Policy team engage with day centre for older people

Introduction

In this volunteering project, staff from the Commission on Funding of Care and Support spent the day at a Day Centre for older people.

Project details

The day included rounds of bingo, board games, dancing + music, discussions, all run by a team of volunteers from different Government departments who currently work at the Independent Commission on Funding of Care and Support, hosted by the Department of Health. Adding to the flavour, the team brought along a variety of delicious home-made cakes for the service users to enjoy.

° A Civil service team working on social care policy had exposure to relevant issues within a day care setting: learnings to take back for future policy development

° First hand experience of workforce who engage with older people

° New team - excellent opportunity for getting to know one another & team bonding

° Twenty five service users enjoyed a fun day of interactive activities and games

° Day centre staff appreciated the extra capacity which enabled more 1-to-1 interaction

° Service users had opportunity to open up in discussion

° Children participants: inter-generational interaction important

"Our work is on funding for social care, so it was useful to visit a social care setting to see first hand how it works in practice."

Volunteer

Team photo

Volunteers with day centre staff and service users: a volunteer also brought her children which made the day more special for the service users

Personal account

Click here to read about the benefits of this project, from a volunteer's point of view

Quote

Employee volunteer: "Time & Talents have been so helpful in organising the project - you made everything very easy for us, and facilitated an excellent project planning meeting, which led to a successful day, and everyone involved (us, centre staff and most importantly the older people) got something out of it"