We are working to ensure that children on the Isle of Wight are supported to get the best start in life that will lead to good health and wellbeing. This will provide the foundation to ensure they are able to achieve the best opportunities and keep as healthy and well as possible throughout their lives.
We want to ensure that families, individuals and communities are thriving and resilient with access to good jobs, affordable housing, leisure activities, lifelong training, education and learning, health and care services are are able to enjoy the place in which they live.
We want to ensure that people on the Isle of Wight are able to live independently in their own homes with appropriate care support. We want to make sure older residents are supported to play an active role in their communities and supported to maintain and develop their social and community networks.
The Isle of Wight is set to benefit from Rally Round, a free digital network which enables family members, friends, carers and communities to create and organise support for themselves or someone they care about.
Rally Round allows users to create a secure online network of people they know and trust to help out with day to day tasks. Users can add tasks to a ‘to do list’ around an individual’s personal needs and lend a hand by agreeing to do specific tasks on the list.
It is ideal for people with busy lives and is a safe and easy way to bring people and communities together to support those in need. It was designed to help frail older people and their family carers, however it can also be used in a variety of other ways from co-ordinating volunteers to arranging the school run.
Rally Round has several helpful features including letting the group know when tasks have been completed and enables users to set up notifications for email or text alerts to ensure nothing slips through the net. It also allows users to share important information such as local pharmacy locations or favourite foods and uses the same technology used by banks to ensure information shared remains secure.
Supported by the voluntary sector Isle Help partnership and local care system as part of the new model of care on the Island, it is hoped that Rally Round will become a practical tool for many Islanders.
Paul Savill, Chief Executive, Citizen’s Advice Isle of Wight:
“At Citizen’s Advice we’re happy to help all residents have the best information and support they can to manage their lives. We’re therefore delighted to be supporting the launch of Rally Round and if anyone has any questions, our staff will be on hand to provide advice on how to use it.”
Elizabeth Martin, Manager, Carers Isle of Wight:
“We work with carers all year round and as a voluntary organisation, we often hear first-hand of struggles faced by carers and those who need helping out with their day to day needs. Whether it’s doing the shopping, mowing the lawn or attending a doctor’s appointment. When a group of people come together to help out, they not only provide more care and support for the individual but are also part of a wider group helping to share the load.”
Jo Dare, Chief Executive Officer at Age UK Isle of Wight:
“So much can be achieved when communities rally around an individual to help them when they are in need, whether they are a family member, friend or neighbour. Rally Round allows for those day to day tasks to happen in a co-ordinated way where everyone has the opportunity to provide support, and to be kept in the loop. We believe that Rally Round will enable our Good Neighbours scheme to help even more people but will also help families and friends to help themselves."
Nicola Longson, Programme Director, System Wide Transformation Team:
"We are working together across our health and care system to find new ways to support the health and wellbeing of our local residents as part of our My Life a Full Life new model of care. Rally Round supports people who want to coordinate care and support around themselves or the people they care about. With safe, secure, easy-to-use technology that is accessible 24/7, it provides peace of mind about the support in place so they can live their lives to the full."
Anyone living on the Isle of Wight can set up a network on Rally Round using the step by step guidance accessible online at: www.rallyroundme.com/iow. If anyone needs support setting up a Rally Round network, they can either use the online chat support from the Rally Round team or call Citizens Advice Isle of Wight on 01983 823898 / 09.30am-15.30pm Mondays- Fridays (excluding bank holidays).
