Dearne Area Council: Social Inclusion

The Dearne Area Council wishes to commission a provider to deliver a social inclusion project in the Dearne Area of Barnsley. Barnsley's approach to "social inclusion" will be to further develop the existing service over a three-year period, to develop, deliver and sustain a project that meets the needs of Dearne's' aging population. The key to the sustainability of this project is that the provider recruits' volunteers from the local area, with a focus on recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers of all ages to undertake the role of a befriender and social club assistants. The incoming provider will also work with existing organisations and groups to recruit the beneficiaries of the services. Under this contract the successful provider will be required to actively contribute to the achievement of specific social value objectives. • Increase volunteering in the Dearne Area by recruiting and training volunteers to work on this project • Develop and facilitate groups that come about from the interests of those attending and the wider public • Reduce loneliness and isolation for the residents of the Dearne Area • Work with all the partners supporting this age group (Age UK, BMBC Health & Social Care, Clinical Commissioning Group and Public Health. • Work with the Dearne Area Council and its partners to look at learning points and gaps that can be met through a partnership approach • Make links with and attend the Dearne Area Council meetings when requested • Work with Barnsley Council and the NHS (the two largest local employers) to explore whether those retiring in the next 12 months could be encouraged to support this project through its inclusion in pre-retirement programmes • Include younger volunteers, particularly to support the tech parts of the project • Local spend