Austin Mitchell and Ann Syrett present this series of programmes promoting voluntary and community service, focusing on people in the community who give up their own time to help others. The programme aims to provide a clear understanding of the nature and the extent of voluntary work that's done, or needs to be done in many areas of social need throughout the Yorkshire region. This the final episode of the series looks at lessons learned throughout the series and whether or not...

Austin Mitchell and Ann Syrett present this series of programmes promoting voluntary and community service, focusing on people in the community who give up their own time to help others. The programme aims to provide a clear understanding of the nature and the extent of voluntary work that's done, or needs to be done in many areas of social need throughout the Yorkshire region. This the final episode of the series looks at lessons learned throughout the series and whether or not volunteers are necessary and being used effectively. Title: Yorkshire Television – Colour Production Photographs of urban street scenes and candid shots of individuals make up the opening for the programme. Title: A Matter for Concern In the studio Austin Mitchell introduces the final programme in the series. Sitting next to him is co-presenter Ann Syrett and opposite, two guests, Margaret Howe, social work advisor for Leeds social services and Malcolm Johnson, lecturer in sociology at Leeds University. They will be interviewed later in the programme. Austin asks a general question directed at the camera asking what does the term volunteer mean? Ann Syrett asks people on the streets of Leeds what they understand about the term ‘volunteer’. She asks one man if he had ever thought of doing voluntary work. He replies that as a shift worker finding suitable time would be awkward. A woman expresses working with the adoption service but finds it difficult to find contact details. A man admits thinking about it but has not attempted to do anything about it. Another woman already works voluntarily with a group in Leeds. They organise meetings and outings for the elderly and provide a toddler group during the week and play projects during the summer holidays. A young man says he did some voluntary work while at school. Another woman says she has thought of volunteering and working with the elderly but doesn’t know which agency to approach. Another woman says she would like to work with the adult literacy scheme, a friend next to her admits she has not given it any thought. Another man says he hasn’t given voluntary work any thought at all through lack of time. The programme moves to a park bench where Ann meets with Moira Latimer from Leeds Council for Voluntary Service. Ann asks her about the Leeds volunteer bureau. Title: Moira Latimer, Volunteer Bureau, Leeds Council for Voluntary Service. She describes how busy the service has been since its inception three years ago. Ann asks if they have had enquiries from people who have watched ‘A Matter for Concern’, Moira replies that they have had about 100 directed from Yorkshire Television, others mention the programme as an influence. The programme returns to the studio where Ann Syrett says that volunteers are not just used by voluntary organisations. The probation service also relies on volunteers and has been using them successfully for several years. Jean Robinson is asked how the local authority view the use of voluntary workers. Title: Jean Robinson, Voluntary Org. Liaison Officer. Leeds Social Services. She says the local authority underestimates the value of the volunteer; she thinks the volunteer is an important person in their own right. Jean does not see volunteers as a cheap option for social services, in her opinion they complement the service not just supplement it. She outlines some of the work the local authority does with other voluntary organisations. Jean says they will be running courses for people who want to know about social services and its work, she is hopeful this may increase the number of requests for volunteer work. The programme returns to the studio where Austin Mitchell asks his guest Margaret Howe that like Moira Latimer in the interview can she agree that the ‘Matters for Concern’ series has increased the number of volunteers. Margaret agrees that it has been very successful both in sending volunteers and letting people know the range of volunteer work that is available. Title: Margaret Howe, Social Work Adviser Leeds Social Services From those volunteers who have come forward about a third have remained in their work, which Margaret says is a significantly high proportion. Austin then asks Malcolm Johnson what makes people volunteer and can a television programme influence that motivation. Malcolm thinks there is great deal of “latent volunteerism” out in the community and people need to be prompted into action. He thinks the programme has given a good insight in what they could do as a volunteer, and people often identify with situations as seen in the programme which can prompt them to volunteer. Austin then asks Margaret how many volunteers they would prefer in Leeds social services. She replies that they really need as many as they can get, given that the service is a “cradle to grave” service. Ann Syrett asks Margaret if the programme has reached out for a different kind of volunteer. Margaret thinks the programme has helped provide important information about volunteering and that anyone can do it, and she would like to think the programme encourages a move away from the middle class, female, volunteer stereotype portrayed elsewhere. Austin asks Malcolm if there is any room to encourage the low key good neighbour type of volunteer in the community. Malcolm thinks that there is still room for all kinds of volunteering in the community and the programme shows that. He says that those people who have received assistance themselves often have a desire to reciprocate, which he believes is the basis for volunteering. Austin introduces an item about the fish scheme in Harrogate and Ann Syrett reports on how it is organised and run. Title: Peggy Hudson, Chairman, Harrogate Fish Scheme She explains that they keep a list of 5000 helpers which includes information on what they offer in the way of help and at what part in the day is the most suitable for them. Ann Syrett asks her about how they got so many volunteers. She says she went to every house with an offer of help form which lists the type of help offered by the scheme. Volunteers just tick the entries where they can give help. She says this help scheme is for anyone and is available 24 hours a day. Ann asks Peggy to talk about a man named Bob Helm. She replies that he’s a man who has an enormous capacity to help and acts as a consultant for the group. The film cuts to a man who is bedridden, Ann sits nearby as he outlines a rather unexpected request for help, the scheme once received. Title: Bob Helm, Consultant, Harrogate Fish Scheme. Bob tells the story of some older women who provided a detailed account about services and meals they expected each day. A volunteer contacted Bob to report the imposition made on the service, as it was obviously beyond the remit of the scheme. It also transpired that the women had the means to pay for such a service so Bob put them in touch with a more appropriate agency which would provide their needs. Ann’s commentary explains that Bob Helm and Peggy Hudson are two of the people behind the Harrogate fish scheme, Ann goes to a house in the suburbs to find out how the street warden scheme works. In a room three people two women and one man sit having a cup tea around a table. Off camera Ann asks what sort of problems they must deal with. One woman replies that the winter offers most problems for people as they can’t get out as much. They can contact a street steward by placing a fish card in the window, someone will then call on them to find out what help is needed. Title: Charlie Mays, Area Organiser Charlie explains the sort of help on offer such as shopping, minding babies, hospital visiting, taking people to hospital, or taking them to town. This service is open to all ages and is available 24 hours. Title: Norma Jewett, Sector Chairman Norma explains that she does an all-night on-call session once a week. She describes recent calls she has had late into the night or in the early hours of the following day. Charlie says that after some of the answered calls the person involved might ask those who have attended to call back, which he says is indicative of loneliness and they experience this outcome form call for help quite often. Ann Syrett asks if they still require volunteers, Norma replies that there is quite a high turnaround in those people leaving Harrogate and others moving in, so they’re constantly looking for volunteers who can replace any that have moved away. In response to a question about people being wary letting strangers into their home, Norma holds up an identity card which has a picture of a fish on one side and an official signature from the secretary of the scheme on the other side. All participating volunteers in the scheme will have one of these cards. The unidentified woman in the group says they will often follow up on home visits by doctors and collect prescriptions for the patient. The woman is shown visiting a patient to deliver her prescription she stays and has a chat with her. Charlie outlines a route where he often walks where many older people live to see if any cards are on display, indicating that help is needed. The programme shows Charlie on one of his walks as his commentary outlines the typical activities he might do to help someone. Charlie knocks on a door at property where he asks a fellow volunteer if she could follow up his visit to a particular home as the resident has just come out of hospital. At the meeting of three officials seen earlier Ann asks about demand from mothers with babies. Norma Jewett outlines some problems they’ve encountered, and she describes an incident where a young mother had to go into hospital leaving children who were under five with no one to look after them. However, they managed to alleviate the problem with the mother knowing the children were in safe care during her time in hospital. The programme goes back to Ann Syrett talking to Bob Helm who says they never turn down a case where help is needed. The programme goes back to the studio, where Austin asks Malcolm Johnson whether such a scheme, successful in a middle class area would founder in a working class area. Malcolm disagrees he says it works better in a middle class area because of access to cars and phones etc., but he says it would work in a working class area. Austin asks Margaret Howe is such a scheme likely to get people into the habit of volunteering. Generally speaking, she agrees. Ann Syrett says she thought the scheme in Harrogate achieved more than social services in that area, Malcolm Johnson agrees. Margaret Howe asserts that volunteers have always been in the community, social services fill in the gaps where it is impossible to use volunteers alone. Malcolm Johnson agrees. Austin highlights the problem of people wanting to volunteer but don’t know what or who to approach. Malcolm Johnson looks to future based on the volunteer bureaux now available in areas highlighted in the series. Austin asks the two simple questions. Malcom Johnson is asked are volunteers necessary, to which he replies “completely” and Margaret Howes agrees that they are being used effectively as long as improvements continue in communicating the need for volunteers and where they can go to offer their help. Austin closes the final programme in the series with a look forward to coming back with a new series in the new year. Credits: Presenters – Ann Syrett, Austin Mitchell Camera – Brian Wilson, Mike Shrimpton Sound – Terry Ricketts, Mike Donnelly Film Editor – Terry Warwick Graphics – Brian Beardmore Associate Producer – Irene Cockroft Producer – Jim McCann Yorkshire Television Colour Production End Title - © Trident Television MCMLXXVI