Getting help

The Voluntary Support Scheme exists to link volunteers with people suffering from emotional stress or isolation. The volunteers meet with their client for up to an hour a week to offer them support in their journey back to ordinariness.

The confidential nature of this work is understood and observed by all the volunteers as well as the Co-ordinator.

Referrals are accepted from:

GP practices or other health professionals
staff of other statutory or voluntary agencies
clients themselves, or family members (but backing for the application for a volunteer will be sought from an appropriate person e.g. GP, vicar, community nurse)

All referrals must be made with the full agreement of the client and any carers they have.

Volunteers initially agree to visit for three months. To make best use of this time there must be an agreed aim for the volunteer and client to work towards, together. At the end of the three month period progress towards this aim will be reviewed.

The Scheme does not in any way seek to replace professional health or social services, but rather to complement the statutory service involvement with clients. The Co-ordinator will continue to liaise with the referrer, as appropriate.

Due to the way the Scheme works and the areas covered by the training the volunteers receive we are unable to offer support to people who:

may hurt themselves or others;
have drug or alcohol abuse problems;
are suffering from dementia.

The volunteers do not offer their clients:

counselling
a “sitting” service
befriending in the sense of regular companionship for an indefinite period.

All volunteers receive:

initial training before undertaking this support work;
on-going training through regular group meetings;
on-going individual support from the Co-ordinator;
travelling expenses;
insurance cover.

For a copy of our Guidelines for Referrers Sheet please go to our Downloads page.