Name of lead officer : Steve Gowtridge
Publication date: 17/05/2012
Review date: 01/02/2013
Departmental Manager Approval by : Richard Ellis
Departmental Manager Approval date : 24/04/2012
A trial of Village Agents has been running since February 2011 and is due to finish in July 2012. We are now seeking permission and funding to roll-out Village Agents across Hampshire for a further 3 years.
The Village Agent programme was established to increase and improve the way that older people living in rural parts of Hampshire, find and benefit from information. Through its network of Village Agents the programme attempts to provide better support for older people and to sign-post them to important information and is therefore a structured and measurable response to the government’s localism agenda.
The programme is a partnership between Hampshire County Council, Age Concern Hampshire and several borough and district councils. It also engages with other key organisations across the county such as Hampshire Fire and Rescue, Hampshire Police, local Neighbourhood Watch groups and Hampshire Association of Parish Councils.
| Age: | Impact : Medium |
| Any specific issues identified: | The need to roll out the offering of Village Agents to other excluded communities within Hampshire, e.g Traveller and Nepalese communities. |
| What action will be taken to address any identified issues: | It is recommended that further work will be facilitated by the Community Development Team to roll out the Village Agents' model to other excluded communities within Hampshire, including the Traveller and Nepalese communities. |
| Disability: | Impact : Low |
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| Faith: | Impact : Low |
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| Gender: | Impact : Low |
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| Transgender: | Impact : Low |
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| Race: | Impact : Low |
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| Sexual Orientation: | Impact : Low |
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| Marriage / civil partnership: | Impact : Low |
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| Pregnancy & maternity: | Impact : Low |
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| Other factors: | Impact : Low |
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The project targets all elderly people who may be vulnerable and isolated.
Village Agents will help alleviate issues of social isolation and exclusion amongst older people, particularly those living in rural communities.
The programme will help address issues around rural deprivation, ensuring older people are aware of how to access services that are available to them.
The Village Agents initiative will be inclusive of older BME communities and other excluded rural communities. Support to facilitate this may be required from the Community Development Officers.
It is recommended that further work will be facilitated by the Community Development Team to roll out the Village Agents' model to other excluded communities within Hampshire, including the Traveller and Nepalese communities,
For more information please visit the Hampshire County Council Equality & Diversity web page.