Three of North Hertfordshire College’s Health & Social Care students have been recognised as Volunteers of the Month for their work in the Carers Experience team at Lister Hospital.
Maya Steeley, Autumn Barker, and Tilly Hill, who are all completing their T Level in Adult Nursing at North Hertfordshire College, all volunteer in the Carers Experience team as part of their placement hours. Their work sees them supporting families and carers of patients who visit the hospital, helping them navigate the hospital and providing a friendly face to talk to.
Jan-Axle Enabore, Clinical Excellence Nurse at Lister Hospital, told us: “Every month, I recognise a Volunteer of the Month – the student who has supported the most families in a month. It’s especially impressive that the winners for three consecutive months have all been NHC students. I also have volunteers from other colleges and sixth forms, so I’m incredibly proud of what the NHC students have achieved.”
In addition to being named the Volunteer of the Month, each winner is also offered a chance to shadow another team in the hospital to learn more about other departments.
In February 2025, Maya won the title for supporting 21 families in the hospital and chose to shadow the therapy teams at Lister Hospital to help her prepare for her future career as a physiotherapist. Maya told us: “My placement experience so far has been incredibly rewarding and has contributed greatly to my personal and professional development.
“I’ve felt consistently supported by my lovely team and especially by Jan [Clinical Excellence Nurse at Lister Hospital], who has played a key role in helping me learn and develop. Their encouragement has pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things, which has really helped boost my confidence.”
In March 2025, Autumn was given the opportunity to shadow across the whole children’s department, including doctors, nurses, and play specialists for her achievement in supporting 22 families across the month.
The hat trick of wins was completed in April by Tilly, who supported 13 families. Reflecting on her placement experience, Tilly told us: “My placement has given me the ability to communicate with a range of different individuals. Additionally, this experience has allowed me to navigate myself around a hospital, which is great experience to have as I would like to become a paediatric nurse in the future.”
Karen Molloy, NHC’s Work Experience Co-ordinator for our Health & Social Care courses, commented: “It’s brilliant to see how the students have grown and developed over their time with the Carers Experience Team. Their confidence has grown through their time working on the wards, and through the independence they’ve had in organising their own shifts with Jan and the team.
“I’m delighted Tilly, Autumn, and Maya have been recognised as Volunteers of the Month – you should all be very proud of what you’ve achieved.”
Could you follow in Tilly, Autumn, and Maya’s footsteps? Check out North Hertfordshire College’s Health & Social Care pathways and explore where your course will take you. With NHC, you can stay close to home and gain amazing experience that helps you go far in your future.