Student volunteers play a key role in helping the charity meet its strategic objective to increase awareness and understanding of its work within the medical school world. You help ensure that medical students and their families are aware of the support the RMBF can provide in times of difficulty – as well as feeding back to us on issues affecting medical students.
Student volunteers are the public face of the RMBF. They help us to understand the pressures and challenges facing medical students, and help to circulate information about the charity to colleagues. Student volunteers perform a number of functions on behalf of the RMBF, including:
- Raising awareness of the help we can provide among fellow students and tutors
- Providing information to medical students and their families who might benefit from the RMBF, including how they can get help and advice
- Being our ears on the ground – alerting us to issues affecting medical students that might impact on our work
- Helping us develop the support we provide, by giving feedback on proposed RMBF strategies and policies
- Assisting with research projects, to help us identify emerging needs and where and how the RMBF might best contribute
We expect RMBF student volunteers to:
- Actively participate in initial and ongoing training activities, networking events and meetings with fellow RMBF volunteers, staff and Trustees
- Undertake at-least four profile raising/networking activities every year
- Inform RMBF of their activities in a bi-annual online survey
- This information will be shared with colleagues and supporters, and helps us evaluate the impact of student volunteering on our public profile
Attributes of a successful RMBF student volunteer
RMBF student volunteers come from all backgrounds and are based throughout the UK. This diverse mix helps us to get a clear understanding of the pressures facing medical students as a whole. However, there are a few personal attributes that they share which help them succeed in their role.
These attributes include:
- Enthusiasm and creativity
- A good network of colleagues
- Knowledge of the RMBF’s services and procedures, so they are able to respond to questions from an audience or individual
- Empathy and understanding of the nature of colleagues’ problems
Training and development
As part of their introduction to the organisation, new student volunteers will attend an induction workshop with the Head of Volunteering (HoV) and the Community & Events Fundraisin Officer (CEFO) to get a better understanding of their chosen role and how the RMBF operates.
Ongoing support for RMBF student volunteers
All RMBF volunteers receive comprehensive support and advice from the HoV to ensure they feel confident in promoting the work of the RMBF.
On the afternoon of the RMBF’s AGM, there is a Volunteers’ Meeting. Student volunteers meet fellow volunteering members, as well as Trustees and staff of the RMBF, and there is ample opportunity for views and problems to be shared and discussed.
From time to time the HoV will organise informal regional meetings, where student volunteers will have another chance to meet RMBF colleagues to share their experiences.
We have created a student volunteer Facebook page to connect all our student volunteers and as a platform to share ideas. We will share information and updates on the page.
It is a very friendly group of people, so we would encourage posting and networking to help get you started!