Coronavirus: Community resource toolkit launched to support voluntary and community groups during emergency
Shropshire Council has launched a community resource toolkit for voluntary and community groups to use to help support their local communities throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency.
The community resource toolkit has been developed to help lessen the impact and burden on those most vulnerable and who may be struggling with isolation, and lacking in basic support and supplies.
The toolkit contains a series of templates that can be used and adapted by voluntary and community groups. Template documents in the toolkit include:
- Volunteer registration form – this form will enable voluntary and community groups to seek essential details about people who may wish to volunteer. This includes consent relating to data protection.
- Role outline – this template provides an example job description for a volunteer. Organisations can edit this to meet their requirements.
- Register of people receiving support – a spreadsheet to record the details of people who are in receipt of support offer by volunteers.
- Register of volunteers – a spreadsheet to record the details of people who are volunteering.
- Flyer – template flyer that voluntary and community groups may wish to use and adapt in order to promote what their volunteers are offering and how people can get in touch.
- Risk assessment – a template risk assessment, that voluntary and community groups can adapt depending on the roles being carried out by volunteers.
- Useful contact information – this includes key contact numbers and links to current Government advice.
- Volunteer guidelines– recommended guidelines for people who wish to volunteer their time within the community. The advice in this document relays Government advice associated with coronavirus, and as such is time sensitive.
- Feedback form for volunteers – a feedback template that enables volunteers to share their thoughts, experiences and suggestions with the voluntary/community group that they are volunteering for.
- Roles and responsibilities – a way of defining the various roles and responsibilities within a given project.
Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and climate change, said:
“In light of the unprecedented challenges we are now facing, we want to support the many local voluntary and community groups and individuals who are already mobilising themselves in an amazing effort to provide help and support to others. As this is mostly unchartered territory, Shropshire Council have drafted a toolkit of templates that can be lifted from our website and adapted to support the work and support of those community groups.
“In addition, we are in the process of creating community reassurance teams that will work across the county with our communities, in an effort to co-ordinate support for local residents. This will also include a central telephone line and email address where enquires can be directed.”
The community resource toolkit can be downloaded here:
It’s clear that coronavirus will have a huge impact on everyone’s lives. Shropshire Council wants to ensure communities get the right information and advice to help them. Here are some useful contacts.
Children – welfare and safety
For concerns about a child’s safety or welfare, or for family support 0345 678 9021.
Adults – welfare and safety
For concerns about a vulnerable adult’s safety or welfare, or for support and advice about adult social care, 0345 678 9044
Education
For education and schools-related enquiries during this emergency, plus free school meals, school admissions, and school transport 0345 678 9008.
Businesses
For business-related enquiries, email us at COVID19businessenquiries@shropshire.gov.uk
For business rates enquiries – 0345 678 9003 or email us at business.rates@shropshire.gov.uk
Waste and recycling
For all enquiries about bins and recycling, including collections and assisted collections – 0345 678 9007
Revenues and benefits
It is more important than ever that residents are pointed to the professional advice and support that they need in relation to council tax and benefits, so that we can help them as much as we can. For advice and support call 0345 678 9002
Other enquiries
For all other enquiries, please check our website or call us on 0345 678 9000
Important further information
Stay at home
Stay at home. Especially stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms. Stay at home if you have either:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
To protect others, do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home.
Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do.
Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.
Please also remember to follow the latest NHS advice at nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19
‘Self isolation’, and ‘social distancing’
Communities are strongly being encouraged to follow the Government guidelines on staying at home and social distancing. Keep up to date with the latest Government news and advice at gov.uk/coronavirus.
What we’re doing in Shropshire
Shropshire Council has been working closely with Public Health England, NHS England and our local health and care partners, to prepare and respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
All partners continue to work together to co-ordinate appropriate action and resources to protect the public’s health. Partners and services are working closely to support each other to ensure organisations have the capacity to respond to the coronavirus whilst still being able to provide essential everyday services. This includes the setting up of Shropshire Local Health Resilience Partnership to co-ordinate plans and prepare for any changes in the situation as they arise and promoting national guidance and key messages to the public, staff and organisations, including schools and businesses. All partners keep in regular contact and take part in daily and weekly update ‘meetings’ with both local, regional and national colleagues.
* The LHRP includes representatives from: Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council, NHS England and Improvement, Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response (EPRR) leads, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shropshire Community Health Trust, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Foundation Trust, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group, Public Health England, and Shropshire and Telford LMC.
