Let me introduce you to Hannah Ellen Louise Duffy a BSc (Hons) student in Psychology with Clinical Psychology. Due to graduate in May 2027, Hannah has embarked upon some volunteering with the South Tees Involvement Bank.

Having never volunteered before, Hannah was supported every step of the way by the volunteering team. From helping to register on the platform, to searching for suitable opportunities and recording hours, it was lovely to be involved right at the very start of Hannah’s volunteering journey. Already recording a very impressive 83 hours of volunteering, it will be our pleasure to invite Hannah to this year’s Volun-cheers awards.

Hannah’s volunteering journey beautifully highlights how volunteering can take many different forms. Through her involvement with the South Tees Involvement Bank, she has demonstrated how giving time, insight, and lived experience can support meaningful change, while also nurturing both personal growth and professional development. Her story is a powerful reminder of the impact student volunteers can have, not only on services and communities, but on their own confidence, skills, and future aspirations.

Volunteering with South Tees Involvement Bank has been far more than a volunteering opportunity to build skills, it has been a turning point in my journey back to myself.

Before starting my Psychology degree, I trained as a Student Nurse at university. Sadly, just weeks before qualifying, I had to withdraw due to a serious back injury. Alongside this, I live with complex PTSD as a result of domestic abuse, which has had a lasting impact on my confidence and sense of self-worth. Stepping away from a career I had worked so hard for was devastating, and for a long time I felt lost, unsure of where I still belonged.

South Tees Involvement Bank gave me something incredibly powerful: a way to use my knowledge, skills, and lived experience in a meaningful way again. The role suited me perfectly, much of the work is online, which helped me re-engage at my own pace, while still feeling connected to a wider purpose. Recently, I also agreed to join the South Tees Mental Health Steering Group, where I will help ensure people in hospital with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities receive truly person-centred care, while also supporting staff to feel confident in challenging situations.

There isn’t really a “typical day” in my volunteering role, which is one of the things I love most. I work closely with members of the Trust, offering feedback and insight on publications used in practice and on participant information for research studies. I have had the privilege of engaging with psychologists, clinical governance leads, and the most supportive involvement team, especially Nicola, who has made me feel genuinely valued. For the first time in a long time, my ideas are not only heard but validated, helping to quiet my imposter syndrome and rebuild my confidence.

Through volunteering, I have learned so much: professional communication, advocacy, teamwork, and confidence, but more than that, I have learned that I still have something important to offer. It feels like pieces of me that I thought I had lost are coming back. I’m becoming me again.

What I enjoy most is offering advice on how things could be adapted or done differently. After being silenced for many years, having a space where my voice matters is incredibly empowering. I have learned that my ideas are not “silly” or “irrelevant”, they are shaped by experience, empathy, and insight, and they genuinely make a difference.

To any student thinking about volunteering but feeling afraid, my advice is simple: do it. Yes, it is scary. Yes, your head will tell you that you might fail or that you are not good enough. But look how far you have already come, you could be the voice someone has been waiting for, or the change the world needs. Beyond the sky are the stars, aim for them.

Looking ahead, I plan to complete Postgraduate Training in Health Psychology, ideally supporting people living with chronic illness. Volunteering didn’t just build my CV, it has rebuilt my confidence, my courage, and my belief that my story, and my voice, matter.

Nicola Arkless, Patient Involvement Facilitator for Nursing, Safety and Quality at South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust would like to take this opportunity to add:

Being part of the Involvement Bank at South Tees Hospital, most opportunities are completed remotely and include offering feedback and suggestions, completing surveys, reading and reviewing materials, and on some occasions, being involved in research.

Hannah has made a massive impact. She replies to every email and consistently offers thoughtful ideas and suggestions. It is clear these come from her own experiences and knowledge, not something AI could ever knock up! When I see her name in my inbox, I know I’m going to be greeted with a smile; it is amazing how a choice of words can do that. Receiving such genuine responses from someone who clearly cares and is passionate about what they do makes everything more meaningful.

Hannah has also offered to support the research team with an ongoing study around hip replacement. Not only is it vital that we hear from our patients about their experiences, but the voices of carers are equally important. By drawing on her perspectives and sharing them so openly, she enables staff to consider all elements when informing their research.

I cannot wait to meet Hannah in March when she joins our Lived Experience Advisory Panel, a small group of patients and carers coming together to explore ways to improve mental health provision for patients in our hospitals.

Thank you, Hannah, for being such an active member of the Involvement Bank, and most of all for your ideas, suggestions, and the support you have shown. It has been invaluable.