Shielding
We have completed initial enquiries with every resident on the shielding list, with the exception of 80 people who were added by the NHS in a new batch of names received today. Additionally, there are 18 residents whom we have been unable to contact despite calling and/ or writing to them and visiting their homes. We are now working with Police Scotland to ensure the individuals concerned are safe.
Volunteering Training Programme
Further to the community planning approach we are taking to volunteering, we now have 468 Community Planning Partnership (CPP) volunteers. All volunteers will take part in online volunteering training from next week. Of the 468, we have identified 30 people who have the digital skills required to act as digital volunteers for shielding residents who may be eligible for digital support through the Connecting Scotland initiative.
Feeling Good: Positive Mindset App
Scottish charity, the Foundation for Positive Mental Health, is offering free access codes to their Feeling Good App during the pandemic period. The app is NHS Digital accredited and is designed to help people build essential skills to become mentally stronger and more resilient to stress. The app is free to download until the end of June, with free access for 6 months
thereafter.
Communication
A range of communications has been prepared to mark Volunteering Week (1 – 7 June). We have linked in with internal Council services and some external partners, to highlight just some of the volunteering work that has taken place across South Ayrshire during this pandemic. Coverage can be seen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram throughout this
week.
Delivery of Critical Services
We continue to provide critical services and these are currently operating without issue.
Recovery Group
A Covid-19 Recovery Group has been established to plan for a transition from lockdown through the stages of recovery. This group meets weekly and is working with Service Leads to determine how and when services can be restored within the parameters of national guidance.
Business Support Grants
We have now paid £19.5 million in business support grants to local businesses.
We continue to work through the remaining cases, which number fewer than 200. Of these, the majority require to provide further information to enable us to verify their application.
Covid Helpline
The employee volunteers who staff our dedicated Covid helpline have now handled 15,612 calls. These volunteers handle calls to and from shielding residents, from members of the public who are looking for Covid related support and from people who have been advised to self-isolate through the Test and Protect scheme.