Reducing Social Isolation/Loneliness Survey
The team at South Hams Community Action works on behalf of our voluntary and community groups – and also directly with our residents – throughout the South Hams.
- Recently the team has been working throughout the district to undertake a reducing social isolation/loneliness survey (supported by DCC’s Growing Communities funding), which further evidences the impact of our rurality on the mental health and wellbeing for many of our residents. The findings will be disseminated later this month. We aim to focus our work on the areas of need identified, including community transport, and work closely with partners including SHDC to maximise this work.
- We’ve also undertaken our new strategic plan. While we will continue to work on behalf of all organisations in our voluntary and community sector, we are prioritising much of our work around the sustainability and capacity building for our caring organisations or for groups offering health and wellbeing activities. It is vital that our voluntary sector can continue to support our residents in need and to meet identified gaps in provision. Our strategic plan also recognises the importance of our one-to-one work with residents, through our social prescribers and new community link worker/s.
- In our 2023 survey, the top priority for our voluntary sector was volunteer recruitment, training and retention. We have focused our efforts on sourcing funding for a role to help our voluntary sector – and have received good news. We are recruiting to a Volunteer recruitment lead role. The postholder will work with people with disabilities in addition to our groups.
The role will:
- support groups with their volunteer recruitment work, including training and retention.
- work directly with people with disabilities and offer support to voluntary groups. The aim is to enhance employment prospects and reduce social isolation through volunteering for people with physical and learning difficulties/disabilities.
- work with partners and businesses to encourage longer-term planning around volunteering, eg. retirement planning.
- communicate to local press, newsletters and social media, etc. to increase awareness of the benefits of volunteering and specific areas of need, eg transport or befriending.
- If you are interested in becoming a Trustee for us, please click here.
