Trying to eradicate the myths and misconceptions surrounding palliative care is one of the biggest challenges any hospice care facility faces – not just among adults, but the youth as well.

It is for this very reason, explains CEO of Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services, Tersia Burger, that they are embarking on a Youth Volunteer Programme, with the specific purpose to positively raise the profile of Stepping Stone Hospice in the local community and encourage young people to become actively involved in their local hospice.

Arianna Arnachillam, a 17-year-old learner at Marist Brothers, was recently appointed as Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services’ first Youth Ambassador. She will head the Youth Volunteer Programme, which is open to learners from Grade 7 to Grade 12, as well as school leavers up to the age of 21.

Addressing the audience at the hospice’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 9 September 2021, Arianna said that she plans to embrace this opportunity, and that she will drive this initiative through her own charity programme, called The Charity Hotspot.

Her passion for charity work, she says, has been instilled by her parents and grandparents. “We’ve been taught from a young age to always give back and that there should be a purpose in the things we do,” she explains.

Arianna will complete an Introduction to Palliative Care course at Stepping Stone Hospice’s training facility. “I believe I will gain the knowledge I need to address my peers and bring the message of the importance of a hospice and its sustainability in our community across to them.”

For further information about Stepping Stone’s Youth Volunteer Programme, kindly contact Tersia Burger on 010 442 5059 or mail tersia@steppingstonehospice.co.za

Caption:

Arianna Arnachillam. Youth Ambassador for Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services.