Minister gives kick-start to volunteering at launch of vision and fund
A new vision for volunteering in health and social care will be unveiled today by Care Services Minister Paul Burstow Volunteers鈥�
A new vision for volunteering in health and social care will be unveiled today by Care Services Minister Paul Burstow in Birmingham.
Volunteers play a crucial role in health and social care services, and to support this Paul Burstow will announce that up to 拢2.6 million will be available for national volunteering and social action projects in 2012. Fifty-one local projects will be approved today, with a combined value of approximately 拢2.5 million.
The funding is given to projects that meet one of four key themes: improving health and social care; delivering better health outcomes; improving public health; and a patient-led NHS.
Paul Burstow said:
鈥淰olunteers can be great asset in promoting and improving health. The funding I have announced will mean more projects can get volunteers involved in providing real support that will help local communities and give the volunteers invaluable experience and skills.
鈥淥ur vision is to encourage leaders and commissioners to be more open and inclusive and to create an environment where the experience of volunteers counts. I want to help NHS and social care organisations - whether social enterprises, private, charity or public sector - to realise the benefits of volunteering and make the most of the opportunities it provides.鈥�
To make sure that small local organisations that have received funding through the programme get the most out of it, the Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund offers a support package through nationally recognised voluntary, community and social enterprises organisations. This includes a diagnostic visit, support consultancy, action learning networks and training in volunteer management.
National organisations can register to apply, from next week, for up to 拢200,000 a year for up to three years each to run projects from Summer 2012 that align with one of the four key themes.
Example projects
Diabetes UK - Community Champions Volunteer Programme
The project has 5 main aims focusing on avoiding preventable cases by improving awareness of diabetes, lifestyle risk factors and supporting the adoption of healthier lifestyles. The project focuses on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups, and will improve the information flow through local networks.
The Place2Be - Developing Active Community-based Volunteering
The project aim is to empower local leadership to reduce health inequalities by improving access to non-stigmatising school-based mental health support and improve the mental health of children/young people through an innovative volunteer-led approach.
British Refugee Council - Health Befriending Network for Refugees and Asylum
Seekers
The aims of the project are to use a volunteer befriending network to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers understand their entitlements to health and social care services. Refugees and asylum seekers experience less isolation and are better connected to their local communities, improving general health and wellbeing.
Examples of other volunteering programmes sighted in the Strategic Vision:
Dawn Patrol -
Dawn Patrol is an intergenerational project, run by the British Red Cross, in Newton. It supports independence and resilience for vulnerable older people who live alone by building links with local schools. Young volunteers (typically 8-11 years old) check on the older beneficiaries on their way to school. If the right number is not shown, the school contacts the British Red Cross who take action, starting with an unobtrusive telephone call and triggering a response if necessary.
Altogether Better - Community Health Champions -
Altogether Better has trained over 12,500 volunteer community and workplace champions who have in turn influenced the health and wellbeing of 75,000 further people within their communities. They use a community development approach to the recruitment and engagement of volunteers, building on existing networks, infrastructure and local expertise using a targeted approach to reach excluded groups. Different level of training are offered to meet different needs, from half-day sessions to accredited courses.
Notes to editors
1.聽For media enquiries only contact the DH news desk on 020 7210 5221.
2.聽The launch of the national grant scheme 2012 - interested organisations will be able to register to apply from Monday 24 October 2011. (拢2.6million is allocated to this).
3.聽 The successful portfolio of local grant scheme 2011 projects - these 51 local organisations have been through an application and assessment process and are now live (approx 拢2.5 million allocated to this).
4.聽National organisations wanting further information or details on applying for the fund, visit:
5.聽A list of funding awarded to local organisations is below:
Organisation Name聽Funding Requested
The Thornbury Centre聽拢50,000
Opening Doors聽拢49,895
Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre聽拢48,396
Haringey Mencap LTD聽拢46,932
Haringey Chinese Centre聽拢50,000
Deafness Support Network聽拢48,431
厂测别诲补听拢45,155
South Somerset Mind聽拢48,441
Shpresa Programme聽拢45,423
Pompey Sports & Education Foundation聽拢47,846
Lonsdale Community Centre聽拢48,918
Home-Start Worthing & Adur聽拢48,496
Home-Start Westminster聽拢46,973
贬础尝贰听拢49,879
贵辞耻苍诲补迟颈辞苍听拢49,986
County Community Projects聽拢48,263
Cardigan Centre聽拢49,809
Foleshill Women鈥檚 Training Ltd聽拢50,000
Young People Cornwall聽拢48,373
Wirral Citizens Advice Bureau聽拢50,000
Unite - Carers in Mid Devon聽拢46,678
鲍惭叠搁贰尝尝础听拢46,750
Total Healthcare Groups CIC Ltd聽拢47,258
The As You Are Centre Limited聽拢26,517
Small Heath Community Forum聽拢50,000
Self Help Services聽拢48,726
Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Mind聽拢48,190
搁别诲2骋谤别别苍听拢49,284
Holy Cross Centre Trust聽拢48,425
Hillingdon Action Group For Addiction Management聽拢49,399
Headway Derby聽拢49,295
Headway Cambridgeshire聽拢49,977
Eat That Frog CIC聽拢49,980
Deaf Direct Limited聽拢47,593
Brighton and Hove Speak Out聽拢47,513
Age UK Northamptonshire聽拢50,000
Westbank Community Health and Care聽拢44,233
Voluntary Action Ashfield聽拢49,937
SIFA Fireside聽拢50,000
Sheffield Alcohol Support Service聽拢49,160
Pioneering Care Partnership聽拢49,927
NCompass North West Ltd聽拢44,913
Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group聽拢50,000
Age UK North Tyneside聽拢49,531
Watford Mencap聽拢49,790
Staffordshire Moorlands Community And Voluntary Services聽拢38,361
Age Concern Barrow and District聽拢46,122
Faithworks Wessex聽拢48,332
Birmingham Disability Resource Centre聽拢49,926
Herts Mind Network聽拢47,529
The Care Forum聽拢48,606