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For all teenagers, growing up is difficult, however there can be more pressure on those young people who have some sort of illness/injury , both physical and/or mental. Many young people find themselves in hospital or attending numerous appointments, when actually they should be out with their friends, enjoying their life.Queens Medical Centre are lucky enough to have a Youth Service for both Inpatients and Outpatients, those with short term conditions and those with chronic health problems and both patients and their family. It consists of a team of specialist Youth Workers, Volunteers and Youth Work Students who are there to provide "Support, Empowerment and Opportunity".
Youth Room
Youth Club
There are many different aspects which make up the Youth Service which I will list below and I shall also explain why I believe they are vital parts to Nottingham Children's Hospital.
In Nottingham Children's Hospital, the Youth Room is situated on E floor which is full of activities for young people. It is most commonly used by inpatients however can be accessed by anybody using Children's Services. It is a medium sized room with a large T.V, games consoles with numerous games, a computer for patients to use to contact their friends (sadly you cant get Facebook on the schools laptops so this is a lifesaver for many young people), a large comfy sofa that you can have a quick nap on, as well as a huge selection of craft activities and hundreds of DVD's and Board games which they even let you borrow for the Ward if you smile nicely! This is all great however I believe the most crucial part of the Youth Room are the people who run it. There is always somebody to talk to whether you just fancy a chat or if you'd like to discuss something more personal. The Youth Workers and Volunteers are all extremely friendly and are always up for a game of Mario Kart!
I think the Youth Room is an ideal environment for Young People in Hospital as it gives them a chance to get off the wards, as well as make new friends, but most importantly to have fun in a non clinical environment! Personally, without the youth room, I know my admissions would have been 100 times worse!
The youth club runs every Wednesday evening at the Monty Hind Centre behind QMC from 7pm-9pm for 13-20+ year olds who access hospital services. The majority of patients have long term conditions, however Young People in hospital also attend. Young People can take part in many activities such as a game of pool, arts and crafts, team building games and much much more. There's even a tuck shop for the sweet addicts like me!
The Youth Club enables young people to meet up in a non threatening environment and provides them the opportunity to meet those with similar issues to them, making them feel less alone. That said, the atmosphere is non clinical and nobody is forced to talk about their disabilities/ conditions and everyone is seen as an individual and not their illness!
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Youth Forum
You've all heard of a school council right? Where students voice their opinions on the school and discuss changes that need making. Well that is essentially what the Youth Forum is however its obviously for the Children's Hospital, rather than a school. Another thing is- the opinions of Young People are actually listened to, unlike the majority of school councils! Hospitals aren't usually very 'Young Person Friendly' in my eyes and I believe a major way to improve Young Peoples care is by making services accessible to them. What better way than to have the voices of young people who regularly use hospital services? I myself am a part of it and we meet once a month to discuss ideas (and eat pizza!). Our most recent projects include: changing the hospital complaints leaflet to make it more Young Person friendly, the Think Big Project, developing an NUHYS app and also helping make the HEADSS Assessment more accessible to young people using technology.
Day Trips and Residential's
Throughout the year, NUHYS organise many different activities for young people such as trips to Alton Towers, Canal Boat Tips, Day Trip to Skegvegas and not forgetting my personal favourite, the annual trip to Newgale YMCA for an activity week! These give young people the opportunity to do things they wouldn't perhaps normally be able to do in a safe and friendly environment. Young people are able to push their limits, learn new skills, meet new people and find out more about themselves. This is a crucial part in development for the young people as they gain so much confidence.
I hope this blog post has shown you what a huge impact Hospital Based Youth Work can have on Young People's lives! I believe that it is a vital service and that all Hospitals across the UK should look into developing a Youth Service.
Here is a link the their website which can provide you with much more detail:http://www.nuhyouthservice.org.uk/home.php
It is also important to mention that NUHYS is actually funded by various charities and organisations therefore all donations are gratefully received!
You can text to 70070 NUHC18 + your chosen amount (£2, £5 or £10)
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