VASS’ Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) worked to enrich the lives of senior ASB individuals who are at risk of social isolation. The program promoted the social and emotional wellbeing of the recipients of Australian Government subsidised Home Care Packages (from any provider) through matching the older person with a volunteer.
The benefits of the Community Visitors Scheme for the clients were:
- Increased social and emotional wellbeing
- Decreased feeling of social isolation
- Connectedness to the ASB community
- Formation of a long-term friendship
- Occasional outings such as visits to a park as part of the volunteer-client relationship
The volunteers involved have had a sound knowledge of the cultural importance and values. The volunteers were matched to the client based on preferences to provide a comfortable, fun, and familiar experience.
Some of the visitations the volunteers undertook included:
- A one on one visit by a volunteer to a client in accordance to the Home Care Package (HPC)
- Possible transportation of client for a local outing i.e. a trip to the local shops
The Victorian Arabic Social Services CVS volunteer program and visits were available to clients who were receiving a Home Care Package (HCP) who had been assigned by their aged care provider as an person experiencing or being at risk of, social isolation. This could have been due to social or cultural reasons or reasons relating to a disability where the client required companionship.V