Support for ICT Welfare Reform Programme (Focus on people over 50, people with a long term condition aged 50 and over and those caring for someone aged 50 or over)

BHC and CLD have been listening to the expressed need and concerns of community members and groups and recognising that the New Welfare Reform Bill could have a detrimental effect across our communities and in particular for those with long term conditions, older people and carers.

Building Healthy Communities (BHC) & Nithsdale Community Learning and Development (CLD) will build on the assets of local people by providing training/learning to 12 volunteers who between them will have committed to delivering 6 x 8 week ICT Welfare Reform programmes across Nithsdale.

Volunteers will “team teach in pairs” which will create a grouping of 6 paired volunteers; they will be assisting in the recruitment from their own peer/community groupings to promote and encourage participation.

BHC & CLD staff working with the initial cohort of volunteers will recruit 200 - 220 older people, carers and people living with a long term conditions over the period of 1 year to participate within the ICT Welfare Reform programmes – which will be delivered by the paired volunteers (who in turn will be supervised and supported by a tutor appointed by CLD via their Adult Learning service). The pairs can run the programmes concurrently across Nithsdale to respond to the needs as identified. This will ensure that immediate needs can be responded to as quickly as possible.

To provide adequate resources to the priority group – e.g. memory sticks which will store home study packs/course material etc.

To provide a high standard of support to volunteers throughout a 1 year programme - BHC SMP worker will have regular involvement and will register the priority group via the BHC monitoring systems; this will be reflected through the CLD monitoring systems also.