A Day In
The Life Of A KAH Volunteer
There are many different
types of day when on a Kick Asthma holiday. You could be canoeing, at
a theme park or making kites. However, this page will give you an idea
of the general structure of a "typical day", based on a day
at Southampton in 2006.
7:00am
- Bedroom helpers wake the children and ensure they all get up.
It is important to make sure that those that need baths have time to
soak and apply creams and do not feel rushed. It is also necessary to
remember to give those using nebulisers enough time to take them before
breakfast. Some of the children/teenagers may have eneuresis (bed wetting)
and staff should check discretely for any signs of this.
Helpers should be alert
for any changes in the children's condition. (i.e. wheezier than normal,
reddening of skin etc.) and let the medical team know. Peak flows should
be recorded before any medication.
8:00am
- Breakfast.
It is essential that helpers all get to breakfast on time to make sure
the children eat enough to keep them going through the day's activities.
Some of the children will have special dietary needs and it is particularly
important that these are kept to.
9:00am
After breakfast, on to activities. These will vary, maybe a
swimming session, a rounders game, or a day out. Keep an eye on the
day's schedule. All staff take part in the activities, so you could
be called upon to join the team playing rounders, or worse, to be the
referee!!
All activities are
usually pre-planned, especially the trips out. However, there may be
times when these will change, so be prepared to be flexible.
12:30pm -
Lunch.
Again staff should be there to eat with the children; sometimes it is
a packed lunch. (It is important that all children have meals and you
should carry out head-counts from time to time). Mid-day inhalers, nebulisers
etc. should be taken.
 1:30pm
Afternoon activites start.
6:00pm -
Dinner.
A chance to chat with the children about the day's activities.
7:00pm
Evening activities, usually involving everybody.
Bedtime from
8:30pm depending on the ages of the children
Bedtime requires all staff to be on hand. The children need
a great deal of settling down and can easily become excited - especially
the younger ones, and even more so on the last evening! Bedtime should
be carried out without a fuss. Again it is important that all children
are taking their medication, check peak flows and apply creams. Enough
time should be allowed for relaxing and bathing so that those that need
this don't feel left out. Reading to the younger children is often a
good way to settle them in. The bedtime session often gives you the
opportunity to sit and chat with the children and helps you to assess
whether there are any problems i.e. homesickness, bullying etc.
Often the older age
group has a staggered bedtime, with the younger ones (11-13 year olds)
going to bed 30 minutes before the over 13s.
After the children
are in bed there is a meeting to discuss the day, the children and to
plan the next day's activities. After this you're free to relax in the
volunteer's common room. At many sites the Leaders will arrange to have
some refreshment available, or you can bring your own...!
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