Case Study 8 - Chat Central, a Voluntary Action Coventry Project
Voluntary Action Coventry is a Marmot Partner and have embedded Marmot Principles in their programmes of work. Chat Central, a Voluntary Action Coventry project, targets work to strengthen communities by supporting social connections, increasing activity, and volunteering.
Voluntary Action Coventry has been making people a little stronger since 1957, supporting hundreds of people into community roles each year. They engage adults of all ages and physical abilities from all areas of Coventry.
Whether new to the city, a student from overseas, a migrant, bereaved, retired, a new parent, just out of the hospital, dealing with an illness or condition that limits their ability to get out, or just out of practice with socialising and getting more active and ‘out there.’
People may feel isolated, or a little bit stuck about taking the next step. The Lottery- funded Chat Central project encourages people to explore their interests and occupations and start doing the things they want to do. This might be:
- meeting new friends
- rediscovering interests or finding new ones
- building confidence through trying new things in groups and having fun
- increasing connections through social networks, advice seeking, and improving people’s feelings of isolation
- getting around Coventry
- group volunteering or community activity
- getting into healthy routines and light exercise
- working with what people can do, not what they can’t do
List of over 500 professional contacts (Social Prescribers, GPs, Mental Health service providers, other VCSE organisations) whom they email monthly to update on the project and invite them to refer clients.
They also have taken to using WhatsApp callout function this year which has been a real-time effective way to remind everyone they engage with (who use WhatsApp) about what’s coming up and maintain a presence with them.
They regularly distribute flyers around the city and take them along to networking/ outreach events. They now have a participant- turned-volunteer who helps with this distribution each month.
Successes
Of their target 130 per year, 106 people were regularly engaged, and 30 people were offered signposting/light touch support, helping them to feel connected in their community, decrease loneliness, and increase confidence.
- 58 people were referred/ signposted or joined community group
- two entered employment
- 26 are progressing to volunteering at Chat Central or other VCSE organisation
- six accessed employment support or training
- 33 mission possible volunteering (one-off task-based volunteering such as litter pick with Chat Central)
111 survey responses were collected from participants, and these surveys continue to provide evidence that at least 80% of participants report an increase in confidence or feeling less lonely after having engaged with Chat Central.
Service user’s feedback
Stand-out quotes from the last focus group session:
"Chat Central made me feel less lonely through sharing time with strangers who by the end of the session did not feel like strangers"
"Great meeting people who also share the same struggle to get out of the house"
"I realised I am not 'the only one' who feels isolated"
Visit the Chat Central webpage for more information.