Volunteering for Health: How Hertfordshire and West Essex Are Leading the Way
A ground-breaking new programme is putting Hertfordshire and West Essex at the forefront of civic involvement in healthcare. Volunteering for Health, a two-year initiative backed by the NHS and led by North Herts & Stevenage CVS (NHCVS), is pioneering a fresh, coordinated approach to community support—one that could become a model for the rest of the country.
The Aim
Rather than simply placing volunteers in traditional roles, the programme is focused on embedding volunteering into the heart of the health and care system. That means rethinking how individuals, community groups, and public services work together to support wellbeing, both in clinical settings and in the everyday spaces where health begins—our homes, our neighbourhoods, and our local networks.
At its core, Volunteering for Health is a collaboration between local NHS services, county councils, and voluntary and community sector organisations. Dedicated Programme Coordinators have been appointed across the region in trusted local charities—including Watford & Three Rivers Trust, Community Action Dacorum, Community Alliance Broxbourne & East Herts, and WECAN in West Essex. Their role is to bridge the gap between grassroots efforts and formal healthcare systems, testing innovative ways to involve the public and designing new opportunities for volunteering that respond directly to local needs.
“This programme is about more than just filling gaps,” says Hannah Morgan-Gray, CEO of NHCVS. “It’s about building a community-led, inclusive, and sustainable support system that improves health outcomes and recognises the critical role volunteers play.”
Creation of a Volunteer Passport
One of the most promising developments is the creation of a regional ‘Volunteer Passport’—a tool that would make it easier for volunteers to move between roles and organisations, while ensuring training and safeguarding standards are met. It’s part of the programme’s emphasis on making volunteering more accessible and inclusive, particularly for underrepresented groups.
The benefits of this approach are wide-ranging: reduced pressure on overstretched NHS services, improved patient experience, greater community resilience, and more meaningful opportunities for local people to contribute.
Learn more and stay up to date with the projects progress at nhcvs.org.uk/volunteering-for-health
