Health and social care policy (Malcolm J. Fisk) at The Guardian Policy Hub.

The co-director of the new Age Research Centre at Coventry University on rethinking policy frameworks for older people.
 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/public-leaders-network/2012/jun/14/leading-questions-malcolm-fisk

This article is published by Guardian Professional. Join the Guardian Public Leaders Network free to receive regular emails on the issues at the top of the professional agenda.

 

Vision for volunteering in health [project] initiated by The King’s Fund [United Kingdom]

The Health & Social Care Act seeks to create a more competitive health and social care provider market, within which a wide range of organisations (public, private, social enterprise and voluntary) will be encouraged to deliver services. 

It is widely acknowledged that volunteers can add value in health and social care by providing timely and personalised support to [often] marginalised pupulation groups, but the true extent of their activities in health and social care remains poorly documented and the potential impact of the current reforms on volunteering is under-explored. The project purpose is:  

[1] to gain a greater understanding of the role, size, scope and value of volunteering in the health and social care sector; and

[2] to understand how health reform (particularly the potential changes in the types of organisations involved in providing health and social care) will impact on volunteering.

   

The focus of the research is on how reform could affect the likely growth in NHS provision for volunteering from a range of organisations (such as social enterprises, foundation trusts and private sector providers). The project has three main stages:

[1] a summary review of the literature in order to understand the value of volunteering to (a) volunteers, (b) patients or clients, (c) providers and commissioners, and (d) the health care sector as a whole;

[2] a qualitative analysis (using focus groups with volunteers and patients/users and semi-structured interviews with providers and commissioners) to identify how perceptions of reform could change volunteering behaviours and use of volunteers – to  be supported by quantitative analyses looking at relevant trends in volunteering; and

[3] a scenario analysis – a range of possible scenarios will be developed for how the future system (and volunteer's role in it) could develop – and workshop exploration will lead to recommendations on volunteering in the new health system. 

The final report will be published early in 2013. The project is being funded by the Department of Health and is supported by an external advisory group.

Visit http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/current_projects/volunteering_in_health/index.html to read this item again and find out more about the project (and the organisation).

Visit http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/vcs_health_outcomes.html to see the related blog and read an article titled ‘Do local voluntary organisations hold the key to improving health outcomes?’.

Publications relevant to volunteering, social care, civic participation and the impact of the economic downturn - in the EU and beyond.

[1] United Nations (2011) State of the World’s Volunteerism Report

http://www.unric.org/en/images/stories/2011/PDF/SWVR Report [Eng].pdf 

Published by United Nations Volunteers [UNV]: ‘the focus of this report is on the universal values that motivate people the world over to volunteer for the common good and on the impact of volunteer action on societies and individuals’.

[2] Internationale Politikanalyse (2010) World Economic Crisis and the Welfare State

http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id/ipa/07000.pdf 

Published by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung [IPA] International Policy Analysis: ‘possible solutions to reduce the economic and social imbalances in the world economy, Europe and Germany’.

[3] World Health Organisation (2011) Impact of Economic Crises on Mental Health

www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/134999/e94837.pdf 

Published by the World Health Organisation [WHO] Regional Office for Europe: ‘this booklet aims to present current knowledge on how economic downturns affect population mental health and outlines some of the benefits of action that could be implemented to reduce the harmful effects’.

[4] Eurofound (2009) Second European Quality of Life Survey

www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2009/02/en/2/EF0902EN.pdf

Published by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living & Working Conditions: ‘offers a wide-ranging view of the diverse social realities in the 27 Member States, as well as covering Norway and the candidate countries of Turkey, Macedonia and Croatia’.

[5] Charities Aid Foundation (2011) World Giving Index

 www.cafonline.org/pdf/World_Giving_Index_2011_191211.pdf

Published by the Charities Aid Foundation [CAF]: ‘the World Giving Index aims to help organisations and individuals who have an interest in civil society, by providing evidence on the extent of giving globally’.   

Care or Custody? Dr Malcolm J Fisk

Link of Agnese Baggio Study Centre

Here is the Facebook link of Agnese Baggio Study Centre

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Centro-Studi-Agnese-Baggio-Adria/180857265331987

Meeting Nr.3 - agenda

                               

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Grundtvig Learning Partnership

“Improving Volunteering in Social Care” (2011-2013)

PROJECT MEETING - ITALY

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Adria meeting (23^rd - 27^th May 2012)

(working days: 24,25,26^th May 2012)

agenda

Activities	Place
Wed 23rd  May 2012 Arrivals and check in at Hotel Leon Bianco - Adria	Hotel Leon Bianco: Piazza Cavour, 9 Adria Phone Nr. 0039042641399
Thu 24th  May 2012 8:45  Transfer to Ostello Amolara by minivan 9:00  Welcoming 9:05 - 12:15   Working session Nr. 1 Check on the website Check on the blog ·        Country report template on volunteering -  comparative analyses and conclusions drawn by all partners  part 1 10:30 - 10:45  Coffee Break	Ostello AMOLARA Località Capitello, 11 Adria meeting room
12:30 - 14:00  Lunch (offered by Euradiponet)	Ostello AMOLARA Restaurant
14:00-14-30  Free Time
14:30 - 17:30   Working session Nr. 2 ·         Questionnaires about  Recruitment of volunteers in social care ( Nr. 21) - comparative analyses and conclusions drawn by Euradiponet Framework: Best practices and guidelines on recruitment of volunteers in social care part 1	Ostello AMOLARA meeting room
17:30-20:00  Visit to Adria and shopping
20:00  Dinner	Ostello AMOLARA Restaurant
22:00  Tranfer to Hotel Leon Bianco by minivan	Hotel Leon Bianco
Fri 25th May 2012 8:45  Transfer to Ostello Amolara by minivan 9:00 - 12:15   Working session Nr. 3 Framework: Best Practices and Guidelines on recruitment of volunteers in social care part 2 The second “R”: Retention of volunteers (preparation of a daft questionnaire (suggestions for questions to be included) Preparation for the next meeting Evaluation of the meeting (the standard questionnaire to be filled in) Certificates of attendance 10:30 - 10:45  Coffee Break	Ostello AMOLARA meeting room
12:30 - 14:00  Lunch	Ostello AMOLARA Restaurant
14:30 - 15:15  Visit to the “International after school” of Agnese Baggio - Adria
15:15 – 19:30  Visit to “Po Delta” (a trip by bus and boat)
20:00  Dinner 22:00  Transfer to Hotel Leon Bianco by minivan (only for guests of Amolara)	Ostello AMOLARA Restaurant or free (e.g. Pizzeria)
Sat  26th May 2012
Visit to Venice or Ferrara or Padua ( maps and printed guides will be delivered to all participants)
Sat  27th May 2012 Departures

Meeting Nr. 2 - Minutes

Craiova (RO) 26-28 January 2012

MINUTES

Thursday the 26^th of January (2012), Craiova (RO), Parc Hotel

The three day Second Meeting took place in the context of the Grundtvig Partnerships Project 2011- 2013, between the following seven associations: PASYKAF (Cyprus), Associazone “Prometeo 2000” (Italy), Eur.adi.po.net (Italy), Insight Social Research Ltd (UK), PPRE (UK), KDEK (Greece) and OAMGMAMR Dolj (Romania). PASYKAF is the coordinating institution of the partnership.

During this meeting, , each association was represented by some of its members as listed below:

·         OAMGMAMR Dolj: Florin-Viorel Gavrilescu (President), Stefan-Valentin Radu (IT Engineer);

·         PASYKAF: Nicolas Philippou (General Manager), Louiza Psara (Volunteer), Glafkos Ioannou (Volunteer).

·         Associazone “Prometeo 2000”: Francesco Mangiaracina (President), Leonarda Amella (Companion);

·         Eur.adi.po.net:Ivo Zambello (Trainer), Salvatore Filella (Trainer), Raffaella Mori (Trainer), Stefano Vallin (Trainer);

·         Insight Social Research Ltd: Hayley Fisk (Company Director / Research Associate);

·         PPRE:  Belinda Pratten (Associate); and

·         KDEK: Evangelia Ntani (Employee), Agapidou Vasiliki (Volunteer).

The Meeting Agenda was provided to all partners in advice and was approved. *Agenda is attached

Session 1

On the morning of January 26, 2012 at 10:00 AM, OAMGMAMR opened the Second Meeting of the IVISOC. Mr. Viorel Gavrilescu, the president of OAMGMAMR Dolj, welcomed all partners and initiated the discussions planned.

The first item on the agenda was the presentation of the website and blog, constructed by the Association “Prometeo 2000”. Mr. Francesco Mangiaracina presented the structure and format of the website to project partners. Following this, partners contributed ideas and suggestions regarding layout and design, in relation to both the ‘home’ page and sub-​​pages. Mr. Francesco Mangiaracina also made ​​several specifications relating to website maintenance and hosting for the 2 year period, and for a 5 year period beyond the project life-time. For the total period of 7 years, it was calculated that hosting the website will cost €420 euro and Mr. Francesco Mangiaracina proposed that this sum be divided equally among partners to support the cost this. Further  proposal: during the meeting in Palermo all partners, except for Prometeo 2000, will pay some items with equivalent value ( euro 60,00 per partner).

Point two of this session was to discuss the questionnaire developed by Eur.adi.po.net. Partners collaborated on the questionnaire development, re-wording particular questions to enable and understanding in each country. The layout and flow of the questionnaire was considered in depth and improvements were finalized and agreed among all partners

Session 2

Ms. Belinda Pratten made a short presentation about the template for the Country Reports, explaining the necessity and relevance of key questions asked. All partners agreed that the deadline for translating the template (only specific to certain countries) be moved to February the 29^th, 2012. Partners with experience of recruitment also presented on the issues and challenges related to this, and during these presentations discussions concluded the main ideas that secure a successful recruiting method. 

Session 3

After lunch, partners continued to present on matters regarding recruitment, and following this it was decided that the questionnaire be revised to include further points raised during the discussion. It was also established that each partner should complete 3 x questionnaires with organisations with an interest in volunteering in social care sectors, and that the deadline for this completion be February the 29^th, 2012. 

Friday the 27^th of January (2012), Craiova (RO), Parc Hotel

Session 1

During the morning of the 27^th of January we visited the St. Mary's Complex because OAMGMAMR Dolj felt it important to demonstrate how volunteers are (and volunteering is) assisting to develop medical-social activities for older people. The manager of the St. Mary`s Complex, Dr. Constantinescu Lidia, lead the visit and presented all aspects of the St. Mary’s Complex, it’s needs and it’s achievements, and partners had the priviledge of meeting both cares and older people and observed the therapeutic equipment provided (physiokinetotherapy). Mr. Stefan Radu and Dr. Constantinescu Lidia answered questions about the volunteer activities and the ‘model’ of the St. Mary’s Complex.  

Saturday  28 January 2012, Craiova (RO), Parc Hotel

Prior to the end of the meeting, partners discussed in advance dates for future meetings, the next being held in Italy (May 2012). The dates were provided as the 23rd-27^th of May 2012 – to be announced by Eur.adi.po.net and confirmed by partners. Prior to dispersing, participants were asked to complete the Evaluation Form.

Prepared by OAMGMAMR Dolj: