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COVID-19 Review Submission – Jersey Mencap
Impact of COVID 19 response |
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Back to normal recovery plan | Jersey Mencap continued to reach out and engage with its members (adults with a learning disability) during the pandemic and as restrictions were lifted, we re-introduced activities in-line with guidance. Activities and sessions are all operational again with just a few higher risk activities stalled until last quarter of 2021. The biggest challenge was how the pandemic hit our fundraising efforts which we rely on to support all our projects. Our two main events being the South Coast Charity Challenge and a Charity golf day along with various other smaller events were all cancelled during 2020 and for the first two quarters of 2021. |
Help received from Government | We were successful in our application to receive payroll funding – although as I understand it, charities were not initially eligible to apply for this – that was difficult to swallow as a huge amount of support is continually provided and funded by the charity sector. Without the financial support of the payroll funding, the impact on Jersey Mencap would have been far worse given that our fundraising events were cancelled. |
What could have been done better | The information and support provided did evolve and was ever-improving as the pandemic unfolded. It was good to see the use of easy-read documents not only for those with reduced intellect capacity but for those with other disabilities (sight-loss, brain injury, stroke survivors etc.) and for those that English was not their first language. |
Key lessons they could learn for emergency planning. | Communication needs to be clear, concise and easily accessible in a variety of formats. Charities often support those most at risk/ vulnerable and will likely already have a strong connection/relationship with those they support. The Government might utilise this better by increased engagement with the charity sector for future emergency planning. As an example, we were quick to identify through our database who might be at greater risk with the impact of isolation and were able to offer a friendly phone call/text and offer support or signpost to services where needed. Very aware that often we were a point of contact when help was needed. We did see the impact restrictions had on carers and in particular parent-carers. With so many clubs, day-centres, activities and organisations understandably having to close during the pandemic. All the above offer some respite to the demands of being a carer. Perhaps we are yet to see the full impact of the pandemic to carers. |
What would Jersey Mencap do differently? | We are quietly proud of our response to the pandemic. We had to re-think our strategy and switch to a key objective of maintaining engagement with our members and their carers through a variety of channels which we successfully achieved. With good planning we were able to respond as each restriction was lifted to increase our offering to our members. What we found that for many of our members, easing out of lockdown was difficult. With a decline in confidence and skills such as time-keeping, using public transport and getting back into a routine has been challenging for some. |