Nearly half of volunteers at South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) shared their views in the latest National Ambulance Volunteers survey, highlighting positive progress and helping to shape future improvements.
The findings come as the Trust begins implementing its new Volunteering and Community Resilience strategy, designed to strengthen the role volunteers play in supporting patients and communities.
This year’s results show positive improvements with more volunteers feeling listened to, better supported by peers and local teams and more confident in their roles. There has also been an increase in opportunities for training, development and overall wellbeing.
Almost 63 per cent of SECAmb volunteers who took part in the survey said their experience has supported their personal development, improved confidence and self-esteem, while also helping them feel recognised for the contribution they make.
The new strategy introduces a wider range of patient-facing and non-patient-facing roles, enabling the Trust to better align volunteers’ skills and interests with the needs of local communities.
Training and development remain a key focus, with volunteers highlighting the benefits of peer learning, ‘buddy shifts’ and mentoring. The Trust is working to provide clearer guidance on training pathways and improve access to development opportunities. An expansion in the scope of training not only supports continuous professional development (CPD) but allows us to better support and respond to the needs of patients within the communities we serve.
Improvements in local and peer support were also noted, with plans underway to further strengthen this through increased capacity in the Community Resilience team and closer integration of volunteers within local operational teams.
While the survey shows significant progress, it also identified areas for further improvement, particularly around technology and systems used by volunteers. SECAmb is committed to addressing these issues as part of its ongoing strategy, making sure systems are more accessible, user-friendly and efficient.
Head of Community Resilience, Danny Dixon said: “Our volunteers make a real difference every day, supporting patients, strengthening community resilience and enhancing the care we provide. It is incredibly encouraging to see such strong engagement in this year’s survey, with our volunteers sharing feedback which is crucial to help us grow and improve.
“This year’s results reflect the positive impact of listening and responding to their experiences. While we are proud of the progress made, we remain committed to building on this ensuring our volunteering offer is inclusive, well-supported and responsive, so that every volunteer feels valued, confident and recognised for the important contribution they make.”
The Trust would like to thank all volunteers who took part in the survey. Your feedback is crucial to help us make improvements and shape future of volunteering with SECAmb.