Médecins du Monde works with qualified, volunteer health professionals for all its projects in both developed and developing countries.
The current Project: London team includes 9 doctors, 12 nurses and 15 support workers. All of the health professionals are registered: with the General Medical Council for doctors, or the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses. Most of the doctors and nurses are currently working in the NHS; they choose to volunteer for Project: London in their spare time. The support workers come from different walks of life. Some are medical students, while others work in administration, IT or public health. All the volunteers have received specific training to prepare them to work on Project: London.
Susan Wright, Director of Médecins du Monde UK, is responsible for Project: London and its registration with the Healthcare Commission. The Project Manager is the designated Manager under the Healthcare Commission Registration.
Volunteer positions- Project: London: medical and non-medical volunteers required. Please scroll through the list on the left hand toolbar to find out more.
- Location: East end of London
- We can reimburse your transport/food costs if necessary up to £10 a day. Training provided too.
- To provide primary healthcare to vulnerable groups
- To improve access to mainstream healthcare for vulnerable groups
- To raise awareness about harm reduction among vulnerable groups
We call our team a “mobile” team because team members will operate in multiple locations. It does not mean mobile as in “vehicle”. Although volunteers will be under the responsibility of the team manager, we expect you to be able to work autonomously as well as work as part of a group. A minimum commitment of one four-hour session, every fortnight, for a six-month period is required for the positions listed on the left hand toolbar.
Team specification
We’re looking for people with a strong desire and enthusiasm in helping to elevate social exclusion by providing medical assistance to vulnerable people including the homeless, undocumented immigrants and sex workers. Good communication skills and a non-judgmental attitude are highly desirable.
Training is provided to familiarise all volunteers with the activities, aims and objectives of MdM UK - as well as to furnish them with background information, including the social set up of the area covered by the project.
We expect the team to perform their duties in accordance with the principles of Médecins du Monde UK, which are:
- To give proximity medical care to vulnerable groups including the homeless, undocumented migrants and street sex workers, who are deprived of adequate healthcare
- To provide medical care to each patient as well as addressing their social needs
- To provide non-judgmental healthcare
- To understand the physical, psychological and social vulnerability arising from precarious living conditions
1) Why are you applying to volunteer for Project:London?
2) Can you describe any experience you had with the project’s targeted population (i.e. homeless, sex workers, children, migrants…) and how can you experience be an asset for Project:London?
3) Can you tell us in which of these areas you have knowledge and how will that contribute to the work of Project:London: immigration law, benefit procedures, team supervision, human resources, vehicle maintenance, social work, drug misuse, mental health, health promotion,public health, HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, other.
4) Please state your availability in terms of duration and frequency you can volunteer.
5) Also mention whether you would be interested in volunteering as an office assistant or by attending events or fairs, or by campaigning and advocating as well fundraising for Medecins du Monde UK.
Successfully short listed candidates will be invited to an interview in due course.
