CARE Local Strategic Plan 2006 - 2008

• This document in PDF format: Strategic Plan 2006-2008 (.pdf 1.04mb)

FOREWORD

For over 30 years, CARE Local has been working to improve the quality of life of older people living alone in Dublin. Countless older people have benefited from the quiet generosity of the CARE Local volunteers who have befriended and assisted them in whatever way possible over the years. But our volunteers would be the first to acknowledge that they have gained as much as they have given in the many long-standing friendships that have been forged across the generations.

With the population of people over 65 set to double in the next 25 years, it is incumbent upon us all to respond imaginatively to the challenge that this stark forecast represents. In particular, it is essential to develop community-based supports to allow people to remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible, continuing to participate in the life of their communities. We in CARE Local welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with Government, and with statutory and voluntary agencies, to continue to address the emerging diverse needs of our older population.

Over the years, many people have selflessly given of their time and energy to our mission to alleviate loneliness and hardship experienced by older people. Special thanks are due to Eileen Coen and her late husband, Martin, founder members of CARE Local. Special thanks are also due to the volunteers who have contributed their time and expertise as members of the Management Committee and Board of Directors over the years.

We wish to acknowledge the generosity of our funders, including the Health Service Executive, the Ireland Funds, the St. Stephen's Green Trust, the Bank of Ireland, the National Lottery and the Dormant Accounts Funds. We are very grateful for the many corporate and private donations received, and of course for the trojan work of our indefatigable Christmas Carol Singers.

This Strategic Plan provides the platform for the consolidation and expansion of CARE Local's work to date. We look forward with enthusiasm to further developing our services to older people, drawing on the enormous goodwill towards and respect for older people that, we are happy to report, still exists in our community.

We know, from personal experience, the rewards to be gained from time spent with an older and wiser generation. We welcome all who wish to join with us to ensure that older people are remembered, visited and valued, and to ensure that the people who worked so hard over their long lives to build the economic foundations for our present prosperity do not end their days isolated, lonely and forgotten.

MALCOLM FRASER
Chairperson

CONTENTS

• 1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
  • 1.1 CARE Local
  • 1.2 Older People in Dublin City
  • 1.3 Policy context
• 2. STATEMENTS OF INTENT
• 3. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
• 4. DETAILS OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
  • 4.1 Strategic Priority Number 1 Comprehensive Befriending and Advocacy Service
  • 4.2 Strategic Priority Number 2 Recruit, Train and Support a Team of Volunteers
  • 4.3 Strategic Priority Number 3 Contribute to the Development of Policies, Programmes and Initiatives
  • 4.4 Strategic Priority Number 4 Resources, Supports, Systems and Procedures to Enhance the Work of CARE Local

1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

1.1 CARE Local

CARE Local was originally set up in 1975 as an organisation called Care for Dublin's Old Folk Living Alone - it changed its name to CARE Local in the late 1990s. The organisation was formed as a direct response to the clear and unmet needs of older people who were living alone in Dublin City. Many of these older people were lonely, many were frail and in ill-health, many did not have enough money to live on or to buy basic necessities such as fuel or food. During the course of its 30 years existence CARE Local has assisted hundreds of older people through befriending, through carrying out practical tasks on behalf of the older persons (e.g. arranging medical appointments, doing shopping and other chores), through delivering food hampers, and through providing financial assistance to older people who could not afford to pay for essential items.

CARE Local has relied significantly on volunteers to provide the befriending and support services to older people and to raise funds for the organisation (through events like the annual carol singing activities). Inspired by the founding members of CARE Local (especially Eileen Coen and the late Martin Coen) over 250 volunteers have actively and directly provided supports and services to over 1,500 older people in Dublin City in the period from 1975 to 2005. The feedback received from older people who linked into the services of CARE Local would suggest that the friendship and practical assistance provided by volunteers (generally on a weekly basis over a number of years) was hugely appreciated and recognised by older people living alone.

Since its formation in 1975, CARE Local has developed a range of important relationships with relevant statutory agencies and voluntary organisations which provide services to older people in Dublin City. CARE Local works closely with organisations like the Health Service Executive (and previously with Health Boards), Dublin City Council, Friends of the Elderly, St. Vincent de Paul and local voluntary groups throughout the city in helping to identify appropriate clients for CARE Local and in trying to ensure that a co-ordinated range of supports are being put in place for these older people. In its referral policies, its recruitment policies, its training and induction and its system of matching volunteers to older people CARE Local applies the highest possible standards with the safety and security of each older person being of paramount importance.

Whilst acknowledging the impressive achievements and the very positive outcomes of the last 30 years, CARE Local feels that an opportunity now exists to build on its previous work and to provide an even more significant response to the needs of older people living alone in Dublin City. CARE Local has a whole range of professional and well-developed systems and procedures; it has established contacts and relationships with all of the main relevant service John Lonergan , Governor of Mountjoy Prison & Honorary President of CARE Local CARE Local Strategic Plan 2006 - 2008 - 5 - providers in Dublin City; and it has identified a clear need for the further extension of its services (with the population of older people projected to double in the next 25 years and the proportion of older people living alone due to rise very significantly within a similar timeframe).

This Strategic Plan for the period from 2006 to 2008 sets out an ambitious series of targets and goals for CARE Local over the next three years. It is clearly rooted in the previous achievements of CARE Local and is based upon a belief amongst the management and staff of CARE Local that the organisation has the potential and the professionalism to significantly enhance the lives of many thousands of older people in Dublin City. This will be achieved through a continuation and a significant expansion of the basic developmental model which matches volunteer visitors with older people living alone and through which the volunteers provide befriending and advocacy services and practical support to the older people to whom they are matched. The ways in which the current services will be expanded and enhanced are detailed in later sections of the 2006 - 2008 Strategic Plan.

1.2. Older People in Dublin City

It is projected that the population of the Republic of Ireland will increase from approximately 4,028,000 in 2004 to 4,922,000 in 2025 and 5,478,000 in 2050 (European Commission Green Paper on Population Change, 2005). It is also anticipated that the proportion of people aged 65 and over will increase from 11.1% in 2004 to 16.5% in 2025 and 26.2% in 2050. This compares to comparative figures for the entire European Union of 16.4% of the population aged 65 and over in 2004, 22.8% within this age category in 2025 and 29.9% in 2050 (European Commission Green Paper on Population Change). Further projections by the Department of Health and Childcare anticipate that by 2031 the number of older people in the Republic of Ireland will almost have doubled to between 837,000 and 858,000 people, figures which will represent between 18% and 21% of the overall population of the country.

In relation to Dublin City, the population of this administrative area in 2002 was 495,781 people, of whom 63,507 (12.8%) were aged 65 and over. This figure was comprised of 38,530 women and 24,977 men - these figures represent 60.7% and 39.3% respectively of the overall number of older people in Dublin City. These Census outcomes would demonstrate that the percentage of older people in Dublin City is significantly higher than the national average (i.e. 12.8% in Dublin v. 11.1% nationally) and that there are substantially more older women than older men living in Dublin City. On the basis of population projections it is anticipated that the number of older people in Dublin City will have increased to about 125,000 people by 2031.

In addition to these demographic figures, CARE Local also feels that there are a number of other observations and comments to make about the care and welfare of older people in Dublin. These include the following:

• There has been a significant shift in the needs of older people being befriended by CARE Local in the period between 1975 and 2005. When it was founded in 1975, financial hardship and poverty were the most significant issues being confronted by volunteers. In 2005 the most common concerns and problems related to loneliness, social isolation and lack of companionship. This notable shift in the circumstances and needs of older people living in Dublin has been reflected in the ever-evolving priorities and focuses of CARE Local.
• The need for befriending and companionship services will be particularly acute in the Greater Dublin area where there has been a significant fragmentation of family networks and social networks. In relation to family ties the children and grandchildren of older people are being forced to live further and further away from Dublin in order to access affordable housing (and this reduces the opportunities for regular contact and communication between the older people and their family)
• In relation to the fragmentation of social networks, the strong community ties which existed in places like Stoneybatter, Ringsend and Inchicore have begun to dissipate and disappear in a rapid and dramatic manner over the last 10 years as significant developments have taken place in the patterns of home ownership (with the family home increasingly being put on the open market following the death of an older person rather than being retained within the family)
• Older people living in Dublin are likely to become more vulnerable and more isolated over the next number of years as the very rapid pace of change in contemporary Ireland continues apace; as the incidences of family break-up, separation and divorce increase; as the sons and daughters of older people are busier with their own families, their work, their community (and having less time to visit older relatives)

These outcomes form CARE Local's analysis of the current and future needs of older people in Dublin, combined with the demographic projections of a far larger population of older people, would suggest that there is a clear and unequivocal need for the types of befriending, support and advocacy services to be provided by CARE Local over the next number of years.

1.3. POLICY CONTEXT

The work and activities of CARE Local, from a public policy and planning viewpoint, can be viewed from two different yet inter-related perspectives. The first perspective relates to services for older people and the desirability of facilitating older people to remain in their own homes and in an independent way of living for as long as possible. The second perspective concerns the development of opportunities for volunteerism and the provision of training and support to people interested in volunteering their time and skills to befriending and helping older people within society. CARE Local feels that it has an important and significant role to play both in relation to care for older people and to the promotion of volunteerism within Dublin City.

• Care for older people. The work and activities of CARE Local corresponds closely to the emerging Government priority of facilitating and supporting older people to live independently within their own homes. For many older people living alone, it is often not possible to achieve this type of policy objective without the assistance of organisations like CARE Local - it is the CARE Local volunteers and workers who provide the support, companionship and practical assistance (with household chores, with shopping, with other tasks) which enable older people to remain living within their own homes.

This need for CARE Local volunteers will rise significantly as the number of older people living alone increases substantially and as the children of older people are more likely to be living further and further away from Dublin City (and therefore in less frequent contact with their parents and older relatives). CARE Local is of the opinion that its primary focuses and activities both mirror and complement the sentiments and priorities contained within various policy documents and speeches e.g.

'For many older people, inappropriate or unnecessary admission to acute or long-stay residential care could have been avoided or delayed by greater development of community services and use of preventive and proactive approaches'
- National Economic and Social Forum, Care for Older People, 2005. '

'Policy objectives for the provision of services to the elderly include (i) to maintain older people in dignity and independence at home in accordance with the wishes of older people as expressed in many research reports; and (ii) to encourage and support the care of older people in their own community by friends, neighbours and voluntary bodies in every possible way'
- Eastern Health Board, Ten Year Plan for Older People 1999 - 2008.

'Individuals and agencies with any responsibility for developing and implementing social policy in relation to older people should promote interventions aimed at helping older people to cope with living alone, including support for older people to stay at home. The older person's immediate family network may take responsibility for this. However, where the immediate family network is absent or limited, responsibility rests with voluntary and statutory bodies'
National Council on Ageing and Older People, Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Irish People, 2005.

There is an increasing focus on older people from a whole range of Government Departments, statutory agencies, social partner organisations and philanthropic foundations and trust funds. There is a recognition that putting in place appropriate supports and services for Ireland's older population is going to become one of the most significant challenges for the country over the next 20 years. CARE Local feels that it has the structures, the developmental model (focused around volunteer visitors) and the potential to make a significant contribution to this important national challenge.

• Volunteerism. Volunteerism is at the heart of the work of CARE Local. The key sets of relationships within CARE Local involve volunteer visitors being linked on a one-to-one basis with older persons - this forms the foundations of friendships which build and strengthen over time. CARE Local has found that this friendship and companionship can dramatically increase the quality of life for an older person experiencing loneliness and social isolation as well as being a very rewarding experience for volunteers.

On the basis of its work over the last 30 years CARE Local believes that there is a significant residue and resource of potential volunteers who are willing to contribute voluntary time to befriending and providing practical assistance to older people within the community. Furthermore, CARE Local believes that it has the structures, the systems and the procedures to be able to recruit, to train, to utilise and to support a large number of volunteers and to match them up with older people living in local communities in Dublin City. This process will, however, require the employment of staff to provide training and support to volunteers and to make the most appropriate matches with older people referred to CARE Local.

CARE Locals involvement in, and commitment to, volunteerism is in line with recent statements by An Taoiseach and the other political leaders about the importance of participation in community activities and the need to re-create community spirit and community self-help. It is considered that the CARE Local process of young people befriending older people provides real opportunities to develop a new sense of volunteerism amongst young people in Dublin City.

CARE Local will continue to link into the goodwill and generosity of spirit which undoubtedly exists within many young people who are living and working in Dublin City. This goodwill and spirit has been demonstrated in events like the Special Olympics (e.g. contributions from Bank of Ireland staff) and in responses to tragedies like the Tsunami (e.g. organisation of fundraising activities). Whilst young people do lead busy lives many of them would still be interested in putting in a couple of hours each week to visit and befriend older people or to carry out other tasks on behalf of CARE Local.

At a policy level, CARE Local has put in place the type of developmental model which has the capacity to be replicated in other parts of Ireland. As such, it is likely to be of interest to those Government Departments and statutory agencies which have been involved in producing policy papers on volunteerism and in allocating specific funding for volunteering activities and initiatives. Policy papers include the report of the National Council on Volunteering (entitled Tipping the Balance). It is considered that the work of CARE Local corresponds closely to a number of conclusions and recommendations within this important policy document e.g.

'Volunteering is viewed as a vital dimension of democratic and social life, not merely to be valued for its resource input in limited service fields. In particular it is viewed as essential to the development of civic participation, social solidarity and individual development. Volunteering constitutes a key source of social capital'

'The most important benefits of volunteering were cited as seeing results, doing good, meeting people and enjoyment' 'Altruism is of central importance but not enough to motivate young volunteers. Personal or career development opportunities, friendship and fun are vital ingredients in the motivation of volunteers'

'We recommend that the volunteering experience within voluntary organisations should be supported through better management, recruitment and retention policies'

'We recommend that the National Centre for Volunteering support local and national volunteer-involving organisations and volunteers to develop best practice procedures and quality assurance systems'

It is evident that CARE Local has already put in place the types of systems, procedures and processes to support volunteers which were recommended in the report of the National Committee on Volunteering and in other Government policy documents (e.g. Supporting Voluntary Activity).

2. STATEMENTS OF INTENT

VISION STATEMENT

The vision statement of CARE Local is as follows:

'Our hope is that older people living alone in Dublin City will be less isolated, less vulnerable, more secure, more independent and healthier through integrated services being delivered by a range of statutory and voluntary organisations'

MISSION STATEMENT

'The mission of CARE Local is to assist older people to remain living in their own homes, with dignity, security and company, for as long as possible, and to help ensure that they remain in good health, both mentally and physically.

3 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• 1. TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE BEFRIENDING AND ADVOCACY SERVICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE LIVING ALONE IN DUBLIN CITY
• 2. TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND SUPPORT A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL PROVIDE A RANGE OF SUPPORTS TO OLDER PEOPLE LIVING IN DUBLIN CITY
• 3. TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE WELFARE AND WELL BEING OF OLDER PEOPLE IN DUBLIN CITY
• 4. TO PUT IN PLACE THE RESOURCES, SUPPORTS, SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES WHICH WILL ENABLE CARE Local TO PROVIDE A QUALITY RANGE OF SERVICES TO OLDER PEOPLE IN DUBLIN CITY

4. DETAILS OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

4.1 STRATEGIC PRIORITY NUMBER 1 - COMPREHENSIVE BEFRIENDING AND ADVOCACY SERVICE

The primary role of CARE Local is to provide quality support and care to older people living in Dublin City. CARE Local is aware of the fact that there are many older people who are lonely and isolated and who could benefit from the type of friendship and companionship which could be provided by CARE Local. CARE Local is also conscious of the role which it can perform in helping to advocate on behalf of older people who might not be in a position or a condition to represent themselves in their contacts with relevant statutory and voluntary organisations.

CARE Local feels that the provision of support to older people - through befriending, through assistance with practical chores, through helping to sustain independent living - will be of significant benefit to older people and to the State. It is considered that the physical, emotional and psychological costs of ageing will be alleviated by the amount of time which older people spend in their own homes through support provided by organisations such as CARE Local.

In relation to its development of befriending and advocacy services between 2006 and 2008 CARE Local will strive to follow through on the following objectives and actions:

To establish linkages with older people in Dublin

• 1. To develop and maintain contacts with referral agencies (especially the Health Service Executive)
• 2. To continue to work with other relevant voluntary organisations which work with older people
• 3. To advertise and promote the work and activities of CARE Local in places used by older people (e.g. Post Offices, Health Centres)
• 4. To increase the average number of clients up to 200 older people by 2008

To provide a quality person centred service

• 1. To ensure that the right matches are made between the volunteers and the older people to be befriended 2. To develop social initiatives in response to the expressed needs of older people e.g. day trips, social events etc.
• 3. To create opportunities for older people to provide feedback, in a confidential manner, about the quality of service being provided

To develop the advocacy work of CARE Local

• 1. To ensure that all volunteer visitors are knowledgeable about which agencies and organisations are responsible for which services
• 2. To integrate advocacy skills into the training programme provided to volunteers
• 3. To compile local information on the main contact people within relevant agencies for distribution to volunteer visitors.

To develop neighbourhood strategies

• 1. To identify two neighbourhoods in Dublin City within which CARE Local will provide an intensive support and advocacy service to older people
• 2.To develop relationships with key agencies and organisations within the two selected neighbourhoods (e.g. Area Partnership Companies, Community Development Projects)
• 3. To target these areas for intensive volunteer recruitment

4.2 STRATEGIC PRIORITY NUMBER 2 - RECRUIT, TRAIN AND SUPPORT A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS

The most important link in the work of CARE Local is between the older people who are referred to CARE Local or who self-refer themselves and the volunteer visitors who provide support, befriending and advocacy services. It is essential that CARE Local recruit an adequate number of volunteers with the type of inter-personal skills and commitment which are essential prerequisites to becoming a volunteer visitor to older people. It is also essential that CARE Local provide the appropriate levels of support, supervision, encouragement and training which are important components in ensuring that volunteer visitors enjoy their time with CARE Local and that they are retained within the organisation for a reasonably lengthy period of time.

In the period from 2006 to 2008 CARE Local will place a particularly strong emphasis on building up its volunteer numbers and on re-structuring the ways in which volunteers are supported and supervised. By 2008, it is anticipated that there should be 150 volunteers on the books of CARE Local and that these volunteers would be located within a number of Team Leader Groups within Dublin City (perhaps along the lines of the five Area Committee districts of Dublin City Council). The establishment of these Team Leader Groups with the active assistance of paid Volunteer Co-ordinators will be a major task for CARE Local between 2006 and 2008. It should result in the creation of a larger and stronger body of trained, skilled and committed volunteer visitors.

In relation to the development of its volunteer base between 2006 and 2008 CARE Local will strive to follow through on the following objectives and actions:

To recruit new volunteers to CARE Local

• 1. To commence a major recruitment drive in 2006 which will aim to increase the number of volunteer visitors to 150
• 2. To develop relationships with businesses and employers organisations so that employees will be more aware of the volunteering opportunities
• 3. To link into Citizens Information Centres and Volunteer Bureaux as a means of attracting and recruiting volunteers

To provide ongoing training to volunteers

• 1. To develop training resources (especially around the issues of befriending and advocacy) for volunteers
• 2. To ascertain, document and respond to volunteer training needs on an on-going basis.
• 3. To produce a Volunteer Handbook which will incorporate a range of information relating to the rights and responsibilities of volunteers, structures within CARE Local, policies and procedures, older people and the ageing process

To create Volunteer Support

• 1. To recruit and train up to 5 Team Groups across Dublin City Leaders from the pool of volunteers within CARE Local
• 2. To clarify and agree relationships between the Volunteer Co-ordinator, Team Leaders and volunteer visitors
• 3. To establish clear administrative structures in relation to the management and organisation of meetings of the Volunteer Support Groups (e.g. venues, notification of meetings, keeping records of meetings)

4.3 STRATEGIC PRIORITY NUMBER 3 - CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES

CARE Local is well positioned to make positive and constructive contributions to the development of policies and programmes which are aimed at improving the welfare and wellbeing of older people within Irish society. Through the extensive work which it carries out with older people in Dublin (work which is likely to be substantially increased in the next three years) CARE Local is clearly aware of the needs and circumstances of older people. It is considered important that CARE Local's analysis of the needs and priorities for older people is shared with, and disseminated to, policy makers and decision makers within relevant agencies and organisations.

Therefore in addition to its direct work with older people (through the befriending and advocacy services provided by volunteer visitors) CARE Local will also continue to be involved in networks and other inter-agency fora which have a particular focus on the development of services for older people. CARE Local will also continue to liaise regularly with relevant statutory agencies (e.g. Health Service Executive, Dublin City Council) and voluntary organisations (e.g. Age Action, Friends of the Elderly) so as to ensure that CARE Local's analysis and ideas for the future of services for older people is reflected in various Service Plans, Work Programmes and Strategic Plans.

In relation to its role in influencing the policies, priorities and programmes of relevant agencies and organisations CARE Local will strive to follow through on the following objectives and actions:

To develop linkages and relationships with representatives from relevant statutory agencies

• 1. To meet on a regular basis with appropriate managers from the Health Service Executive and Dublin City Council
• 2. To produce pre-Budget submissions and briefing papers on issues which are of concern and interest to CARE Local
• 3. To develop relationships with key statutory officials in the two geographical areas where the neighbourhood strategy is to be piloted

To participate in networks and inter-agency fora which are focused on the development of services and supports for older people

• 1. To continue to participate in the North West Inner City Council for Services to Older People and the Health Spoke of The Wheel
• 2. To make presentations and other inputs at conferences and seminars which are organised around the issues of older people and the ageing process
• 3. To contribute its analysis of the needs of older people to the various voluntary organisations which have a particular focus on older people (e.g. Age Action, National Council on Ageing and Older People)

To produce reports and analyses on the needs and circumstances of older people

• 1. To produce Annual Reports detailing the work and achievements of CARE Local
• 2. To commission pieces of research on issues which are of concern to CARE Local and to disseminate the outcomes from this research to relevant agencies and organisations
• 3. To participate in research being carried out by other organisations around the issues of ageing and older people

4.4 STRATEGIC PRIORITY NUMBER 4 - RESOURCES, SUPPORTS, SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES TO ENHANCE THEWORK OF CARE LOCAL

The projected increase in the average number of older people being visited by CARE Local volunteers (i.e. up to 200 older people at any one time) and the number of volunteer visitors (i.e. 150 by the year 2008) represents a significant enlargement of CARE Local's current activities. In order to support the increased number of clients/older people and volunteers in an effective and professional manner it will be necessary to secure additional financial support - primarily to employ Volunteer Co-ordinators and other staff to provide training, support and supervision to the volunteer visitors and to make the appropriate matches between volunteers and older people across Dublin City.

The increase in resources required by CARE Local (financial resources and human resources) will enable it to make a more substantial contribution to assisting the government in achieving one of its main policy objectives in relation to older people i.e. helping older people to stay at home and to lead independent lives for as long as possible. It is considered that the provision of more statutory support to CARE Local will have direct benefits both from a client perspective (i.e. older people more content and independent) and a financial perspective (i.e. it is considerably less costly for an older person to stay at home than to live in a residential nursing home).

In relation to the development of resources, supports, systems and procedures CARE Local will strive to follow through on the following objectives and actions:

To employ a core staff team of 4 - 5 people to provide training support, supervision and administrative skills

• 1. To draw up job descriptions and , personnel specifications for the new jobs which need to be created
• 2. To secure the funding which will be required to employ the core staff team and to cover programme costs and expenses
• 3. To carry out a significant team building exercise which will aim to create a common sense of purpose amongst the staff and volunteers deployed by CARE Local

To continue to develop best practice policies, systems and procedures

• 1. To continually update and improve the policies for selecting and procedures volunteers so as to ensure the safety of the older people being befriended by the volunteer visitors
• 2. To link into the policies and guidelines being produced by national and regional volunteering organisations with the aim of developing CARE Local into a centre of excellence for volunteering
• 3. To develop new procedures for the recording of information about volunteer visits and about the types of issues and concerns being raised by older people during these visits

To raise the profile and image of CARE Local

• 1. To launch the 2006 - 2008 Strategic Plan and to disseminate it to relevant statutory agencies and voluntary organisations
• 2. To develop a public relations and public information strategy which would aim to attract more volunteers into CARE Local and to make referral agencies more aware of the services being provided by CARE Local
• 3. To initiate a major public relations campaign on the benefits and advantages of supporting older people to live in their homes for as long a time as possible.