Lancashire County Council - Adult and Community Services - Volunteer Services

Volunteers

Paid Volunteer Service Officers recruit volunteersfrom local communities and match them with appropriate opportunities. Volunteersare predominantly aged 16 to over 80 years old and come from all backgrounds - students wanting to gain experience in order to enhance their college/university courses or using volunteering as a stepping stone into employment, ex-social care staff who have spare time and want to offer their knowledge and experiances to others or people wanting to give something back into the community and make real difference.

“Volunteering was wicked and helped me get an ace job" Laura aged 23

Training

All volunteers undertake a mandatory "New Start New Adventures" Induction training course - this course aims to develop a person's awareness of the focus and values of the service and increase their knowledge of the aims and purpose of Lancashire County Council. Volunteers can also access additional training around their needs for exemple:

• Mental health awareness
• Food Hygiene
• Change and loss
• Disability awareness
• "Partners in Volunteering" which includes:
  . ability not disability
  . emplowerment
  . First Aid
  . Enriching older people's lives

Adult Social Care Befriending and Mentoring

As part of a person's package of care volunteer support is often the added value. Volunteers befiend and mentor individuals who meet social care eligibility criteria helping to combat social isolation, increase confidence and self esteem and helping them to re-engage back into community life - going into town for a coffee, trip to the cinema, access a local group etc.

Volunteers are matched with an appropriate referral based on skills, abilities, experience and interests of both parties. We support people with mental ill health difficulties, learning disabilities, physical and sensory impairments and older people and carers who require respite.

Supported volunteering

Many people with a disability would love to volunteer themselves but may need a little extra support - they may not be independent travellers so need someone to accompany them on the journey to and from their placement, they may need a few words to re-assurance and encouragement during the day or practical assistance with the tasks they are doing. Volunteers are recruited to support the person to vulunteering within a voluntary recognised or non-profil organisation. The ultimate aim is for the person, where appropriate, to progress into unsupported volunteering.

Supporting Lancashire's Library and Information Services

As a result of big Lottery Funding, the library and Information Service have funded a Volunteer Service Officer post who is responsible for recruiting and deploying volunteers within a library setting. Bringing volunteers into library services is a way of encouraging community particupation and involvement in library services and provides an opportunity for extending social inclusion