NHS Employers supports Volunteer to Career for Refugees programme
NHS Employers has collaborated with Helpforce to support the Volunteer to Career programme aimed at helping UK-based refugee healthcare professionals into work across health and care.
The Volunteer to Career for Refugees programme supports medically qualified refugees, including doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, through structured volunteering opportunities in healthcare settings. The initiative aims to help participants gain experience of UK healthcare environments, develop professional networks and better understand NHS ways of working as they work towards returning to practice.
As NHS organisations continue to develop sustainable workforce pipelines and widen participation, supporting refugees offers an opportunity to unlock existing talent while helping individuals rebuild their lives through meaningful employment.
The programme forms part of Helpforce's wider Volunteer to Career initiative and is currently operating across a number of NHS organisations, helping participants gain valuable insight into healthcare settings while exploring routes into employment.
Ben Morrin, chief executive at NHS Employers, said:
"Refugees bring resilience, dedication and valuable skills to the NHS workforce. Programmes like Volunteer to Career for Refugees help people rebuild their lives through meaningful employment while giving NHS organisations access to talented individuals who can strengthen teams and enrich patient care."
The programme comes at a time when many refugee healthcare professionals face challenges in returning to practice despite bringing valuable skills and experience. Through volunteering opportunities, participants gain exposure to NHS settings, develop professional networks, build confidence and gain insight into NHS culture and ways of working while taking practical steps towards employment.
Learn more about the programme via the Helpforce website.
Case study: Olena's journey back to healthcare
Olena Ipek's story highlights the difference that volunteering opportunities can make for refugee healthcare professionals seeking to rebuild their careers. Before leaving Ukraine, Olena worked as a paediatrician. After arriving in the UK, she joined Helpforce's Volunteer to Career programme through Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. The experience helped her build confidence, strengthen her communication skills and gain a better understanding of NHS culture.
Reflecting on her experience, Olena said:
"Volunteering helped me realise that I still wanted to work with children. It confirmed that paediatrics is where my passion remains."
Her experience demonstrates how volunteering can help healthcare professionals reconnect with their vocation and take practical steps towards employment and professional development in the UK. Olena also received support from the Ukrainian Medical Charity.
