Swindon Circl es
Community
friendship, help
and support for older
people in Swindon
Everyone can help someone
Swindon Borough Council’s Service Plan for Swindon Circles
Everyone can help someone
Why I love Swindon
Swindon is a great place to live. We sit surrounded by the Ridgeway
hills and have all the benefits of life in a town with many amenities.
For over fifty years, thousands of people have moved to Swindon to
benefit from employment, family connections and local networks.
Swindon is about the people who live here and place we want to
create for each other.
Swindon has it’s challenges. We have worked hard in recent years to
sustain good services for local people, great leisure facilities and are
now seeing the results of work to transform the town centre.
I am delighted that Swindon is part of the Cities of Service movement.
The town’s heritage is built on the efforts of working people striving to
make a difference to improve where they live. We have buildings and
community groups in the town which tell this story. Today we benefit
from a diverse and active voluntary and community sector and see a
new opportunity for more local people to feel connected and involved
in their local area.
Find out more at www.nesta.org.uk/project/cities-service-uk
2014 has been a poignant year with the centenary of the start
of World War One, the 70th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of
Normandy. It has reminded us about the significant but sometimes
forgotten contribution of our older generation in their younger years
and their value in our lives today. Swindon Circles is about looking
out for our older people across the town and working together
with established local groups, faith communities, residents groups,
neighbourhood watch, lunch clubs and other local opportunities, we
can make a difference.
I am proud to live in Swindon and have no doubt that Swindon
people will want to get involved in practical opportunities that make
a difference to someone in their community.
Councillor
David Renard
Leader, Swindon Borough Council
Join today at www.surveymonkey.com/s/icanmakeadifference
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Executive Summary
The Cities of Service programme is a new opportunity for local people
to make a difference to life where they live in Swindon. It provides a
way for individual residents to match their time, skills and helpfulness
with an older person in need of a little extra help.
No one imagines their older years to be a time where loneliness, social
isolation, health related conditions, self confidence and companionship
are daily challenges. In reality, we have hundreds of older people across
Swindon who for many reasons find that they need a little
extra help. Families can move away, a loved one can die, friends get
older themselves, and health issues can mean getting out and about
is no longer easy.
This is where local people can make a massive difference.
Swindon Circles of Community Support sets out to find small amounts
of help to support an older person with daily tasks, transport,
companionship and meeting up with other people.
We particularly want to help older people who receive a small
amount of social care each week. Our target is to reach a
minimum of 100 older people. This group is important
to us, because we want to do what we can to help
support them to feel well and independent for as
long as possible.
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This initiative will actively recruit local people to give voluntary support,
help and assistance to at least 100 older people in Swindon. We will
work with each person at the level and on the activities that they have
chosen to connect with. Where required, we will provide training for
our volunteers, develop skills for volunteers and clients, and help with
choosing the right experience and options for each person.
We will broker and facilitate positive contact and social relationships
between older people, their carers and families and local volunteers.
Introduction to Cities of Service
History
The Cities of Service coalition and its member cities aim to find new
and innovative ways to harness the power of volunteers to solve
strategic city issues. The coalition builds on the work of former New
York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who created the nation’s first
high-impact service plan in April 2009 and then appointed the nation’s
first municipal Chief Service Officer.
Today in the United States, the Cities of Service coalition includes
more than 170 mayors, and it is successfully mobilising thousands
of volunteers to improve their city one task at a time. Volunteers give
their time in the service of others and their local city, often
co-ordinated by a Chief Service Officer and always with a focus on
measuring the impact they are having. Cities in the coalition share
successful strategies and programmes to ensure the most effective
strategies are copied by others.
Over the past three years, the movement has spread internationally
to inspire Team London and “Count on Me” in Madrid.
Cities of Service UK
Now Swindon has the opportunity to join this movement. We are one
of seven pioneering local authorities working with the Cabinet Office
and Nesta, the UK’s innovation charity, to adapt the Cities of Service
model to the UK.
Swindon has received funding, tools, training and mentoring support
from Nesta and the Cabinet Office as part of the programme.
Because this work is part of a wider movement, we have developed
relationships with the other UK Cities of Service - Bristol, Kirklees,
Plymouth, Portsmouth, Barnsley, and Telford & Wrekin.
Vision
Cities of Service efforts focus on “impact volunteering”—volunteer
strategies that target community needs, use best practices and set
clear outcomes and measures to gauge progress.
The key aims of the programme are to:
• Help local government find best ways to mobilise energy, talents and passions of people to make a real difference to local priorities.
• Focus on measuring results: rather than measure how many people volunteer, we measure the impact those volunteers have.
• Create strong leaders to champion the programme and create support within the city.
How does it work?
We have undergone a staged process to identify local challenges
that we can address by mobilising volunteers and have worked with
partners in the community, voluntary sector, and with local businesses
to develop projects that can have an impact on those challenges. We
have developed clear metrics to track our progress and demonstrate
the impact our projects are having. We have also made a commitment
to communicate our results on a regular basis. There is more detail
about our initiatives and intended impact later in this document.
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Swindon as a City of Service
We wanted to join the City of Service programme because we know
that giving feels good.
It’s great to know that what you are doing has put a smile on
someone’s face, has helped someone feel better about their day
or helped them with a tricky task.
Hundreds of people in Swindon help out in their communities every
day throughout the year. We think this is great, it is what makes
Swindon a feel-good place to live.
As a City of Service, we will help more people get involved, linking
with people who have not traditionally had volunteer help in their
lives before.
What will we be doing?
We are targeting volunteer support at older people, and in particular,
older people who are receiving small amounts of social care with the
aim of supporting their health, wellbeing and independence for as
long as possible. Over the next 12 months we would like to match
volunteers with at least 100 older people who we know could really
benefit from the extra help. Keeping people at home for as long they
feel it is right for them, supporting families to continue to care for their
loved ones, reducing loneliness and growing social networks are key
outcomes for this project. We recognise that the Council’s budget is
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increasingly stretched by the growing needs of our ageing population
and we need to do what we can to work as a community to help where
it is appropriate to do so.
To do this, we have taken advice from Age UK Wiltshire, the Volunteer
Centre Swindon and social care workers. We have created a new
volunteer pathway which gives volunteers what they need to feel that
they have the information, support and skills to get involved and is
managed in a way that older people and their families feel that this a
well-supervised and safe scheme to join.
For many families, it is reassuring to feel that there are trusted
volunteers who can make a difference.
Families
are saying
“
I visit my
gran two or three
times a week. I think
having other people visit
is making her feel she
really has something to
look forward to
”
“
Mum really
looks forward to her
weekly visit. They go out
for coffee and Mum gets
to talk with someone who
isn’t family. It makes a
big difference for
all of us
”
“
Dad has
dementia. I see him
everyday but it’s still
great to know that other
people are looking out
for him too
”
“
It has given
our Mum a new spring
in her step. She’s already
planning what outfit to
wear next time she
goes out with her
volunteer visitor
”
The success of this project will rely on willingness and helpfulness
which we believe is evident in the people of Swindon, like you.
Examples are:
Nesta (www.nesta.org.uk/project/cities-service-uk) and the Cabinet
Office are providing £30,000 to support the delivery of the Swindon
programme over the next two years. This funding will help us with
volunteer training costs, volunteer expenses, publicity materials,
volunteer tools and resources, small projects and events and
evaluation of the project itself.
• Joining a street rota for regular calls on your neighbours
• Helping out at a local coffee morning
• Learning how to be a seated exercise leader
We should have all the tools and resources we need to help you
get involved.
Local neighbourhood activities such as:
• Helping someone take short walks
• Set up a casserole club, tea club, or sharing a hot meal
How could you make
a difference?
Over the next 12 months we would like to match volunteers with at
least 100 older people who we know could really benefit from the
extra help. Could you be one of those volunteers?
Each volunteer can do as much or as little as they like and can work
with one person, or with a group, or with a number of people. We can
help you create small projects too.
(teaching one to one or in a group)
once in a while
• Using neighbourhood watch to look out for older or
vulnerable people where you live
Many of our 100 older people need help in getting out and about,
You could make a difference by:
• Offering to give someone a lift to the shops
• Helping push a wheelchair so that someone can get to
a local activity
• Giving someone the confidence to try a new activity by being a buddy with them for the first few visits
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Some older people have lost contact with family or friends
and many spend most days without regular social contact.
You could help by:
• One to one befriending – regular visits or phone calls
• Help with small practical tasks like changing a light bulb,
reaching something on a high shelf, checking a fire alarm
• Help with cooking or shopping
• Help with the garden
Sometimes there are seasonal tasks where help can make difference,
such as putting up Christmas decorations, helping to write and post
Christmas or birthday cards, and help with the garden.
This project borrows from other schemes to include a wide range of
opportunities for both volunteers and beneficiaries. We want to make
great use of all of the groups, clubs and events which are happening
already as well as supporting new things too. If you think your club or
group could help, please talk to us.
Our volunteers will be covered by our insurance and will have access
to advice and supervision. We will reimburse out of pocket expenses
for bus fares, refreshments, equipment and mileage.
For groups and neighbourhood projects, we may be able to help with
insurance, room hire and equipment costs.
Older People are saying
“
I don’t go out on
my own, as I’m not so
good on my feet.
My volunteer is helping me
feel more confident. I feel
better knowing they are
with me
”
“
I’ve recently
tried the lunch club.
It makes a nice
change
The most important return on your volunteering time is knowing what
a difference your time is making to another local person. Help us make
a difference to at least 100 older people in Swindon this year.
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”
“
What do you get?
All of our volunteers will be offered training and advice across a range
of activities such as first aid, falls prevention, food hygiene, and,
dementia awareness. We will be with you to support and guide you
when you need it.
“
My volunteer
takes me for a walk
around Lydiard Park.
I like being out there
and watching the
world go by
“
Getting help
to go to Asda makes
a difference to
my week
”
”
I wasn’t sure
about it at first but
I’m hoping the seated
exercise is going to
make me stronger
”
“
Now, I’ve learnt
how to use my iPad
and I’ve booked
a holiday
”
How do you join us?
Volunteers are saying
There are many ways you can sign up or find out more:
“
I always knew that
there were older people in
my street and I wondered
if they needed help – I
never felt I could just go
and ask – this scheme has
helped it happen
• You can speak to friends and neighbours about how you would like to help older people where you live. If you have thoughts or ideas, we may be able to help you get these off the ground with a small grant or help and advice. Help us reach our target of matching volunteers with one hundred older people.
•
To find out more, you can speak to Paula, our volunteer coordinator t: 01793 466418 e: [email protected]
• You can complete a volunteer registration form online by visiting
w: www.surveymonkey.com/s/icanmakeadifference
• You can register your interest as a volunteer by requesting an
“
Please be aware that for some activities, we will request that you work
with us to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service check and that you
provide us with references.
If you are involved in a local group which provides support or
services to older people, please get in touch with us so that we
can share the information.
Feedback from volunteers so far has been great, we hope you too will
join us on the journey.
”
We don’t have
any grandparents in
our family so I think
it’s nice for us and the
children to be seeing and
helping an older
person regularly
”
”
application form to be sent in the post to you. You can write to us at Volunteer Coordinator, Localities, Swindon Borough Council, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH.
“
My wife
and I are volunteering
as a couple. That way the
visits are more interesting
for all of us and we’re
doing something good
together
“
I’m helping
at a coffee morning.
I love talking to the
residents and hearing
their stories
”
“
I have extra
time after retiring.
This gets me out of the
house and I can do
my volunteering when
it suits me
”
“
I don’t think
of it as volunteering,
it is just being a
good neighbour
”
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What we will achieve
with your support
Swindon Circles of Community Support starts with a focus on older
people however we recognise that if we get this right, so many other
people could benefit. We aim for this project to reach at least 100 older
people, if we can reach more, even better. This project also helps us
plan for future work which could benefit other priority groups such as
adults with learning disabilities and families living with Autism
and Asperger’s Syndrome.
At the moment we will target this new work and evidence how
we have been successful as follows:
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100 older people
are matched with
volunteers, groups,
and/or local
organisations
Our volunteers
are growing new skills
and positive experiences
from their activities
Our volunteers
are enjoying what
they are doing. More
people want to
get involved
100 older people
report an increase in
their social contact and
social networks
100 older people
are matched and report
an improvement in their
personal wellbeing
and health
100 older people
increase their care
package at a reduced rate
or stay on a low level
for longer
Everyone
Our volunteers
feel supported and
valued and feel that
they are making
a difference
can help someone
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Find out more...
Speak to Paula, our volunteer coordinator t: 01793 466418 e: [email protected]
You can complete a volunteer registration form online by visiting
w: www.surveymonkey.com/s/icanmakeadifference
You can register your interest as a volunteer by requesting an
application form to be sent in the post to you. You can write to
us at Volunteer Coordinator, Localities, Swindon Borough Council,
Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH.
Find out more at www.nesta.org.uk/project/cities-service-uk
Join today at www.surveymonkey.com/s/icanmakeadifference
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