• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

North East Connected

Hopping Across The North East From Hub To Hub

Film promoting benefits of volunteering launched

People across South Tyneside who may be interested in volunteering are being targeted in a new National Lottery funded film.

The seven minute long video commissioned by Healthwatch South Tyneside features 14 people involved in volunteering in the borough talking about why they give their time to help others.

It was aired for the first time at a launch event for the 12-month-long ‘hard to reach volunteering project’ at The Word, South Shields. Councillor Nancy Maxwell, Lead Member for Voluntary Sector Partnerships and Co-operatives, was guest speaker.

The National Lottery’s Awards for All fund has awarded £9,500 towards the £14,500 initiative, which aims to attract and support those who will benefit the most from volunteering.

Healthwatch volunteers contribute hugely to the patient champion’s work, from carrying out interviews for patient surveys, to attending community events, to visiting care homes and other healthcare service providers and reporting their findings.

The volunteers benefit themselves hugely from the knowledge that they are helping other people, improving health and social care services and building relationships.

But volunteering by bringing people together can also address issues such as social isolation and lack of self esteem, so has considerable health and wellbeing benefits.

Healthwatch volunteer Margaret Bower, a former nurse, urges others to volunteer on the film. She says: “Don’t let any problems you have put you off because they can be overcome and you can do something, no matter how small, to make a difference.”

The campaign will highlight the real benefits of volunteering for people with disabilities or sensory impairments, long term health conditions or mental health issues. It also aims to attract people from ethnic minorities and vulnerable older people who are currently under-represented on Healthwatch.

Sue Taylor, Co-Chair of Healthwatch South Tyneside, said: “The project will aim to bring more people into the work of our organisation and broaden and strengthen the work that we do, as well as enhancing the lives of hard to reach people.”

People who apply to volunteer receive full training led by Healthwatch South Tyneside’s volunteer co-ordinator team. The benefits they enjoy from their new role will be captured in evaluation as part of an end of project report which will be circulated to all 148 Healthwatches across England and across the voluntary sector network in the North-East.

The volunteer project is one of more than 3,000 to receive a share of £88m of National Lottery funding to support different groups taking innovative approaches to tackling loneliness and isolation.

View the film at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1eA0027iWA

Photo:

Healthwatch South Tyneside volunteer Margaret Bower who took part in the promotional film.