HEALTH chiefs have injected £35,000 into a scheme to encourage more young people to work in the NHS.

The Bradford clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) hope the one-off funding will lead to more volunteering opportunities, internships and work placements.

Over the past 12 months the CCGs have worked with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and Barnardo's to find out what opportunities and challenges young people face when trying to secure volunteer roles within the NHS.

So far the funding has led to 11 volunteering placements being set up across the CCGs, the Care Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Opportunities have also been created for young people to get involved in GP services and the CCGs' People’s Board, which ensures patients have a voice to influence how health services are delivered.

Barnardo’s Healthy Minds project, in Queen's Road, Bradford, has been working with the young people who are also involved with its mental health peer support groups.

Barnardo’s Healthy Minds’ Participation Coordinator Nicola Swales said: “They have been working to get health services to pledge taking on young volunteers, encouraging them to accept the advocacy that young people are responsible enough to take on those roles.”

Volunteer roles about to start include helping at art and craft sessions and walking groups as part of Bradford District Care Trust’s Champions Show The Way scheme.

The CCGs have also been supporting work placements for Bradford College students and are currently considering working with interns from local universities.

David Richardson, lay member for patient and public involvement at Bradford Districts CCG, said: “Volunteering and internships are a win-win for the NHS. The young people can help shape local health and social care services, drive improvements and help make them a better experience for everyone using them later on in life.

“Taking part in volunteering can offer young people a window on careers in the NHS and inspire a sense of citizenship, as well as empowering them to be more involved in their own health and wellbeing.

“We really want to encourage more services to offer opportunities, including work placements, to young people so we can nurture home-grown talent.”