'Celebrating the achievements of Wirral's NHS Cadets'

I recently had the privilege to celebrate the achievements of our second group of NHS Cadets and what an honour it truly was.

It was fantastic to see young people from across Wirral come together at The Hive to celebrate their achievements and share experiences of the NHS Cadets Programme.

The Mayor of Wirral, councillor Jeff Green and I presented certificates to our amazing young people.

Hearing their experiences of the programme and the wealth of knowledge and expertise they have gained was wonderful.

Throughout their journey, our Cadets have excelled in so many ways - they have engaged in sessions on transferable skills such as communication and teamwork and participated in workshops on mental wellbeing and infection prevention and control.

Experiencing new opportunities to grow and develop is what being an NHS Cadet is all about.

What makes the NHS so remarkable is its people, and as part of that family, the Cadets have been given experiences to shape their future.

They have also developed new friendships and set up a social media group, which has given them a sense of belonging and community.

The NHS Cadet Programme, which began in October 2020, is a 12-month course designed to engage with young people who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to work or volunteer within the NHS.

On Wirral, the programme is delivered as a joint initiative between our Trust, The Hive and St John Ambulance. We are the first Community NHS Trust in the country to be involved in this innovative pilot programme.

It provides 14 to 16-year-olds with courses to develop their leadership skills, first aid training and volunteering opportunities in the NHS - including vital hands-on work experience in NHS settings.

To work alongside our partners at The Hive and St John Ambulance to deliver Wirral’s first NHS Cadet Programme is something that I and all of my colleagues here at the Trust are truly proud of.

Volunteering and working in the NHS is about learning new skills and having new experiences - so this programme helps the cadets develop tools they can use in the next steps of their journey. Being an NHS Cadet is a chance to make something theirs - all while making a difference to other people’s lives, which is what the NHS is all about.

I would like to round up my column with two quotes from Julia Bryant our Quality Lead involved in the programme and Rach Markey, NHS Cadets Project Co-ordinator and Youth Worker at The Hive.

Julia Byrant said: "Our Trust is leading the way to help and inspire other NHS organisations to take part in the NHS Cadets Programme.

"This programme is all about young people, it's about investing the future and supporting individuals to see and reach their own potential and goals.

"Many of them aren't sure about their career path yet and that's ok - this programme gives individuals confidence, insight and skills that will support them in wherever their journey takes them.

"We hope this programme has inspired our Cadets to join the NHS workforce and has allowed them to see and experience all of the roles and opportunities across Health and Social Care."

Rach Markey said: "I am incredibly proud of all the hard work, dedication, and commitment from this year's group of NHS Cadets.

"The positive impact that the programme has had on them is evident to see from the lasting friendships they have made, and the skills gained to help them pursue their career in healthcare.

"It has been a pleasure watching them develop socially and interacting with NHS staff confidently to gain a real insight into the roles offered and inspire them to become the future NHS workforce."