Make a difference and volunteer

RESIDENTS of Leicestershire accessing adult social care services are being invited to make a difference and volunteer for Leicestershire County Council’s Engagement Panel.

The panel is made up of councillors and council officials, as well as volunteer members with experience of accessing adult social care.

As well as being an opportunity for volunteers who are best placed to use their knowledge to help advise the council on how it can improve services, the panel also ensures that key decisions are shaped by residents, service users and carers.

Volunteer members come from all walks of life, with a diverse range of physical and psychological needs. They provide valuable insights into how the service can best support vulnerable adults within the wider community to live active, independent, and fulfilling lives.

The council has published the following reflections from current members of the panel:

“I joined the panel in the hope that my lived experience could make a difference. With my knowledge of social services, I felt I could make a valuable contribution.” Simone

“I wanted to make a positive difference to people’s lives and help them gain knowledge and access to the help they are entitled to. I also wanted to represent people like me, who have physical disabilities as we often have to fight to be heard.” Ellie

“The co-production panel is a really vital element of the structure of the council’s Adults and Communities department. Please come and join people like me and help enhance the council’s understanding of how to communicate information to the wider public.” Luke

The panel has been appointed as the Adults and Communities department’s co-production sponsor. This will involve the panel challenging the department to ensure it is designing services in collaboration with residents, service users and carers.

Anyone interested in becoming a panel member can visit the website below and fill in the online application form.