Voluntary Car Schemes in Surrey

Voluntary Car Schemes in Surrey

2015 -2016

With Support From

Report Summary

This report sets out the results of the Surrey Voluntary Car Schemes Annual Survey, undertaken in January 2016, the purpose of which is to collect key data on the use of schemes across the County.

A brief summary of the findings follows:

• 72% of schemes responded to the survey
• An additional 25,215 journeys were completed in 2015 compared to 2014.
• 51% of schemes stated that 95% or more of these journeys were health related.
• The 65 schemes represent 3116 volunteers.
• 302 new volunteers were recruited in 2015.
• Approximately 122,473 hours were given in volunteer’s time.
• 53 schemes travelled a total of 758,538 miles.

Introduction

Good Neighbour/Voluntary Car Schemes provide community based care and support for people in the local community who need help with some of the basics of day-to-day living.

Volunteers will donate their time to help their neighbours to help with things like:

• Shopping
• Visiting friends
• Attending appointments
• Pension and prescription collection
• Moving a fridge or other heavy furniture
• Writing a letter
• Filling in a form

These schemes are operated by local volunteers for the benefit of their local communities and the type of work they undertake varies according to each scheme. They provide a lifeline to people who may otherwise by isolated and lonely and are of an enormous social value to their communities.

There are 90Good Neighbour/Voluntary Car Schemes in Surrey, which vary in terms of number of volunteers, journey requests and number of miles driven. Each year Surrey Community Action survey’s all the schemes in the County with the purpose of:

• Collating data on current usage and number of volunteers
• Identifying key areas of support required

Results

90 schemes were sent the survey to complete, 65 of which responded giving a 72% response rate.

The following charts show the number of schemes located in each borough alongside the percentage return rate for each borough. Guildford and Waverley have the highest number of schemes with Epsom and Ewell with the fewest.

Total Number of Schemes by Borough/District

However when the number of returns are expressed as a percentage of the total number in that area, Reigate and Banstead are the least represented with Spelthorne achieving a 100% response rate. Out of seven Age Concern schemes across the County only one responded to the survey.

Borough Response Rates

Base: 65 respondents

Opening Times and Websites

• 48% of schemes are predominately open between the hours of 9am – 12 noon
• 20% are open 9am – 5pm
• 12% provide a 24 hour messaging service

Just 26 schemes had their own website of which just 10 had recruited volunteers via this medium.

Volunteer Recruitment

Base: 63 respondents

Care for Guildford was the most successful, recruiting 5 via their website and 21 by other methods.

Number of Requests

Between them, the 65 schemes carried out around97,979journeys which represents an approximate increase of 25,215 on the previous year.

2014 – 2015 Journey Comparison

Base: 64 respondents

Purpose of Journey

The schemes were asked to state what percentage of their requests they believed to be health related.

Base: 65 respondents

Volunteers

Amongst the 65 schemes are 3116 volunteers acting as drivers, duty officers and some as visitors or shoppers, some with more than one role.

Base: 65 respondents

Driver Miles

Out of 65 schemes, 12 either do not keep data on the number of miles undertaken or did not respond to this question. Between them, the remaining 53 schemes travelled an estimated758,538miles during the year. The fewest number of miles was undertaken by Newdigate Good Neighbours who estimated just 100 miles were covered with the greatest number of miles being undertaken by Care Farnham, who travelled 44,000!

Extrapolated data equates to 1,288,080 miles – this is 55 times around the world or to the moon and back 2.5 times!

Volunteer Time

Each scheme was asked to estimate the average length of time for each request, although many said it depended on the hospital appointment the majority (30 schemes) stated the average time was 2-3 hrs. As a very rudimentary calculation if you take the average as 2.5 hrs and multiple that by the number of requests (48,989) this equates to 122,473 volunteer hours, or 5,103 days, approximately 14 years of free labour! Given that the average salary in Surrey is £35,038[1] this has a potential monetary value of just over £490,500 per annum. Extrapolating the same data equates t 19 years of driving hours with a monetary value of £678,271.

Base: 60 respondents

In addition to this is the time spent manning the phones, organising the drivers and dealing with the requests. The way in which this is organised varies from scheme to scheme, with some being on duty for a week or month at a time and others just a couple of hours. However the core hours have been detailed below.

Base: 45 respondents

Training

The training offered to volunteers varied greatly from scheme to scheme, whilst the majority offered both verbal and written guidance for the Duty Officers the training for Drivers ranged from Manual Handling and First Aid to the Drivers Course run by Surrey Community Action. Overall there was less training for drivers and no one indicated that they conducted any Vulnerable Adults or Safeguarding training. Only 53% were aware of the training offered by Surrey Community Action although 42% said they would be interested in offering it their volunteers.

Base: 63 respondents Base: 63 respondents

Service Provided by Surrey Community Action

Each scheme was asked if there were any particular aspects of the support provided that they valued the most and in addition 31 comments/suggestions were made, a full list of which is attached as Appendix 1.

92%felt that the most valued service was the advice and support provided, followed by 69% valuing the yearly meetings.

Base: 13 respondents

‘Most useful thing is the work you are doing to attract volunteers. Vetting is less important, we have mechanisms for that, it’s getting the contacts in the first place ‘

‘Great if volunteer driver training could be FOC or cheaper, the recent wheelchair training was within our budget’

‘I have recently taken over the role of assistant secretary with our schemes and have found Vicki to be very helpful and supportive’
What do the users and providers have to say?

Camberley Care based in Surrey Heath

Elizabeth is 101 and is a client of Camberley Care, Elizabeth uses the scheme to attend medical appointments and to visit her daughter who has dementia and lives in a care home. Elizabeth says:

“I’d never see my girl if it wasn’t for Camberley Care. I don’t know what I would do without it; I’d be housebound as I can’t get about too easily now. I can’t praise it enough!”

John is a volunteer driver for Camberley Care and helps local people like Elizabeth to get out and about.

“I thought that after I retired that I would enjoy taking it easy but I just got bored with all the time on my hands” he says. “I started doing the odd trip here and there but I found that I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to offer more of my time.”

Ditton and Weston Green in Elmbridge

Elizabeth from Weston Green became a client of Ditton and Weston Green Neighbour Care recently.

“It’s a very different thing driving when you’re older – confidence plays a big part. Until last year, I’d never had to think about asking anyone else for help, but now it’s a real comfort to know that they are there.”

Avril is a volunteer driver for Ditton and Weston Green Neighbour Care and helps local people like Elizabeth to get out and about. She explains:

“This week I’ve done two driving jobs but next week I might not do any. That’s the beauty of this scheme – the flexibility it affords. There’s no onerous commitment yet it’s so very rewarding.”

Appendix 1 – Additional Comments

updated copy of newsletter please
Could this survey be sent out after xmas when we have more time?
data system
help with recruitment would be valuable
Vicki is always very helpful and it is important to have that back up. Could this be a full time role? Good neighbours meetings are always very valuable
As we are a small community majority of requests come from regulars and all requesters are known to the telephone coordinators. The parking permits for hospitals are invaluable to us
We are very happy and grateful to Vicki for all her help and advice when needed.
Great if volunteer driver training could be FOC or cheaper, the recent wheelchair training was within our budget
It would be helpful to be notified of changes to parking charges by Surrey CA (if known) plus changes to anything that might affect scheme e.g. abolition to the counter part of driving licence
Most useful thing is the work you are doing to attract volunteers. Vetting is less important we have mechanism for that, it’s getting the contacts in the first place. Vicki your attendance at our AGM was much appreciated I also found the Waverley meeting at Burpham really helpful. Cheers
VT is very supportive to us and is always available for advice or attending meetings as necessary so we call her as appropriate.
see attached letter
she does a wonderful job
Please note as I have previously said our scheme is simply a group of neighbours who help out anyone in need of transport on a very ad hoc basis. We do not keep records as we do so little. In our village there is just general helpfulness. We do not keep accounts but the driver is offered 45p a mile.
I think Vicki already does a great job
What we do need are more driver volunteer cards. Fran has emailed you but not succeeded as yet!
don't stop what you are doing smiley face
Vicki does an excellent job already she is very pro-active at responding to our myriad request for information and help
but we (I) am grateful for the help you do give us when we need it thankyou
We greatly appreciate the VCSA being there when questions arise and the occasions she organises to gather different schemes to share and to be informed. We also appreciate work to represent schemes to hospitals etc. for parking and to local government
Have received the blue badge for the organisation
Vicki's support is fantastic she is always ready to give help and advice
Glad Vicki attended our committee meetings to update us on any events etc.
Join us as a volunteer otherwise we really appreciate the support that we get.
No I receive excellent support when required.
I have recently taken over the role of assistant secretary with our schemes and have found Vicki to be very helpful and supportive
volunteer driver on duty vests 8 large and 2 medium please
just keep her there
Continue with your efforts to recruit new volunteers. Keep us updated with any changes to parking facilities particularly in hospitals
Our main concern as a charity is hospital hopper stopping as we don't feel we can ask our volunteers to make regular hospital runs. Any support in that area would be much appreciated.
Please try and persuade Epsom/St Helier to provide driver on duty parking discs every 5 years as the yellow ones and not every year. It is a lot of work for me?

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[1] ASHE Income Table 8.1a 2014