Community Support

Community Support

Sight Concern runs a community support service where volunteers and professional support workers visit people in their own homes and communities to provide support and companionship.

If your failing sight causes you problems in your day to day life you can apply for a community support visitor. You do not need to be registered blind or partially sighted.

We can provide all sorts of help and support depending on what is required by each individual. Some of the ways which we have helped other people are:

• Helping to read and respond to letters, write greeting cards, sort out paying bills, organising bank statements etc.
• Accompanying someone on a walk or outing.
• Providing company, someone to chat with over a cup of tea.
• Going shopping for clothes or gifts.
• Reading a newspaper, book or favourite magazine
• Accompanying someone to leisure activities including running, gym visits, theatre trips etc.

Unfortunately we cannot provide help with regular food shopping, gardening, cleaning or personal care.

Most people find that a visit once a fortnight for an hour or so is ideal. It depends on the availability of volunteer or support worker but more time is sometimes an option.

The service is free but we do ask for contributions towards petrol if a car ride takes place during the visit.

All of our volunteers are asked to complete a certain amount of paperwork and training before being matched with a client. We take up to two references and complete a criminal record check. They then attend our induction training course to help them to understand sight problems and to be aware of the best ways to help. Volunteers are carefully matched with clients based on interests and hobbies to ensure that visits are enjoyable for everyone involved.

Once you have signed up for our Community Support service, we will keep in regular contact to ensure you are happy with the service you receive from us and to offer any other help or advice if needed.

You can refer yourself or anyone else to the service simply by contacting the office on 01905 723245 or email info@sightconcern.co.uk and asking for our Community Support coordinator.