General

What is Oxfordshire All In?

Oxfordshire All In (OAI) is a platform for individuals and groups in Oxfordshire to find and give support during the Covid-19 outbreak. The website includes information on where to find support, useful resources, and how to help. Behind the scenes, we support groups, organisations, and public bodies, providing them with additional capacity and tools for mapping, data collection, analysis, and communication.

Who is behind OAI?

OAI was created by KEEN, a registered charity and community organisation working in Oxford for 35 years. Our specific focus is on inclusion for disabled people, and during the current situation are offering a range of support to our regular participants including online sessions, physical activity packs sent by post, and a community response team made up of regular volunteers.

We also wanted to do something focused on supporting the wider Oxfordshire community during these unusual times, so redeployed staff capacity and infrastructure into OAI.

Who works for OAI on a day to day basis?

The OAI team includes two full time paid staff seconded to the project within KEEN, and a range of wonderful volunteers across all of our sub-teams (see who we are). Since we started, more than 50 people have contributed to our development, and over 20 volunteers are involved on a regular basis at the moment to allow Oxfordshire All In to happen.

We are a Community Support Group. Who can we contact for help?

Please contact us on community@oxfordshireallin.org and we will do our best to help, or try to put you in touch with someone who can. We are working closely with other key voluntary sector organisations and partnerships, and also with key pubic bodies including Oxfordshire County Council and the District Councils.

We are a Community Support Group. What can we do if we have feedback, queries or concerns about volunteering in the current situation?

We have been encouraged by our partners to receive your feedback and pass it on directly. You can contact us on community@oxfordshireallin.org and we will collate and pass these on daily, and get back to you if your question required a reply.

We are a Community Support Group. Where can we find guidance and resources?

You can find a range of bespoke resources for community support groups here. If you cannot find what you want, or have feedback on ways we can improve the resources there, please tell us using this form!

How does Oxfordshire All In complement initiatives like Oxford Together?

We have a resource outlining the aim of Oxfordshire all in and Oxford Together and how they complement each other.

Safeguarding

How should we implement safeguarding in our group?

The government has released official guidance for volunteers, which can be found here

Key points include:

• Particular care must be taken where children or vulnerable adults, such as those with dementia or other medical needs, are helped.
• Adopt simple precautions like keeping records of money spent and providing shopping receipts.
• Working in pairs may also help, as long as volunteers keep 2m away from each other at all times, if they are not from the same household.
• Community Groups should ask their volunteers if they have been barred by the DBS. If they have been barred, then you should not allow them to work closely with children or vulnerable adults.
• Personal care such as childcare or help with washing and dressing should be provided by professionals, or specialist volunteers with the appropriate skills, training and checks, including DBS checks.

For more information, see the NCVO document “Detailed Safeguarding and DBS Guidance with Case Studies”, which is available in our support group resources.

Is there any safeguarding training available?

The courses below are a fantastic way to be aware of the key principles and practice of Safeguarding. They are free, easy to register for, and take approximately an hour each to complete.

We recommend either/both to all CSG volunteers coming into contact with potentially vulnerable adults or children respectively.

OSAB: Introduction to Adult Safeguarding

This level is a basic awareness course for adult safeguarding for people in contact with adults with care and support needs.

OSCB: An Introduction to Safeguarding

This e-learning course is aimed at any individual who may come into contact with children, young people and/or their families for short periods of time during the course of their work.

Who should we contact if we have safeguarding concerns?

If you have a safeguarding concern about an adult, please see: https://www.osab.co.uk/public/reporting-concerns

If you have a safeguarding concern about a child, please see: https://www.oscb.org.uk/concerned-about-a-child

Or you can ring the helpline for the most vulnerable adults listed in the section Helplines below.

In an emergency, call 999.

What if a Volunteer Comes Across Someone We Can’t Help?

Please pass them up to the local authorities who will help them, using one of the helplines below.

Helplines for extremely vulnerable people:

Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire districts

• 01865 897820
• shield@oxfordshire.gov.uk
• Open 8.30am-8pm Monday-Friday and 9am-5pm Saturday-Sunday

Oxford City

• 01865 249811
• https://ecitizen.oxford.gov.uk/citizenportal/form.aspx?form=Community_Assistance
• Open 8am-5pm

Helplines for other residents:

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts

• 01235 422600
• communitysupport@southandvale.gov.uk

Oxford City

• 01865 249811
• www.oxfordtogether.org

West Oxfordshire district - 01993 861077 or email community.support@westoxon.gov.uk

Do we need ID cards? What if the Police stop me?

You are permitted to leave your house whilst volunteering. This is covered under the current government guidelines, as one of the four exceptions to leave the house: "any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person".

See the guidelines here.

You do not require an ID card to be outside for this purpose.

DBS Checks

Government safeguarding and DBS factsheet

Is a DBS necessary?

No, a DBS check is not required for most roles that a volunteer will be asked to do. In normal circumstances the Government would advise that having a DBS check is a prudent step but they have confirmed that there is no legal requirement for this. The Government guidance is linked above.

For more information, see the NCVO document “Detailed Safeguarding and DBS Guidance with Case Studies”, which is available in our support group resources.

How would we get DBS checks done?

Please email us community@oxfordshireallin.org with the name and telephone number of the person who wants a DBS check and the name of your organisation, and we will be in touch.

Are DBS checks transferable between the organisation that obtained it and the new voluntary group or charity?

If someone has a check from their current or previous role with children or adults, then new voluntary groups can make a practical decision about accepting this for their new role. Although ordinarily a check for a role with children would not be sufficient for working with adults, groups may consider this is a reasonably safe thing to do, based on the information on the check and the surrounding circumstances.

Can we get hold of the lists of vulnerable people?

The most vulnerable people are being contacted by the authorities. In the case of those needing social care, the County Council has written to them. People who are extremely vulnerable on medical grounds are being contacted by the NHS. If you know of someone who hasn’t yet received an NHS letter, but believes they should be in this group, please ask them to fill in the form here.

Due to limits on sharing private information, lists of vulnerable people will not be available to voluntary organisations. Instead, we recommend getting in touch with your local GP surgery and giving them your group details; they can then recommend your group to anybody that contacts them that is vulnerable or in need of help.

GDPR

What do We Need to Know about GDPR and Data Protection? How do we write a Privacy Notice?

Put simply, the law is a set of sensible standards that will help you handle people’s information responsibly. That means taking proper care of things like people’s names and addresses as well as more sensitive details about their health or religion.

Crucially, data protection rules will not stop you from helping those in need.

Be clear

You should be clear, open and honest with people about what you are doing with their personal information. Tell them why you need it, what you’ll do with it and who you’re going to share it with. For example, you can tell them: I’m going to keep your name, address and telephone number; I’m only going to share it with the volunteer who will come and help you; and i’m only keeping it so that I can send you a volunteer to do your shopping.

It’s best to have this written down in a document called a privacy notice but if that’s going to delay vital support, then you can just speak to people. . If you need help drafting your privacy notice then please email us.

Sharing is Caring

In an emergency, working with partners and sharing information with them can make a real difference to public safety. In fact, it could be more harmful not to share the data than to share it. The law does not not stop you sharing information where it is necessary and appropriate.

For example, you might need to tell a local council about elderly residents who are housebound due to self-isolation and who need support.

Is it lawful?

If you’re not sure whether you should be handling personal data, think about whether it falls into one of the following categories:

• Would the person expect me to use their information in this way (legitimate interests)?
• Have they given me their clear and unambiguous consent to use their personal information (consent)?
• Is the person’s health or safety at risk if I don’t use their personal data (vital interests)?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then you can handle and share personal data.

You should also take particular care if you’re handling sensitive data, referred to as ‘special category data’ in data protection law. This is private information like your health records, sexuality, race, ethnicity and religion. If you are going to use this kind of information, you should ask further questions:

• Do I need this information to protect a person at risk (safeguarding individuals)?
• Have they given me their explicit consent to use their private information (consent)?
• Would this information save someone’s life (vital interests)?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then you can also handle and share this type of information.

Keep it secure

You must look after the personal data you collect. That means keeping it secure on a device – which can be your own - or in a locked cabinet, for example.

Security measures needn’t be so onerous that they prevent you carrying out your work.

Keep it to a minimum

Only use and keep what you need to provide help to vulnerable people during the COVID-19 crisis. When the emergency is over, make sure you and your volunteers securely delete or destroy any personal information that you no longer need.

Keep a record of what you’ve done

Finally, you should keep a record of any decisions you make that involve the use of personal information. Ideally, you should do this first – even before you start collecting information. But we understand that might not be possible during the pandemic. So just make sure you keep notes of what you’ve done and why and then make more detailed records as soon as possible. https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/blog-community-groups-and-covid-19/#

Volunteer Safety

How can volunteers keep safe?

For volunteers to keep safe, and to minimise the infection risk to both volunteers, and the people they are helping, the government has released guidance that can be found here.

Key points include:

• A minimum distance of 2m between people you do not live with should always be maintained.
• You should not go inside the homes of people you are helping - if possible, groceries and supplies should be left at the door. This especially applies when helping vulnerable people, or people who believe they may be infected and are isolating themselves.
• If you are picking things up for others, try to limit the amount of time you spend outside of your home by picking up essential items for them when you do your own shopping or collect their medicines during the same trip.
• You should regularly wash your hands with soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
• Please do not place yourself in positions where you may feel unsafe, for instance helping late at night.
• If you or someone in your household has shown symptoms, or you are vulnerable yourself, you must stay home; you may still contribute to helping people, but this will need to be done from home.

How can volunteers take care of their mental wellbeing?

Official government guidance can be found here.

Some quick tips:

• Consider how to connect with others: How can you stay in touch with friends and family via telephone, video calls or social media instead of meeting in person?
• Talk about your worries: It is quite common to feel worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. Sharing how you are feeling and the things you are doing to cope with family and friends can help them too. If you don’t feel able to do that, we have given you links to online groups and others you can talk to.
• Look after your physical wellbeing: Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water, exercise inside where possible and outside once a day, and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs.
• Look after your sleep: Good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how you feel mentally and physically, so it’s important to get enough. Try to maintain regular sleeping patterns and keep good sleep practices – like avoiding screens before bed, cutting back on caffeine and creating a restful environment.
• Try to manage difficult feelings: Many people find the news about coronavirus concerning. Try to focus on the things you can control, including where you get information from and actions to make yourself feel better prepared.
• Manage your media and information intake: 24-hour news and constant social media updates can make you more worried. If it is affecting you, try to limit the time you spend watching, reading, or listening to media coverage of the outbreak, eg by checking the news at set times or limiting to a couple of checks a day.
• Think about your new daily routine: Try to engage in useful activities (such as cleaning, cooking or exercise) or meaningful activities (such as reading or calling a friend).
• Do things you enjoy: Focussing on your favourite hobby, learning something new or simply taking time to relax indoors should give you some relief from anxious thoughts and feelings and can boost your mood.
• Set goals: Think about things you want or need to do that you can still do at home. It could be watching a film, reading a book or learning something online.
• Keep your mind active: Read, write, play games, do crossword puzzles, sudokus, jigsaws or drawing and painting.
• Take time to relax and focus on the present: Relaxation techniques can help with difficult emotions, worries about the future and anxiety, and can improve well-being.
• If you can, once a day get outside, or bring nature in: Spending time in green spaces can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. If you can’t get outside try to spend time with the windows open to let in fresh air.

Free online sessions to help with mental wellbeing:

• Oxfordshire Therapy & Self Development Network’s online support groups
  • Therapists are leading free online support groups to anyone in the Oxfordshire community who may benefit, volunteers and general public alike. Groups last 90-minutes each week, running over 10 weeks.
  • Further details and how to join are on their website, at: www.otscentre.co.uk
• Oxford Mindfulness Centre (OMC) mindfulness sessions
  • Weekly online mindfulness sessions led by a trained Mindfulness Teacher. Free and open to the general public. These sessions can offer a space to experience grounding and connection, discuss the challenges faced, and support each other. Each session will be available as a free podcast shortly after for anyone who missed the live session or wishes to practice again.
  • Details can be found here: oxfordmindfulness.org/online-sessions-podcasts/
• Mental resilience training from Dr Ruth Mary Allen
  • Free coaching offered by Dr Ruth Mary Allan is available every Wednesday for 12 weeks. These will run from 9pm-9.30pm for anyone struggling during this pandemic and seeking simple strategies and techniques to help them through.
  • Details can be found here.