From volunteer to career

A woman who started volunteering at Johnson Hospital is the first in the county to use a scheme to make it into a proper career.

Elena Orlova joined the Volunteer to Career programme after volunteering for fourth months with the Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.
She’s now employed as a health care support worker.
The Volunteer to Career programme is a new initiative designed by clinicians to inspire volunteers to take up NHS roles and equip them with the appropriate tools and knowledge to thrive.
Elena was born in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in 1990. Elena and her family had to hastily flee their country and home as it became unsafe during a period of conflict.
They ended up in Russia, in the middle of winter as refugees, without a home, work, money, or even food and clothing.
During this difficult time, Elena said her family grew stronger together and refused to let this break them.
Elena grew up in Russia, married her husband and had a family. Her husband works as a lead software developer engineer in AstraZeneca and they had an opportunity to move to England for his work.
Just two months after arriving in England, the pandemic hit and they isolated at home for two years.
After this experience, Elena became determined to be an active and valuable member of the local community and wanted to give something back.
In July 2023, Elena started volunteering on Welland Ward in Johnson Community Hospital in Spalding as part of the Volunteer to Career programme, where she has been building her experience and developing her knowledge and skills.
Volunteering on the ward made Elena realise that this was what she wanted to do as a career. A fantastic job opportunity arose as a Healthcare Support Worker on the ward where she volunteered.
Elena applied and received the fantastic news that she was successful and will start her new job later this year.
Elena said: “Throughout my experience as a volunteer, I have had the honour of supporting different aspects of patient care such as monitoring their health, maintaining records, assisting with ward activities, and advocating for patients. My time here has allowed me to develop my skills and knowledge and I am so pleased that I have been given the opportunity to do this.
“Volunteering has been life changing, my life is now completely different. I was uncertain about my future, but now I am confident in my chosen path. I feel that this is what I am supposed to be doing and I am so pleased that I will be able to do this as my job.”