AIBU to expect a postive response - or ANY response

[mollymole]

my DS wants to apply for physiotherapy in 2012 - he will need to have some 'work & voluntary experience in this field' in order to apply - he has written to 3 hospitals and 2 private practices, and has had 1 reply (from 1 of the hospitals saying NO)- now you cannot apply for the courses without a written reference - double edged sword or what !!
he has now written to another batch of hospitals further afield so we will keep our fingers crossed.

is he applying purely to Phsyio depts? he could expand it to look at other areas where he will be in contact with Physios or patients getting physiotherapy (geriatric care etc)

YANBU to expect at least a reply

he needs to speak to the right people the letter is probably only just reaching the admin clerk.

make it clear that you want to work voluntary

Molly, where are you based?
You need to contact someone directly involved with the PT department.

If you are in London, I could get you a name to contact.

THere are a lot of private clinics. Would he maybe have more success if he applied to them.

What about contacting support groups in your area for charities such as Scope or the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign? Lots of people with these conditions need frequent regular physio and perhaps they would welcome extra helpers.
I know the MDC has family support workers all around the country who may be v useful source of advice.

Or try special schools - many provide regular physio of various types to the pupils and would welcome volunteers.
Your local authority would have a list.
EG he could help with hydrotherapy sessions - they are desperate for extra people to assist.

thankyou for help - he is on south yorkshire/north notts border and has written to private as well as state - he is going to try and find out the names of the people and chase them up - he has made it very clear that it is voluntary he is looking for

He would be better off ringing up or presenting himself there with an appointment to speak to someone. Letters get filtered and probably don't reach the person who has power to say yes.

My brother did Dentistry and that required prior 'experience' and is very competitive (as is Physiotherapy - enormously competitive entry) so he rang the dental hospital and found out who was in charge and made an appointment to go in for a chat. I think it worked in his favour as the guy he spoke to was on the interview panel and remembered him.

Tell him he should get on the phone, it will be much more efficient.

I would imagine payed weekend work in a care home or other related field.

for vulntary what about special schools, special needs groups, local football clubs, sports clubs, gyms or private clinics?

I would get him to make tc calls followed up by letters.