Agenda item

The Committee will received a report on the “Activate Havering” Campaign.  This will set out other projects including the Loneliness Campaign, Help not Hospital and IT for the Elderly.

The Committee received a report on the Activate Havering Project which was aimed at strengthening voluntary action in Havering, by maximising community assets and co-ordinating volunteering, as well as tackling social exclusion experienced by many older people.

Officers explained that the Havering Strategic Partnership had allocated a one off amount of its Performance Reward Grant funding to develop a project called “Unlocking the Potential of Local Support Networks and Volunteers in Havering”.  The project, known as Activate Havering, built upon the vast array of local voluntary sector support networks that existed in Havering.

Six weeks of fact finding and research were carried out to find out what people needed and wanted in Havering.  This was in response to the Over 65 Outreach Project findings which identified loneliness and isolation as a key concern of older people in Havering.  After carrying out the research into other projects the approach to Activate Havering included:

• A “social membership” scheme to improve older peoples social networks to prevent isolation.

• A co-ordinated approach to volunteering to enhance volunteering opportunities and provide more opportunities for local people to get involved.

• Delivery of a sustainable handyperson service to carry out minor household repairs to ensure older people can be safe at home, a key element of the “Prevention” agenda.

• A consortia solution to befriending, which involved providing trained and vetted volunteers to visit older, and other vulnerable people.

• Work with Havering’s diverse faith sector to strengthen the support they are able to give to families and older people within their communities.

• Maximising the use of council and borough facilities by linking and promoting services through the new and existing structures and building upon the work of Care Point.

The Committee were informed that the Havering Circle: A “Social Membership” Scheme had been established to combat social exclusion.  A Community Interest Company, called “Participle” had been commissioned to develop a Membership Scheme which promoted social activities and independence in later life.  Other initiatives included a co-ordinated approach to volunteering which would include Cold Weather Befrienders and Community Clean-ups.

The Help Not Hospital project was outlined. This was a twelve month health and social care funded project, which provided support to people who did not currently meet the “Fair Access to Care Services” criteria.  A contract was awarded to The British Red Cross and the project was initiated on 3 September 2012.  The aim of the project was to reduce and prevent unplanned hospital admissions, admissions to residential and nursing home care, delays or elimination of the need of residential care and to increase independence skills of people within the community.

Other projects included Havering Safer Homes – this was the provision of a handyperson service.  Previously this service had been free of charge however this was not financially sustainable in the current environment of reduced government funding.  Charging would be introduced on a tiered basis taking into account disposable income, with those more able to pay making a greater contribution in order not to deter people from using the service. The individual financial assessment would not be intrusive with only a sample of cases being reviewed.

Befriending/ Faith Sector – It was anticipated that if befriending services across the borough were to work more closely, this would achieve potential efficiencies through economies of scale.  It was also recognised that faith organisations play an important role in developing community resilience, however they were difficult to engage with and a faith outreach survey would be carried out to identify the current capacity of the faith community; and to seek the faith sector’s views on the support they may need in tackling isolation and exclusion in older age.

The Committee noted that a number of activities had been negotiated with existing partners; these included the Havering Museum developing an Activate Havering Variety Club designed to meet the needs of Havering residents who are isolated and aged 50+.  Negotiations with Sports Leisure Management, the Council’s leisure centre operator, had resulted in the provision of free swimming and other benefits at specified off peak times for those aged 50 years and over; Age Concern Havering had also promoted Activate Havering through their Older Peoples Day held on 1 October 2012.

Officers explained that they were still building on the project to try to make it a more holistic service, including looking at energy efficient matters.  Activate Havering will be included in the Council pre-retirement course run by the borough for staff, and volunteers will explain the community activities available for people who are retiring and wish to have community integration.

The Committee thanked officers for the informative report and asked that an update be brought back to the committee in six months time.