1. Aspire Newsletter
Introduction
Welcome to the December edition of our
Aspire@BCH newsletter!
Aspire@BCH aims to support young
people in getting the skills and
experience needed to enter the world
of work and this newsletter will keep
you informed of all the latest news and
events, as well as letting you know about
current opportunities at Birmingham
Children’s Hospital. It also aims to keep
our staff up-to-date with the latest
projects our Aspire@BCH team are
working on.
To make sure you do not miss out on any
of our editions, please email
Jodie.Carpenter@bch.nhs.uk to
subscribe to the electronic versions of
our newsletter.
‘Aspire@BCH helped,
inspired, motivated and
changed me. What will
Aspire@BCH do for you?’
Aspire@BCH was officially launched on Tuesday 2 December
with a variety of organisations attending to celebrate our
achievements and find out more about what we are doing. The
event opened with a talk from our Chairman Dame Christine
Braddock and Chief Officer for Workforce Development Theresa
Nelson. This was a chance to talk about the work we have
been doing over the last few months and was the first time we
presented our Aspire@BCH video to everyone, which shows
several young people talking about their experiences of the
various Aspire opportunities available.
For more information on our Launch, see inside.
Latest News
Aspire@BCH | Steelhouse Lane | Birmingham | B4 6NH
0121 333 8604 www.aspireatbch.com
Official Aspire@BCH Launch
Second Edition
2. December Edition
Festival of Learning
As a follow up to the Launch, we held our Festival of
Learning here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital on
Saturday 6 December. This was our first ever Aspire@BCH
careers fair here at the hospital. This was aimed at 14-25
year olds, both patients and non-patients, to provide
them with the opportunity to find out about the wide
range of opportunities available to them within the NHS
and in non-NHS organisations.
The event was a huge success with people from the Young
Person’s Groups, the Learning Disabilities programme
and past Work Experience students attending, as well
as young people who were not previously aware of the
opportunities Aspire@BCH offers. The feedback was
positive, and we were told the event was‘informative’and
‘very beneficial’. Supporting organisations also found the
event useful, saying it was a‘good chance to be able to
speak to learners about career progression’.
A wide variety of organisations supported the event, with
our own staff also giving their time to provide careers
information to the attendees. Thank you to everyone who
supported us during the day and helped us to inspire so
many young people – we couldn’t have done it without
you all!
Official Aspire@BCH
Launch continued...
We also had a Showcase with various stands holding
information and activities on all the different strands of
Aspire, including our upcoming E-Mentoring Scheme
which was supported by Brightside. Other organisations
also supported the event including the Young Person’s
Advisory Group (YPAG) and University of First Age (UFA)
talking about the opportunities they offer young people,
HealthTec supported the Work Experience stand and
Calthorpe Vocational Trust auctioned off artwork created
by young people from the centre.
The Launch was also an opportunity to promote our
bespoke employability programme for those with
learning disabilities, in partnership with Calthorpe
Vocational Trust. This scheme was set up in early spring of
this year, and since then, three young people have already
been recruited across a number of departments in the
hospital including therapies, fundraising and facilities.
Education and Learning interns Robyn Lockley and Ebru
Tenekeci-Heyberi supported the Internships stand. Robyn
said she‘enjoyed talking about the opportunities available
for young people here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital,
and the event received a lot of interest’, while Ebru said
the event was a chance to‘give useful information to
teachers and lecturers and we got really good feedback
from them.’
We had fantastic feedback from everyone who attended,
saying the event was‘superb’,‘inspiring’, and‘informative’
and a great opportunity to meet‘staff and different
professionals interested in supporting our students’
development’. Many people were keen to find out more
about our new E-Mentoring programme or agreed to
support Aspire in various different ways, so thank you to
everyone who attended or supported the Launch.
Photos from the event can be seen in the gallery on our
website, and our new Aspire video can also be viewed
either on our website or our Youtube page.
3. December Edition
Schools Events
We have attended several schools events recently, including
Langley School, Saint John Wall School, Kingsbury School and
Sport College, Moseley School and Yardleys School. These were
for careers events, career carousels and mock interviews. It is a
fantastic experience being able to meet the young people we
want to help with our schemes so thank you for having us along!
It is also rewarding knowing we have had a positive impact on
these young people, and Barry Silgram the Careers IAG Officer at
Moseley School informed us that after the mock interviews,‘most
of our students left the interview room with a big smile on their
face and they said they found the experience a really positive one.’
We wish them all the best for their futures.
Top Tweets
Learning Disabilities Programme
At our Launch, we promoted our new Learning Disabilities
programme. Aspire@BCH has teamed up with Calthorpe
Vocational Trust to provide young people with learning
disabilities supported employment opportunities in a
variety of departments here at Birmingham Children’s
Hospital. In November 2014, 3 young people started
employment in Fundraising, Facilities and Therapies and
have settled in brilliantly. This is a result of the young
people having a Career Taster Day, a 4 week carousel work
experience programme and intense interviews – a great
example of a true partnership working between Aspire@
BCH and Calthorpe Vocational Trust. The young people –
Andrew, Sohail and Simmy – have already been out and
about within the hospital meeting colleagues, patients
and families and even being filmed by ITV! We are so
proud to have them as part of Team BCH and look forward
to increasing our work experience and employment
opportunities for young people with learning disabilities –
as we know that having a more diverse workforce means
better care for our patients and families.
“Having Simmy with us has been a huge benefit to the
team not only in helping with tasks that free up staff time
for other projects, but also in terms of staff motivation
and team building, it has had a hugely positive impact on
the whole team. It really is a privilege to be part of the
first phase of this project for Aspire@BCH and we would
recommend all of the departments across the Trust to get
involved in the future”- Miranda Williams, Individual Giving
Manager in the fundraising department.
“I love it fundraising, me no shy no more. Me getting
confidence. Staff are lovely make me happy. I love my
job Mondays”- Simmy Hoonjan (Student at Calthorpe
Vocational Centre)
“Monday, I go to Birmingham Children’s Hospital in
Facilities department, I like working in the post room where
I can practice, learn my literacy skills. I like seeing Pat, she
makes me smile. The job is tiring, I fall asleep quick. I eat
chips in canteen, they are very nice. I learn skills, meet nice
people and get paid. I want job for five days a week after I
leave college and Saturday and Sunday off!”- Andrew Ellis
(Student at Calthorpe Vocational Centre)
“It’s only been 4 weeks but I have seen a significant change
in Sohail’s confidence and attitude towards work. Tasks and
duties have been job carved to meet his needs. He looks
forward to his Mondays in Therapy services and he feels
part of the team and is treated the same, he loves his photo
on the board. Birmingham Children’s Hospital have given
Sohail a great opportunity”. - Rav Johal (Mentor/Job Coach
at Calthorpe Vocational Centre)
For more information about the programme, and to find
outmore about how it has benfitted these students, please
visit our website. If you would like to get involved, please
contact Team.aspire@bch.nhs.uk
4. Walsall College has been working successfully in
partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital since
July 2012 to subcontract delivery of its intermediate and
advanced apprenticeships in Business Administration and
Clinical Healthcare Support.
Walsall College ER and Partner Contract Manager,
Sharon Gauld, commented:“We have a very healthy and
productive working relationship with the staff at the
Birmingham Children’s Hospital. They deliver all learning
activities themselves while the college provides support
where necessary. The overall success rate in 2012/13 was
75% with an increase to 85.7% in 2013/14, which included
Clinical Healthcare Support at 100%.”
In addition, the college also piloted its Traineeship
programme at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The
training was delivered by Walsall College on site at the
hospital, while hospital staff arranged work placements
and supported students throughout the programme.
19 students on the programme with little or no
experience in the workplace worked in a variety
of departments such as surgery, pharmacy and
physiotherapy and their tasks ranged from manning
reception, reassuring patients whilst they were in
treatment rooms, admin duties and dealing with
telephone enquiries. They all achieved an NCFE Level
2 Award in Developing Skills for the Workplace and
functional skills in Maths through the initiative.
Sharon Gauld added:“The Traineeship programme has
been run twice now and has been successful in the
majority of learners progressing onto apprenticeships
within the hospital.
“We hope to continue to grow our successful working
partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital to
benefit both organisations.”
For more information on the courses Walsall College
provides, please visit www.walsallcollege.ac.uk
Awards and Recognition
Star of the Month Award
We are pleased to announce that apprentice Arsha Jabeen was
recently awarded the Star of the Month Award! Arsha joined
us as a Level 2 Business and Administration apprentice in
September 2014 in the PACS Team within the ICT Projects and
Clinical Systems team. Prior to that, she was a trainee in that
department for 9 weeks.
She received the award for her dedication and commitment to
the role. She learnt how to use the PACSCAN software that is
used to upload reports onto the PACS System. This allowed her
to upload and match over 1,700 reports to patient records, with
a 100% accuracy rate. Arsha is now responsible for training the
rest of the team.
Well done for all your hard work!
Our Partners
December Edition
5. Working for us
Every year, Aspire@BCH supports the recruitment of
apprentices throughout the hospital. Apprenticeships
provide routes into a variety of careers, in the NHS,
and offer the opportunity to earn, learn and achieve
nationally recognised qualifications at the same time.
December Edition
What department do you work in?
I work in the Radiology department.
Why did you choose to do an
apprenticeship here?
I really enjoy helping others and the apprenticeship
allowed me to do this. I love seeing patients’
anxious smiles being replaced with smiles after their
examinations, and the difference my support makes
to parents and children. I also liked the fact that I got
training in being a Support Worker, and I now enjoy
working in my clinical post and support others in their
roles. I also enjoyed the support aspect of booking in
patients and helping with the baby hip clinic. My team
mates are great to work with and very supportive of
me.
What did you enjoy the most about your
apprenticeship?
I was given the opportunity to speak at the Bands
1-4 Consultation, and I also spoke confidently for the
Bands 1-4 National Strategy event in March at the NEC.
The latter particularly was a challenge, as I have never
spoken at such a widely recognised event before, and
I got to speak about my job role and the difference
that Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s apprenticeship
programme has made to me, giving me the
opportunity to start my career within the hospital.
I also enjoyed learning about the role of the Radiology
department within the hospital. In April 2014, I was
also awarded the Star of the Month Award for all my
achievements within the department, and for having a
great and positive effect.
What experience did you gain from your
apprenticeship?
On my apprenticeship journey, I encountered
many challenges and learned many skills that have
supported me. I realised my love for working with
patients, booking in portable scans and helping with
admin while learning on the job and completing my
portfolio tasks.
What would you say to other
people considering applying for an
apprenticeship?
I think it’s a great opportunity that leads to many
more opportunities and the ability to develop skills
and learn and earn at the same time. The benefits of
undertaking an apprenticeship is that it develops your
learning skills that will in the future help you to gain a
permanent job. It will enable an apprentice to boost
their confidence, communicate effectively within a
multidisciplinary team and use problem solving skills
to find a solution in challenging situations.
What are your future plans?
I hope to become a Nurse or a Radiologist. My time
here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital has given me
the desire to work harder to achieve my goals.
Sanchez Hall joined the
hospital in September
2013 as a Radiology
Support Worker
apprentice. Here is
what she has to say
about her time here.
6. Spotlight on a Youth Ambassador
We have been recruiting our staff to become Youth
Ambassadors, who work with us to help introduce
young people to the world of work. 70 members of staff
have already become Youth Ambassadors and they
are all passionate about supporting young people and
show their support by assisting with work experience
placements and events.
Lisa Gilks is one of our Youth Ambassadors and we asked
her how she is finding the role.
What is your job role at Birmingham Children’s
Hospital and what does it involve?
I am a Senior Sister in the Emergency Department
caring for sick children who require immediate care and
managing flow form the Emergency Department front
door through to the main hospital.
What qualifications did you need for this role?
You need to have completed your Nursing qualification
which is currently at degree level.
Have you participated in any Aspire events or
assisted with work experience yet?
I have taken part in several Aspire events, showing
people around our department, informing them what
we do and teaching the students the principles of Basic
Life Support so should they ever be in a situation where
someone needs help, they will know what to do.
What experience or knowledge can you offer a
young person?
We provide young people with an insight into Emergency
Care for children; young people can work with us for a
block week shadowing the fantastic team we have here
working with Clinical Support Workers, Doctors, Nurse
Practitioners, Nurses and meeting medical students
and student nurses to gain an understanding of the
pathway into their chosen profession. At the same time,
young people get to meet some brave children and their
families and play an active part in making their journey
through our department the best it can be.
Why did you become a Youth Ambassador? What
benefits do you get from it and why do you think
other staff should get involved?
I became a Youth Ambassador because I believe that
we should invest in the future workforce. We have a lot
to be proud of and we should be able to show young
people all the different roles we have in the hospital,
from those who work behind the scenes in IT, finance
and administration roles to those working on the front
line as House Keepers, Nurses, Doctors and Therapists to
name but a few. At the same time, working in a children’s
hospital is not always an easy job, and it is important
that if you want to work in a certain area you have the
opportunity to see what it’s really like.
Do you have anything else you would like to say?
The Youth Ambassador role has really enabled us to
welcome new, young people into our department and
help them get on the right road as they choose to work
in health care and there is something really nice knowing
that the experience they had in our department and
here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital has influenced
their decision. And whilst it will make us all feel old, we
are looking forward to seeing them back here either as a
students or a future employee!
For more information on what our Youth Ambassadors
do or if you want to become a Youth Ambassador, please
contact us at Team.Aspire@bch.nhs.uk
December Edition
7. December Edition
Young Persons Group
TheYoung Persons Group is an opportunity for the
Aspire@BCH team to engage with the very young
people we are aiming to help, to produce the services
and resources most likely to help them.
This month, the Development Group have been
looking at our Structured Work Experience Week to
see what extra activities or resources we can offer
the students who participate in the programme,
including a competition for students to get involved
with during the week. We look forward to seeing
what they come up with!
Our Campaign Group met recently to decide what
projects they want to get involved with. Many of
the participants will be working alongside former
apprentice Tamara Morris, to put on an event for
care leavers to provide them with information about
employment and training opportunities on offer
to them. The other group, led by Bhavnisha Patel,
Younis Iqbal and Shazaan Nadeem, are working to
put on a Performing Arts Night here at the hospital
aimed at patients and other young people. We are
also working closely withYPAG, who currently have
three groups of young people working on projects
such as a patient feedback scheme, a make a buddy
scheme and a youth club for patients. These are
being supported by Iona Clayton and Emma Roberts
from Corporate Nursing. All of these projects will be
delivered early next year.
Fundraising
There are many, fun ways that you can get involved
in fundraising for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
By fundraising, you would be joining others who
give their time, talents and creativity to help our
young patients and families when they need it most.
People fundraise for all different reasons, from being
personally touched by the life-saving work of the
hospital to just wanting to take part in our brilliant
events.
There are hundreds of ways to help raise money for
us, from taking part in an event to organising your
own. Our fundraising team are here to offer you
support and advice to help you on your way.
Visit www.bch.org.uk to find out how to get involved
and to download a booklet of fundraising ideas.
You can also fundraise as part of your school.
Whether it’s at nursery, school, college or university,
fundraising for Birmingham Children’s Hospital is a
great way to engage with your community and make
a real difference to the lives of others.
You could choose to adopt the hospital as your
school charity for a whole year or hold a one-off
event – either way, we want you to enjoy your
fundraising so we’ll do all we can to help. Our
Education Fundraiser is here to support your
school by offering advice, and providing a range of
fundraising materials. We can even arrange visits
to the hospital for small groups (very popular with
School Councils!)
There are all sorts of ways you can get involved -
check out our website at www.bch.org.uk/schools to
find out more or get in touch – we’d love to hear from
you!
Email getinvolved@bch.nhs.uk or call Justine on 0121
333 8506
8. Upcoming Events
Health Futures UTC Birmingham Thinktank
Open Day
Saturday 11 January 11am-3pm
http://www.healthfuturesutc.co.uk/events
HealthTec Work Related Work Experience
Monday 26 January 2015 – Friday 30 January 2015
http://www.healthtec.org.uk/
South and City College Birmingham Open
Day
Thursday 29 January 2014 4pm-7pm
http://www.sccb.ac.uk/about-us/open-days
Aspire@BCH Schools Forum
Thursday 29th January 2015
The Schools Forum will be an opportunity for Aspire@
BCH, other NHS Trusts and local schools to work
together on developing and increasing the range
of opportunities offered to the young people of
Birmingham. For more information please email
Team.Aspire@bch.nhs.uk
Birmingham Children’s Hospital Internship
Open Day
Tuesday 10 February 2015
http://www.aspireatbch.com/#!intern-open-day/c1jrb
The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and
Engineers Fair, Birmingham NEC
Wednesday 11 – Saturday 14 March 2015
http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/About_Us/
Structured Week Work Experience
Monday 30 March 2015 – Thursday 2 April 2015
To apply to take part in this week, please email
work.expererience@bch.nhs.uk to request an
application form. The application closing date is
6 weeks before the placement start date but can
be sooner if we receive a sufficient number of
applications.
Closing Information
Our next newsletter will be out in February.
If you have any feedback about the newsletter or
have any suggestions for content for the next one,
then please contact Jodie Carpenter at
Jodie.Carpenter@bch.nhs.uk.
Web: www.aspireatbch.com
Twitter: @Aspire_at_BCH
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aspireatbch1
Email: Team.Aspire@bch.nhs.uk
Phone: 0121 333 8604
December Edition
Getting Involved
As a Youth Ambassador, there is a variety of
events you can get involved in – whatever suits
your interests! We ask, as a minimum, that you
commit to providing one placement or career
talk during one Work Experience Structured Week
each year and supporting one enterprise event.
Below are a number of upcoming events our
Youth Ambassadors can get involved with:
Apprenticeship Day - Thursday 15 January
Health Practical Skills Day - Tuesday 3 February
Structured Work Experience Week - Monday 16
February - Thursday 20 February
Contact Team.Aspire@bch.nhs.uk to find out how
you can support these events.
Supporting Us
Youth Ambassadors agree to do their best to
champion the Aspire@BCH Work Experience and
Career programmes at Birmingham Children’s
Hospital.
For more information on what our Youth
Ambassadors do or if you want to become a
Youth Ambassador yourself, please contact us at
Team.Aspire@bch.nhs.uk.