The study forms part of Welsh Government’s commitment under the Health and Care Workforce Strategy to understand the contribution of volunteers and unpaid carers to the workforce, and to explore development of a model to support volunteering within social care. It is being carried out by Social Care Wales in partnership with the University of South Wales Commercial Services, the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care and the Bayes Centre for Charity Effectiveness.

The study will look at:

• The extent and nature of the existing evidence base on volunteering in social care across the UK, and what can be learned in Wales
• How volunteering is understood, resourced, organised, managed and experienced in residential social care settings
• Demographics of those who volunteer in residential social care settings
• The key challenges and opportunities facing volunteering in social care in Wales

The Study Steering Group, chaired by Social Care Wales, has already met, and will meet three more times during the lifespan of the study. It will hear from a cross-section of ‘key informants’, in particular those who work within social care, to ensure buy-in from senior leaders in the sector and those close to the front line of service delivery. These key informants will have perspectives central to the aims of the study and help refine the content and wording of a survey.

The Study Steering Group comprises representatives from key social care and volunteering organisations.

The three upcoming meetings will focus on:

• A review of findings from a literature review
• Planning for case studies
• Reviewing case study findings
• Planning a survey
• Reviewing survey findings
• Planning a final report
• Recommendations
• Dissemination

This work is intended to be completed by the end of the year.

For more information on health and care, head over to WCVA’s Health and Care Project page.