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Community Visitors Scheme

The Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) is a national program that provides companionship to socially isolated people living in Australian Government-funded aged care homes.

Residents of aged care homes may become isolated and lonely because of limited family and social contact, for cultural reasons, or through disability.

Expansion of the Community Visitors Scheme

As part of the Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package announced in April 2012, the Australian Government will provide $19 million from 2013-2016 to expand the Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) beginning in 2013-14.

An Invitation to Apply (ITA) for funding is now open. Interested applicants will need to address the assessment criteria in the format outlined in the ITA DoHA/233/1213 and in accordance with the CVS Guidelines which are available by registering on the Department’s Tenders and Grants internet site at: www.health.gov.au/tenders

The Grant Program Guidelines for the Community Visitors Scheme are also accessible under the Community Visitors Scheme Links

What is the Community Visitors Scheme?

The Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) is a national program that provides companionship to socially or culturally isolated people living in Australian Government-subsidised aged care homes.

How does it work?

The Community Visitors Scheme arranges community volunteers to visit selected residents on a regular, one-to-one basis.

The Community Visitors Scheme is funded by the Australian Government and operates in every State and Territory.

Any resident whose quality of life could be improved by the companionship of a regular community visitor can be referred to the Community Visitors Scheme.

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Volunteer Community Visitors

A community visitor is a person who volunteers to visit and befriend a resident of an aged care home.

Aged care residents come from a variety of different social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, community visitors from all backgrounds are welcome.

Volunteering as a community visitor can be a rewarding experience!

By befriending an older person living in an aged care home, volunteers have a chance to make a positive difference to the resident's life – as well as their own.

Tell me more about being a community visitor

How is it run?

The Australian Government funds a variety of community-based organisations (known as Community Visitors Scheme auspices) to carry out the task of:

• recruiting, training and supporting volunteer community visitors
• matching volunteers to residents of aged care homes
• supporting visitor-resident relationships

Tell me more about what Community Visitors Scheme auspices do

Community Visitors Scheme Brochures and Handbooks

The following brochures and handbooks are available to give you more information about the Community Visitors Scheme:

• Community Visitors – Friends for Older People: Information for Visitors
• Community Visitors – Friends for Older People: Information for Residents
• The Community Visitors Scheme Handbook
• The Community Visitors Scheme Handbook for Subsidised Aged Care Homes

(The brochures and handbooks are available in English and a number of other languages.)

If you would like a copy:

• phone the Aged and Community Care Information Line on 1800 500 853, and ask for the brochures or handbooks to be posted to you
  or
• download the brochures or handbooks from this website – either in English or other languages

Want to know more?

• If you would like to know more, or you know someone who would benefit from having a visitor, phone the Aged and Community Care Information Line on 1800 500 853 or contact your local Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222* (*mobile calls are charged at applicable rates).

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