Working alongside the voluntary and community sector in North Tyneside is one of the council’s priorities and we are immensely proud of the local services we jointly deliver.
Not all services funded by Adult Social Care are directly provided by the council, some are delivered by the voluntary and community sector to make sure they are personalised and meeting people’s needs.
This thriving sector in North Tyneside consists of more than 550 groups, clubs, charities and other organisations, employing 2,165 people and playing a significant role in delivering services in North Tyneside.
One of the services provided by North Tyneside VODA is the Good Neighbours Project. The project recruits, trains and supports volunteers to carry out a variety of practical tasks commonly associated with those carried out by a ‘good neighbour’, such as simple home repairs, dog walking and shopping. Last year, the Good Neighbours project supported over 500 local people.
Min has been coming to the Good Neighbour Shopping Scheme since her warden noticed how much trouble she was having with her shopping. Min said: “A volunteer picks me up on Tuesday mornings and takes me to the supermarket. They take me around the store, reaching the shelves I can’t reach, getting all the heavy items and packing my bags.
“It’s such a help. But the bit I enjoy most is that we meet up with all the other Good Neighbours volunteers and shoppers for a cup of tea and a chat at the end. Everyone is really friendly and we have a good laugh. I’d hardly see anyone if it wasn’t for this! I think it’s amazing that the volunteers give up their time to help people like me.”
To find out more about this service, please telephone (0191) 643 2626, email admin@voda.org.uk or visit www.voda.org.uk
