Funded by Lloyds TSB Foundation Making a Difference Through Volunteering

OPP Research Team Meena Patel Cathy Smith Alison Macadam Helen Bowers

Six Key Aims 1.Identify what is distinctive about the care/ support provided by volunteers in home and intermediate care 2.Highlight examples of best practice from six “study sites” 3.Improve available data, knowledge & management information 4.Inform plans to develop involvement of volunteers in service provision (either separately or in partnership with health & social care partners) 5.Identify key success factors 6.A report, practical guidance to improve delivery & commissioning, & dissemination that has a wide reach

Fieldwork in Six Study Sites  CSV/RSVP o RSVP North East : Rural transport schemes in Barnard Castle & Middleton; Telephone Befriending o RSVP Anglesey : Knitting groups in Llangoed & Amlwch; Community Health, Wellbeing Advice and Support Scheme (RSVP/CAB)  BRC Home from Hospital Schemes o Kent : Thanet, Canterbury, Ashford, Dartford & Gravesham, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone o Cheshire: South Cheshire (Leyton, Chester, Macclesfield), Halton, Warrington HtA – Nubian Life & Age Concern Calderdale o Nubian Life centre & outreach support for African/Caribbean elders in Hammersmith & Fulham o Community Action Team in Calderdale Stay Warm Stay Well, active befriending, hospital from home, safe & secure, home safety checks

Methodology  Literature / policy review to guide focus of the fieldwork  Postal Surveys of volunteers and service users in all 6 sites  Site visits: in-depth interviews and discussion groups with Service Users, Volunteers, Coordinators and Managers  320 volunteers and service users responded/participated  Discussions with 8 local commissioners o Analysis and synthesis across data sources and sites oTested themes/conclusions with participating sites at one day workshop o Guidance and feedback from national reference group

14 Cross Cutting Themes  The impact of volunteering  Reducing social isolation  Supporting independence & wellbeing  Goes far beyond practical tasks  Personal care - a thorny issue  The importance of Time  The meaning of Diversity  Responding to diversity  Relationships between volunteers & service users  Flexibility & freedom - key motivators for volunteering  Delivering and Developing Effective Volunteer Services  The Volunteer Coordinator role is key  Raising awareness & profile of services / schemes  Multiple parties involved  Good relationships & effective processes are vital  Sustainable commissioning practices  Measuring impact

12 Recommendations  Impact and Recognition Capture & promote full impact of volunteer services Develop qualitative & outcome measures Recognising what volunteers do to reduce isolation & loneliness Develop ‘volunteer advocates’, in partnership with others Promote the distinctive, diverse & flexible roles of volunteers  Working Together, Sustainably Strengthen partnerships between volunteer & public services Join up Government policy & funding streams Implement full cost recovery for volunteer services Build volunteer services into commissioning & local delivery plans  Developing Services An open & honest debate about “personal care” by volunteers Ensure enabling management processes support volunteers Harness volunteers’ & service users’ experiences

Some Key Figures from the Research Service Users :-  Over 95% confirmed they were happy with the volunteer support received  83% reported that the support received had positively impacted on their quality of life (over half saying that this had led to a large improvement) Volunteers :-  68% reported that ‘providing a listening ear’ was amongst the most important things given to those they support  90% gained personal satisfaction through helping others, 69% feel they benefit through keeping busy and active  Helping others was the main motivation for most people to initially become a volunteer (65%) – meeting new people was also a motivator for 34%

Making a Difference Through Volunteering ShortCuts Five briefing notes on the project :- 1.Overview of the research 2.People supported by volunteers 3.Volunteers 4.Volunteer Service Providers 5.Local commissioners Available at