West of Scotland community service for over 60s opens for referrals

A new service being delivered by Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS), in partnership with Glasgow and West of Scotland Housing Forum is open for referrals.

Community Connectors aims to people over 60 and their carers, with improved links to local services, facilities and activities, by providing them with tailored and informed help and support, when they need it, where they need it.

Working on a one-to-one basis, and taking a person-centred approach, the Community Connectors Teams, which are located across the city, will help older people and their carers to identify and address the barriers to living well and safely in their homes.

GCVS Chief Executive Helen Macneil said: “Community Connectors (CC) is an exciting approach, which will deliver real benefits for older people in Glasgow. Extensive research we’ve carried out with older people over the past two years identified the serious problems older people experience in getting good advice and information and on accessing support services in their local neighbourhood so these are key issues which the Community Connectors approach sets out to solve.

“Staff will work closely alongside our GCVS members and networks, in hundreds of voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises and charities across the city.”

As part of its first phase, Community Connector staff are based in Queen’s Cross, Shettleston and Southside Housing Associations and can take referrals for all older people, and their carers, in the neighbourhoods covered by each housing association; people don’t need to be housing association tenants to access the service.

The team can help people source information on local services, groups, clubs and activities, with an emphasis on providing as little or as much support as they require. The CC Buddying service further supports people to get to the places and people they need to get to, and offers volunteering opportunities for people who want to get involved and make a positive impact on the lives of older residents in Glasgow.

Helen Macneil continued: “I would like to publically thank our Housing Association partners at Queens Cross, Shettleston and Southside for volunteering to pilot this approach with us, and for committing their time and staff resources to get us to the point where we are now open for referrals. I’d also want to celebrate the wonderful work being done day and daily by the staff and volunteers in Glasgow’s voluntary sector whose energy and commitment will help make the CC model successful.”

The service is now open to refer yourself or to refer someone else (with their permission) or to find out more about what the service can offer please call Community Connector on 0141 271 2320, email [email protected], or visit http://www.gcvs.org.uk/our-projects/communityconnectors/ where you will also find full referral criteria and contact details.