Young Healthwatch Hillingdon Health Champions Applicationpack

Young Healthwatch Hillingdon Health Champions ApplicationPack

Thank you for your interest in joining Young Healthwatch Hillingdon. This pack outlines all the information that you will need to apply for the role of Health Champion.

If you have any questions about the role or the application form please contact Kim Markham-Jones on 01895 272997 or by email at

Completed applications must be sent to Kim Markham-Jones at the email address above.

A panel will look at all applications and if you meet the requirements for the role you will be invited for an informal interview. If we feel you may be even better at a different role,and you are interested in doing it, we will support you to do this instead.

About us

Healthwatch Hillingdon helps local people get the best out of health and social care services like doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and mental health services. We give local people an opportunity to have their say about these services to help improve them today and shape them tomorrow.

We want to make sure that children and young people get their chance to have a say so, based on feedback from young people, we are creating Young Healthwatch Hillingdon (YHwH).

About the role

As a Young Healthwatch Hillingdon Health Champion you will:

• Carry out work as planned by the Young Healthwatch Hillingdon Panel. This could include helping to plan and attending events to:

Gather young people’s views and experiences of health issues and services through surveys, focus groups and other engagement activities.

Share and promote information about health issues and services with young people;

Raise awareness of the role of Young Hillingdon Healthwatch.

• Be a contact point in your school for other young people to go to if they have questions or concerns about health.
• Report young people’s feedback about health services to the Young Healthwatch Hillingdon Panel.
• Act in a way that positively represents Young Healthwatch Hillingdon.

About you

• You are aged between 11 and 25 and live, work or study in the London Borough of Hillingdon.
• You are happy to volunteer some of your time to be a Young Healthwatch Hillingdon Health Champion.
• You are interested in the health issues that are important to young people and want to improve health services for the benefit of all young people in Hillingdon.
• You are a good communicator who can talk to a wide range of people.
• You are a good listener who can listen to and record of a wide range of views and represent the views of others.
• You are open minded and believe in equality and diversity. This means you accept people’s differences, treat everyone equally and believe that everyone has the right have their say.

Frequently asked questions

1.Will I be paid for my role as a Young Healthwatch Hillingdon (YHwH) Health Champion?The role of YHwH Health Champion is voluntary and unpaid. We will pay you back for any money that you need to spend to carry out your role as a member of YHwH in line with our Volunteer Expenses and Benefits Policy.

2.How much of my time will I need to give as a YHwH Health Champion?The YHwH Panel plans the work that all members of YHwH will do, and as a Health Champion you will be required to:

• take part in at least two projects each year, for example one awareness raising event and one focus group; and
• be the health contact point for pupils in your school during term time if they have any questions or issues to raise.

If you would like to give more time then that is up to you.

3.What training will I get as a YHwH Health Champion?As a Health Champion, we will offer you different types of training depending on the work that the YHwH decides to do. As a starting point, all Health Champions will receive training about:

• Making Every Contact Count (how to have conversations with people about health and healthy lifestyle choices);
• Involving people and gathering their views;
• Safeguarding Children and Young People, Equality and Diversity and Data Protection and Confidentiality.

4.Do I need to know a lot about health issues and services to be a Health Champion?You do not need to know lots of information about health to be a Health Champion. We will give you the information and training that you need to carry out the role. You won’t be giving out lots of health advice, just helping young people to get the right information from other people and organisations.

5.Can I put my role as a Health Champion on my CV, UCAS form or Record of Achievement?Yes, definitely.

6.How long can I stay a Health Champion for YHwH?You can be a YHwH Health Champion for 3 years from your first month in the role. If you turn 26 during this time you can no longer be a member of YHwH (membership is only open to those aged 11 to 25) but we will help you volunteer with Healthwatch in another way.

7.What happens if I want to give up my role as a Health Champion?If you want to give up your role as a Health Champion at any time you just need to tell a member of staff at Healthwatch Hillingdon. We will ask you to send us an email or write us a letter saying that you would like to give up your role just to confirm your decision.

Application Form

Personal details

Name:
Surname:
Date of birth:
Age:
Address (including postcode):
Contact number:
Email address:

Application questions

When answering these questions think about what is listed in the ‘About you’ and ‘About the role’ sections above and try to give examples in your answers.

Q1. Why do you want to be a YHwHHealth Champion?Max 500 characters

Q2. Why would you be a good YHwH Health Champion? Max 500 characters

Q3. Describe a time when you helped someone, the difference it made to them and how you felt after helping them. Max 500 characters

Parental consent (for under 18s only)

Iconsent to my child joining Young Healthwatch Hillingdon as a Health Champion and taking part in related activities, including events, subject to information being shared ahead of time.

Name: / Signature:
Relationship to applicant: / Date:

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