VolunTeer focus - Action on Hearing Loss
Transcription
VolunTeer focus - Action on Hearing Loss
Volun t e er Focus Festiv e Issue ISSUE 5/Dec 2013 www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk The Heart of the Community One of our key aims as an organisation is to deliver local community-based services with the support of our volunteers. There are many examples across the country of where we have established strong volunteer groups, and it was a particular pleasure, back in October, to visit the new community hub in Brighton. What was very special for me about the community hub, was that it was an example of how we work at our very best with volunteers and staff coming together to support people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. In Brighton, in one central location, people can try our assistive technology products, pick up information and talk to volunteers. We hope this will also be a ‘hub’ for local fundraising and campaigning activity too. While we might not all have the facilities that we enjoy in Brighton, I am firmly of the view that, in every place where there is an active group of volunteers, we can use your creativity and voluntary effort to establish a local presence across the country to support people with hearing loss. This is the last Volunteer Focus of 2013, so thank you for everything that you have done this year and have a very Happy Christmas. Take Action and spread the word you to share your appetite for volunteering with others that you know. Word of mouth remains the best form of recruitment and of encouraging people to volunteer and, as we know, the benefits to ourselves can be as great as for those we aim to help. Young people in particular are recognising and valuing the development opportunities that volunteering can provide. Thank you for all you do – from all of us in the Volunteering Development Team, we wish you an enjoyable festive season. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all our volunteers who give so much to the people we support and the cause we champion. With the many volunteers I have met and spoken to, a common theme is how much pleasure and satisfaction they get from supporting others. Most express a deep commitment to the aims of the charity and, therefore, give generously of themselves, bringing with them their life experiences, skills, abilities, compassion, intellect and humour while asking for nothing in return. Now more than ever we need to call on this support from you, our volunteers, and to ask Paul Breckell, Chief Executive Jane Bailey, Head of Volunteering Development Volunteering awards Thank you to all our volunteers for completing our Big Satisfaction survey The top five points we’d like to share are: · Volunteering with Action on Hearing Loss: I would recommend Action on Hearing Loss as a good place to volunteer – 90% · Benefits of volunteering: This is the second year that volunteers have been surveyed alongside staff. The participation rate was very encouraging (an increase on last year) and we hope to see this increase year on year. The results are, in general, positive, while highlighting areas for improvement. I believe I am valued for what I can offer Action on Hearing Loss – 90% The Big Satisfaction Survey 2013 Volunteer results – at a glance · Communication: You can see the full volunteer survey results on our website. Here’s our overview of just some of the findings. Volunteers were asked to rate their response to a set of statements across the nine categories below: • Volunteering for Action on Hearing Loss •Communication •Managers • Learning and Development • My role and team • Percentage of volunteers satisfied with certain activities/support • Ways people gain from being a volunteer • Costs of volunteering • Benefits of volunteering It’s worth noting that volunteers’ responses made up 32% of the total survey responses across the organisation. 2 · My role and my team: My volunteering gives me a feeling of personal achievement – 89% My supervisor/staff contact communicates with me effectively – 89% · Support: I receive enough information and support to perform my role as is required – 92% In general, the results are encouraging. The areas in which we need to see improvements are; better access to training, more access to social events and, overall, greater participation in the volunteer survey. We’ll develop action plans in local regions to address these areas in the New Year. We welcome any suggestions on changes we can make to support you further. Please email any suggestions to [email protected]. uk or write to: Kelly Broome, Action on Hearing Loss, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG. The full results of the Big Satisfaction Survey are available on The Loop and the volunteering pages on our website. VOLUNTEER FOCUS Winter 2013 / Issue 5 Volunteers help deliver personalisation – A fond farewell to one of our Volunteer Champions A Fond Farewell to A REAL Volunteer Champion We would like to congratulate Pamela Newman – our Services Manager for Brondesbury Road Residential Service – who is leaving us for pastures new. Pamela has been a strong supporter of volunteering and maintains that volunteers have made a massive difference to residents. The Volunteer Development Team asked Pamela about her experiences with and views on volunteers: Can you tell us how volunteers have been helping your team in realising the personalisation agenda for Brondesbury Road? Volunteers have made a huge difference to the people using our service and the staff team supporting them. We have now implemented an in-house volunteer management team. By using personalisation tools we have been able to match suitable volunteers to the needs of the people using the service. Can you give us some examples of volunteering in action with the residents at Brondesbury Road? Yes! Volunteers support our key workers in developing the residents’ life skills to enable them to move on into independent accommodation. There are many examples – a volunteer called Mary helped John, a resident, prepare his own Support Plan in a Powerpoint presentation, so he was able to keep it on a memory stick to share with others. Julie takes Roderick to the gym every Monday and Pritti takes another resident to Crossrail exhibitions. Do you have any final comments to make? Volunteers have made a massive difference to the quality of service we are able to provide, and to the lives of our residents. We couldn’t do it without you! I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has worked alongside me at Brondesbury Road. What’s been the one volunteering achievement you’ve been most proud of? Introducing a Lead Volunteer role has really helped us to establish a volunteering team, within the service, that is both informed and supported. The Lead Volunteers have developed role descriptions for future volunteers, matching the skills and interest requirements g with those of the people in the our volunteerin y re a sh u o y ld service, and aided the Wou ith us? recruitment of volunteers by experiences w , learn attending volunteer fairs. u’ve been up to yo t ha w ar he We love to . e the difference u and celebrat yo es ir sp in t ha w in your area. you’re making ling riences by emai pe ex ur yo e ar Sh or writing to: aringloss.org.uk he @ ng ri ee nt On Hearing volu t Team, Action en m op el ev D r Voluntee ens Road, ity Base, 113 Que Loss, Commun G. Brighton BN1 3X www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk 3 Make a Difference Day Our volunteers ‘Make a Difference’ throughout October Our London office brought the Make a Difference campaign to a spook-tacular close by celebrating with a Halloween-inspired Great British Bake Off. Organised by CSV (Community Service Volunteers), Make a Difference month celebrates and promotes volunteering for charities across the UK. Supporting us with a M.A.D. Hatter’s Tea Party We ask our supporters to host a M.A.D. Hatters Tea Party, to raise awareness and funds to support our vital work. It’s a fun way to highlight what we can achieve when we all come together. Our fearsome judges declared Tracey’s chocolate orange coffin cake the winner. A terrifying triumph! Making a Difference locally Brighton volunteer Chris Pollard shared his experiences of volunteering with Action on Hearing Loss, via this blog on CSV’s Make a Difference web page: Why do I volunteer? The Brighton office launched their community hub with a M.A.D. Hatter’s Tea party on 4 October. Brighton Pavilion MP, Caroline Lucas (pictured above left) and the Mayoress, Councillor Denise Cobbs, attended the celebration, as well as members, audiologists and other local charity workers. Visitors were treated to BSL taster sessions, hearing checks and product demonstrations. 4 I want to help put something back into my community – to make a difference. I am a disabled person and unable to work full time so I wanted to do something positive with my time as I’ve suffered from depression in recent years. I started volunteering with Action On Hearing Loss as I thought I would like to share my own knowledge and experiences of wearing hearing aids to help other people who are deaf or hard of hearing. I applied to do office administration work at one of their residential care homes in Hove, though I also help with residents’ leisure activities and preparing meals. I am also trying to learn British Sign Language and I think I’m getting there, slowly! I also volunteer each week at the Community Hub as a product demonstrator. We show people equipment that can help them with their hearing loss. I’m really pleased to be part of the team here and to be involved in the launch of this service during Make a Difference month. VOLUNTEER FOCUS Winter 2013 / Issue 5 Brighton Hub and Spoke Brighton hub and spoke – a part of the wider web We are proud to be a nationwide organisation involving volunteers. However, our presence across the country isn’t as broad and consistent as we’d like it to be – as indicated on this map: Brighton Community Hub launch Brighton volunteer Jenny MacIntosh and Kelly Broome from the Volunteering Development team in Brighton were invited to talk on local community radio station, Radio Reverb 97.2FM which is completely run by volunteers, about the launch of their new resource room at their Community Hub to raise awareness of Action on Hearing Loss and promote this new service. Volunteers Chris Pollard and Jenny MacIntosh ran their first drop-in session for the public on 23 October, providing information on our products and demonstrating how to use them. Outreach/ Care and Support Products Volunteering Community Hub Brighton Local fundraising group Information Befriending To fill in these gaps, we are profiling every geographical area to identify the need for support, so we can deliver the services around regional ‘hubs’. The aim is to provide blanket coverage across the UK so there are no gaps in the services delivered to people in need. The Brighton hub launched its information and resource room earlier this year. Possible new services are depicted in the diagram (right). They include volunteer-run projects, such as hearing aid support groups (Hear to Help), social groups (Hear to Meet), fundraising groups, information volunteers and product demonstrators. Our first visitor, George, came along after struggling to use the telephone since his hearing deteriorated. George tried out a few different phones with amplified ringtones and volume control and ended up ordering two products! These sessions run every Wednesday between 10am-12pm and you can make an appointment by calling 01273 840960/18001 01273 840960 or emailing [email protected] Look out for more news as the hub develops! www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk 5 Regional news Northern Ireland South West Northern Ireland’s first Hub at Harvester House Devon volunteer networking with other health professionals Progress is being made in Northern Ireland with the development of its first ‘hub’ in the Harvester House office in Belfast. Every Thursday morning it’s a hive of activity, with different activities each week and lots of people coming and going. A Hear to Help clinic runs from 10am–noon once a month, supported by the Information Service which provides an information stand and equipment display. Volunteers are on hand to provide hearing aid support (see picture above), information and demonstrate equipment. Twice a month we hold our unique ‘Lunch Sign’, where people learning sign language can improve their skills by meeting with deaf volunteers, from our Live and Learn Project, over an informal lunch. Every week our partners at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau provide an accessible advice clinic which is open to the public. Cilla Mullan, Head of Services for Northern Ireland, says: “It is great to see a wide range of services being provided on Thursdays in Harvester House and the involvement of so many of our committed volunteers. It is our plan to see this replicated throughout Northern Ireland with more people who are deaf or hard of hearing having access to the support and information which they need.” 6 In the new structure of the NHS in England, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have replaced Primary Care Trusts as commissioners of NHS services. They have a duty to support quality improvements in general practice and, therefore, it is important for Action on Hearing Loss to get its messages to these Groups. Ted Leverton (pictured above), an Information Outreach and Hear to Help volunteer based in Devon, is a retired GP and NHS trainer. He recently attended a Western CCG meeting, where he spoke to 40 GPs and Practice Managers. Ted built up a very useful contact list for Action on Hearing Loss in the South West region, informed an important group of Practice Managers and other health professionals about our activities and services, and highlighted our campaigns and awareness-raising programmes. We are enormously grateful for his efforts. Ted is just one of a group of outreach information volunteers in the South West who extend our reach in the community, and, with their knowledge and experience, enrich our service for the benefit of those who are deaf, have a hearing loss or tinnitus. Could you get in with local Hea volved lth Patient Adviso Watch or ry groups in your area? Contact the Vol unteering team at volunteering@ hearingloss.or g. uk or call 01273 84 0960/18001 01273 840960 . VOLUNTEER FOCUS Winter 2013 / Issue 5 Regional news South West South East Volunteer named Local Hero New resource room at our London hub Hear to Help Dorset volunteer, Rosemary Groom, recently won a Local Hero award! She has volunteered for Hear to Help Salisbury since the start of the project more than three years ago, and is a dedicated and committed volunteer. Rosemary was presented with a certificate and paperweight by the Mayor, Penny Brown, at an awards ceremony at the town hall in Gillingham, Dorset. Congratulations, Rosemary, from everyone at Action on Hearing Loss! Our Featherstone Street office has opened an information and resource room, to help and support people with issues surrounding deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus. Visitors can have a hearing check, and get advice about different products. Tuesdays: 10am-12pm (BSL support available), Thursdays: 2-4pm To book an appointment or find out more please contact us on: Telephone: 020 7296 8000, Textphone: 020 7296 8001, Email: [email protected] South East American Express staff volunteer at Wilbury Gardens In September, a team of 13 American Express staff spent a day volunteering at our Wilbury Gardens Care and Support service in Hove. Staff introduced the service, ran a BSL taster session and gave them tips on communication. They then spent the day clearing up the garden, removing weeds and sprucing things up, ready for autumn. They also painted rooms and did some DIY – filling holes, sanding down skirting boards and fixing broken fittings. The day was a real success, with the volunteers saying that they found the day fun and they felt good to be able to help out and make a difference in the community. They said that it was extremely satisfying seeing the results of their work at the end of the day and how pleased the people at Wilbury Gardens were with what they had done. Corinne Maer, Manager at Wilbury Gardens, said: “The day has gone really well; the volunteers worked so hard and managed to sort out our garden, and the bits of DIY that we just haven’t had the chance to do. The whole thing was arranged well and the supervisor of the group was fantastic. It was great to see the volunteers working so well together and how they communicated with my staff and the people who live here. My regular volunteer, Susan Teo, has also been supporting the team at American Express. Some of them want to return to carry on with a bit more painting, which is fantastic! Thank you for setting this up for us.” www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk 7 Regional news East Teaming up for dual sensory support across Buckinghamshire Thanks to the fantastic efforts of our staff and volunteers in the East, we’ve won a contract, worth just under £1 million, to provide dual sensory support across Buckinghamshire, for three years. Based in our Aylesbury office, our staff – in partnership with Young Deaf Activities and Sense – and volunteers now support the local community through drop-in sessions. They provide advice and information on sensory loss, demonstrate specialist equipment to assist with everyday living, and provide befriending services as well as hearing aid maintenance (see picture) and support and signposting to other services. Last stops for nationwide award tour The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award for Volunteering makes it final stops in the north... DNEX 2013 The award was displayed on our information stand at the Disability North exhibition in September at Gosforth Park racecourse. Over 230 people visited the stand. The event was attended by CSOs from across the region and supported by volunteers from Durham and Northumberland. The WHAT group In October we took our award to an active group of volunteers in Northumberland. The Wansbeck Hearing Action Team (WHAT) group (pictured above right) meets regularly to plan activities, such as their current campaign to monitor 8 equipment used by local cinemas and theatres. Too many people have stopped going to the cinema and theatre because of hearing loss and lack of suitable access equipment, such as subtitling or STAGETEXT. The group was thrilled to see the Award, plus they enjoyed a cup of tea and piece of cake to celebrate Make A Difference month. The Alnwick Support Group We then took the award to the monthly meeting of the Alnwick Support Group. Tom Davison, Senior Chief Audiologist from the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, was also visiting. He gave them – and the Belford Support Group, who attended the talk – an insight into his department. Tom explained how many patients are seen, how many hearing aids are issued and other audiology facts. Isle of Wight After Rita Wood’s husband passed away, she felt bereft. She had cared for him for years, since he lost his hearing during the war. Ann Emery, our Services Manager on the Isle of Wight, knew that Rita had great knitting skills, and asked her if she wanted to help us raise money for our befriending service. Rita did, and soon after, started a craft network – a social group making everything from hats and neck warmers to cards, cardigans and teapot cosies. We’re now selling these lovely creations. If you’d like to find out more, contact Ann Emery at ann.emery@ hearingloss.org.uk or call 01983 529533. VOLUNTEER FOCUS Winter 2013 / Issue 5 Regional news Scotland Wales Fozya recognised as Community Champion Full pelt at the halfMarathon! Fozya Mahmood has been declared a Community Champion by Glasgow newspaper, The Evening Times. Fozya was recognised for her work on our On the Move project, which supports young deaf people aged 16-25, helping them into work, education, training or volunteering. On the Move also runs events that help young people develop life skills and build their confidence, as well as providing information and advice. A highlight for the Wales team in 2013 was supporting the Cardiff Half Marathon for the first time. Our 22 enthusiastic volunteers hosted a water-station to keep the event running smoothly and cheered on the sponsored racers including our own Lucy Holmes, Dee Spiteri and Paul Chappell from the Cardiff office and Jon Doolan, our amazing Loop volunteer, who regularly turns his hands (and legs it seems!) to anything to promote our cause. In his words: Julie-Anne Leggate, an Employment Adviser with On the Move, said: “We are delighted for Fozya. She has a very positive attitude and is an inspiration to other young people. Fozya talks from personal experience about the importance of removing barriers that limit opportunities and potential.” (Photograph of Foyza Mahmood courtesy of The Evening Times) Our ne w valu es & b e haviou Thank rs you fo r supp resear o ch to i dentif rting our values y o & launch behaviours ur new ing th – we’ll em in April 2 be 014. “It was a fantastic experience, the weather was fine, the course was reasonably flat (apart from the last small hill, which felt like Snowdon) and I was lucky enough to have been sponsored by lots of people, raising approximately £150 for Action on Hearing Loss Cymru. It was a privilege running for such a worthwhile cause and thank you to all who sponsored me.” The atmosphere was brilliant, and all of our volunteers were excellent ambassadors for Action on Hearing Loss, raising our profile on the day, engaging with members of the public and raising funds through sponsorship. Volunteers make events like this a success with their sheer dedication, energy and sense of fun – long may it continue throughout 2014. www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk 9 In the spotlight taff spotlight Volunteering - a career-changing experience Sophie Millet Paul Chappell Carol Goddard I started volunteering within the risk management team in July 2011 and have since secured a full-time position as ‘Junior Risk Adviser’. After I was made redundant as a sales manager for Comet, I decided to volunteer for Action on Hearing Loss in Wales. I applied for an internship that involved supporting all of the services and projects, so I gained a broad knowledge of the organisation. I converted to law after six years as an audiologist. I knew I wanted to work within the charity sector, and having first-hand experience of how deafness and hearing loss can affect people, I contacted Action on Hearing Loss. I have been fortunate enough to work with our Person-Centred Champions and the Involving People Group. Hearing stories of how people’s lives have changed for the better really made me appreciate what we are all working towards. It has also challenged me to bring the person-centred practices shown by our frontline staff and volunteers into the heart of the ‘back office’. We started WorkSafe, an internal Health and Safety newsletter, covering topics related to working safely. We then launched a second newsletter for all our service users, called LiveSafe BeSafe. The feedback we received was very positive and we were hugely encouraged by the result. And to think, if I hadn’t started volunteering here, I may not have been fortunate enough to be doing this work. 10 I was really interested in using my skills in supporting and coaching others, so I was delighted when the Services and Volunteering Administrator role came up. The experiences of my first month volunteering were a great help in my application, and as a result, I was successful in getting that job; I am now Volunteer Logistics Co-ordinator! Those five months of volunteering changed my life, and helped me gain valuable experience to prepare me for the job that I really wanted. I couldn’t be happier in my new job and I’m very excited for what the future holds. I would recommend volunteering as a great way to gain new skills, improve others and prepare for employment. VOLUNTEER FOCUS Winter 2013 / Issue 5 In September 2011, I started volunteering just one day a week. The team made me feel welcome, made sure I had plenty of interesting work and were always ready to answer any questions that I had. After 18 months volunteering I applied for a full-time position in the legal team. The last two years have been fantastic, and though, sadly, I will be leaving the organisation at the end of this month for a new opportunity at the V&A Museum, I know my new role would not be possible without the time I spent volunteering here. I am very proud to have been a part of this organisation, which spends time and effort supporting volunteers, allowing them to gain experience and grow in confidence. In the spotlight Regional Volunteer Managers consider what’s important to them As part of the Actions Speak project, we asked our staff across the UK to attend workshops to consider what ways of working are important to them. The Regional Volunteer Managers tell us about their session. To help staff and volunteers understand and identify with our strategy, Taking Action, a guide has been put together for managers, teams and supporters to reflect on how they will engage with the strategy and what it means for them in their day-to-day roles. At the Regional Volunteer Managers meeting in September, managers identified the types of behaviour we want to see reflected in our revised Organisational Values. We identified such behaviours as: showing enthusiasm, being positive role models, working in a caring manner with generosity and concern for each other, and showing kindness. Another good behaviour we discussed is the ‘can do’ attitude so many of our volunteers exhibit. We talked about people being proactive; going the extra mile, who tend to have a positive and dynamic spirit, remain solution-focused, show determination to find a way to resolve issues and who are generally resourceful and demonstrate optimism. Alison Parry, our Regional Volunteer Manager in Wales, reflected on the time Action on Hearing Loss arranged an event at the Senedd (National Assembly of Wales) so that people who were deaf or hard of hearing could have direct access to their local politicians. She felt it succeeded for several reasons: It all came down to teamwork. Campaigns colleagues ensured the relevant people were invited, admin ensured they could all get there, and all staff made sure everyone was looked after at the venue. We had tremendous support from Assembly Members (AMs) thanks to the focus of our campaigns team. They worked with volunteering and information services to find representatives from each of the constituencies to lobby their AM direct. Three things made me proud that day: 1) Our organisation gives people direct access to voice their opinions. Our volunteers and members felt very proud to be making a difference - and politicians felt informed because of the trust we have built up. 2) It clearly demonstrated to staff who don’t work in volunteering or frontline services that we do represent people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our role is to work on their behalf but, by giving people their own voice, we make much more of an impact. I had a sense that staff realised the added value of working with our members and volunteers and saw the real people behind the statistics they were working with. That day and the event made far more impact than a written request ‘to engage’! 3) Personally, it was a reminder of why I do what I do, and an excellent boost for myself and the team. www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk 11 step a g in r e e t n u ur vol o y e k a t t o n lf e Why s r u o y e g n challe d n a Year? r e w h e t N r e u f h t in g event in is a r d n u f with a t fit? e g o t t n a w amed of? e Do you dr s y a w l a g you’ve DO somethin We’ve supported some incredible fundraisers this year, like these adventurers: Ian Price took part in the Virgin Active London team triathlon in July, with two colleagues, and raised over £950 for us. “Having recently lost 50% of my hearing in both ears, and having received excellent support from Action on Hearing Loss, it was great to be able to complete the London Triathlon, to keep this service running and help others.” Debbie Saggers trekked the Great Wall of China in October. “It was a life-changing experience and it feels great to have raised almost £3,000 for a great cause. I’m not the fittest person you’ll ever meet, but I would recommend the Great Wall of China Trek to anyone who wants to see the world and do something incredible!” Feeling inspired? Why not try one of our events next year, such as... London2Brighton 50k or 100k Challenge 24 to 25 May 2014 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 10 August 2014 Or, if you are feeling very adventurous, why not... Climb Kilimanjaro Trek 23 January to 1 February 2015 Our three London Triathlon runners Garry Cappuccini, Steven King and Ian Price For more information on these and other events, please visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/events2014 or call 020 7296 8172 or email [email protected] Telephone01273 315 980 Textphone18002 01273 315 980 Email [email protected] www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk Action on Hearing Loss is the trading name of The Royal National Institute for Deaf People. A registered charity in England and Wales (207720) and Scotland (SC038926) A0719/1213