Understanding the role of volunteering in social care
In early 2024, we commissioned a research study to understand how volunteering contributes to social care. The research is now being carried out by the University of South Wales, the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care and the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Bayes Business School.
Our progress
In the first six months of the project, we’ve made some excellent progress. This includes appointing a steering group made up of partners from social care and third sector organisations. This group helps us review, support and develop the project.
We’ve also completed a rapid evidence and data review on volunteering in social care. This has helped us find out what research and data sources already exist on volunteering in social care.
We recruited case study sites across Wales focused on volunteering in adult residential care homes for older people. The case studies included a mix of local authority, voluntary sector and private care homes.
As part of this work, we’ve spoken to:
- care home volunteers and staff
- voluntary sector organisations
- local authorities
- county voluntary councils
- Care Inspectorate Wales.
We asked about the process of managing volunteering, its impact, the resources needed and the challenges and opportunities volunteering brings to their settings.
Get involved: complete a short survey!
We’ve launched a survey aimed at all registered residential care settings for adults including those working with older people, mental health services and learning disabilities services.
If you’re a manager or leader within an adult residential care home we want to hear about how you involve volunteers and what impact volunteers have on your setting.
If you don’t have any volunteers currently, we’d still like to hear your views to understand barriers or challenges to volunteer involvement.
The survey should take no more than 20 minutes to complete.
Survey link: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/southwales/volunteering-in-care-homes
The survey closes on 29 November 2024.
This research is funded by Welsh Government's Volunteering Wales Strategic Grant, administered by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).