As promised - here is a summary of the responses to my query (I will quite happily e-mail more detailed anonymised information to anyone who would like to know more):
- 6 out of the 8 services who responded did currently offer volunteer-delivered computer support and one used to but the funding ran out.
- there were varying levels of staff involvement with some warning that it was very labour intensive to arrange and coordinate.
- 1 service got external funding to employ a volunteer coordinator, another used paid relief staff and some just have moderate ongoing staff support in supervising and coordinating volunteers. Others relied on volunteering organisations to manage the whole operation.
- most deliver 1 to 1 sessions rather than to groups as volunteers are often intimidated by dealing with groups
Kind regards
Phil Jones
ICT & Information Coordinator
Coventry Libraries and Information Services
Floor 1, West Orchards House
28-34 Corporation Street
Coventry
CV1 1GF
Tel: 024 7683 2329
Fax: 024 7683 2180
Email:[log in to unmask]
Visit us at www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries
|