Issue - meetings

The Chairman will provide information about: 

·       Cost of Living Update

·       Wiltshire Libraries – Online Support

·       Independent Visitor Scheme promotion for volunteers

·       Family Help Hubs

The Chairman drew attention to the following information included in the agenda pack:

•         Cost of Living Update

With inflation and energy costs still high, Wiltshire Council continues to provide support to people through the cost-of-living crisis. Wiltshire Council has a range of advice and support at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

•         Wiltshire Libraries

Wiltshire Libraries are helping residents to have the skills and internet access they need to get and stay online during the cost of living crisis. Further support includes helping with learning computer skills and the National Databank providing free SIM cards to those who are struggling.

Further information about getting online at the library can be found at

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/libraries-accessing-computers. Information about the National Databank appears on the cost of living support and advice pages at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-ofliving. An online referral form will soon be added.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

•         Independent Visitor Scheme

The Independent Visitor Scheme needs more volunteers! Independent Visitors are adult volunteers who are matched with young people in care to visit, advise and befriend them. We currently have nearly 70 approved and matched Independent Visitors but with over 400 young people in care in Wiltshire, we need more to provide this vital and life changing service.

Volunteers are asked to give a long-term commitment to visit a young person every 3-4 weeks, for a couple of hours, to have fun, try new things and build a strong and lasting relationship.

Training and ongoing support is provided, with all expenses covered. If anyone is interested, please could they get in contact with IVScheme@Wiltshire.gov.uk for more information on how to apply.

•         Family Help Hubs

Family hubs are part of the Government manifesto promise to support children and young people up to the age of 19, or 25 if they have SEND. In Wiltshire we will refer to them as part of our Family Help offer. This is to remove the implication of the support being purely building based.

We have a vision that all children, young people and families will be enabled and empowered to live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives by having easy and timely access to a locally integrated network of hubs, supported by an online offer. This will bring preventative and early help support and information services together from all sectors to ensure a county wide delivery that is seamless, relationship based, and trauma informed, empowering families to be resilient and live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives.

The full report can be found in the Agenda Pack.

The Chairman will provide information about: 

a.    Cost of Living Support

b.    Independent Visitor Scheme

c.     Wiltshire Libraries – online support

The Chairman drew attention to the following information included in the agenda pack:

·       Cost of Living Support pg.11 - 12

·       Independent Visitor Scheme pg.13

·       Wiltshire Libraries – online support pg.15