COVID-19 and compassionate communities: Renewed opportunities for connection

Background and aims: Compassionate Neighbours is a well-established compassionate communities movement initiated through a series of hospices in the south-east of the United Kingdom. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it brought death and dying into the living rooms of the nation and new requirements to drastically alter patterns of social contact. For many organisations, volunteering was immediately halted and perceived as being too risky. But what was also being thrust onto the front pages was people's wish to connect, to take local action and support those vulnerable on their street. The Compassionate Neighbours movement did not step back during Covid-19 and in fact grew in numbers of volunteers and connections. This presentation will describe the experiences of one Compassionate Neighbours hub in south-east London and how Covid-19 has altered the landscape for connections at the end of life. Approach taken: - Rapid reassessment of risk which led to routine volunteering being superseded by new flexible, responsive, and safe roles. - Overcoming barriers such as the need for face to face training, identification badges. - New models of connecting such as 'furlongteering' (short, time-limited volunteering options), virtual and telephone communication, deliveries, and practical support for vulnerable. - Early integration with local groups such as the grassroots mutual aid organisations. - Capitalising on the groundswell of interest in volunteering to grow numbers of Compassionate Neighbours. - Bringing a compassionate and experienced response to the fearful narrative on death and dying. Results: Referral numbers for volunteer support peaked during this time, with 2.6 times the number of referrals for the same quarter in 2019 (32 vs 84 referrals per quarter).