In this episode of Volunteering Discovery we explore how volunteering and Project Search create genuine career routes at James Paget University Hospital. Hear from pharmacy staff and volunteers Reece and Charlie, who share how inclusive support builds confidence, skills and long-term employment opportunities.

This episode highlights best‑practice approaches that remove barriers and open doors for people with learning disabilities, autism that we seek to build on through our Norfolk and Waveney Volunteering for Health programme.

To find out more about volunteering at James Paget University Hospital click here

Volunteering Discovery is produced for Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System by Hospital Radio Norwich.

Hello and welcome to Volunteering Discovery.

This is a podcast which takes you behind the scenes of

volunteering in health and care.

In Norfolk and Waveney volunteers enhance the experience of people accessing health

and care in a huge variety of ways in our hospitals, our communities, and even

from the comfort of their own homes.

In each podcast, we'll be hearing from those who give their

time supporting others and the people who work alongside them.

I am your host Sarah, a volunteer coordinator working in the NHS.

Why not subscribe to this podcast to make sure you hear all of the

upcoming episodes in the series.

In this episode, we are shining a light on volunteering and project

search in the pharmacy at James Paget Hospital, a program that's opening

doors and creating real opportunities through inclusive practice.

We'll be hearing producer Jewels in conversation with the pharmacist

leading the way in inclusion, a dedicated volunteer and a staff member

who joined the team thanks to the support of Project Search Together.

Their stories showed just how powerful inclusive volunteering

can be for individuals, for teams, and for the wider NHS community.

Let's dive in.

I'm Lucy.

Cool.

I'm the dispensing stores manager of the pharmacy, and I've

worked here for 25 plus years.

We deliver medicines to.

Practically every patient that comes into the trust.

So that can be somebody in theater, somebody on a ward.

It can be somebody coming in for an outpatient appointment.

We see over a thousand patients a day.

So yeah, very busy department.

Could you tell us how you've gone about involving people through project search

and as volunteers within the pharmacy?

Yeah, so I've been a great advocate for project Search since the project

began in 2010, and also the volunteers.

So on average we have sometimes two to three volunteers a day and come

through the pharmacy department.

That was from people who were on project search and from any other

volunteer within the hospital.

So yeah, they're a great asset to our department and the people

that dunno what project search is.

Would you be able to explain it just briefly?

Yeah.

So it's a course that the local college at Great Yarmouth are an advocate for and it

helps adults with learning disabilities.

Get experience within a working environment.

They work here closely at the James Paget and with the Great Yarmouth Town Hall.

So they have placement over both sites.

What kind of things do the people who come to you at the pharmacy as volunteers or

through project search, what do they do?

So from a volunteers point of view, um, it, we wouldn't be getting them to

dispense the medication or check it.

Obviously they would go through all the trust training for

confidentiality and G-D-P-G-B-S extra.

Yeah.

All those kind of things.

So from a volunteer's point of view, they know that everything

they see and do is confidential.

Yeah.

Um, so what we're getting them to do is not tasks where they're

left on their own to do things.

They would always be fully supported.

They're not doing things on their own and um, they would never be

dispensing medication, checking or making or doing anything like that.

They're just doing the other tasks that would help us out

really and to support us.

So they help on our hatch area.

So they might help book a prescriptions in with us on our tracking system.

They'll deliver medicines to the wards and they help in our stores area.

Helping open deliveries, assisting the staff, help picking some of the

items, and also going through some of the returns that come back off the

wards and helping us sort through what we need to get rid of and what we can

keep and save money for the trust.

Could you talk us through what a volunteer would do with the pharmacy

department then in a typical session?

Yeah, I can take, and they might come in first thing in the morning and help book

the backlog of prescriptions that are.

Waiting to be processed for the day, and then they'll help, as Charlie was

saying, he goes round the wards and bring all the medicines that aren't

in needed or required, and they might then help go through those.

Some of them we can reuse, some of them we can't.

We have a list, and they will go through that with the supervision

of another member of staff and help dispose of things.

They'll then go and help deliver medicines to the wards once they've been dispensed.

So yeah, they couldn't work without them.

For volunteering for health, we are looking at ways that we can encourage

people who wouldn't normally volunteer or find it more difficult to volunteer.

To get started, could you tell us why you are such an advocate for involving

people with learning disabilities?

I just think that everybody ha needs the chance to come and make friends

and socialize and be part of a team, and it's really important you get key

skills from those from doing that, and it's really important for all.

For the people that work here and for the volunteers.

It brings us great joy to show that we're helping people and getting

people into a nice environment where they can get some experience

to hopefully go on and get jobs.

Um, did you have to do anything different to supporting other

volunteers when thinking about this grant within your team?

No, it's just that you have to treat everybody as an individual.

So it's looking at the individual needs of that person and adapting

things to suit that person.

So we will do whatever it takes to keep that person within

our department and our team.

There's been a few challenges over the years, social media, people not

understanding boundaries of what they can put on social media and what they can't.

We work through that and we make sure that everybody knows rules and

regulations from a trust point of view.

But apart from that, no, not really.

I just think as a healthcare profession, we all come into the healthcare

because we care and want to nurture.

So I think for my team, I don't think we've had to make many changes because

we have that instantly in our genes.

We are very lucky that we are a marvelous team like that, and

we have really worked together.

To make the, to make people welcome when they join us.

And are there any things that your current group of volunteers and

project search members, anything that they excel at or anything that you

found that they bring to the team?

So their attention to detail?

Is immense and they do exactly what it says on the tin.

So they are very driven by process.

They like everything to be just so, um, and for a pharmacy

department, that is what we all strive for because our attention

to detail, we have to be accurate.

We have to make sure the patient gets the right medicine.

So they do really fit into that kind of role.

Some people, they might feel a bit nervous coming to join your team.

What support do you offer of people when they get started?

What could they expect from their first few days?

So one, I'm very fortunate.

I have an absolute amazing team that I work with.

They're very friendly and supportive, so they will go above and beyond to make

sure that person is supported within their role that they're doing, and that

we are here to help and be a friend.

And some people volunteer or do project search with the aim of hoping to

find employment here at the hospital.

Have any of the people who have been with you in the pharmacy been able to do that?

Yes.

Yes.

We've taken on, I can remember we've got three people from

Project Search that we've employed.

Two are we class as our pharmacy porters and they take all the medicines

to the ward, but we've also had a young lad who has gone on and done

his MVQ and is my top dispenser.

So yes.

Yeah, what, what's involved in being a top dispenser?

So we'll have to think of his MVQ level two, which is a course over a year, going

through all the legalities of pharmacy, learning the rules and regulations.

Then they'd learn their dispensing and he is, his attention

to detail is just immense.

Yeah, very good.

His.

What's involved in actually dispensing?

What kind of things?

So you'd get a prescription, a handwritten prescription, where

you would have to annotate and look and read the prescription.

You'd then dispense the medication, use a computer system.

You do have a lovely robot, which would then pick the medication for you.

You'd then make sure that you've got the correct details and directions

on that label for the patient to be able to take the medicine, and then

it would go to the be checked and then go to the patient for administration.

If an organization or a team is thinking, maybe I would like to give this a try

and open up opportunities to people who might not volunteer Otherwise,

do you have any advice for them?

Come and have a look.

Come and have a look round.

Um, you can go through John, you can come through myself.

Um, we are more than help.

Happy to show you.

Round Lucy's passion for inclusion really shines through.

It's clear how much thought goes into creating a welcoming

space in the pharmacy.

Now let's hear from Reese, a volunteer who's part of that team and

experiencing the impact of inclusive support firsthand from Reese.

And I go in the pharmacy, living different medications to different

places and go run, like help him pull open doors and that, and.

And people where to go and, and do all that.

Yeah.

How long have you been doing that?

About two and a half years.

How did you find out about volunteering here?

Um, through a family member.

Yeah.

I found out like there's some like fun to work what you can do and that,

and then like going with my mom, going see John and going them to.

Like say what I'm interested in and, um, kind of from there and then done

a little training and all got a bit what you can do, what you can't do,

what you can, what things if you like in the situation, what would you do?

And yeah, it's pretty good.

Did you find that training helpful?

Yeah, I find it more, I find it helpful than that.

From the start off I was like.

Very nervous, quiet, didn't want, didn't know what to say and that,

and now I'm like literally talking to anyone, doing everything and yeah.

Can you remember what you were nervous about at the beginning?

Just being in a different home and if I say anything to people and if, if.

Know what I mean?

And yeah.

You has to ease all game old stuff.

Yeah, man.

It's not always easy being in a, an environment, especially

when you're as busy as this.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Can you remember why you wanted to volunteer when your family

member suggested it to you?

Because I was like helping people out and I would just like being in, like in

a ideal hospital and go around places, learn new things, seeing new things.

Help people out with their day and talking people.

What have you learned whilst volunteering?

I learned quite a lot.

I learn like what different walls are, what they do, different areas,

different things, what, what people do and how, how they do it and what,

um, what they found interesting and I've found interesting in stuff.

And that.

Did anything surprise you?

Some things.

Yeah.

When I was going around I saw someone who I know and, and I

thought, oh, well, people say, I don't know your frontier now.

And I said, yeah, I've, I've been doing this something months.

And that it's good to see people who I used to know and people I know from a

long time ago and yeah, it's quite nice.

How often do you volunteer?

Four days a week.

Oh really?

Gosh, A lot.

I fun two or four days a week.

Yep.

Yeah.

What do you like about it that makes you want to come in four days a week?

I like just like being in different farm, like when it's like quiet, when

it's a bit like busy and, and different farms and that, and just to get out and

do something and helping people out.

And I feel like I go home and like, yeah, I've done something good

today and that, what do you find?

Most enjoyable about having done something good.

I felt like if someone like needed certain medication, like for instance like,

'cause they usually have storage stuff for what's like normal stuff and that just

go around keeping topped up and that, and they have like red trays and those ones.

But it means they need at some point within like two hours

for a lot of something serious or arguing sort of thing.

And then I usually like, try and get a quick go.

So I, I think, well that's, that's good.

The patient's got what they need, whatever, whatever it

is, whatever the situation is.

So I think, oh yeah, I help someone else.

That's good.

Is there anything you find difficult about volunteering?

No, not really that much now, but it was in when I started like

just like talking people going different places, making sure.

Didn't like thing that, but now I'm a pretty much you.

I like doing on my own.

I'm good.

And I said, oh, I'm go on this one.

And I'm go on that one.

And I like When you were getting started and you weren't quite

sure about everything, were there people who were able to help

you or you could ask questions?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Usually there people in the pharmacy and say, oh, if you need anything, if you

wanna talk anything, answer any questions.

Oh, ideas, anything.

Just come and talk to me and run in the party.

Yeah, pretty much help out all that.

And do you have any particular memories of something that stands

out to you that things that were really nice that you think back on

and, oh yeah, I learned, go back.

Things like Go well and like never had to go over places and that,

and not go to different places like Open up, but lose other ideas.

Not too easy.

Yeah, just like new things after new things.

Yeah.

So that's pretty good.

What opportunities has it opened up for you to be in different places

and that Yeah, it's pretty good and I like a e stuff and that and like get

fulfill for what I was on TV and that, so I get a little bit more feeling

like, oh, this is what it is and it is what I like when it's busy, when

it's not quite good for ingesting.

We are making these recordings to encourage people to volunteer.

Would you have any advice or tips for somebody thinking about volunteering?

Just put down like on a bit of paper, like watch your ideas, what you want

to be involved in, what your strengths freak, and, and then go from, then go and

see some people and then see what one's apartment's, areas, what is best for you.

Is there anything else you think people should know about your volunteering?

It's rewarding.

Yeah, it's really good.

It's everything to come and say, I do this for nothing, but I do it for a good

thing and that, yeah, it's pretty good.

Reese's experience shows how inclusive volunteering can

build confidence and connection.

Now let's hear from Charlie.

His journey is a brilliant example of progression, starting as a volunteer,

moving through project search.

Now working with the pharmacy team, Charlie's story shows what's possible when

support and opportunity come together.

I'm Charlie Lovett.

I have been working at the Janis Pageant for 11 years.

What do you do as a job at the James Pageant from pharmacy?

I take the medication to every ward every day to try and get the

medication to the ward on time.

How did you get started with this job?

Through Project Search.

Could you tell me what you did in Project search?

I went round to different departments.

Well, the linen, the laundry, pharmacy, and logistics, and the monitor room.

When did you do that?

Do you remember?

2013. Once you've finished doing that with Project Search, did you find

the job with the pharmacy afterwards?

Yes.

So did project search help you find the job?

Yes.

Okay.

Could you tell me what you like about your job meeting

new friends and helping people?

What do you do when you come in in the morning?

I, um, go around the rewards, collect the CD book and the returns

and the stock forms for stores.

Bring them back, and then the CD book will go in the yellow tray

to be booked in at the hatch.

Okay.

What is a CD book?

A CD book is where you've ordered oxycodone, morphine sulfate.

I've not heard that term before.

I have.

It's about views.

Thank you.

Once you've done that.

What's the next part of your day?

Take the urgent medication to the wards and the TTOs to the

wards, to the patients to go home.

Whilst you've been doing this job, what have you learned?

Information, skills, the tablets.

The controlled drugs, you put in the controlled drug red

bags and then seal them up.

You write your name and the date, rip the white copy out and then

get only the staff, nurses and sisters to, to sign the pink copy.

Okay.

It sounds like you've got a good memory.

When you got started, did anybody help you to learn what to do?

My manager, Lucy, well, she helped me through project search.

Was there anything you found difficult?

Answering the phone.

Is there?

Yeah.

Why did you find that difficult?

Because when I answered it, I didn't know what other people were saying.

Is it easier now?

Yes.

Yeah.

That's great.

Do you know why it feels easier?

Because if it's one of the nurses and then if I can't help them, I put them

on secret tea and then get, and then get one of the pharmacists to deal with it.

Brilliant.

Sounds like a good plan.

If somebody is watching this and they're thinking about maybe applying for a job

in pharmacy or taking part in project search, do you have any advice for them?

Come and have a look around.

I hear that you volunteered before Project Search.

Can you tell us what you did as a volunteer work in the

pharmacy and did that encourage you to apply for Project Search?

Yes.

Is there anything else you think people should know about Project

Search and working in the pharmacy?

It's a lovely, friendly place to work.

Today's stories from Lucy, Reese and Charlie show how inclusive

volunteering isn't just possible.

It's powerful from building confidence to creating real career pathways.

Their journeys reflect the heart of what programs like our Get Involved

Innovation Fund aims to achieve, supported by volunteering for health.

The Get Involved Innovation Fund helps organizations create new opportunities for

people who face barriers to volunteering.

Especially those with learning disabilities, autism or

neurodivergent experiences, as well as looked after children.

A big thank you to our guests, Lucy, Reese, and Charlie.

If you'd like to find out more about volunteering at the James Paget

Hospital or the Getting Involved Innovation Fund, you'll find more

information in our episode notes.

Please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast.

It all helps people find us and spread the word about volunteering.

This podcast was produced for the Norfolk Waveney Integrated Care System

by Hospital Radio Norwich, hosted by Sarah Briggs, producer was Jules Orson.

Original music composed and performed by Philip Aldridge, interviews

by Sarah Briggs and Jules Odeon.