You're Invited to the Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham Volunteer Appreciation Event!

As a Health and Social Care student at university, I had reached a stage where I wanted to gain valuable experience within the field while also exploring career paths connected to my interests. I knew I wanted to make a positive impact, although I was still uncertain about exactly where I saw myself in the future.

As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week this week, we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers for everything they do. Healthwatch is an organisation that amplifies the voices of local communities in health and social care, while also signposting people to relevant NHS services and support. We make sure local people’s views, experiences and concerns are heard by the decision-makers who can help improve services. None of this would be possible without our volunteers, who generously give their time, energy and skills to help us make a difference.

I discovered Healthwatch while searching for meaningful volunteering opportunities and was previously unaware of its vital role in the community. Through its work, I learned how Healthwatch empowers people by gathering public feedback, identifying gaps and failures in services, and helping to improve access and experiences across health and care. Its impact reaches everyone who relies on the NHS and related services, turning real experiences into practical changes that benefit the wider community.