Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides integrated healthcare services including intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.
Our On Our Minds blog shares lived experiences from colleagues at the Trust and patients who use or have used our services on a variety of topics from a wide range of services.
“Hi, I’m Yasmin Dafalla, a 15-year-old GCSE student. I had the great opportunity to spend one week doing work experience with the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in the Learning, Culture, and Organisational Development Department (LCOD).
“I applied for this experience because I wanted to learn more about healthcare and gain transferable skills. During my time there, I met many impressive professionals who work hard to keep the NHS running smoothly. Everyone I met was incredibly passionate, welcoming, kind, and honest, which made my experience fun and eye-opening. Their compassion inspired me to be more compassionate towards others.
“Marissa Lambert, the People Development Team Manager and my supervisor, was a very supportive and caring mentor. She helped me understand that healthcare is about building and strengthening the community by providing support and empowerment to those who need it. This insight will be valuable as I pursue a career in healthcare.
“On my first day, I was nervous about meeting new people and didn't know what to expect. But by the end of the week, I felt more open and confident, even in challenging situations. I learned to face obstacles head-on rather than avoiding them. For example, when I had to share my opinions on a project, I initially struggled with shyness. However, with support and self-compassion, I became more comfortable and started communicating freely.
“Being surrounded by hardworking and positive people taught me to embrace change rather than fear it. Marissa told me on my first day that fear can lead to judgment, but curiosity can help us overcome it. So, I decided to let curiosity overcome my fear and turn it into compassion.
“I am deeply grateful to everyone in the LCOD team for making this work experience so inspiring and rewarding. This week has been incredibly beneficial and fun!”
Lorna Lord, Deputy Director of People and Culture said, “We were delighted to have Yasmin join the Trust for her work experience. Yasmin brought great energy and we were impressed by her enthusiasm and dedication.
“Work experience placements like this are incredibly valuable, as they provide students with a real insight into the industry, help them develop practical skills, and inspire the next generation of professionals. We wish Yasmin all the best for her future studies.”
The Trust is proud to support work experience programmes and can offer placements between 1 and 5 days across a range of different professions and environments. If you would like to find out more, visit the Care4Notts website, which includes a directory of work experience offers for all health and social care partners across Nottinghamshire.
Wanting to kick start your NHS career? View our latest vacancies, along with our fabulous staff benefits and development opportunities on our recruitment website. Join #TeamNottsHC and help make a difference!