Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

None.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the People Policy Development Committee held on 22 September 2021 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Deferred.

Item deferred to the next meeting due to illness.

Update noted.

The Chair explained that a Workshop had taken place prior to today’s Committee.

In the absence of the Interim Head of Adult Social Services, Julia Manser, Swansea Council for Voluntary Services provided a verbal update as follows:

·                    Amy Hawkins had introduced the workshop and James Mullin, Tackling Poverty Development Officer had provided information relating to best practice;

·                    Volunteering Strategies had successfully been established in other Local Authorities including Monmouthshire;

·                    Many officers across the Authority were responsible for managing volunteers such as those in Education, Culture, St. John’s Day Centre, Libraries, etc;

·                    A database would bring all the information together in one place;

·                    The Strategy would provide consistent guidance that had, to date, been provided on an ad-hoc basis;

·                    A working group would be set up to inform the Strategy.

Additional comments from the Committee included:

·                    The process should be managed carefully;

·                    Ensure there was “value” for both the volunteers as well as the Authority;

·                    Acknowledgement that there was a wide spectrum of formal and informal volunteers as well as those who volunteered on a long term basis;

·                    Volunteers could utilise training records to obtain future employment;

·                    Safeguarding issue and important for those who volunteer with the vulnerable / children;

·                    Community / Town Council / Resident Association involvement?

The Chair thanked Julia Manser for the update and requested that if any Councillor were interested in attending the Working Group they notify either Julia Manser or James Mullin.

Update noted.

The Chair provided an update on behalf of Gavin Evans, Principal Officer for Early Help, Partnership and Young People:

A further meeting of the Young Carers Forum had taken place to discuss how they could assist with the Young Carers Strategy.

As a result, they had applied for funding which they would utilise for a residential weekend prior to Christmas.  They would then consult with other Young Carers and potentially utilise Young Carers Day towards the end of January 2022 as the launch day.

The Chair would liaise with the Principal Officer for Early Help, Partnership and Young People regarding a member of the Committee also attending Young Carers Day.

Noted subject to the addition of the following items:

24 November 2021

·         Swansea Council Volunteering Strategy (Update);

·         Young Carers Strategy (Update).

The Chair presented the Work Plan 2021-2022.

Resolved that the Work Plan be noted subject to the addition of the following items:

24 November 2021

·                    Children & Young People’s Rights Scheme;

·                    Swansea Council Volunteering Strategy (Update);

·                    Young Carers Strategy (Update).