Our principles
Introduction
COVID-19 mutual aid is a grassroots community group volunteering support for neighbours during the COVID-19 outbreak. Anyone experiencing even mild symptoms #stayathome. You can also join our Islington COVID-19 mutual aid FB group.
The information collected will be used for the legitimate purposes of the group - to connect volunteers working in the same area, and to match volunteers to members of the community seeking support.
Any information gathered will be deleted when the group disbands. To remove your data or ask any questions, please contact us via StPetersMutualAid@gmail.com.
Last updated: 26 April
COVID-19 mutual aid is a grassroots community group volunteering support for neighbours during the COVID-19 outbreak. Anyone experiencing even mild symptoms #stayathome. You can also join our Islington COVID-19 mutual aid FB group.
The information collected will be used for the legitimate purposes of the group - to connect volunteers working in the same area, and to match volunteers to members of the community seeking support.
Any information gathered will be deleted when the group disbands. To remove your data or ask any questions, please contact us via StPetersMutualAid@gmail.com.
Last updated: 26 April
Our principles
You will only be accepted if you are willing to support our efforts and remain in regular contact through your zone WhatsApp group. Membership is up to the zone coordinators' discretion: security is key to community! Similarly, any offence to other volunteers will result in immediate removal from the group.
- We are creating community not a charity.
- Nobody should be charging when providing support.
- We are aiming to support our community equally, no matter the religion, race, political beliefs or social status.
- There will be no central register of peoples requests nor a file saving their numbers or anything that might compromise their safety.
- We will adhere to strict health protocols both for leafleting and delivering.
You will only be accepted if you are willing to support our efforts and remain in regular contact through your zone WhatsApp group. Membership is up to the zone coordinators' discretion: security is key to community! Similarly, any offence to other volunteers will result in immediate removal from the group.
Volunteers
To join the St. Peter's Ward COVID-19 mutual aid group as a volunteer, please follow these steps:
To join the St. Peter's Ward COVID-19 mutual aid group as a volunteer, please follow these steps:
- Check the map here to identify which zone you are in.
- Please fill out our register form - this populates into a spreadsheet accessible only to admins.
- Join your Zone WhatsApp group using the links provided
- All requests for support will come through to a central phone number, managed by our administrators. The administrators will pass down a request to each zone coordinator based on the person's address.
- The Zone coordinator is then responsible for responding to the request - seeking support from the zone WhatsApp group and then the main WhatsApp group if required.
- Zone coordinators will report finalised cases to the data admin at the end of every day.
The ward has been split into 20 Zones and "Zone+", which deals with more complicated requests. The helpline and inbox will divert any relevant requests to them.
Champions
Neighbours that are putting their expertise to work on the following areas:
Neighbours that are putting their expertise to work on the following areas:
Ana -- Admin and helpline
Juliet -- Admin and Special Requests
Lucy -- Communications
Jen B -- Data & processing
Rachel -- DBS checks
Juliet -- Admin and Special Requests
Lucy -- Communications
Jen B -- Data & processing
Rachel -- DBS checks
Josie -- Food & food banks
Marzia -- Facebook
Bertie -- Nextdoor
Alice -- Instagram & Graphics
Martyn -- Graphics
Marzia -- Facebook
Bertie -- Nextdoor
Alice -- Instagram & Graphics
Martyn -- Graphics
WhatsApp Group Rules
Please note the following rules for our WhatsApp groups and discussions:
Please note the following rules for our WhatsApp groups and discussions:
- If you want to take part, please could you make sure you have a profile picture? Just so we know who we are talking to and those requesting support can be reassured about who to expect!
- Anyone who has joined the group but has not registered will be removed to promote security.
- Reserve the chats (as far as possible) for organisation. We'd hate to miss a request for help if it gets lost between conversations!
- Do not share personal data of people in need in the groups. This should be done with as few people as possible in private messages to protect them.
Our "services"
Grocery deliveries
When delivering groceries of any kind, please adhere to the Islington Mutual Aid Safeguarding Rules.
Prescriptions
Prescription medications may be dangerous and/or have significant street value, especially in times of shortage. Pharmacies should not give them to anyone except the person who takes them or someone nominated by the person who takes them.
Our policy is that only those volunteers who are DBS-checked will do prescription pick-ups. We will only respond to requests from pharmacies and doctors who can cover us, at the express request of the person to whom the medication belongs.
All requests, pick-ups and deliveries must be logged properly (along with dates and times).
If you would like to volunteer for prescription deliveries, we will need to see a valid form of ID (passport / driving licence) and your DBS certificate.
When delivering prescriptions, please adhere to the Islington Mutual Aid Safeguarding Rules.
Please let the person in need know you cannot use their shopping bags, and you will charge them for 2 x 10p shopping bags in addition to their grocery order. This ensures infection control guidance is followed!
Dog walking
Dogs need exercising regardless of social distancing measures, and volunteers can be invaluable help to walk the dogs of those who are sick or socially isolating. Please be mindful of sanitising dog leads, and wash your hands as soon as you have returned the dog!
Phone calls
We're on hand for a friendly chat to check on those experiencing symptoms or self-isolating because they are vulnerable. No special instructions - just be sympathetic, soothing and respectful.
If the conversation you have with someone leads you to believe they are a risk to themselves or others, please contact the group administrator for support.
Grocery deliveries
When delivering groceries of any kind, please adhere to the Islington Mutual Aid Safeguarding Rules.
Prescriptions
Prescription medications may be dangerous and/or have significant street value, especially in times of shortage. Pharmacies should not give them to anyone except the person who takes them or someone nominated by the person who takes them.
Our policy is that only those volunteers who are DBS-checked will do prescription pick-ups. We will only respond to requests from pharmacies and doctors who can cover us, at the express request of the person to whom the medication belongs.
All requests, pick-ups and deliveries must be logged properly (along with dates and times).
If you would like to volunteer for prescription deliveries, we will need to see a valid form of ID (passport / driving licence) and your DBS certificate.
When delivering prescriptions, please adhere to the Islington Mutual Aid Safeguarding Rules.
Please let the person in need know you cannot use their shopping bags, and you will charge them for 2 x 10p shopping bags in addition to their grocery order. This ensures infection control guidance is followed!
Dog walking
Dogs need exercising regardless of social distancing measures, and volunteers can be invaluable help to walk the dogs of those who are sick or socially isolating. Please be mindful of sanitising dog leads, and wash your hands as soon as you have returned the dog!
Phone calls
We're on hand for a friendly chat to check on those experiencing symptoms or self-isolating because they are vulnerable. No special instructions - just be sympathetic, soothing and respectful.
If the conversation you have with someone leads you to believe they are a risk to themselves or others, please contact the group administrator for support.
Taking Payments
The process for payments can be based on individual discretion. The steps we would advise you to take are:
Alternatives:
In the unlikely event that you are not paid, please flag it to your zone coordinator and we will (collectively) reimburse you.
The process for payments can be based on individual discretion. The steps we would advise you to take are:
- Please ask the person to restrict their "order" to £20 where possible.
- Pay contactless at the shop where you can - protect yourself!
- Take a picture of the receipt and WhatsApp it to the person you delivered to (this avoids contamination)
- Deliver the supplies
- Request payment by bank transfer if possible. Provide bank account details securely via a private WhatsApp conversation: Account Number, Sort Code, Full Name. Never give out your card details (these are not required for transfers). If the person does not have online banking, take cash but make sure you disinfect this!
Alternatives:
- NHS volunteer guidelines suggest you ask the shop owner to call the person who has requested the delivery, so that they can pay by card over the phone.
- If someone is ordering a lot, it is certainly acceptable to ask them to transfer you half the money for the shop in advance.
In the unlikely event that you are not paid, please flag it to your zone coordinator and we will (collectively) reimburse you.
Errands with cars
NHS volunteer guidelines suggest it is good practice to inform your insurance company that you will be using your vehicle for volunteering, in case this affects your policy. Let us know if this is an issue.
NHS volunteer guidelines suggest it is good practice to inform your insurance company that you will be using your vehicle for volunteering, in case this affects your policy. Let us know if this is an issue.
