Earlier this week, the UK Government announced new measures to help combat the spread of new strains of COVID.

What does this mean for volunteers at LASSN?

Can I visit the person I’m matched with in their home?

  • The legal answer is yes, there are no legal restrictions stopping you from visiting.
  • The LASSN answer is still “obey the law, and consider your own circumstances and the person you are visiting.”

That’s no good. I want to know what LASSN thinks. Should I or shouldn’t I?

  • Please look again at our guidance from Lockdown 1 on March 20  and Lockdown 2 in July 21: these ask you to consider what is right for you (underlying risks, vaccine status) before reaching a decision to meet face to face.
  • If you do not feel comfortable with the risk of travelling and meeting up, please do not.
  • If you think the risks are manageable for you, please be clear about your own bottom lines (Outside only? With Masks? Indoors with masks and windows open) before you talk about meeting up with the person you are matched with.
  • And if you want to change the way you have been volunteering recently, please contact your Volunteer Manager. They will help you explore options; this may include a return to remote contact and support from LASSN with phone data as we have done before

The person I’m matched with doesn’t know about/seem bothered by the new variant and wants things to carry on as normal.

  • If this is the case, talk to your Volunteer Manager. We trust your judgement, but we have a duty of care to you and the person you are matched with. Whatever happens next, we want to make sure you are both clear about what is happening and why – to avoid confusion or upset.

The person I see doesn’t want me to visit. What should I do?

  • If the person doesn’t want to see you, don’t. Please speak to your Volunteers Manager, who will help you to plan the next steps.

Next steps? That sounds vague.

  • The next steps could be a number of things: meeting outside, going back to Zoom/phone calls and texts, but it will probably involve a more in-depth conversation with the person you’re matched with – to understand their concerns and plan accordingly. It may be the person wishes to end the match. We won’t know until we explore it with them – but this might be easier with a Volunteer Manager involved. It’s what we’re there for.

So are all LASSN Staff back at work in the office? Will you be closing the offices?

  • We’re all dividing our time between the office and working from home.
  • We’ve decided not to arrange any new gatherings – training, socials, parties, get-togethers – and we are treating all planned events on a case by case basis.
  • We are only going into the office to do things that can’t be done by Zoom. And we’re limiting face to face meetings – keeping the time to a minimum, ensuring windows are open, wearing masks when less than 2 metres apart.

So should I ring the office or the mobile?

  • The LASSN office landline is still going straight to answerphone, and our mobiles are on whilst we are at work.
  • So, if you prefer not to email,  please call or text our mobile phone numbers.
  • If we don’t answer we’re probably on another call to someone else.
  • You can find all of our numbers here https://lassn.org.uk/contact

LASSN’s bottom line.

  • We want volunteering with LASSN to be safe, meaningful and enjoyable.
  • We want to help with the difficult decisions volunteering can sometimes present.
  • Most of all, we are extremely grateful for your ongoing commitment and kindness during these difficult and unpredictable times.

Thank you from everyone at LASSN

Jon Beech, Director – and all the Volunteer Managers at LASSN