Time Out Volunteer Blog by Jon Rorke

I was introduced to Healthy Valleys through friends last year at a point in my life where things had begun to stagnate, I was unhappy at work and dissatisfied with life in general unsure of the paths I had taken. Through Healthy Valleys I found a community of youngsters and volunteers who worked together to provide a blanket of support to all those who needed it. I doubt I am alone in thinking that volunteers also gain much from helping these kids, it is a very rewarding and often cathartic process. I have had several occasions where teens have approached me personally to thank me and let me know how much I have helped them on that evening; the emotions one gains from hearing something of the like is indescribably positive. I would recommend anyone thinking of volunteering at least give it a try, I am certainly glad I did

Jon Rorke, Time Out Volunteer

Love for Time Out

I’m Wendy, the Young Persons Development Worker and I run the Time Out project.

So what is Time Out and why do I love my job?

Time Out is a safe and supportive environment for young people  

• to feel free to talk about their feelings (or not)
• to feel accepted and understood
• to not be judged
• to build their confidence and self esteem
• to learn coping skills for better health and well being
• to be themselves

It’s not rocket science

• It’s listening
• It’s caring
• It’s people helping people
• It’s community

I love that:

• young people come to Time Out and meet other young people who become their best friends
• volunteers come to Time Out and benefit as much if not more than the young people
• the young people and volunteers care so much about the project and are able to challenge, shape and change it.
• we have funders who believe in us

What’s not to love about all that?

Wendy

x

Pamela McGlone, Student Placement with Healthy Valleys

Hi I'm Pamela and I am a student at South Lanarkshire College doing my SVQ 3 Social Services and Healthcare placement with Healthy Valleys. Although I had heard of Healthy Valleys I didn't know the extent of the work they did until I started my placement with them and can I tell you – THEY DO LOADS!!!!

I was very apprehensive about starting my placement – who doesn't find something new daunting?!? – but it turns out the staff are actually a friendly bunch who quickly put me at ease. I can’t thank them enough for all the questions they have answered and the help they have given to me. But it’s not just the staff – the volunteers and service users play a major role in the work Healthy Valleys does and like the staff team they have been very welcoming. I look back now and wonder why I was so nervous in the first place.

Although I have been able to experience a lot of the different activities and courses that Health Valleys have to offer I have to say that the Rural Café based in Lanark has been my favourite. It was set up from funding received from the Tackling Poverty Fund and its aim is to provide a hot meal every week to adults/families who are struggling financially. Those who attend the café do so by referral and receive a warm welcome from staff/volunteers along with a lovely bowl of soup and another to take home. It is a safe and confidential place where people can share their hopes or worries or simply just come and sit without saying anything. It allows service users the opportunity to gain information which may be of benefit to them and to be signed posted to other agencies that can offer help and support. Those attending the café have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and say that it gives them something to look forward to as well as ensuring they always have a hot meal. I think the reason I have enjoyed it so much is firstly because it turns out that I actually quite like cooking (although still can’t follow a recipe) but mainly because I have had the opportunity to meet and build relationships with some lovely people from different backgrounds in different situations and watch them grow as the weeks have gone by.

Healthy Valleys is a great organisation doing fantastic work for the rural communities. It has an outstanding team of staff and volunteers and I am grateful to each and every one of them for their guidance and support since I started my placement.

Keep up the excellent work everyone as it is making a difference to people’s lives J

Simone, Food & Health Worker

Hi. I am Simone and work as Community Food and Health Assistant at Healthy Valleys. Community Food and Health is our healthy eating and physical activity programme for children, young people, adults and older people. There's never a dull moment in my day – always something new to do, people to meet, ideas to share as well as spend time helping communities to learn about ways to eat a healthier diet, keep fit and improve their overall health & wellbeing.

There is great enthusiasm about both the physical activity and healthy eating programme, whether it be from participants, partners or the volunteers that either lead or support the activities. Participants have been taking part in the ongoing C’mon Dancin at Coalburn One Stop Stop, bowling in Blackwood Sports Centre, swimming at Coalburn Leisure Centre, walking in and around Lesmahagow & South Lanarkshire (weekly or once a month).

The Healthy Eating project has been busy too delivering Feeding the Family courses, REHIS Cooking Skills Courses, REHIS Food Hygiene and Food and Health courses. Participants have cooked tasty, healthy dishes and increased their knowledge of food and nutrition. Volunteers have enjoyed sharing their knowledge and experience with participants (always with a smile). We have also delivered some Clydesdale Community Family Fun 'n' Food sessions in various villages around rural South Lanarkshire. These sessions provide a opportunity for parents and children (under 5 yrs) to learn more about healthy eating and teaching life skills through play activities. We have completed an evaluation of our Healthy Eating programme and I am looking forward to some exciting new future developments.

These are just some of the things me and a team of fantastic volunteers (whose help I truly value and appreciate) have been up to lately. To find out about activities please go to the “What’s On” section of our website or for more information on the Community Food & Health project, please call me on 01555 880666 or email simone@healthyvalleys.org.uk

EAT WELL, KEEP ACTIVE!

Mary Hastings, Community Health Navigator

Hi, I'm Mary, Community Health Navigator for the Out and About Project and I’ve been in post for just over a year now.  Yes it’s a BIG title.  Essentially, it’s about helping people living with long term conditions who are feeling isolated to get out and about more and enjoy themselves.

I was the new girl until fairly recently and must thank everyone within Healthy Valleys for their patience with me and the never ending questions I asked.  Now that I am no longer the new person, I hope that I can now return the favour.

What I really enjoy about this job is getting out and about, meeting new people and hearing their stories.  It's about getting to know the person, finding out what they like doing or discovering something new for them to enjoy. 

Out & About is a small project that makes a big impact on people’s lives. There is nothing better than seeing someone grow in confidence and having fun. Some people have rekindled old hobbies and others have tried new activities but no matter what they have done, they have all gained new friends, feel more confident and no longer feel alone.

Despite having lived in South Lanarkshire all of my life, I really had no idea of what was going on around me.  Whether it’s a village or a town there’s a whole host of activities to be found.  So no matter what the person’s interest, there’s always something that I can find for them.   It's also given me lots of ideas for new hobbies - if only I had the time!

If you know of anyone who would benefit from this project or you would like to help please don't hesitate to contact me.

Fiona, Development Worker, Re-Connect

How would you like to go for a month without seeing anyone? How would you feel? Isolated? Depressed? Lonely?

I in 10 people aged 65 and over say they are always lonely or feel lonely…. (Age UK)

Healthy Valleys in partnership with Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust have been delivering a project called Re-Connect South Lanarkshire, which is a volunteer led service aimed at reducing isolation and loneliness in older people by supporting them to connect with their communities.

The project was developed to meet local need in recognition that social isolation and loneliness impacts not only on an individual’s quality of life but their mental health and wellbeing.

As the Development Worker responsible for delivering the service in rural Clydesdale I have been working with a small team of volunteers supporting over 50 participants.

To help us better understand the impact Re-Connect has had on our participants a consultation exercise was undertaken in August 2014.

Our key findings were;

·         100% reported Re-Connect had a positive impact on their lives

·         90% reported that participation in Re-Connect reduced their isolation

What made it effective?

·         85% said 1-1 support from their volunteer

·         85% said practical help to overcome challenges eg using public transport

Projects like Re-Connect do make a difference and we want to continue to improve the lives of older people living in our community who are lonely and need our support.

We are currently awaiting the outcome of a funding bid to the BIG Lottery to continue Re-Connect over the next 3 years. So fingers crossed!!  I’ll keep you posted.  Fiona

Just take a moment to think………..

What impact would feeling lonely have on your life? How motivated would you be to do the ordinary everyday things like housework, going out and about, eating healthily or taking good care of yourself?

 

PS  Fantastic News....we were successful in our bid to the BIG Lottery!!!

 

Meet the staff: Louise

There is a time for everything.....a time to rest, a time to think, a time to get yourself a new job.....and so Healthy Valleys has a shiny new team member, with a spring in my step and a little blue car, I, Louise Higgins vow to seek out those parents who will support parents in communities far and wide across rural South Lanarkshire.

As it goes I have spent the first few weeks getting to know the team and the work that they do in all the various projects under the Healthy Valleys umbrella. This has served me well in meeting local people and making links and signposting people to services, but hasn't resulted in me answering the phone much.......it's interesting how many more important things I can find to do, and every time I psyche myself up and get my wee notepad ready, somebody gets in before me.......sigh.

I thrive working in a team, (no, honestly I do....) and Healthy Valleys staff, participants and volunteers have made me feel part of the team from the get-go. Even if I had been a shy and retiring sort......I doubt I would have been allowed to sit quietly in the corner.

At the risk of slipping into Oscar ceremony mode....sniff, sniff...sob. I would like to thank the whole team for their patience and kindness in making me feel welcome at Healthy Valleys. In particular Carolanne, without whom the place would come to a grinding halt. The woman has the patience of a saint........how she gets anything done with us all constantly pestering her amazes me......

Two things that enable Healthy Valleys to flourish, are local people becoming involved in our projects and good relationships with colleagues in other agencies. These are two areas I intend to focus on over the forthcoming months.

The task I have been given is very interesting. Finding parents who might not be getting out and about with their wee ones and helping them make connections with other local parents and groups.

If you’re reading this and you think you can help me.....get on the phone immediately!

P.s......It should also be noted that nobody in the team has asked me to search for any of the following items:

• A long stand
• Tartan Paint
• A bucket of steam

Much appreciated.........

Meet the staff: Pauline

Well here goes, it’s my turn to tell you what I do, a day in the life of Pauline Nichol, Finance Worker for Healthy Valleys…..

I have been part of this fantastic team of committed people since 2003 and have watched it grow bigger and stronger. The part I play is very much behind the scenes, but I also think it’s important and I’m very glad to be part of it.

To do all the great work in our community, we receive funding from lots of different sources, e.g. BIG Lottery, NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council, to name but a few and we have to show how we’ve spent their money. This is where I come in, because I count all the money, make sure everything is accounted for and in the right place and report back to the funder. Some might say that must be boring, checking and double –checking, but I enjoy it, (I think I have OCD, so this is the job for me!!).

So although I’m rarely seen, I do exist and can be found locked away in the office with my head in a spreadsheet travelling through time. Moving out of one financial year to another, closing one down, catching up with the new year and thinking about the year in the not too distant future and what needs to be done to apply for new funding.

Must dash there’s work to be done………. 

Meet the staff: Lesley

Hi! I’m Lesley aka the Executive Manager of Healthy Valleys. I’ve been asked by my colleagues to describe a typical working day in the life of….having given it much thought I don’t think I’ve ever experienced 2 working days which have been the same. This is probably a result of working in a people focused environment which makes things so varied; people are unpredictable, needs change, plans change.

However, not only are people unpredictable, working in the voluntary sector is too.  There isn’t an infinitive amount of resources which can create levels of uncertainty and fragility.  The need for  creativity and a good skills mix of team members are even more essential. I’m glad to say that Healthy Valleys isn’t short of either and this coupled  with high energy levels we deliver excellent services for the people of South Lanarkshire. We work hard, seldom stop and thrive on finding solutions.

I think that working with and for communities has had a lot to do with me working for Healthy Valleys for almost 12 years!

Meet the staff: Julia

My name is Julia Miller and I’m the Senior Development Worker at Healthy Valleys. I’ve been working here for 11 years now!  Today I’ve been interviewing for 2 new positions within Healthy Valleys for the Lanarkshire Domestic Abuse Response (LDAR) project which starts in December.

The LDAR project will benefit women from Lanarkshire, who have experienced domestic abuse and it is funded by the BIG Lottery for three years.

It’s a multi-agency project led by NHS Lanarkshire’s Ending Violence and Abuse service (EVA) and partners include various Citizen Advice Bureaus, North and South Lanarkshire’s Women’s Aid, Lanarkshire Rape Crisis, North Lanarkshire Violence against Women Group, Door Way Partnership South Lanarkshire, NLC Housing and Social Work Services, SL Housing and Technical Services and Healthy Valleys.  Healthy Valleys will provide complementary therapies for women across Lanarkshire.

The women referred into the LDAR service will have access to

• Specialised Advocacy Workers, who will support the women to achieve their goals and aspirations through practical and emotion support and will include improving networks, reducing isolation, improving confidence and self esteem and possibly employment opportunities through volunteering and training opportunities
• Specialised Housing and Welfare Officers, who will help the women on housing, welfare and benefit issues and solutions
• Specialised Complementary Therapists, who will help the women relax and feel less stressed and work on various health issues such as tension, aches, pains, old injuries, depression and imsomnia, to name a few.
• Women will have access to new GPS alarms for thir homes which will help women feel safer in their home and they will get an immediate response from Police Scotland if they feel threatened
• 
  

Over the three years, LDAR will support 480 women affected by domestic violence and their children.  The overall outcomes of the project are;

• Women who have experienced domestic abuse will have improved access to practical and emotional support and will feel better supported
• Women who have experienced domestic abuse will have increased/improved access to specialised housing, welfare and money advice and support enabling them to access a home of their choice
• 
  

I feel that this is a much needed service for the women affected by domestic violence in Lanarkshire and I’m really pleased that Healthy Valleys is providing such a valuable part to this project and I look forward to welcoming the two new staff members recruited today, Carol and Jenny.

Tomorrow is a new day and brings another task - funding applications!

Meet the staff: Kate

Destination – East Kilbride.   Purpose – staff development day.   Equipment required – sat nav!

As a fairly new recruit, this was my first staff development day and was looking forward to what lay ahead, albeit with a little anxiety.  

Donald (our facilitator) was an inspiration! Somehow he managed to keep everyone (a) awake; (b) interested; and (c) taking part in lively debate about developing the services of Healthy Valleys and I wasn’t disappointed.    In the space of about five hours, team Healthy Valleys had the opportunity to discuss any challenges we had faced over the last year and what future opportunities were available to the organisation, building on the solid foundations that Healthy Valleys enjoys.  

As Volunteer Co-Ordinator, I was able to listen to the clear vision of my colleagues and contribute to the debate on how our vision could turn into reality.   There is a lot of work ahead for everyone at Healthy Valleys and our mission is to continue to promote positive life-style changes through the provision of a range of community development programmes for people in rural South Lanarkshire.    As Volunteer Co-Ordinator, my overall aim is to recruit, train and retrain volunteers who play an extremely important role in the delivery of our community projects. 

A very informative, enjoyable and interesting staff development day indeed.    And I look forward to working alongside my colleagues in the future – it really is quite exciting and I am glad to be a part of it!

Meet the staff: Wendy

My name is Wendy and I’m the Young Persons Development Worker at Healthy Valleys. I’ve worked here since 2007. Today I attended the Clydesdale Problem Solving Group (PSG), which I have been a member of for the past 4 years or so. It’s a multi agency group, chaired by South Lanarkshire Council Housing Resources. The aim is to have a shared understanding of what anti social behaviour is and work together to tackle it. We meet every 6 weeks and deal with a wide range of issues, agreeing priorities and joint operational planning.

Around the table are people from a wide variety of agencies. Today we had Police Scotland, Social Work Resources, Anti Social Behaviour Team, COVEY Befriending, Youth Learning Services, NHS Lanarkshire, The Hope Café, Rural Regeneration Services and of course Healthy Valleys. Apologies came from some regular participants including the Fire Brigade and Blue Triangle.

The issues and hotspots we discuss and try to come up with solutions to vary over time. From cold calling on the elderly and rogue traders to traffic accident blackspots, dog fouling, drug dealing, fire setting, abandoned buildings, public drinking, youth disorder. These things happen in villages all across Clydesdale, but there are often hotspot areas which we need to look closer at to come up with solutions. For example Smyllum residents were very upset about the amount of dog fouling. The Problem Solving Group helped them identify a potential solution and get funding to start their Green Dog Walkers scheme in the area.

Some good news updates from partnership working were demonstrated at the meeting – a man in recovery from mental ill health got involved in a project funded by the PSG. He is now volunteering with another community group and looking to get back into employment as a result. Healthy Valleys’ Beauty Inside Out project was funded by PSG. That evening some of our young people were providing a pamper night to young people from one of the other groups at the meeting. Great evidence of partnership working, community capacity building and community connectedness. Good job well done to all of us.

Over the past few years, a clear pattern has been emerging of less street disorder and less youth disorder being reported. Pat on the back all round then? Well not quite. As these things have lessened, others have risen. For example neighbour disputes and domestic violence. These often happen in relative privacy, behind closed doors and don’t make it to the Lanark Gazette court round up.

Over the past few meetings I have raised issues around mental health and young people. There have been 2 suicides of young people from our area in the past 6 months and increasingly young people are referred to our Time Out project because of anxiety, stress and self harm. As a result of these discussions with partners, a new Rural Suicide Prevention working group has been established, chaired by Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health.

In my opinion, the Problem Solving Group is a great example of the partnership working we get involved in here at Healthy Valleys. Just like we couldn’t make things happen without our volunteers, same can be said for all the great people in agencies around Clydesdale. I would like to thank them all so much for being part of an extended team. As the deaf blind author Helen Keller said “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

Meet the staff: Christine

Happy New Year! I have had a great Christmas and New Year spending it with my family, friends and dogs and now ready to get back into work.

I have been Project Worker for Grassroots Project for nearly 3 years and I feel this is the ideal job for me as my background is in childcare and health promotion. I work with families living in rural areas of South Lanarkshire who require extra help such as learning how to cook healthy meals for their family, improve their parenting skills and engage in community activities. My main role is to organise the Family Educational Support Programme of Grassroots. I am kept busy booking halls and crèches, buying lunch and materials for courses, contacting families to let them know about the courses and arranging transport for them to attend (which is more difficult than it sounds….car seats being one of the problems!). My job is very rewarding but also challenging at the same time due to the ever changing family circumstances. It feels good to know that you are making a difference to people’s lives.

The team at Healthy Valleys is brilliant- we are all team players and help each other out when we are stuck or have too big a ‘to do’ list! I also like the fact that we (especially me!) like to have a good debate at team meetings and share our thoughts and ideas. I am also proud to say that I am one of a few that Pauline trusts to make her tea as I have mastered the right quantity of milk :)

Anyway, I best get back to work. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2015!

Meet the Staff: Clare

My name is Clare and I have been in post since April 2012 as the Development Worker for the Grassroots Project.  I co-ordinate and manage the Project so that involves a range of different things including making sure our targets are achieved for our funder, Big Lottery, compile reports for partners, management and the Board, participate on various steering groups, raise the profile of the Project locally and nationally by working in partnership with a range of agencies and presenting to local groups/organisations.  I support Christine, the Project Worker, volunteers and referrals to the project.  I also chair the Grassroots Project Steering Group and Volunteer meetings which are held quarterly.  A big part of my role is to facilitate a relationship between beneficiaries and volunteers by carefully matching and arranging meetings/suggesting activities for them.  This can be very challenging due to people’s every changing circumstances so a lot of cancellations/re-arranging happens.  Although, saying that, this is the most rewarding element.  Our volunteers make a fantastic contribution to supporting families to live a healthier, less stressful lifestyle which often results in beneficiaries wanting to become volunteers themselves to give something back to the Project that they themselves benefited from. I am delighted to see that ALL of our families have taken something positive away with them from their time with us.

 My main role over the past few months has been, along with other staff, working on a Big Lottery funding application to keep the Project going beyond March 2015.  Funding is a constant challenge and pressure when working in the voluntary sector.

 I have worked in community led health for almost 10 years in different roles, for a range of different organisations across various local authority areas and when I joined Healthy Valleys it has given me a true insight into the inequalities people face in the rural area and the difference Healthy Valleys is making to reducing these inequalities.  This has made me feel even more passionate about supporting families/individuals who need extra help.

Meet the staff: Carolanne

Hi I’m Carolanne, I have been with healthy Valleys for 7 years now and loving every minute of it! 

My role at Healthy Valleys has changed over the last 2 years. I am getting more involved with the administration side and recently been trained in inputting financial data into our finance software on a weekly basis.

I am still the Database worker who keeps our bespoke database up to date with new participants and volunteers, all our activities go into the database so we can produce our quarterly and annual reports. Also recorded in the database is volunteering hours and this is a big task keeping it updated as we have 70 active volunteers.

At present, I am a member of the working group set up to organise the Volunteer Evening Event which we are having on Thursday 26^th February. This involves me creating and printing the invitations, sending them out to our volunteers and making sure we have everything in place and are super organised for the event.

Looking forward to the next challenge whatever that may be!