How volunteering can be a source of wellbeing for all

As the founder of HelpForce, a new organisation using the power of volunteering to improve health and wellbeing, it is exciting but not surprising to see evidence that hospital admissions fell when isolated people in Somerset were supported by volunteers (George Monbiot, Journal, 21 February). With the NHS under increasing strain, there is an urgent need for volunteers to play a greater role in UK healthcare. Volunteers can really help healthcare professionals and organisations meet the diverse care and support needs of patients, and are particularly important for supporting vulnerable patients who don』t have their own support networks.

Volunteering is good for the people being supported, health and social care services, charities, the volunteers themselves and the community. But while we benefit from over 78,000 people volunteering with acute NHS trusts, they are rarely integrated into NHS strategies or service delivery plans. This is a missed opportunity. We want to help double the number of volunteers in the NHS by 2021, and improve perceptions, investment and evidence for volunteering. If we can unlock the full potential of volunteers, we can ensure that more patients, volunteers, NHS staff and healthcare providers can benefit more quickly.
Thomas Hughes-Hallett
Founder and chair of HelpForce

• The experience of Frome shows up the failure of unwieldy, top-down state intervention. In reducing hospital admissions, Frome has been able to achieve what billions in tax money has not – and all by volunteer engagement. This sort of widespread community involvement in social welfare was promoted as a national policy a few years ago, only to be relentlessly mocked and belittled. Yet the happier and healthier people of Frome are the ultimate positive vindication of David Cameron and his 「big society」.
Robert Frazer
Salford

• As well as the innovations in healthcare, Frome has a flourishing storytelling scene, for it is the home of both a regular storytelling club at Mr Rook’s Speakeasy and a storytelling company of people with learning and communication difficulties, OpenStoryTellers. Here in Wales we have our own clinical nurse specialist for storytelling, Jess Wilson, whose groundbreaking work sharing stories with forensic psychiatric patients is inspiring many. I am waiting for someone to publish a study into the effects of hearing and retelling traditional tales on health and wellbeing. Frome might be a good place to start.
Fiona Collins
Corwen, Denbighshire

• Being read to and becoming familiar with books is critical to children’s language development and has a lasting impact (Only half of pre-school children being read to daily, UK study finds, 22 February). That is why Beanstalk has launched Story Starters, an early years programme to help ensure children start school ready to read, in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and The ESRC LuCiD Centre, University of Liverpool. Our trained volunteer Story Starters will support three children each in local nurseries twice a week to introduce them to the magic of books and help to develop their language and communication skills so they do not start school already behind. If readers can spare a couple of hours a week and would like to make a difference to pre-school children in their area, they can apply to become a Story Starter at www.storystarters.org.uk
Ginny Lunn
CEO, Beanstalk

• Joyce Blackledge (Letters, 20 February) says that national service for pensioners already exists in the voluntary sector. We are also starring in 「the nation’s unpaid childcare」, in a high street near you now.
Diane Smethurst
Chester

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters

Topics

Volunteering

Mental health

Health

Voluntary sector

NHS

Literacy

letters

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本文來源：https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/23/how-volunteering-can-be-a-source-of-wellbeing-for-all