The Reaching Out grants supported independent voluntary organisations based in hospitals to diversify their volunteering base. £74,500 was made available for the nine groups who participated.
The programme supported groups wishing to increase the number of Black and Minority Ethnic, younger and disabled volunteers as well as volunteers without formal qualifications. The projects had to be of benefit to the health and well-being of project users, volunteer sand the local community.
Projects funded by the Reaching Out grant:

Midnight Sights Hospital.
The Association for the Blind employed a Volunteer Coordinator to recruit and train new volunteers from under-represented groups in the local community, to provide information and support for people attending hospital eye clinics in North West London.

Home From Hospital
Volunteers from BME communities, without formal qualifications and younger volunteers were encouraged to get involved with the five Home From Hospital schemes run by the British Red Cross. The scheme provides practical and emotional support for vulnerable people being discharged from hospital.

Count Me In.
This project in St Mary’s Hospital Sidcup provided younger volunteers with the opportunity to gain experience of befriending patients, fundraising, hospital shops and hospital radio stations. This project aims to encourage other hospitals to see the benefit of involving younger volunteers.

Diabetes Awareness
Diabetes UK (Hounslow Voluntary Group) have an information desk at West Middlesex Hospital and maintain a website providing information and support for people with diabetes.

Patient Buddy Scheme
A buddy support scheme was set up to befriend patients who are elderly or have learning difficulties at Epsom and St Helier Hospital. Volunteers were recruited to become befrienders.

Volunteer Coordinator
A Volunteer Coordinator was employed to oversee one-to-one tutoring, out of hours groups and activities, fitness gym and football team coaching at St Clements Hospital. Each of these activities allowed service users become active volunteers alongside volunteers from the wider community.

Volunteer Programme
A formal volunteering structure was introduced to the Ronald MacDonald House Charities to better support volunteers’ work. The structure enables equal inclusion of volunteers from all sections of the local community and a proper induction programme to be introduced.

Training for Volunteers
Training was developed for volunteers that covered: equality and diversity, mental health awareness and managing challenging behaviour in the hospital. This training helps the volunteer sin their roles of assisting elderly patients and people suffering from neurological conditions.

Shop Volunteers Service
This project increased the number of volunteer sat the WRVS Maudsley Hospital Shop. The funding offered people the opportunity to gain experience in retail work and working with people with mental health issues. They were also able to add a Ward Trolley that not only allows patients access to goods but also a friendly face.

All the projects succeeded in their goals. A total of 377 volunteers were recruited through the Reaching Out programme, with a higher than average number of male, Black and Ethnic groups and younger people getting involved in hospital volunteering. Many groups found that the projects allowed them greater communication with their hospitals and trusts. All the groups enjoyed their projects and will all seek additional funding to continue the programmes.

Photo by Attend Creative Volunteer Photographer, Sarah Matthews. www.sarahamatthews.co.uk