A NEWLY qualified nurse from Carmarthen has been praised for her work volunteering on holidays for children with complex disabilities.

Jodie Rogers, 21, is calling on others in her position to volunteer on breaks across Wales and England.

She works with the national disability charity Sense, which provides a range of holidays and short breaks for children, young people and adults who are deaf and blind, have sensory impairments or complex needs.

The breaks enable the holidaymakers to develop physically, socially and emotionally, and also provide vital respite for families from caring duties.

Jodie has already volunteered on four breaks, and credits the experience with helping her to develop her communication skills and confidence, which has helped in her career as a nurse.

She said: “As a volunteer on a Sense holiday, you have the opportunity to visit new places, make friends and develop new skills.

“Volunteering has helped me to develop my communication skills and increase my confidence when speaking with patients.

“I have also learnt basic sign language, an important and valuable skill that I’ve been able to transfer into my career as a nurse. To provide the support needed to give an individual an amazing holiday is fantastic and a really rewarding experience.”

Eleanor Coker, head of volunteering at Sense, said: “Our holidays programme is very much dependent on the support of our remarkable volunteers.”

“The week is planned around the needs of the holidaymakers and our personalised approach means that we can support people to do what they want to do, however simple or complex this may be.

“Volunteers like Jodie, who have transferable skills and experience, particularly in areas such as supporting individuals with complex health needs, disabilities or specialist communication, make a hugely valuable contribution to our breaks and the support we are able to provide for holidaymakers.

“They will also have a great time, have an opportunity to use their skills in a different and varied environment, all while experiencing a huge sense of achievement.”

Sense has been running for 40 years. To volunteer, visit www.sense.org.uk. Alternatively, call 0300 330 9250 or email holidays@sense.org.uk