Sharon Anand

Hello everyone! I’m Sharon and I am excited to be running with Bethany for PlayTeam Co-Chairs next year.

As Play Coordinator and PlayTeam Leader respectively, we have had the privilege of contributing to this invaluable scheme and it has been a great joy to bring a sense of fun and normality to children in hospital. We would like to continue the excellent work of our current chairs and implement our own strategies to ensure the growth and development of our volunteering scheme.

Our implementations:

- Training in play with neurodiverse children including workshops by specialists in neurodiversity to promote inclusivity.

- Transformation of mandatory training into interactive, team-based learning to increase engagement.

- Mentorship scheme between older and younger students within groups.

- Increased emphasis on teenage patients and how to offer company to them as they are often isolated.

- Centralised team building/ bonding meetings to overcome disconnect between team members who only see each other once a fortnight.

- Debrief sessions for reflection on how volunteering sessions are running to identify ways to improve play and deal with difficult interactions.

- Introduce shift exchange programme to avoid absence of entire teams on particular days.

As Play Coordinator, I am familiar with how PlayTeam operates and have established rapport with St. Mary’s Paediatrics Staff. I have honed my ability to work collaboratively, solve problems creatively, and developed my organisational skills. I believe these competencies will make me more than capable of taking on the PlayTeam Co-Chair role alongside Beth next year!