Youth Involvement Group
Hello from the Youth Involvement Group!
We are a group of young people who want to use our voice to
shape how the hospitals run. We meet together to share our
thoughts, experiences and ideas about how to improve the hospitals
for young people.
As part of making change two of the Youth Involvement Group
members are also young governors; they represent our thoughts,
ideas and opinions to the board of governors and alongside those of
young people in the hospital and the Bristol and South West.
Alongside sharing our priorities and ideas there are lots of
projects that we get involved in. These have included:
- Working with the medical simulation centre to learn about
clinical skills and develop an open day for other young people
- Taking part in ward inspections
- Getting involved in recruitment through being part of interview
panels
- Contributing to the Trust Strategy for the next 5 years.
- Creating resources for young people
- Learning about and interviewing staff about their roles in the
hospital
Members of our Youth Involvement Group have been involved in
national projects alongside those in the hospital including helping
develop NICE guidelines that look at how hospitals support
and care for young people, influencing health priorities through
the NHS Youth Forum and meeting with the CEO of the NHS!
Why join the Youth Involvement Group?
Petrina, a member of the group shares why she got involved:
'I joined the Youth Involvement Group in order to gain an
insight into the Trust and be able to contribute to its running.
All the meetings and activities that I have taken part in have been
really engaging and relevant: for instance I was part of the group
who visited a teenage ward in the BRI and we made suggestions for
the design of a new communal room. I was also given the opportunity
to attend a public talk by the Trust regarding its sustainability:
it was fascinating to hear the steps being taken but also shocking
to learn of the complexities of achieving the zero carbon target. I
always look forward to Youth Involvement Group meetings as it is a
place where our opinions are valued, and we can make a
change'
Young Governors
Young Governors are appointed every year and members of the
Youth Involvement Group can apply for this role. This is a great
opportunity to both learn how the hospital works, develop new
skills and confidence and have an impact on shaping the future of
the Trust. Some of the experiences that this has involved recently
for the Young Governors includes:
- Speaking at the Board of Governors meetings
- Judging our staff awards
- Attending and contributing to the BAME staff Forum
- Visiting the helipad
- Learning about the Trust Sustainability Strategy
- Voting on major trust projects including the development of
UHBW.
How to join:
If you are 11-21 years old and interested in finding out more or
joining you can contact the Young Persons Involvement Worker by
emailing sara.reynolds@uhbw.nhs.uk or foundationtrust@uhbw.nhs.uk.
