week and then five.”
The Trust’s patient experience manager Emma Harrison, who also volunteers with The Prince’s Trust, noticed Richard growing in confidence.
She added: “He trains new young people and mentors them as he has the Pathway Project in common with them and they find it easy to relate to each other.
“I encouraged Richard to try The Prince’s Trust teambuilding course. I think he was a little nervous to begin with but I was really proud of his commitment.”
Richard, who has struggled with confidence issues in the past, agreed that he was initially unsure about the three-month course at North Lynn fire station beginning in May 2017 but that soon changed.
“The course was very useful and really helped me, giving me more confidence and a new outlook on life,” he said.
On his return to volunteering at QEH, Emma could see Richard’s continued evolvement and suggested he apply for the young ambassador role.
He said: “I was quite chuffed. I was proud that she saw me as someone who could do it.”
An interview in London followed and Richard soon found out that he had been successful. At a residential training course in Bedford he learnt a bit more about the role and received some tips on speaking in public.
The whole experience has helped Richard believe in his abilities and project himself better.
He added: “I’m definitely looking forward to it. I’ll be in London quite a bit but I’m planning to carry on volunteering at the hospital if and when they want me.
“Eventually I’d like my experience to lead to a job in a similar environment.”
Emma is delighted to see his continual progress and feels sure that he will benefit greatly from his coveted role with The Prince’s Trust.
She said: “He will make a great Young Ambassador supporting other young people and promoting The Prince’s Trust to potential investors in the East of England.”
ENDS
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