Minutes:
Ben Rollett briefly explained the current situation with volunteering and social inclusion with emphasis on the Covid-19 pandemic, where the following points were noted:
· During the early stages of the pandemic, there was a greater number of individuals registering to volunteer for the Red Cross; the national NHS volunteer scheme; in local communities; and as part of the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum. He explained that at the Rushton’s vaccination site alone, there were 114 volunteers, who combined had undertaken 729 shifts, which if paid £9.30 per hour, would equate in monetary terms to over £40,000 alone.
· The voluntary centre services was working alongside Lincolnshire County Council on how to build on the Covid-19 legacy, with a view of retaining volunteers and how these could be called upon easily in emergency situations. Reference was also made to the NHS responders programme, which had been nationally.
· There had been significant challenges for local community groups and organisations during the pandemic, including a number of volunteers had been advised to shield. Some volunteers were envious about returning to volunteering. This meant that those volunteers could not volunteer in the traditional way and some had moved to volunteering online, although most volunteers preferred in-person activity rather than remote working.
· Practical advice and remote support was offered to volunteers, including training on DBS checks, and 148 volunteers had accessed online training.
· Groups and organisations were given help to understand how restrictions would affect them and how to deliver their service digitally.
· A significant ongoing challenge faced by the voluntary was access to funding, as this was largely being allocated to Covid-19 related activities and limited for other sectors. Charity shops and animal welfare charities, who rely on donations, were impacted by the loss of funding as a result of the pandemic and associated lockdowns and this was proving to be an ongoing challenge.
· Isolation during the pandemic was an issue for voluntary sector staff and volunteers. It was highlighted that a return to office-based working needed done safely, particularly for those who were shielding, and it remained a large challenge.
· Certain Neighbourhood Boards, for example Birchwood, Bracebridge and Sincil Bank, had continued to meet via virtual technology during the pandemic with the support of the Voluntary Centre Service and the Lincoln Neighborhood's Together Network (LNTN). The LNTN comprised the chairs and secretaries of the neighbourhood boards and met frequently to discuss any challenges. It also assessed how it could support each other and activity locally. It was proposed that the LNTN would be converted into its own legal entity so it could oversee the insurance arrangements for all of the boards and other similar requirements. It was highlighted that this would also help build resilience with staffing of the boards.
· Support to vulnerable individuals within the community was discussed, which included the introduction of Social Prescribing Link Workers; neighbourhood working; Integrated Placed Based Teams (one in the North and the other in the South); and employability support.
· Support for people with multiple needs had been provided by GP practices and health and other organisations, this provided an additional layer of mental health support, which would help those who had experienced social isolation. In Lincoln North, which included parts of West Lindsey, there were four link workers; in Lincoln Central there was one link worker; and one in Lincoln South.
As a result of the questions to Ben Rollett the following points were made: -
· Volunteers at the vaccination sites at both Rustons and the Lincolnshire Showground were providing an excellent service.
· Activities should be suitable to the local areas for example, it was confirmed that the voluntary centre could support the establishment and the running of a knitting group or any other type of activity, should this support be required.
· Community groups could encounter difficulties accessing premises for their activities, particularly when costs were involved. However it was recognised that owners of buildings in most circumstances needed to charge for the use of buildings to contribute to their own costs. It was commented that an individual could be deemed vulnerable for a variety of reasons and that whilst during the Covid-19 pandemic there was greater focus on those who were deemed clinically extremely vulnerable and shielding, this should not have been the sole focus, as this could have resulted in people slipping through the net, becoming isolated at home and unable to access support.
· It was recognised that the success of neighbourhood boards depended on a number of factors, including the level of involvement from volunteers and the number of people involved. It was confirmed that the Voluntary Centre Service continued to provide support to boards.
The Chair thanked Ben Rollett for attending the meeting and expressed her thanks for the work of the Voluntary Centre Service.