‘CASTLEROCK CARES’ – A COMMUNITY SUPPORT NETWORK TO ASSIST THOSE IN THE HIGH DEPENDANCY GROUP IN OUR VILLAGE        

 

Coronavirus presents an unprecedented challenge to all in our local community, particularly those in the High Dependency group. Our village life as we knew it, a few weeks ago has changed for the foreseeable future.

As just one example the CCA have closed the Information Centre to comply with government advice so therefore the village has lost both a focal point and more importantly a location for information and assistance.

So what can the Castlerock Community Association, (CCA), do ?  The 5 questions below provides the answers;

 

Q1: ‘What is Castlerock Cares…?’

‘Castlerock Cares’ is a community support network within the Castlerock village boundary facilitated by the CCA that would be available to assist those individuals as designated High Dependency, by way of a range of services including for example ;

 

• Picking up shopping *
• Collecting a prescription*
• Walking a dog*
• Making telephone contact to enquire as to the welfare of a resident (NB A simple, ‘how are you today ‘ type call to ensure social contact is maintained)

*(All locally within Castlerock village settlement)

 

Q2: Who Is ‘Castlerock Cares…?’

Castlerock Cares is a group comprising volunteer members of the community supported by Castlerock Community Association*, Christ Church – Church of Ireland, Castlerock Presbyterian Church and Articlave and Castlerock Community Support Network .The volunteers are recruited to specifically deliver a community support service within the village for those in the High Dependency group as outlined above.

 

The CCA’s existing governance standards as informed by;

 

• Articles of Association
• GDPR policy
• Public Liability Insurance Policy

would underpin the ‘Castlerock Cares’ project processes.

 

Q3: How would those in the ‘High Dependency’ group-THE BENEFICARIES – avail of the services?

 

The project beneficiaries, from the designated ‘High Dependency’ group would access the services outlined above via the Project Co-Ordinators by way of a phone call to: 028) 70710036

 

The small team of up to 2 Project Co-Ordinators, who would work from home on the basis of;

 

• Mon to Sat,10am to 3pm
• Answer the phone, web site enquiries + provide advice to inform updating CCA website
• Co – Ordinate volunteer team to service the requests from the beneficiary for assistance / determine the type of assistance and match the request with the volunteer resources at that point in time.
• The Project Group would oversee the project and there would be a designated CCA Committee Member ‘on call’ each day to provide support to the Project Co-Ordinators

 

Where a request for assistance (e.g. how to access the Food Parcel scheme that they have heard about), the Project Co Ordinator who takes the call will ‘signpost’ the caller to the Articlave and Castlerock Community Support Group who operate the Food Parcel scheme as part of their project.

 

Q4: ‘Castlerock Cares’ – Who would be the ‘boots on the ground’: On the ground, across the village would be a team of Castlerock Cares Volunteers who would undertake the actual collection of the prescription, shopping or dog walking .

 

These Volunteers will be recruited via a ‘public call’ utilising;

 

1. CCA website/Facebook
2. Church Facebook (TBC)

 

The ‘public call’ for Volunteers would explain the role  and scope of  the Castlerock Cares project, ( e.g. Castlerock village), the proposed range of services, how the process would work and would ask if people were

 

1. willing to volunteer to be a member of the team who would be providing the services on the ground to those in the High Dependency group.
2. what particular services , ( i.e. dog walking), they as volunteers were interested in providing
3. when they were available

 

The Project Co-Ordinators  would provide day to day support to the various volunteers located across the village

 

Q5: What are the limitations to the services provided by ‘Castlerock Cares’? : It would be very important to manage expectations very clearly as to what ‘Castlerock Cares’ can and cannot do and when it is available in terms of days and times.  So for example;

 

• Volunteer availability: would need to be established in terms of days and times as would what each volunteer would be willing to do in respect to the services on offer
• Volunteer contact details: there are GDPR obligations in addition to time periods when calls to a volunteer could be made
• Guidelines – would inform both the beneficiaries and the volunteers as to agreed and non – approved actions
• Requests for outside of the agreed range of services: for example a request to take a dog to the vet’s in Coleraine would be referred to the Project Co Ordinator and onto the ‘on call’ CCA Committee member
• Time Limit for Project: suggest an initial 3 month period, to be reviewed at 2 months ( review informed by ongoing monitoring)

 

Next Steps:

 

CCA:

• Agree proposed CCA role/contribution (18^th Mar)
• Identify and invite key partners to a meeting (20^th Mar)

 

Agree Actions / Responsibilities to progress project;

 

1. Implementation Timetable
2. Guidelines: draft and agree for Project Co-Ordinator, volunteers + the beneficiaries in the High Dependency group
3. GDPR: identify implications and ensure compliance
4. Communicate: once direction and delivery format agreed communicate planned/agreed actions
5. Recruit Volunteer team
6. Monitoring system: prepare a Monitoring System to enable an ongoing record of all requests/responses to be retained
7. Equipment: identify/cost requirements
8. Funding: identify all potential project costs and explore funding opportunities (i.e. Community Foundation for N Ireland)

 

Proposed Operating Model

 

The CCA will seek guidance for this proposed operating model from NICVA – N I Council for Voluntary Action – (actioned 23^rd Mar)

 

 

Ben Corr, Vice Chairman, Castlerock Community Association

18^th March,  Revised: 23^rd & 25^th March 2020

 

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*Castlerock Community Association is a formally constituted voluntary group, registered under the NI Charities Commission, (Registration Number NI 105002).

The CCA;

• has extensive experience of sourcing funding for community development projects from a wide range of public bodies in accordance with their Articles of Association and in making returns in accordance with funder requirements
• makes annual returns including its accounts to the N Ireland Charities Commission
• publishes a Village newsletter ( 3 times per annum) and promotes a cultural programme of events
• operate an Information Centre adjacent to the railway station via team of volunteers
• manages the delivery of the Castlerock Village Plan 2018 ( funded by the LAG)