Quick Summary: A project that aims to help produce highly-trained and motivated volunteers who can walk the journey with those who may be newly diagnosed with long-term conditions, in order to celebrate the innate talents and skills within both parties, for the benefit of each other, as well as the wider community.

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Ill health drains us of vital energy. Sometimes it also robs us of our self-esteem, our sense of self-worth, thereby robbing us of the innate desire to lead a meaningful life. This seems all the more true when we are labelled with a “long-term condition”. It is a time when we need someone to remind us of just how good we are, irrespective of the label!

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MegaReach is hugely honoured to collaborate with Timebank Southwest, the NHS New Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, the Plymouth City Council and a host of medical practices including the Beacon Medical Group and the Mannamead Surgery in launching the Long Term Conditions Timebank project. Together we aim to produce highly trained and motivated volunteers to walk the journey with those who may be newly diagnosed with long term conditions. In addition to helping with specific needs through a support network, these partnerships will specifically aim to celebrate the innate talents and skills within both parties, for the benefit of each other, as well as the wider community. We hope this will enable us to learn from each other and make our lives so much more meaningful, regardless of what label may come to be attached to our condition.

 

We are currently preparing for the imminent launch of the pilot phase of the programme, by training our volunteers on the range of skills and attributes required for the role. This multi-stage training is provided by recognised experts in the field, from all disciplines involved in the provision of health and social care, as well as experts in leadership and management. Our volunteers too come from all sectors of the wider community, including some wonderful students of Plymouth University. As may be evident from the attached photographs of one such training event completed in November 2016 at the Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry (PU PSMD), we are developing a highly enthusiastic group of wonderful people!

 

If you would like to know more about the scheme in general, or volunteering opportunities in particular, please contact us through megareach.org@gmail.com. We believe in friendly, inclusive communities that celebrate the individuality of all their members. This is one great way of making that happen.