Enabling the Voluntary and Community sector in Arun & Chichester to support people beyond the COVID-19 pandemic - report 1

Introduction

Recognising the tremendous pressure the Voluntary and Community Sector are experiencing as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) Outbreak, Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester (VAAC) and Healthwatch West Sussex are working collaboratively to share information gathered on the challenges and concerns, but more importantly to understand how as a sector we learn from these experiences.

What we have learned is that Voluntary and Community Sector leaders have had a frenzied period of adjustment such as:

• closing face to face services, or changing services
• supporting staff and volunteers: reallocating staff to other roles and furloughing staff, taking care of volunteers
• finding innovative ways to shore up finances, and many other tasks and decisions.

As well as looking after their own and their family’s needs. What has come through is a strong sense of responsibility.

Within this report is a snapshot of views during a period of unprecedented change.