Covid Response – Communities - Community Action Suffolk

This page is for voluntary groups who are responding the Covid19 pandemic. Community Action Suffolk supports organisations in Suffolk’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, to enable them to operate more effectively. During these unprecedented times it is more important than ever that we respond to your needs and help you to help your community.

We are continuously updating useful information and guides to support you and your voluntary group. It is important that while you provide a community response, you also safeguard yourself, volunteers and vulnerable people in your community.

***Volunteering during Strict Measures about leaving the house ‘Lock down’***

Unless Government guidance changes, volunteers can still help out those in their community. Please exercise sensible action over this. Limit shopping trips and deliveries as much as you can. Perhaps collate lists and only do the shopping once or twice a day – rather than volunteers going out repeatedly on shopping errands.

Downloads & Resources

CAS Guidance & Resources

Toolkit for setting up a structured Covid19 Volunteer Emergency response – For groups that are re-purposing (e.g Parish Councils, Community Groups, Faith Groups, Pre-schools)

Toolkit for setting up a structured Covid19 Volunteer Emergency response – For residents setting up their own group

Guide to starting a Covid-19 volunteer response group

New! Suffolk COVID-19 Response Emergency Funding

April 20 New! FREE 30 minute online learning session ‘Keeping people safe and sound: A basic guide to safeguarding’. ideal for volunteers or small community groups, Good Neighbour Schemes et c

Safe Volunteering
CAS has produced the following 2 guides to safe volunteering during the pandemic – the first is a simple 1 page guide for volunteers, the second a more comprehensive guide for community response group leaders:

Tips for safe volunteering

Community Response Group Leaders guide for Safe Volunteering

E-learning for volunteers:

Community Action Suffolk promote that volunteers are able to access resources to help them in their role. We have found this free e-learning that has a selection of modules that will help you as a volunteer responding to covid-19. We would recommend that you complete the modules listed below, but you may choose to do more.

Your Role and Responsibilities
Communication Skills
Data Security Awareness
Conflict Resolution
Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
Safeguarding Adults
Safeguarding Children
Mental Health Awareness
Health and Safety

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/volunteer-learning-passport/

Shopping and Handling Money For Volunteers

Peer Support Facebook group
We have set up a closed Facebook group especially for the leaders of the new Covid-19 Community Response Groups – some of you might be brand new to the world of volunteering!

The Facebook is a forum for you to share your challenges and solutions and learn from each other across the county. We are all in this together and it is important that while so many self-isolating, you don’t feel isolated yourself. The groups will be moderated by Community Action Staff who can input their experience and signpost where necessary.

The discussions on this Facebook group will be important, as it will help us to see what the common challenges are. Please click on the button below and answer the quick questions to join.

Join Peer Support Facebook Group