Project Director: Ian Wilson
Project Duration: 2017-2020

The study evaluated the delivery of the British Red Cross’ First Call service. The First Call service aims to deliver low-level support to older people, taking a time-limited and key worker approach to assisting with issues such as social isolation, budgeting, coping with bereavement, moving home and managing ill-health. The British Red Cross delivered First Call in six areas during the period of the evaluation.

The evaluation aimed to provide learning about the establishment and delivery of the First Call service in the pilot areas. It also aimed to assess:

• if the use of volunteers to deliver services is well defined, clearly active in service delivery and effective in supporting outcomes for service users
• the effectiveness of approaches to provide a service to hardest to reach groups and the impact on their outcomes
• if service users have increased independence and confidence to manage at home
• if service users have improved well-being and increased social connections
• if service users have increased sense of security and reassurance
• if the service reduced service user demand on statutory services.