Community Services

Home From Hospital Scheme
Our Home From Hospital Scheme, is a new project, commencing October 07 with funding from North Yorkshire County Council, and aims to help older people remain independent in their own homes.

If someone is over 60, being discharged from hospital and feels they might need some help when they get home, our volunteers can visit for up to 6 weeks to assist with shopping, making a light snack, social visits, collecting prescriptions, etc. Personal care and cleaning cannot be offered, however.

Volunteers are being recruited now - training will be offered and out of pocket expenses reimbursed. All volunteers will be required to provide references and be subject to CRB checks.

Good Neighbour Scheme
The Good Neighbour Scheme, run by the Volunteer Centre, is aimed at assisting older, disabled and disadvantaged people living on their own by offering befriending and relieving isolation. All volunteers on this scheme are CRB checked by the Volunteer Centre and can claim out-of-pocket expenses.

DRAG Scheme (Decoration, Repair and Gardening)
The DRAG Scheme, run by the Volunteer Centre, also assists older, disabled and disadvantaged people with simple one-off gardening, decorating and gardening tasks. Volunteers are CRB checked and receive out of pocket expenses.

The Home Library and Information Service
The Home Library and Information Service, run in partnership between Skipton Library and the Volunteer Centre, uses volunteers to deliver library books, tapes etc. to housebound people. There are schemes in Skipton, Crosshills, Bentham and Ingleton and Grassington. Volunteers are CRB checked and receive out of pocket expenses.

Young People and Volunteering
The Volunteer Centre works with local secondary schools and individual young people to encourage them into voluntary work. This can also support young people who are undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award etc. by providing options on voluntary work in the community. The Volunteer Centre has run a successful volunteering scheme with Ermysted’s Grammar School sixth formers since 2000.

Employee and Group Volunteering
The Volunteer Centre regularly works with businesses such as Skipton Building Society, Homeloan Management Limited and Johnson and Johnson to provide their staff with volunteering opportunities in the local community, either as a group or for individual staff members.

Church groups, schools etc. also contact the Volunteer Centre for suggestions of group volunteering opportunities which we can help to organize. New ideas for group projects from the local community are always welcomed.