Flexible Volunteering for Adult Social Care Providers

The Volunteer Responders programme, originally created to support NHS colleagues and services, has recently expanded to do the same for all adult social care providers, including those providing care in residential and domiciliary settings, across England.

Volunteer Responders is a flexible volunteering programme. Built on a digital platform the ‘GoodSAM’ app, the programme links an available pool of volunteers to local live tasks.

The services available include:

• Check In and Chat volunteers provide telephone support to people who need a chat and some encouragement to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

• Check In and Chat Plus volunteers provide regular telephone calls for more vulnerable people - 3 calls a week over a 6-week period from the same volunteer.

• Community response volunteers (in some areas) are available to collect and deliver essential shopping and prescriptions to people in receipt of care support.

• Pick-Up and Deliver volunteers transport medication or small items of medical equipment to people’s homes from NHS sites and equipment between sites.

Complementing Existing Workforces

Volunteer Responders do not undertake staff duties but instead complement the existing workforce. This allows care staff to focus on providing quality care to those who need it most.

Assurance and Peace of Mind

Volunteer Responders have had the appropriate checks and receive the required guidance and support for these activities. They are co-ordinated centrally and deployed locally. Their expenses are paid by the programme.

There is comprehensive wrap-around support and assurance. Safeguarding and problem-solving teams, and a helpline are available every day from 8 am to 8 pm.

Interested? Find out more here.