Agenda and minutes

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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.

Resolved that the Minutes of the People Policy Development Committee held on 17 March 2021 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Amy Hawkins, Interim Head of Adult Services, supported by Anthony Richards, Poverty and Prevention Strategy Development Manager presented a “For Information” report to detail the progress in developing a Swansea Council Volunteering Strategy and present an update on the Regional Volunteering Project. 

Julia Manser, Swansea Council for Voluntary Services (SCVS), Manager of the Swansea Volunteer Centre was also present to provide assistance to the Committee in progressing the Volunteering Strategy.

The report outlined:

Ø    The background;

Ø    Mapping existing and potential volunteering opportunities hosted by Swansea Council;

Ø    Development of a Volunteering Strategy;

Ø    Regional Volunteering Project;

Ø    Next Steps.

The Committee discussed:

Ø    The safeguarding element of volunteering, particularly for the vulnerable, including DBS checks, the supervision of volunteers by managers, risk assessment of roles, induction and ongoing training for both volunteers and supervisors/managers;

Ø    Volunteering should be made as easy as possible and encouraged for those who wish to volunteer;

Ø    The number of volunteers should be captured so volunteers were supported and the principles of the strategy embedded in the Authority;

Ø    Performance monitoring and sharing good practice;

Ø    Volunteers week 1-7 June – encourage communication to attract new volunteers;

Ø    Support for volunteers to build effective mechanisms for future work progression / opportunities;

Ø    The role of Swansea Council in the wider regional volunteering provision.

The Chair thanked the officers for the informative report.

Resolved that the update be noted.

Gavin Evans, Principal Officer for Early Help, Partnership and Young People provided a verbal update on the Young Carers Strategy as follows:

·                    Since the last meeting the Partnership Group had reformed with new Terms of Reference as the “Young Carers Steering Group” with revised membership to include Councillor Ceri Evans, Chair of People PDC;

·                    The development of the Young Carers Strategy was still the main priority;

·                    The YMCA had secured funding to appoint a dedicated officer to support the Young Carers;

·                    A Young Carers Forum or Board would be created where their views on co-production of the Carers Strategy would be discussed.  Important that it was led by the young people and relevant barriers were removed;

·                    Timeline for completion of the strategy was likely to be September but agreed that it was important to get things right rather than to rush the process;

·                    Young people were more likely to suggest innovative thinking and various social media platforms for progression of the Strategy.

The Chair thanked the Principal Officer for Early Help, Partnership and Young People for the update.

Resolved that the update be noted.

The Chair outlined the Work Plan for 2020-2021.

In addition to continuing the ongoing work in relation to the Young Carers Strategy and Volunteering Strategy, the Chair had met with Officers to discuss the “Employability” item suggested by Councillor Alyson Pugh, Cabinet Member for Better Communities.  The Cam Nesa scheme which focussed on those not in Education, Employed or Training (NEET) would be coming to an end and would leave gaps around the vulnerability of certain individuals.  The officers had been invited to attend the next meeting in June with a view to the Committee commencing this topic of work from July 2021.

Resolved that the Work Plan be noted.