The Department of Health's Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund has announced funding for the fourth round of local grant scheme projects 2013.
A total of 25 organisations will receive a maximum of 50,000 for 3 years. The HSCVF enables these organisations to increase their capacity in volunteering in the health, public health and / or social care sector.

Successful applicants to this highly competitive fund have proven their ability to deliver local health and social care projects alongside statutory agencies, and are addressing health inequalities and supporting social care delivery through volunteering.
 
Examples of project activities/target groups included in the new portfolio of grantees:

• the development of empowerment / voice of service users
• support such as transport and help settling back into the community after hospital discharge
• various services and support activities for people with deafness
• projects supporting people with learning difficulties and mental health issues e.g. reading for mental wellbeing and recovery
• targeting nutrition through teaching cooking from basic ingredients with unemployed, men and young people
• peer to peer projects -  focusing on young people with mental health needs and history of substance misuse and volunteer advocacy support and personal budget advice for people with muscular dystrophy
• Specialist support to disadvantage communities’ e.g. Bangladeshi women suffering from mental distress and /or domestic abuse and LGBT health screening using volunteers.

Click here to find out more about who we have funded.
 
Each successful organisation was selected for excellence in one of the following criteria:

• Increasing user voice to improve quality of care;
• Community based health and care interventions;
• Improving public health through prevention and risk reduction;
• Improving management of chronic and long term conditions;
• Building capable communities.

Director of the Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund Ashfa Slater said:

"Our fourth round of local funding has brought forward 25 new projects that are working on some of the most important and valuable health and social care activities at community level. My team is really looking forward to seeing the projects we have been able to fund in action."