CITY OF STIRLING

MINUTES
/ LOCATION / NAME PAGE


COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING
10 JUNE 1997

ITEM SUBJECT: / LOCATION / NAME PAGE

COMMUNITY SERVICES

LEISURE SERVICES

* - Indicates Separate Attachments submitted with Agenda.

# - Item requiring special Council attention .

MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE HELD IN THE TRAINING ROOM, CIVIC PLACE, STIRLING ON TUESDAY 10 JUNE 1997, AT 3.04PM

Present:

Chairman

J Copley JP

 

Mayor

D C Vallelonga JP (from 3.10pm)

 

Councillors

V A Cooke, E S Martin (from 3.20 pm), A A Spagnolo JP (from 3.18pm),
W M Stewart

 

Observers

J M Camilleri OAM JP (Deputy for Councillor Spagnolo), T W Clarey,
B R Ham, R M Willox(Deputy for Councillor Vallelonga)

 

Staff

Chief Executive Officer - M J Wadsworth, Acting Executive Manager Community Development - S Johnson, Manager Community Services - P Olver, Manager Leisure Services - F Strutt, Acting Administration Officer - S Abbott

 

Public

5

 

Press

Nil

APOLOGIES

Councillor Daniel.

DECLARATION OF FINANCIAL INTEREST


Nil.

MINUTES

Moved Councillor Willox, seconded Councillor Stewart

THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL

That the Minutes of the Meeting of 13 May 1997 to be confirmed, and signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record of proceedings.

The motion was put and declared CARRIED.

ITEMS IN COMMITTEE

Nil.

COMMUNITY SERVICES CONTACT-S VOLUNTEER SERVICES

ITEM: CS1 FILE: 8.6.10

SUBJECT: CONTACT-S VOLUNTEER SERVICES

REPORT Acting Executive Manager Community Development - 30 May 1997

Moved Councillor Willox, seconded Councillor Cooke that

THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL

1. That the report of the Acting Executive Manager Community Development on the current assistance given by volunteers to the City of Stirling Contact-S section be received.

2. To allow Contact-S volunteers to be entitled to more than one Civic function appropriate to their volunteer work, if declared eligible by Contact-S management, and that this be amended in the City of Stirling Policy Manual accordingly.

The motion was put and declared CARRIED.

RECOMMENDATION TO COMMITTEE

That the report of the Acting Executive Manager Community Development on the current assistance given by volunteers to the City of Stirling Contact-S section be received.

REPORT PURPOSE

To advise Council on the volume of assistance given to the Contact-S Volunteer Service and to discuss ways in which volunteers may be recognised more fully.

BACKGROUND

Historical Perspective

Volunteer Services have been operating in the City of Stirling for approximately 25 years giving valuable support for Council services.

The Meals on Wheels Service commenced 25 years ago with 8 years later the Books on Wheels service being introduced for housebound readers. In 1980 the growing need for Volunteer Services saw the introduction of the Contact-S service to meet needs through a Community Information Volunteer, Support and Referral Service and to liaise with community groups operating in the City.

The Volunteer Services were well established before the commencement of the Home and Community Care Programme (HACC) which has sought to further develop the scope of volunteer services. The HACC programme commenced in 1986.

ITEM: CS1(Continued)

The services aim to support the frail aged and younger people with disabilities to remain living within a community context. The range of services provided is:

· Transport to hospital and medical appointments.
· Shopping assistance.
· Social outings/activities for the socially isolated.
· Books on Wheels.
· Meals on Wheels.
· Transport to activity groups/Autumn Centres.
· Transport to City of Stirling libraries.

Contact-S Statistics 1995/96

 

1995/96

Total Number of Clients

588

Total Number of Occasions of Service

8,890

Total Number of Registered Volunteers

521

Breakdown On Services Provided

 

1995/96

Transport to Medical and Therapy Appointments

2,600

Bus Transport to Library

414

Bus Transport to Activity Groups, Autumn Centres

2,670

Bus Transport to Shopping

1,837

Shopping One to One

1,050

Bus Transport Wednesday Wanderers (outings)

319

Current Situation

The Contact-S Volunteer Services is one of the services provided by the Community Services Department.

The City of Stirling demographics show a population of 30,000 people over the age of 60 of which there is a high proportion of frail aged and younger people with a disability requiring services to assist them to live within a community setting.

Community attitudes and HACC initiatives have re-modelled the national approach to support and care for this group. With the inception of HACC in 1986 the perspective was clearly set to support this group of people within the community and to prevent premature institutionalisation. The funding framework has supported this major shift during the last decade.

The HACC programme has been instrumental in the Community Services Department further developing services and introducing innovative models of service delivery within a cost effective framework. Service delivery meets the requirements of the HACC National Service Standards which address:

1. Equity of Access to Services.
2. Information and Consultation.
3. Efficient and effective management.
4. Co-ordinated, planned and reliable service delivery.
5. Privacy, confidentiality and Access to Personal Information.
6. Complaints and Disputes.
7. Advocacy.

ITEM: CS1(Continued)

The volunteer service performs within this framework to ensure a high standard of service.

There is an ongoing demand for volunteer services and the co-ordinators have continued to work towards raising the volunteer service profile in the community with the intent to recruit new volunteers and to inform the community of available services.

The recruitment procedure has been difficult at times due to the reduced availability of people seeking volunteer work. This is a national trend and may be attributed to workplace attitudinal changes which have seen a huge increase in women seeking paid work opportunities rather than voluntary work and the general economic climate.

The service is dependent on the number, reliability and flexibility of the volunteers and we believe that maintaining ongoing support to volunteers ensures this outcome.

Recruitment Methods

1. Advertising - newspapers.
2. Newspaper articles.
3. Community talks including service groups.
4. Accessing the Volunteer Centre - Perth.
5. Displays in public areas, eg. City of Stirling Libraries, Autumn Centres.
6. Commonwealth Employment Service.

Recognition of Volunteers

People who volunteer their time consider recognition to be unnecessary. However Council does acknowledge the time and contribution made to humanity by one Civic Reception per volunteer per year.

The Community Services Department intends to further raise the profile of volunteers by:

1. Increased media releases in local newspapers.
2. Introducing merit awards acknowledging years of service.

Further Suggestions for Volunteer Recognition

The following recommendation from the Policy, Corporate Planning, Budget and Finance Committee was adopted by the Council on 1 June 1993, Item 9.2/A12.

"That the Policy Manual be amended to include reference to `Civic Acknowledgment Functions' and read as follows:

"In recognition of the services of volunteers assisting the City of Stirling, annual functions will be held (subject to Policy A002101 : Civic and Ceremonial Functions - Delegation of Authority) at which each volunteer will be invited once with a partner.

The City shall maintain a register which will require annual re-registration from the various service clubs and groups of volunteers assisting the City whose members are not individually registered."

Many volunteers give their time to a number of services, eg. they may deliver Meals on Wheels, assist others with shopping and be involved in transporting clients to medical and hospital appointments.

It is due to the interest and commitment of volunteers that these much needed services are available to residents in City of Stirling.

In terms of Council acknowledging the large contribution made by volunteers, it is requested that Council reconsider the above resolution and make provision for those volunteers involved in a range of services to be entitled to Civic Functions appropriate for their volunteer work. This will involve some volunteers attending more than one civic function per year.