WIGAN

1
WIGANS LEAP PROJECT Stepping Out Senior Peer
Mentor Project Implementation

• Carol Southern
• LEAP Co-ordinator, Wigan Leisure Culture Trust

2
Background

• One of four National Physical Activity Pilot
  sites
• Local Partnership Active Living Team, Wigan
  Councils Social Services Department and Age
  Concern Wigan Borough
• Wigan pilot linked to Sheltered Accommodation
• Strategic Fit National Service Framework for
  Older People, P.A.Strategy, Community Plan,
  Social services objectives
• Links to Steps to Health, Next Steps - Activity
  Programmes

3
Recruitment/Selection

• Age Concern Volunteers
• Contacts with existing Over 50s groups
• People who are active within our activity
  sessions
• Open informal meetings
• 11 with each potential volunteer

4
Training

• Approx 10 hours of training
• National SPM Training pack
• Local, accessible training
• Register as Age Concern Volunteer
• Job Description/Volunteer Policies
• Monitoring/Evaluation
• Certificates and T shirt

5
SPM Roles

• Sheltered Housing Activity Afternoons
• Over 50s events
• At the activity classes Welcoming newcomers,
  acting as a buddy,distribute class information,
  taking registers, putting out equipment etc
• Healthwalks - backmarkers
• LEAP Consultation

6
Support for SPMs

• Regular 6 weekly meetings
• Letters/minutes sent out
• Good attendance from professionals
• Regular telephone contact with SPMs
• Training needs regularly assessed
• Thank you events

7
SPMs in Wigan 2002-04

• 26 SPMs trained so far in the Wigan Borough
• 21 Volunteers currently working as SPMs
• 12 SPMs have trained up as Walking the Way to
  Health leaders
• 2 SPMs trained as Chair based exercise leaders
• 2 SPMs are training as Moving More Often tutors
• They have contributed over 148 hours of
  volunteering over the last month
• Very positive experience working with the SPM
  programme

8
Implementation Lessons Learnt

• Most successful recruitment is from the activity
  classes positive relationship with Exercise
  Instructor
• Importance of Job Description Dos and Don'ts
• On-going support and time commitment
• Control the mentors involvement in other
  volunteer activities
• Use existing volunteers to help recruit new
  volunteers
• Need to recruit more men!

9
Implementing LEAP

• What is the best feature of the project?
• What has proved most difficult?
• Where do we need further support and direction?