Interim evaluation and next stepsMatthew HillLearn and share eventsJuly 2015

Session plan

• Three areas of evaluation:

• Activity

• Impact

• Good practice learning

• Draw on your expertise and experience to interpret and respond to the results

• Issues and next steps for the evaluation

The interim evaluation

• Monitoring data for all sites from October 2013-March 2015

• Online survey

• 42% of volunteers (n=52)

• 54% of care home staff (n=14)

• Telephone interviews

• All 5 Volunteer Centres (6 staff)

• 12 out of 13 care homes (13 staff)

• 5 in-depth case studies (36 in-depth interviews)

Activity

Volunteer activity - overall

• 178 volunteers have been successfully placed across 13 care homes contributing 4,825 hours (Jan ’14 - Mar ‘15)

• 27 hours (mean per volunteer)

• These are split between befriending roles (55%) and activity based roles (45%)

• including arts and craft, reminiscence, training, cat therapy and boccia

Volunteer activity - overall• Variety across care homes

• 10 times as much in some than others (60 to 684hrs)

• Variety across volunteers

• 16% have contributed half the hours

• Variety across CCG areas

• 76% of activity in 2 of 5 areas

• Recruitment has been diverse

• 30% between 16-25 years old

• 30% non-white

• 13% with a disability

• 76% female

A tale of two types of homeOnly one home does not aim to significantly increase the level of activity. The others fit into two categories.

• Those who want to build on success…

“It would be great to have 10 or a few more so they have a couple of hours each day. Was hoping to have more in place but really happy with the four thus far” [Manager]

• Frustration with very low level of contribution…

“because we have not had enough volunteers we have not been able to do what we wanted” [Care home Manager]

Impact

Social impacts• Fundamental socialisation - very basic ‘sitting and being’

to substantial long term one-to-one befriending

• One-to-one befriending includes deep relationships, emotional and practical support

“I don’t think she recognises me, she doesn’t know my name so I just go through the newspaper with her and chat to her” [volunteer]

"It has a massive impact on them… It is having that time to have the one-to-one chats with them because we don't always have time to do that" "they don't always get family visiting and with the volunteers they look forward to them coming in" [Senior carer]

Emotional impacts• Seen most in befriending relationships

• A number of powerful examples

• Sense of significance

"It is just so relaxing and so nice and they talk to others and a little group forms quite often and it is just brilliant"… "It has improved their lives so much" [Activities Coordinator]

"If I didn't have the volunteer my morale would be very low. I'd be shouting at everybody" [resident]

Mental impacts

• Emerging evidence from wider research that psycho-social stimulation can have positive impacts and reduce cognitive decline

•The stimulation is “keeping them sharper and a bit more interested in their environment for longer” [Manager]

Physical impacts

• Additional activities have positive impacts on physical activity

• Little evidence of major impacts (although some perceptions of increased eating and sleeping)

Other ways to categorise impact• Time and resources

• £58,064 in value so far

"the care is fantastic as far as I can see... my role is to do what they can't do because they haven't got the time - just sit and have a chat" [Volunteer]

• Distinctive contribution

"To some extent she has been like a family. If my wife had been able to get in she could have done a lot of this and my son if he hadn't been travelling so much" [Resident]

• Community engagement

• Less evidence of volunteers shaping services or impacting organisational culture

Relatives• Many residents don’t have relatives or visitors

• Where there are relatives it provides satisfaction and peace of mind

“If they can they meet the relatives. They are happy with it. They think it's a very good idea. They can't be here 24/7 so to know that someone comes in and brightens up the day of their relative" [Activities Coordinator]

Volunteers• We know the huge impact that this type of volunteering can have

Good practice

Next steps for evaluation

Two issues for the evaluation

• Social and emotional impacts vs mental and physical impacts

• Subjective vs objective measures of impact

Thank you!&

Questions?