We have recently launched a pioneering programme to engage with secondary and further education communities.
The initiative, called HIVE, has been designed as a fresh new approach to engage with students to educate them about the hospice and the services we provide, and at the same time we will work with the rest of the school to raise funds for the hospice through their HIVE committees represented by all year groups.
In return for their support and fundraising efforts, we offer a structured training/work experience programme for students benefitting both the schools and the hospice.
It’s vitally important for the hospice to engage with the local community, and in particular the next generation of potential volunteers, fundraisers and possible staff.
By working together through HIVE we aim to develop long and purposeful relationships with young people in our local schools, colleges and communities. HIVE will bring value to the individual students taking part, through experiences, relationship building, and a means of recording their progress whilst supporting the services of the hospice.
HIVE is designed to enable schools to tailor the project to suit the individual needs of the students and departments involved.
Some of the benefits of HIVE include:
- Hospice tour
- Training days to include: marketing, event planning, budgeting, etc
- Work experience across a variety of areas
- Volunteering
- Young adult befriending
- HIVE co-ordinator visits to Feeder Primary schools for further fund-raising opportunities
- Ambassadors to visit other schools and community groups
- Award scheme recognition
- Regular support from us
- Dedicated HIVE noticeboard within the school/college
- HIVE passport for a brighter future, recording: journeys, hours volunteered, skills acquired etc… for use on FE/HE applications
We launched the pilot of HIVE with five schools in our catchment area in June 2015 and it is proving very successful, with 37 students in total visiting the hospice for the launch.
Here's what some of the teachers said about it:
Georgina Orrin, head of english at Copleston High School, said: “I believe Hive has given my year 8 students a real focus for their persuasive writing unit and has also helped them understand a lot more about how a charity works. It has also enabled them to work together in groups towards a real life situation”.
Helen Anderson, head of care at Northgate High School, said: “Our pupils are so excited about the prospect of doing something good for the community. The HIVE project is the perfect place to get young people interested in giving something back, whether it is through fundraising or volunteering. As a school we are hoping pupils will start to volunteer at a young age and keep going with this through into their adult life.”
Jason Horne, head of pastoral care at St Albans High School, said: “The HIVE project is a fantastic opportunity for St. Alban’s High School to strengthen its relationship with St Elizabeth Hospice. Our students are really excited about planning fundraising events next year, and having the opportunity to volunteer in the numerous departments within the organisation. We feel that this project will enable our students to develop crucial life skills, and help them to improve their self-confidence and experience in a variety of settings.”